Spec home buyers DUE DILIGENCE QUESTION for new buyers
 

Appears to be a shortcut by the developer to sell a cheaper home with less basic options.

If you want to cook with a certain energy source, be sure the house has the correct energy source installed.

Many long term investments highly dependent on interest rates were caught way offsides with the latest round of interest rates, which is really a return back to a normal range. The developer, now being run by consultants as the current generation of owners don't have the same business experience as the founders, are being run with a growth and financial goals solely.. . not for quality any more or customer satisfaction. The first sign was the elimination of the custom built houses, which made this place unique and desirable for owners, just like the IKEA model.

DYDD
Due your Due Diligence

Heard something about gas/electric stoves. An outside Realtor told me that for the houses built around Brownwood, a deal was made with the developer to make all them with electric appliances. That’s why none of them are gas. Does this sound like it could be true?

If, and when, the Bean Counters take over in any business, quality is always the first thing to suffer.
Then they start staff cuts, usually with the higher paid and most knowledgeable.
Seen it many times over my working life.

You have zero control on spec homes, for outlets, where and how many fixtures.In fact you have very little control on build lot homes for many items, especially adding outlets and fixtures. Most is after market

We are in Richmond and have gas appliances and tankless hot water

I would think that all sorts of suppliers would try to make deals with the Villages Development, & I would think that the Developer takes the best deal they can find for each. I had heard that it was a matter of gas pipeline infrastructure availability, & with the speed that the Developer puts up houses, I would go with that one. Not that gas couldn't be piped in, but that it couldn't be piped in as quickly as the Develper desired. There is gas in houses both north & south, so I wouldn't say there was much of a preference on the Developer's part.

I live in the Brownwood area, and there are NO gas lines to the houses, I am GUESSING the local gas company was not interested in the expense of installing all the infrastructure. I have neighbors that went the propane route and had large tanks installed underground.

Same north of 466a. All electric in Hemingway.

exactly my point, although I didn't elaborate, it was implied with the virtual elimination of the custom builds. So the spec houses can have less and less options if the developer wants to keep houses at a certain price point while costs are rising. and if you want a certain type, decide whether you want it in the build or be willing to install it yourself.

Marsh bend has both electric and gas, we chose electric and had the gas for hot water and a pipe for a gas grille next to the lanai

good luck

That’s the one thing that makes me not want buy there.

Isn’t that expensive?

I’m surprised anyone would choose electric. I hate cooking on it. But apart from that my bias probably comes from being a Massachusetts resident where electric heat would be cost prohibitive.

& I'm the opposite. Given a choice I would chose electric for cooking. It may be a matter of what I am used to, I know how to use it, & the reasons often cited for gas superiority are reduced if not eliminated with the right user. I have had gas for cooking & currently do have a gas grill. I can use both.

Unlike Massachusetts, where so called green energy sources are jammed down ratepayers throats, electricity is refreshingly affordable in The Villages. Trust me, I know, we own a home in each location.

I was a boarder in a house up north for a year after college. An old 1800's Victorian with stained glass windows and circular staircase. They had a tiny kitchen with a potbellied wood stove they used for heat in the winter. The chimney for the thing went up between each bedroom, keeping the whole house warm. But we cooked on the stove too. When we weren't using it to cook, we kept a pan of water with eucalyptus leaves in it.

On super-cold nights they would sometimes also put wood in the walk-in fireplace in the living room. Super-toasty. They had a half-cord of wood delivered every year. They had an oil tank for central heat but they kept it off most of the time.