The Villages Real estate sales people
 

BEWARE
Those looking to buy a property from a Villages realtor; do your due diligence and don't trust the realtors to be forthcoming with important information
Those who are looking to buy a home without inspecting it themselves, or having a trusted friend take a look, you might be surprised at the cosmetic condition when you arrive for the closing.
Make certain to call the tax office in whatever county you are purchasing in. DONT trust the realtor to tell you whether or not the tax rate reflects "Homestead" discount...even if you ask.
These realtors are not looking out for you.
It's unfortunate that so many homes are listed in the Villages and are not a MLS.

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I would never purchase anything as expensive as a house without seeing it for myself. You are the one who dropped the ball, not the realtor. Due diligence!

I’ve bought 5 new homes in villages
 

2 closed when I wasn’t there , you have a year to have any problems corrected and I and most of people I know never had anything major, if the tax rate was going to be a deal breaker , maybe a less expensive home would have been a good idea . I never asked what the taxes were because Florida has so many different tax breaks that by the end of the year your bill is going to change for better anyway

Villages agents are NOT Realtors.

Yes they are realtors, they just don’t belong to MLS

They are licenced by the state of Florida. Most, if not all, have worked for MLS previously. "Code of ethics" is a joke. All sales people work for their own benefit, no matter what business they are in. Does anyone think financial advisers work for your interest first?

Why would you buy a house if you do not have it inspected by outside inspector?

Taxes are taxes. Thought I knew all my costs but found a couple we were not aware of. Whose fault is that other than mine?

Realtors are sales people working for commission and what do you expect from them?

As Ronald Reagon said Trust but verify especially when dealing with sales people.

The OP sounds like someone who is mad he can't sell new houses.

Our favorite Villages Realtor is Jim McLaughlin. He sold us both houses here in The Villages and he himself is in his seventh Villages Home. He is a wonderful man, smart and kind and by his side is his sweet wife Patty. He showed us used homes when we began to think about our second home here that would make us year rounders, but we opted to build. He is dependable and ethical.

He is no longer our agent. He is our treasured friend. Look at his picture under M's.

Meet Our Amazing The Villages(R) Sales Representatives

You bought a home without have a professional inspection? You didn’t go on the property tax web site to see what the taxes were and when and how many times the home had been purchased and the taxes for each year?

You may need to have one of your adult children, or your tax consultant to help you make major purchases from now on. You seem to have missed important decisions on your own, and need to blame someone Else

Oh Boy.

In today's Daily Sun it is stated that The Villages Licensed Realestate Professionals sold 196 used homes in July. I don't know how many homes Licensed MLS Realestate Agents sold in The Villages for the month of July but there are 196 they didn't sell. I wonder how many complaints have been filed at the BBB regarding the truthfulness of both The Villages and MLS agents? I would guess not too many.

IMHO this sounds like a little sour grapes on the part of the OP

The TV sales agent with dealt with had integrity, shared information and was ethical....however you also have to know how to ask the questions if you want the complete answer

The term "Realtor" is a designation awarded to certain people by the National Association of Realtors. The NAR is a private trade organization that is not a Government agency. Being a Realtor has nothing to do with being licensed by the state to sell real estate. But, the fact is that very few of the Villages agents are Realtors. However, many of them are licensed by the state of Florida to sell real estate. Being a Realtor and being a licensed real estate agent are two entirely different things.

This him? James McLaughlin - , Real Estate Agent - realtor.com(R)
or him: Jim McLaughlin - Libertyville, IL Real Estate Agent - realtor.com(R)

I could not find a Forida Realtor named Jim or James McLaughlin on an internet search, only a villages agent, but not a Realtor.