Price Increase/Decrease??
 

Am I the only one who noticed there appears to be another price increase on new models and a substantial decrease on the cost of building a Lantana??

When we were looking at homes in 2008 you could buy a Lantana on an interior lot with no golf cart garage for about 279K. I remember that price as being the lowest anyway. Our neighbors who captured the stick version next door to us with partial view of golf course, no granite, no interior kicks and linoleum floor and a golf cart garage paid 325k in 2008. I always thought that was a find for a new Lantana then. How much are they now?

It is SO hard to figure the price out on spec homes because they all are different and some have blinds and laundry appliances and granite and other upgrades and some do not.

Just added. I just went to thevillages.com and there are 15 Lantanas listed under new spec homes and they range from 227K to 336K. So it doesn't appear there has been any increase at all since we looked at them in 2008. In fact many appear less expensive.

PLEASE KNOW I DON'T work for the developer. I just like to keep aware of the cost of homes here.

Not sure about the Lantana...but I could swear the Ivy jumped $6K. When we designed in September, I think the base was either $269K or $270K...

While my first thought is "great, now I have a little equity" it makes me think how unaffordable some of the homes are becoming...that some people will get "priced out" of being able to retire here or will have to scale back their house plans...

I am guessing that it will be trending the same everywhere. Houses are selling better than they were in Ohio a year ago according to our realtor back there whose husband is keeping his job.

(inside joke for Virtual Geezer)

I will see how much Ivys are selling for on that site.

There is only one brand new Ivy spec home listed and it is 445K but it's size is an amazing 2500 square feet which is as large as some Premiers. I didn't check to see if it was a view lot. I would like to see that house, I imagine it is a wowser.

I went back to look again. It is just being built and is a view lot and has a pool. Here's the number VNH#: 214057

I have a Gardenia so I have followed the pricing since we decided that was the model we wanted. The Gardenia went up $2400 since the last increase 11/26. The change on 11/26 looked like a decrease but if you compare the floorplans to the month before, they took out the column and arch between the kitchen and dining room in the standard model. If you see a decrease in the base price of a model, you might check to see if something changed on the standard model.
Changes in the Gardenia pricing:
5/1/2012 $220,800 (represents a 3% increase from April)
8/3/2012 $221,800
9/4/2012 $222,600
10/3/2012 $223,200
11/1/2012 $224,300
11/26/2012 $224,200(removed column and arch from standard)
1/4/2013 $226,600 about 5.7% increase since last April

Lantana base price dropped over $11,000.

I had an Oleander built in 2004. I just loved the large kitchen it offered. Now I understand they don't even build that style anymore because of the low demand for "an enclosed kitchen."

Changed the floorplan too
 

It looks like they changed the standard floorplan also. Added a entry way closet, moved the HVAC and WH to the room off the garage entry, changed the built in pantry in the kitchen to a cabinet pantry, made the living/dining 3" less in width and added the 3" to the kitchen/nook. Maybe other changes too.

Roni. I didn't READ your first post carefully. YOU ARE RIGHT of course!!!!

I really like the Lantana model. Expecially like the size of second and third bedroom and the front bedroom can be used as a family room/den/ hide your everyday living stuff place.

All of these appear to be less than when we were looking in 2008.

I wish the moderators would have a HOUSE forum for us people who are intrigued with homes and interiors of homes. I love to see the way different models are configured....and I love how each owner makes their model home to THEM.

:agree:

The changes for the HVAC and water heater were made across the board when they opened the new models. When we designed in mid-November (prior to the December release of new models), there was an entry closet and no separate pantry closet, but a pantry cabinet. Other than the 3" changes you mentioned, I can't figure it out. I have a call into my sales agent.

Never met the gentleman, but Lyle Gant the realtor has been the keeper of TV floor plans for years. I think he knows the complete history of every home model built here. Since the moderator has deemed him an expert, perhaps Mr Gant would respond to questions like the one in this OP.

I like to follow along on house prices and designs too, but I can't picture all the models and then what common 'kicks' and revisions look like. If Mr. Gant would put up a model graphic in response to someone's question, then describe changes, we could all learn a lot and have fun at the same time. Bet if you asked him he'd like the idea as much as the moderator will like HOUSE.

(I was an educator - you just got homework)

We purchased a Mandevilla, which I believe is a version of the Oleander. Having a large, separate kitchen with an eating nook and a center island was a big attraction for us. I am not sure why people prefer the open plan? Our living room and dining room (and large foyer with a closet) provide adequate open space. The kitchen has a pass-through to the dining room and a clear view of (and 2nd door to) the L-shaped lanai, so it seems open enough.

I really love the design! Different strokes for different folks!

When we purchased our Sanibel model in Feb. 2012 the base price was $403,000.
It is now $414,500 and the MBR bath tub is now an option.
They also removed 2 of the 4 windows in the Master Bedroom and squared off the corner walls where those 2 windows were located.
1K price appreciation per month. Still worth it to be here in TV.
Wait until the build out is done!

Just heard back from my agent and designer - apparently the price posted for Lantana is WRONG and they are working to correct it now! Should be $249,000.

We just bought a Lantana a few weeks back and there have been recent changes to the floor plan. The former laundry room has been decreased in size by half to allow for the HVAC equipment that had to be moved due to some code change (our design agent said it needed to be closer to the outside unit). Elevation D was deleted as an option.

Lantana vs. Lily
 

There is a price difference of almost $20K between the Lantana and the Lily however the floorplans are very similar. Why is the price of a Lantana so much higher than the Lily?

I believe the Lantana has stucco siding.

Lantana price
 

No way, it's $249K now it wasn't $260K when we went to contract TG time. I would have had a stroke.

Price difference
 

The Lantana has more sq footage and probably options on the Lily could be standard on the Lantana. Just off the cuff I haven't studied it but TV must know what they are doing...

I just loved my Oleander. I'm hoping to move back to the Villages in 2014 and would love to find an available Oleander. Cooking is a passion for me and the kitchen was just ideal with plenty of storage and counterspace. And yes, the L shaped lanai was great and open for the grill.

We love the Mandevilla that we bought in 2008. We did heavily landscape the back so that those windows were not looking at the neighbor's lanai and they were not looking into our living room. You are right, differrent strokes..............

Given the rigid ROI established by the Delveloper they can't built a Lantana in the same manner they had prior to the drop in the housing market. Further add ons, upgrade location make comparisons more difficult.

There is little flexibility TV to design changes and upgrades and I am told by many new buyers that they found it more cost effective to go with what is being offered and then find their own contractor to do the change or upgrade.

I first look here 2005 and then again in spring of 2006 and was surprised that the prices had about doubled. At that time it was a seller's market and you were told take the house as it is and at this price or leave it.
I detailed to the sales agent what I wanted in that house, where I wanted it located and what price range i would go.

The sales agent, a good one, whom I would employ again found a house that had actually more upgrades than I requested.

As to price increase/decreases for those of us who are not in the market it really doesn't manner. It will if we decide to move or if the home is passed onto my offspring.

an after thought. I am assuming the discussion here in price is for the unit alone and does not include the cost of land or the bond. the latter cost have grown substantial and inversely related to the prices of homes.

I know we paid for the lifestyle

It appears to me that the cost of the premium lots has increased in Gilchrist 211.

When we contacted to build the Lantana in mid March of 2012, the base price was $221,900. Today it is $249,900. I don't know when it had an $11,000 decrease but it wasn't in the last year.

You can say that again!!! There are several lots well over $200k!!

I built a Gardenia in late 2004, with one added window in the Master Bedroom. hardwood floors throughout, except kitchen and baths, which were tile. Cost me approx. $260,000.

My 2012 real estate tax valued the property at just a wee bit over $200,000.

What does this say? I think only that values are lower while advertised prices may well be (and most likely are) higher.

I'd hesitate to valuate prices from 5-8 years ago against those of 2013.

SWR
:beer3:

I was told that TV orders a years supply of materials to built the number of houses slated.
In Nov they had to reorder so those costs being one year later were higher, on top of that there is big demand for materiel after hurricane Sandy hit the NE.

So there was about a 10% hike after June thru now

A construction supervisor friend would disagree. He says TV has warehoused up to five years worth of building materials specifically not to be forced to buy during high demand periods. They therefore are able to exercise almost total control over their pricing.

another price increase
 

Looks like prices went up again in Feb. Gardinia went up another $1,000 for the base house and the floorplan didn't seem to change.

We put $7500 deposit on lot in late Feb 2013 on Lantana and price went from $251,000 to $267,200 by late July - ouch - that's quite an increase

The base price of our house has gone from 403K to 436K in 12 months since we moved in. Yeah!

The sales reps know of potential price increases well in advance. If you know one, ask him/her. There are no secrets.

Where are you looking that you see a decrease in the price of a Lantana?

Some time ago at the time of the original post on this thread there were several Lantana's listed on The Villages site, spec homes and they were quite reasonable in price. I am sure they are all gone now.

I disagree. They may think they know but they don't know and it is all just speculation until the sales meeting where it is announced. This place is run quite differently than any place I have ever known. Price increases may generally occur at certain times of the year and price increases will occur...but as to when, I really doubt that anyone has any prior information.

We had friends waiting until a certain group of models went on sale and their sales rep told them the morning of the meeting that they were released. There was already someone ahead of them who put the house they wanted on hold for 24 hours to secure financing. Our friends were very annoyed that their rep couldn't, didn't find out in advance. Good news was that after 24 hours and ONE minute the house was released again and they bought it. Our friends read this forum and can back me up on this.

Perhaps they had lower level finishes? I have no idea why they would be lower.

That said, from my calculation, the base price of a Lantana has gone up 20.6% from March of last year to date NOT including the 4% discount which was in effect at the time. I don't know how that increase compares to the other models but I would imagine it is pretty much the same across the board.

supply and demand?

Seems prices have increased dramatically on all models. I have been around awhile. Still love the place but will probably not be able to get the house I thought I wanted.

Good for you villagers bad for us wannabe's

Also have noticed resales have followed suit.

Do you think the Deveoloper has cut down on the speed of releases to increase the cost. Used to be there would be many many more released all of the time...now not so much ie no Hammock for quite awhile. ( I mention this since there have been some threads about the build-out not coming as told due to buying more land?)

Just sayin

I have been watching the prices since Feb. and the models have gone up every month. August was the first time they didn't increase since Feb.