Airbnb
 

Has anybody noticed that Airbnb has invaded the villages? I just went on their website and they are literally hundreds of houses listed for rent for a night or a week. And all of these people who rent can get guest passes and use our amenities. This is ridiculous and it has to stop. How can we stop it?

Not just AirBnB, check out ****, Homes to Go and all the rest of the rental sites out there on the Internet. No rules against it at this point and I'm not sure there ever will be. There's a huge glut on the market of rentals as more and more buy now and plan to retire later.

Do you have any idea how many people get guest passes that aren't even renting in here, just friends of owners who know how to buck the system. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it as it's been going on since the beginning.

I was told in the beginning of time that it's illegal to run a 'business' out of your house in the Villages! I think they need to step up and stop what's against the rules instead of turning their heads about any and all CC&R rules

Internal vs External deed restrictions. Internal are the responsibility of the developer who has no process in place to handle them.

I would like to see the airbnb rentals banned also. Some people even rent a room in their house on airbnb. But, I don't think that renting your house on airbnb would be defined as operating a business. Especially, since people rent their houses on a monthly basis all the time. What is the difference?

:ohdear: Not correct!

Uber of lodging

In some place where I was in Hawaii they had a rule for residential areas. You could rent out once in 30 days or longer. The renter could stay for one night, but you could not rent out again till the 30 days were over. The residents would monitor their area.

We had a condo with a no short term rental rule. Owners would work out a deal with renters to say they were friends using the owners unit for a week or a weekend. Nothing could be done about it.

Thanks for starting this thread, you are singing my tunes. We have a neighbor whose AIRBNB is seriously disrupting the neighborhood. Renting a room in your home, while you live there, violates two deed restrictions. First, you can not operate a business from your home. AIRBNB rental income is taxable income from a business operated out of your home. Second, all residential homes in the villages are restricted to single family residential usage. Renting a room from your home, to a non family member, violates this restriction. These particular deed restrictions are considered internal deed restrictions, which are supposed to be enforced by the developers. Unfortunately, they look the other way on this because they are in the business of selling homes. If they restrict AIRBNB’s, they will scare aware potential home buyers. It is very sad that they will fine people for little white crosses, but look the other way on much more serious deed restriction violations?

Drop a dime on all AirBnB's that u know about to community standards--print their add

Rentals
 

Perhaps the Villages would be better served if the trolls would pick up on this issue and run with it...just sayin'

Those who board pets in their homes are running a business out of their home. At our first house we had 3 that boarded animals multiple times a week

My husband and I rented here two years ago to try out the lifestyle to determine if we wanted to retire here. Literally 1/2 of our friends and neighbors we’ve met did the same thing as they needed time to explore all the areas to determine where they wanted to buy a home. Others needed to rent after their previous home sold and new home wasn’t ready. The villages “rents” homes they own year round with their lifestyle preview programs again so people can see for themselves what living here is all about. There is too much to comprehend in a short visit let alone from say a hotel room so I for one am grateful for the opportunity to rent first as otherwise we would not now be here or the close friends that have followed us down since.

I feel most Airbnb owners don't really consider their neighbors.

If they get a guest pass, they have to be accompanied by the owner to use an amenity like the pool, executive golf, etc. If they stay longer and get a renter's pass, the owner has to lodge their ID with The Villages and the renter, in essence, is the owner for that period of time and uses those privileges in their place. At least according to the rules.

I believe the “rules” actually allow you to rent a home you own here, but there are certain restrictions regarding it. I even think the developers own a business here that you can contract with to manage your rental(s). However, renting a room out of your home may be a different issue and might be considered running a business out of your home. The same would be true, IMO, of operating a pet boarding service (one you are getting paid for). Contact Community Standards and report it. The developers enforce rules like that on a complaint driven basis. There really isn’t any other way to do it.

Surprised by all the "not in my backyard" comments. My wife and I and another couple rented a villa 2 yrs ago and frankly it was1. In as good and probably better condition than 95% of the surrounding properties 2. Had strict rules on what you could and could not do, even to no shoes inside 3. Admonished us to be RESPECTFUL to the other property owners and the amenities we used. It was perfectly clean and extremely well decorated, unlike many "homeowners" we saw when we were looking to buy. Consequently, after we left the owner posted how perfect we left the place. We are searching for a nice place for next snowbird season and everyone we have looked at has the same list of high standards. So, before one who lives in a glass house throws stones, investigate and become fully informed. Bad apples, sure, among residents also, you betcha, but, many great people who may be your next neighbor or best friend rent from Airbnb, just saying! Enjoy your weather and area, it's beautiful.

We lived in a Palm Coast condo for a short period of time prior to moving here--there was a short term rental policy, 30 days or longer
the constant abuse of this policy was the straw that broke the camel's back for us--the ocean front beauty was destroyed , by kids running through the passageways, leaving bait buckets in front of units, trashing bicycle racks and the big ones drunks getting sick in the pools causing constant closures & people taking infants in swim diapers into the spas

It’s becoming an issue where some home owners ( obviously not year round Villagers) are literally turning their homes into “turnstyle” quickly hotels! There was some talk about instituting dome minimum day rules about these “rentals” but haven’t heard much since! I find it somewhat ironic & hypocritical that while we can’t have simple lawn ornaments , flashing “Vacancy” signs could become routine!

Correct

Honestly, some people got to be really desperate for additional $$, looked @ several adds on Airbnb for the TV--IMHO , you have to be absolutely nuts to have total strangers living in your house while you're home--a lot of the rentals are for the split side of the typical designer, " 2 bedrooms with private bath"

"Contact Community Standards and report it. The developers enforce rules like that on a complaint driven basis."

This quote is only partially correct and only applies to exterior deed restrictions but in no way involves the Developer. The District Govt./CDD's enforce the exterior restrictions. The Developer may take a complaint, but one poster is correct: there is no written process. Interior restrictions are enforced "at the discretion" of the Developer--and most are not really enforced because there are no consequences.

Put a bounty on violations --paid for by doing away with the village patrol.

You do not need to be with them when they have a guest pass, there is no renters pass.

Sorry to here about this story about airbnb
 

On the airbnb site you do not have to be 55 to rent and you can bring children up to 12 years and babies are free .We just got back from a visit and loved the place .We liked it because it is 55 years and no kids .We are looking to buy now and working with a realtor But I do not want to move there and have renters with children and babies .
On the website you can rent for one day two days etc. Boy I would be **** if I bought next to a villa or home that has new renters every other day with kids .
There are some beautiful home for sale in gated communities right outside the villages even though I love the life style I am just glad I found this article before we buy
Thanks

To lighten up the conversation a bit......
We recently moved two hours away from our kids up north.... now when they come, they will be staying with us overnight.
Accordingly, I put a small sign on the guest bedroom........ HeirBnB....

So true, yet you will call a stranger and get in their car at all hours.

No problem getting in a car with a stranger as long as I have two friends with me, Mr Smith & Mr Wesson & their Austrian sidekick Herr Glock

Enforcement don’t sell houses:ohdear:

If you rent for a month (as we do) we do get a pass for that period of time. I don't know if it is officially called a "renters pass" but it is the same thing. I have access to all the amenities. The owner from which I rent has to submit my name and it is like I use their pass in their place while renting.

It’s called a resident I’d, Not Renters Pass, in which the owner turns in their resident passes, in SS, and then fills out the paperwork of who will be at their home. Rent may or may not come into play. I get my parents resident passes while they are here, as well as our children. No rent involved.

This is one of the very few 55+ communities in FL with no rental restrictions. It has ruined The Villages for people who live here in my opinion. The developer, who is only interested in selling new homes, will never change this. The more the merrier for them while the residents suffer.

Ŕenting homes
 

Why so negative??
Many have rented to individuals who in turn purchased a home in the Villages .

You are lucky, I have a friend who had renters staying up & partying to the wee hours and when confronted they said" we're on vacation" they didn't care !!

Sounds like some of our neighbors AIRBNB tennants, and for good measure, they park in front of our house on top of the sprinkler heads. We hate AIRBNB and despite multiple complaints the developer will not enforce the deed restrictions. Very frustrating.

It is hard on the neighbors.

It would be interesting if someone would post the addresses of AIRBNB locations

That would be difficult because the airbnb listings usually don't provide an address until after you book a rental. Also, currently, there are over 300 houses or rooms available to rent on airbnb in The Villages.