New model park
 

I received this email from the Village representative that we purchased our home from.

"Be one of the first to see our New Model and Design Center. Stunning Homes, Impeccable Decorating and Out of This World Outdoor Spaces. Call TODAY for your private tour!"

A video with pictures of the homes that were beautifully decorated and had outstanding outdoor space was included in the email. Just thought it was interesting that The Villages would do this so close to build out.

New Models
 

Where is this home park? Was the video attached to the email? If so, can you provide a link? We're redecorating and would benefit from seeing how the models are appointed.

link
 

I don't know the location of the model park but I'd guess it is in one of the new areas that are being developed south of 466A. But I don't know.

This is the link that was in my email.

https://animoto.com/play/Eac8hS0SRltRhV8scyCIFA

love those firepits and the views..... I would love to see them in person....let us know when you discover the location...

This is simply a Villages sales rep (on their own) using the existing stock of furnished houses and calling it The New Model and Design Center. They want to sell you another house.

"This is simply a Villages sales rep using the existing stock of furnished houses and calling it The New Model and Design Center. They want to sell you a house."

WRONG! The new model home center opened yesterday (Friday 01/29) in the Village of Pine Ridge.

The way this was done in the past, you had to go with a sales rep to visit these models.

Duly noted, they will need everything in their arsenal to sell houses in Lake county where the real estate taxes are double Sumter County.

I watched the video, and now have a lot of questions. Are you sure that's an official video from The Villages? No where in it did I see "The Villages" logo. And, I've never before seen any Villages video from Animoto, whatever that is. It does appear to me that maybe a sales rep put it together from existing stock of furnished homes. Why? I don't know. The Villages does a pretty good job of promoting new homes. Why would the sales rep have to do this amateurish video herself?

When we bought here, over three years ago, our sales rep explained that in each new village there is a street of homes that are built and furnished as the "Design Center." So, it's no surprise that there is one in Pine Ridge. Are these homes in the video from Pine Ridge or from some other group of new homes? There are probably also "design centers" in Labelle and Osceola Hills.

If you notice each of the homes shown has a sign with the model name in front of the house.
Go to The Villages - Florida's Friendliest Retirement Hometown - New Home Sales, Home Resales, Build Your Dream Home, Brownwood Paddock Square and click on Model Home Gallery. This will bring up different model's that can be viewed in a slide show. They look like the homes in the link that was provided.
These model centers are nothing new to The Villages. Usually, there is not one for every new village but an area of villages.
You cannot just stroll thru these models to get decorating idea (why not look at the photos), previously you had to be accompanied by a sales rep.

The taxes are double and they also have a bond?

The models are in Pine Ridge off of Moyer loop, yoder lane

Bonds and real estate taxes are not the same. A bond is really the cost of the subdivision's (a Village) infrastructure financed for you by the developer. Florida is only one of a very few states that allow this practice. And in Florida it can be prohibited by a local taxing authority, such as did the City of Lady Lake. Thus, prior to the Fruitland Park development, homes in Lake County never had bonds attached because all of the early Lake County development was within Lady Lake.

Normally infrastructure and development costs are included in the advertised "purchase price". The bond is not a tax, but rather is just collected in conjunction with the annual tax bill. This scheme was originally introduced years ago by Disney in development of their properties to disguise by $20,000 or $30,000, or more the real purchase price of properties they were selling. The Bond should be considered part of your purchase price when determining the real price commitment you are making. Further, it is not a legitimate income tax deduction, except maybe for the amount of interest included in that year's payment.

In reply to the comment above, the real answer is yes, Lake County taxes are higher than other surrounding counties. Taxes are also influenced by a local city in which the property may exist. I believe most of Marion and Sumter properties exist outside of any significant town, except for Wildwood, Thus for the most part Villages properties do not have to carry the double burden of a local city's bloated tax burden. And now Fruitland Park covers the new Lake County development area. Who knows how those cities will milk the Villages cash cow as time develops.

The bond interest is not deductible.

That slideshow linked was done, I think, by somebody other than The Villages.

I can't believe somebody shot and used the outdoor photos, in the rain with dark, rainy skies. Looks amateurish and not appealing.