Originally Posted by senior citizen (Post 645432)

Question for those in the know.......
Usually, I've been looking at "resales" of designer pool homes as we were not sure we'd want to go the route of building "from afar".....not knowing exactly how it would turn out.......been there, done that. We've done a lot of additions, building and remodeling in our lifetime. Owned many homes.

Plus, there are many excellent , gently used, resales in The Villages.

However, yesterday, I came across a newly built cement/stucco home in the Village of Gilchrist........today I came across the same exact house in the Village of Fernandina. Same model tour.

The "model tours" are exactly the very same house visually.

Both say corner lot. Both have HUGE lanai and look to be on golf course.
Spa. No pool.

However, I doubt the first one would be only $265,931. marked down to $256,995. Its a Begonia on Dafoe Terrace, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,910 sq. ft. golf cart garage, etc..........it shows a HUGE LANAI and a spa.

The second one, just found this morning, is the exact same house, but it is $317,382. marked down to $305,995. Same house as the one yesterday. This model is on Mockingbird in Fernandina.

They look like they are on a golf course.....but something tells me NOT.

The one on Dafoe says it has carpeting.

The one on Mockingbird says it has tile everywhere but bedrooms.

The MODEL TOUR shows beautiful dark wood floors throughout.

My husband thinks they are using one generic photo for all???????????

How much more would it cost to build the Begonia but with hardwood floors throughout, even in the kitchen?

Also, I wonder if these "models" are "bumped out" like the one we stayed in which was very generously sized and bumped out, as told to me by the owner. Our kids even liked the Begonia. The lanai was good sized with a birdcaged pool off of it......for great outdoor living.....

How many have traveled down thinking what they saw online was still around and it was either sold or not quite the same?

When we looked at some models, the realtor told us that the Iris was supposedly the shrunken something or other that we were staying in for our Lifestyle Visit at Creekside Landing. I can honestly say it did not look anything like the model we were staying in.........

Can anyone divulge the "extra amount of $$" to get the average new construction house to look like the model???? Cost to bump out here and there? Cost for a few upgrades. Cost for larger lanai?

I know the realtor could tell us. Just wondering if anyone could help us out as we "think it over"..........first.

Thanks in advance, as always, for the wonderful input everyone shares along with the wonderful insight of having been there and already done it.

Also, who is happy with their resale?
Who is happier with their brand new home?
Obviously there are good points to both.

We would want to make the lanai and birdcaged area a great outdoor living area with summer kitchen..........so that's another fee on top of a pool.

Thankyou!!

Anyway, we are planning.........

Originally Posted by ilovetv (Post 645633)

It's true: The biggest regret people have is that they did not buy/move here sooner. Nobody is getting younger and our days are numbered.

Renting first is a good idea, but it doesn't take 2 months to know if you like an area or not. Two to four weeks and you'd know if you would count that area out or in. Why be stuck for 2 months in a house or an area you did not like in the first week? I met a couple last week who are renting a place they dislike terribly because of the furnishings and decor being old and shabby. But they're stuck with it thru April.

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 645454)

Your husband is right. They are using the same generic model of each design on the MODEL TOUR part but the photo is of the actual home being sold. (So all Gardenias listed for instance will show the same model tour, but the actual photo in the listing is of the house for sale.) The same for Wisterias, Lantanas etc.etc. This of course would be under NEW homes. They do change the model tour part from time to time as they change and sell decorated models. I love to look at the home tours for that reason. They have GREAT decorators.

A Gardenia, for example, as a spec home, can be any number of prices depending on how many extras are added to it and on what kind of lot it is on, whether it has a view or a kissing lanai, has a golf cart garage, a pool or added kicks etc.etc.

Originally Posted by senior citizen (Post 645710)

Yes, I've come to the same conclusion that The Villages "Search New Homes and Villas for Sale in The Villages, Florida" is using the same EXACT "model tour" down to the exact furniture and the exact lanai (oversized with spa on a golf course).......for the $$256,995 BEGONIA at 3135 Dafoe Terrace in the Village of Gilchrist as it is using for the $305,995 BEGONIA at 1327 Mockingbird Lane in the Village of Fernandina. Same exact tour.

Both homes were slightly discounted. The less expensive home has laminate countertops while the other one has granite countertops.

This is listed on the print out under FEATURES....but the model tour photos are exactly the same, totally identical in both homes....as I discovered this morning.

The lesser priced home has carpeting and the higher one has tile.
The photos show beautiful dark hardwood or laminate floors.

My husband thought it looked to be a good price for being on a golf course according to the photo..........but we soon figured out they were just using the same "video" or model tour for both homes............and neither was probably on a golf course......but both did say "corner lot"; one said oversized garage which we would like.

He said he would have flown down to look........but we haven't even listed our home yet........so have plenty of time. We do understand that to get a larger home we have to pay for all the "bumping out" etc.........however,I just thought that the photos of said NEW HOMES would be accurate......it was confusing at first, but now I do "get it" and totally understand.

Thanks to all who responded. The prices seemed too low for the size of the LANAI.....and the location of the LOT in the photo.

We were spoiled being in our rental home which was on the Nancy Lopez golf course. Nice to have that out back.

In our married life, we've had hardwood floors, carpeting, tile, etc.
I think for the next house, I'd like the wood floors throughout; that's why the first "model tour" jumped out at me.

During our visit we got to explore exactly where all the villages were and saw some model homes..........and open houses..........it was all overwhelming............at least the next time we will be much more familiar with where everything is.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO RESPONDED. APPRECIATE IT.

Originally Posted by tucson (Post 645446)

I would rent for a mo. or so and look everywhere (I mean even outside of TV) and compare w/TV, you'll be surprised ! We lived in TV since 2005 and moved out recently to another GC comm. 5 min./4mi. from TV , so we still use the convenience of shopping/dining/etc. in & near TV but best of all, we have a better house for less$ and taxes, insurance etc,etc. We moved b/c .(for us) TV is getting too big,crowded,noisy,etc.