need help
 

I am looking at buying but I would like to have more privacy in the rear. Ive been looking at some homes with some privacy but also looking at the the courthouse villas whivh all seem to have a very private yard but are narrow and close together.
Can anyone give me some advise between the house and courthouse villas. I'm looking at so many I'm getting confused.
Thank You

pivovar - A lot of it depends on how YOU feel "privacy" is defined. Is it privacy all around - front, sides, and rear of the property? Is it just privacy to the rear? Etc., etc.

You're heading down the right path by looking at the CYV models as their fences/walls do provide a lot of privacy. Another potential to consider is a house on a corner lot where the back of the lot doesn't cause the lanai to face directly into the one of the house behind it. Lots at the end of courts will have broader/wider back yards. Lots that back up to one of the lakes/retention ponds will provide you with NO neighbor behind you - same thing you'll get with a golf course lot. And you can find some CYVs that back up to a golf course or a lake/pond as well.

But there is definitely a premium to be paid for all of those "privacy" features!!!

Hope that helps -

Bill :)

Also, there are lots for homes that back up to villa walls. We have one of these. If you landscape around the back, it has a very tropical feeling with the villa wall.

As Bill says, any lot where lanais are not back-to-back will have a lot premium.

Good point, kate! And as evidence that I am NOT the 'brightest bulb in the package'.......our place in TV backs up to a villa wall! I didn't even think to mention that as an option. :shocked:

Bill :thumbup:

Pivovar, we had several homes up north, none of which was on a lot smaller than 1.25 acres. One lot was 10 acres! We have lived in a courtyard villa for over 12 years and absolutley love the privacy this home affords us. We ARE on a golf course so we have the white fence in the rear, separating us from the golf cart path. We planted a hedge along there that we keep short enough to not block our view but does keep the golfers from looking in from the path. We actually chose this style of home because we we were worried that after living in homes that had a lot of privacy we might not like the regular back yard that faces another lanai, and the side yards that are not private, either. Yes, the courtyard villas are on very narrow lots and are close together. But, to be honest, we don't even think about that! These homes are designed so that windows face a blank neighbor-villa wall so even the side yards are very private. I hope this helps!

Our home is being built as we speak.:MOJE_whot: We also have a villa wall in the back. This will give us nice privacy without a big cost.

I would love to see any pictures from anyone who has landscaped in the back. I would love to have that tropical feeling.

Hello, Oceangirl,

We, too, wanted the tropical-looking back yard when we moved here. So, we had it landscaped and even added a lot of hibiscus and various other leafy and flowering shrubs. We fed them diligently so they would grow into big, beautiful plants that would help us to feel that our yard was a little jungle oasis! You are probably getting a good feeling as to where I am going with all of this! First, our courtyard villa yard isn't very big and we underestimated the power of the Florida sun when it comes to plant growth! Before we knew it the 8 hibiscus plants had outgrown their spots. They were constant care, with leaves and dead blooms falling off every day. We pulled them all out! The oleander drew large, nasty-looking caterpillars. It found its way to the "brush truck"! Blue Daze took over the yard and we couldn't trim fast enough to keep it contained! (I think we needed a gardener!) It was gone in two years! In short, we ended up removing a lot of the original plants in favor of a less "tropical"-looking yard. We still DO have Queen palms and two split-leaf philodendrons, among the remaining trees & shrubs. The philodendrons die back in the cold winters here, but they return with a vengeance in the spring. I can vouch for the fact that gardens here are a lot of work. Many of the shrubs and trees we select as "newbie Floridians" aren't hardy to the area and we have no idea how fast these plants grow and how large they can get! Educate yourself on the trees and shrubs that grow well here. Some of the ideas you have now may not be practical for the size of your yard or the climate here. This is not considered a "tropical" part of Florida and we have winter cold that can damage and kill a lot of tender plants. I DO think that with the right choices in plant materials you CAN have a lovely yard that will have some "tropical" elements to it. Good luck!

We like our privacy also. We chose a courtyard villa (CYV). Ours is on a corner so the lot is quite large. It is also located on a "preserve" so there are no houses on the rear or on one side. And, there are no golfers or carts because there is no trespassing allowed on the preserve. So not only do we have the walls, we have only one neighbor on one side. Very private. Look for something similar and you won't be disappointed.

Oceangirl.

Ours still has a ways to go...we are planning to cage out in the future, so keeping our options open and not having to redo. One of our neighbors have done a wonderful job - but I don't feel right in posting those pix. Be happy to show you what we have done - just pm me.

k

[QUOTE=katezbox;349580]Oceangirl.

Ours still has a ways to go...we are planning to cage out in the future, so keeping our options open and not having to redo. One of our neighbors have done a wonderful job - but I don't feel right in posting those pix. Be happy to show you what we have done - just pm me.

k[/QU

Thank you and I will pm you when we move in. Oh that sounded so good to say:MOJE_whot:

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl: Being able to laugh at yourself id a virtue and keeps you young! Hope to meet in person one day!

k