How many different types of homes are there really?
 

I'm buying a new home. As I look though the home models on The Villages web site, I notice that there are homes that are identical to mine and in different "categories".

Mine is a "Cottage Home". A friend saw it and said that he has the exact same house but was told that it was ranch and it has a different name.

I also found the identical house, same square footage, same layout in "Designer Homes" with again, a different name.

Before we bought, we looked at several different cottage homes and I saw several different layouts. Again, I see the identical homes advertised as designers under a different name.

I assume that the designer homes have nicer appointments, better appliances, higher quality carpeting and flooring etc. But it seems strange to me that they would give the same house two different names and categorize them as two different types.

I wonder how many basic house plans The Villages uses in their new homes.

Their are so many types block, wood, manufactured I feel it would be nearly impossible to even find two homes the same of any same model (designer cottage etc.) as each have some small difference. It is really impossible to try to compare apples to apples and so on

I'm talking about new construction.

Take a look at these.

Of course every home is different. They have different flooring, different cabinets, different appliance and different counter tops to mention a few things. But, the basic floor plan and the basic house in many cases are identical.

Most are but some are not but square footage vary, lot sizes are different for cottage and designer and on an on and this conversation can go on and on n this site? It is best to love what you buy and stop looking in order to enjoy your happiness of your purchase

We were over checking out the models today. We were in the "sandpiper" and I said to the salesman this is the same floor plan as the "bogainville". He said yes they just make a few changes and change the name.

It used to be that stucco home had one name .. sided a different name, but same floor plan.

Generally the differences used to be , interior door style, electric switches, maybe level of appliances, it has always been the same plan with small changes. some of the msl real estate have the old plans to compare. there used to be a list of differences from one to the next lever ie cottage to designer to premier. also neighborhoods, which could be status segregation.

Many many cookie cutter homes. The Anna Maria villa is same as stonybrook but one is stucco. The Amarillo ranch is basically the bougainvillea designer but Amarillo has no food pantry. Whispering pines and cedar same even gardenia has sister, think its sun something? One cottage (forgot name?) Is the Amarillo again. They can remove one window in a home and then change the name but yes many cookie cutter homes

Very similar to be sure. It takes awhile to figure it all out. It used to be that designers had up to about 2000 square feet of air conditioned area but now a lot of the larger models have added space. Some are as large as some of the Premiers.

Dr. B, I was looking at the interiors of some of the new cottages in the historic area and it appears they have very nice cabinets and finishes.

It takes a lot of browsing and visiting to ascertain which home is right for you.

We had notebooks and did all kinds of research and decided on THE model both times we were looking for a new home HERE. We are very planned and not impulsive with our money and our investments.

Both times we bought a different model than the one we had focused on.

And both times were really happy.

On second thought, I think the gardenia is now the begonia minus windows in the kitchen nook. It's the Amarillo and the bougainvillea that is basically same as sunflower I believe

When w e were looking for a lily out of ten preowned not one of the floor plans were the same built in the 2010 range. We finally found the perfect one

I'm very happy with what I bought. I'm not complaining at all.

I just thought that it was interesting that there are several names for basically the same home.

Yes, they are the exact same thing, only different.

Dr ... you may want to check out this link that shows the floor plans organized by house categories.

The Villages, FL | Real Estate The Villages, Florida | 55+ Community

This has old and new house floor plans .. probably most of them ... maybe not every single one.
Note that each house can have extended lanais, extended rooms.

I agree with you. It's like trying to buy mattresses. Or tires.

It was very confusing, but I agree with Gracie. After you move into your new home, everything else falls away. Then you go about putting your own stamp on it (like removing that tree trunk from your window!) I know you are not complaining. It is confusing. But good.:pepper2: