I keep hearing from friends You are buying a Lifestyle NOT a House
 

I have heard from a number of friends that own or have visited and their comment is always the same.

"You are buying a lifestyle NOT a House.

There meaning is the homes are pretty bland with few upgrades, pretty much production builder quality, style etc. unless you want to spend 800K+

We heard this again last night at a cocktail party from a couple who visited and shopped around for 4 days and decided they would summer in Toronto and live on their boat in Ft Lauderdale in the winter.

Is this true?

What can you get for 500K?

If you go here http://www.thevillages.com/ and click on Homes you can view both new and preowned homes. Even do a search on your $500K.

As a non resident my impression is the same as yours. In answer to your question I think you buy the model that is closest to what you want and then remodel. Depending on the lot I think you can add a few feet to the width or length of the house and that is abut it. For myself I could come up with a very nice home for 500,000. Say 300,000 for the hone and 200,000 for the remodeling. Don't' think I would come close to spending the 200,000 unless it a lot of it went for the view.

My house is far from bland, I like it and it came with lots of upgrades. Of course I added a few of my own, but it wasn't absolutely necessary.

For the funds you've talked about, you can buy an extremely nice house....and remember, location plays some part in the cost of a home here in TV. You can buy a home on a golf course, with a view of water, a home with open land behind, all these add to the cost of a house.

What your friend might have been talking about is that some people would prefer to spend their time and money doing what they enjoy and not spend time or money for a large home that requires more upkeep than a smaller home.

The "lifestyle" they're talking about is what you want to do. The opportunities are plentiful, you just pick what you like and then spend some time doing it. If you don't like the game, event, etc, you just try something else. That's my idea of what "lifestyle" represents. Remember, when someone has been working for many years, and now doesn't have to work, they might just want to try golf, working with clay, painting, learning how to play bridge, learn archery, try bicycling, roller blading. Then again, they might just want to be able to get up when they like, read, walk, watch tv, go to the movies, do NOTHING or do everything. Here, you're lucky to have so many choices....do or don't do, it's up to you.

We had a group of new people to The Villages over to our home in November.

One of our guests had a large home in the midwest with a full basement and all of the things people like in houses, granite, stainless steel, big bathrooms on acres of land. It certainly wasn't the kind of house that you could duplicate here in TV.

If you are looking for a dramatic, personalized large home, I think you will be disappointed here. Even the million plus homes aren't HUGE by midwest standards.

The Designer homes biggest models are right around 2000 square feet and the Premiers have models that are 3000 plus.

That said, it may be the time in your life that taking care of a large home is getting to be less fun. Maybe you are ready to concentrate on having fun doing a lot of things you enjoy and not spending so much time IN your house.

No one here has a lot of property, even if it is the biggest house built. I was delighted to see that even in very similar models people have made these homes very much their own and very welcoming and absolutely beautiful with all of the current upgrades that people like.

I have to say that our postage stamp size yard here is very easy to weed and to plant a few flowers . I don't feel at all deprived not mowing and weeding a big yard.

What this place has to offer is one heck of a good time with opportunities to try new skills and spend time with interesting people and that often leaves very little time to maintain a big house.

It may be a different lifestyle, but I find it appeals to almost everyone of a certain age and willingness to fully enjoy more time now that they are no longer working.

Come and see. I bet you will agree.

Pooh and Gracie,

Very well put. You ladies said it all.

Not sure how you'd remodel into a view. But if your point is that you could spend the extra 200K before the purchase on a private/view lot then I can see your intent.

If you (not referring to you directly RJM) are the type who need an ego stroke by the home you live in then TV is probably not the place for you unless you can part with 750K to 1M or more.

We love our new 'production builder quality' home in Buttonwood and we can't wait to move down full-time.

keithwand:

Why not try a LSV and judge for yourself. TV is a place that must be seen to be believed. there is not enough words to describe how wonderful it is.

I personally would get more enjoyment from people that I do things with, as opposed to living in a certain type of home. I would use my home as a hotel. Dropping in to rest until my next thing to have fun doing.

I heard of someone who moved to TV and they didn't do anything. They basically lived in their home and didn't enjoy what TV offers. In that case, they could have lived anywhere.

It may be not right for everyone but it sure has a lot to offer for an active person.

Exactly!

Come and see/experience for yourself - form your own impressions.

Bill

My Iris (designer home) was cheaper than my crappy house in NY. To think I could sell my NY house and roll it over on the house in TV and still have money left is amazing. My friend said "The difference bewtween my two homes was like comparing a Mercedes to a 57 Chevy."
So actally, compared to NY prices, I believe the house in TV are fairly priced. And then you have to add in the lifestyle in TV. Priceless.

Looking for a place to retire, we had a lot of options. I like to golf, my wife not so much. We often came across communities built around one or two golf courses. These would suit me fine, but not my wife. When we investigated The Villages, it was apparent that there was much more to do than other communities, and we would both have many options to fill our days. So, yes, we bought a lifestyle and not a house. In many ways, you can feel like you are on an extended vacation, using your home as a place to eat and sleep when you're not doing something you enjoy.

For me, "You are buying a lifestyle NOT a house" means that when we looked at other retirement locations, we could have gotten more house for the money at other places. But you can't get the variety of activities, the beauty of the community, the shopping and dining choices - all golf cart accessible - anywhere else. TV is a unique lifestyle. There is nothing wrong or cheap about the home construction. You just pay a little more per sf than other retirement home sites but nowhere else is a car optional. You have to see it to really understand.

Way to go Russ!
 

Nothing more needs to be said! Perfect!:clap2:

I agree with everyone here. You have to experience TV before you believe it is really as great as we say it is. We fell in love with TV on a Week long visit back in 2000. We still had only a partial concept of what was available here. Our biggest problem was not would be move to TV, but when and WHERE would we buy. We solved that problem by renting a furnished courtyard villa for 3 months before we committed to buying. We went to lost of open houses and began to find the things we love to do. We never intended to buy new, but that is what we did. Like someone else said...it is great not to have to mow a large lot, I have a place to plant flowers without overloading myself by upkeep (although the cost of having Some One Else doing it is very reasonable). My concept of the title for this thread "buying a lifestyle NOT a house" is that I want to enjoy my retirement. I want to entertain (just not hundreds at a time) and I want a comfortable HOME, not a house. My home includes the neighbors, and the community and the activities available. I have a home that didn't cost near 300,000. I love it. I use the different to do other things like travel: See someone elses HOME. I do hear that some are not happy hear or don't understand how we can be happy here, but if they live here: The are not taking advantage of all that is here. If they don't live here: GO bother someone else....Leave me alone..I am happy!!!

:welcome:
Keith !!
I would suggest as some have said before me --to take the Lifestyle tour for several days and see what is here

I will tell you the homes here are built well. and are worth the dollars spent

We came from Long Island (NY) in Oct --I have a designer home 3 bedroom 2 bath 2 car plus golf cart garage over 2000 square feet on a golf course with every upgrade available (stretches, granite countertops etc) not close to 500
As many people will tell you --you only needto be comfortable with the house --you spend most of the time away enjoying all the amazing thing that we have to do here ... :shrug: