January 2020 arrival - Newbie Questions
 

Hello all. Great forum here for exchanging information. I'm scheduled to close on a resale in mid-January and am so looking forward to becoming a member of the TV community. I have these questions:

1. I plan to live in the Villages most of the year and rent out my home January to March and perhaps a month or two in the summer. It's clear that demand to purchase new homes in TV doesn't seem to be slowing, but I'm wondering if the market for rentals is capable of increasing at the same pace. Basic economics would say that if the supply of available rentals increases but demand stays the same, rental prices will go down. Are as many new renters entering the market as there are new buyers?

2. Realtors I've spoken to emphasize the importance of location and they say proximity to one of the three town squares is something people find desirable. How close is close in your opinion? I will be living about 1.4 miles from one of the squares. Is that considered a desirable distance for rentals or resales?

3. What are some of the reasons people leave the Villages, other than family, health or employment?

4. Golf seems to be waning in popularity in some parts of the country. It's not unusual to see golf courses (or parts of them) being converted to housing or parks where I live now in southeast Florida. I know golf is very much alive and well in the Villages, but hypothetically, what do you think might happen in the future if interest tapers off in TV? Is anyone aware of any stipulations set forth by the developer as to how golf courses could and could not be repurposed if any of them ever become financially unsustainable?

Thanks for input on any or all of the questions!

During the recent Home Show, The Villages had a brochure stating they had 1,000 more rental requests than homes available for rental Jan - Apr.

Thanks Robbie. So it appears the snowbird rental market will remain healthy for a while. That's great. A couple of more questions for anyone who can answer them:

1. In your opinion, is it okay to do without hurricane insurance? I've read that the Villages is the safest area in Florida for hurricanes.
2. I don't think I'll have a golf cart, so instead I'm considering getting one of those three wheeled scooters with a seat and handlebars. Is it safe to leave them at stores, rec centers, etc. (with the key out of the ignition of course)? Any reports of them being stolen? Where do people park them?