The Villages-Long Term
 

A lot of the amenities of The Village seem to be supported by the sales of new homes.
What happens when The Villages are sold out?
Will the contractual amenities fees rise steeply? Will The Villages be the same wonderful place when the "Owners" have departed?
I'm sure The Villages will survive, I'm just wondering if the long-term will continue to get better and better.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

Things will change. They always do. However, we are all hoping, I think, that the status quo will hold until there are a whole new set of Villagers and we have gone on to the village of "Heavenly".

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

Lovely thought, graciegirl--but it's true! Nothing stays the same, time moves on, and we need to focus on living in the present. ...

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

I agree. Live for now and not worry about the future. Everything always seems to turn out right. I want to enjoy life now and take one day at a time.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

From what I understand, part of the reason for the POA lawsuit was to make sure there was funding for the amenities. If I'm correct and if the fees are handled properly now and in the future, we should lose little when the developers leave us. A lot, of course, will depend on how the various districts handle issues. My guess would be that some areas will get better service than others simply because their districts will be doing a better job.

Other than that, I'd relax and enjoy TV as it is today. It will change. It has changed -- ask those who have been here for 10 years or longer. I've talked to a few who were part of the original Orange Blossom group. Some hate the changes. Some love them. I'm sure it will be the same for all of us as time goes by.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

Kayaker, which amenities are supported by the developer? I was under the impression (and I'm not the expert some of the folks out here are) that each district would essentially govern itself after a certain number of years - with funding coming from the amenity charges. There are already areas doing this now - I would assume the older areas.
I understand that the town square entertainment is supported by the local stores and not the developer.
There have been some decent similar discussions related to this in recent months. Maybe you could do a search and turn some stuff up?

Not to say there won't be changes! For sure things will continue to evolve.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

Just off the top of my head; the trolley, the Polo Club.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

Well the trolley isn't what I think of as an amenity. It's really just a sales tour of TV.

I don't know about the polo club - I have no idea how that's managed today.

I was thinking pools and golf!

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

If you think through exactly what the developers business really is, they will have a vested interest for a long time to come. Commercial real estate. Most of the stores and eating places are owned by them and rented out. Real Estate. When they first started, new home sales were 100% of their business. after a few years is was 20% resales and 80% new. Today it is getting closer to 50/50. Soon it will be 80/20 the other way. By the time they finish, it will be 100% resales. I would have to think they would be pretty dumb to give up that lucrative piece of business as they probably sell 75% of the resales in TV. Rentals. I believe other than private they have 90% of that business. So why would they go away? It would still be a huge $$$$$ business. My guess is there will be involved long after the last new house is sold.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

The developer does not "support the amenities" - you do!. The developer constructs the amenities, sells then to the CDC, you pay for this in the bond. The monthly amenities fee pays the upkeep/maintenance of the amenties.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

Where did you get that idea? We, the Villagers pay for the amenities. From the historic side to the far end of the south side.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

People,

Please do your research much research. The developer has used the Florida development law to charge us astronomical amounts of money for real estate valued at so much less and I am not talking about houses. If it were not for the POA (the orginal homeowners association) who is for the Villagers and the class action lawsuit, we would not be better off in the future. Please realize that the developer has only one reason to be here and only one and that is to make money, much much money by selling and misrepresenting what the villages is supposed to be about.

Remember the present developer did not create The Villages. The present concept is "a far far cry" from the orginal concept. I personally cannot wait until the management is in the hands of a (democracy) in the hands of people for the people. Our situation will be so much for the better.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

Well, of course the developer is here to make money! This is not a charitable institution, this is real estate development. The developer (and I use the word not to describe a specific individual but rather Harold Schwartz and his descendants) continue to invest their money into what at first was a concept that might have been uncertain, and it paid off for them--and for us, or we would not be here.... Paid off handsomely? Yes, well, good for them! "Field of Dreams": Build it and they [we] will come! And we are coming, so evidently the developer is doing something right. The developer's concept involved building the amenities first (which sadly has not been the case in other retirement developments), and we pay for them through our amenity fee. We know this when we buy here, and we accept that this is how it works.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

While I am for the POA do not give them that much credit. While they are an assist they are also a thorn in the butt. We will see what the class action suit gets us in the future. From today's POA news it looks like the ones that made good on the suit are wanting to bail out.

While the present developers did not create the Villages, I have to feel that they have us in mind and the covenants and bylaws have some jurisdiction over our existence.

As for a change to a democracy. be careful of what you wish for.

Re: The Villages-Long Term
 

I can tell you, in my opinion, when it does turn over to the landowners it will be far less enjoyable than it is now. We were part of a group of homeowners who bought the golf course we lived on from the developer some 30 years ago. It was the biggest mess you could dream of, the meetings waxed on about each persons favorite topic and the whole picture, the business of running a golf course soon went down the drain. One wanted new draperies, one bought new tables and chairs, soon we were running in the red. There were those who thought it wasn't "nice" to keep a dress code so soon we had drunks in bare chests teeing off. It failed big time.

Methinks, dear Lady Kathleen that you are well intended, but a little optimistic.