[Chinook]

I'm looking to retire in the next year and move to the Villages. I had thought I'd buy new, but am also open to a one, two or three year old home. Can anyone tell me if you are covered by a home warrantee if you are the buyer of a pre-owned home? How long is the warrantee and what does it cover? Any info would be appreciated. Are there any disadvantages to buying a home that is a few years old?
Sue

[buggyone]

Well, 3 years ago I bought a home in The Villages that was built in 2002 and is in Glenbrook, north of 466. Best choice I could have made. The house has every built in you could imagine, great location, no construction going on, mature landscaping, 1 year warranty on everything, almost no bond at all, and best of all, I was able to negotiate price with the seller.

New home means a lot of extras you want have to be paid for, construction for months around you equals dirt, dust, and maybe nails on the roadway, lawn and landscaping are minimal, bond of around $23,000 or more, and not able to negotiate price.

For me, it was an easy choice - but each to their own.

[jebartle]

Premiere home on Mira Mesa golf course with pool, NO bond in Lake County, $274,900...sold in 1 month

[2 Oldcrabs]

Many preowned offer an insurance co "warranty", or you can make one part of your offer. When looking for a home in TV you need to look at all potential cost. The "bond and Maintenance fees" on new homes are quite high compared to preowned. You may want added extras that may already be done in preowned. In preowned you need to look at the "wear factor" of the home. How old is the roof, HVAC, hot water heater and appliances. IMHO rent a home style you think you want for at least 3 months and go to every open house you can (new & preowned) . Get to know "the lay of the land".

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by 2 Oldcrabs

Many preowned offer an insurance co "warranty", or you can make one part of your offer. When looking for a home in TV you need to look at all potential cost. The "bond and Maintenance fees" on new homes are quite high compared to preowned. You may want added extras that may already be done in preowned. In preowned you need to look at the "wear factor" of the home. How old is the roof, HVAC, hot water heater and appliances. IMHO rent a home style you think you want for at least 3 months and go to every open house you can (new & preowned) . Get to know "the lay of the land".

Excellent advice. And look at new, already built too. We found a resale house we really liked in a village we really liked, but they didn't come down to what we could buy it new for...until after we contracted on this house. It was on the market for well over a year. I found a lot of houses that had design elements I didn't like mixed in with updates I loved. I just didn't feel like tearing out carpets or removing wallpaper and changing out light fixtures as we had just done that to get out house updated back in Ohio.

In the last four or five years the homes seem to come with much better light fixtures than they did say, seven, eight years ago. I also wanted a home with no gas lines because of the danger of lightning.

[asianthree]

our first house was new and had great fun with all the dirt. Second will be preowned. I know where we want to be and its going to have to be preowned