Talk of The Villages Florida
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Talk of The Villages Florida (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/)
-   The Villages, Florida, General Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/)
-   -   Are amenity fees going up?? (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/amenity-fees-going-up-328097/)

cordenny 02-24-2022 12:20 PM
Amenities went up $12 a month
 
I live in the Village of Largo. We have been here for 15 years. We just got our new amenity fee. It went from $160 to $172 a month.

Goldwingnut 02-24-2022 04:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bassfish (Post 2065336)
My monthly Villages CCD Utilities bill arrived today. Quick scan indicates a 7% increase over prior months. Increase was for Amenity Fee going from $156 to $168. Of course, no explanation. Anyone else spot this.
There's an explanation and it was given to you when you purchased your home and you agreed to it. It is very clear, there is a CPI adjustment annually, it is spelled out in the deed restrictions. If you didn't read everything before you signed on the dotted line whose fault is that?

Gpsma 02-24-2022 04:27 PM
If you cant afford a minor increase in amenities fees...u dont deserve to live here.
Cheapest millionaires are in TV

Nucky 02-24-2022 04:38 PM
The nice lady at The Villages Headquarters told me that every three years based on your purchase date you can expect a raise in your amenity fee. Why not?

Every other thing is going up. Just paid $48 to fill my neighbor's Compact Car for them.

Rainger99 02-24-2022 04:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nucky (Post 2065444)
The nice lady at The Villages Headquarters told me that every three years based on your purchase date you can expect a raise in your amenity fee.
I thought it was every year - not three years.

rustyp 02-24-2022 04:42 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bassfish (Post 2065336)
My monthly Villages CCD Utilities bill arrived today. Quick scan indicates a 7% increase over prior months. Increase was for Amenity Fee going from $156 to $168. Of course, no explanation. Anyone else spot this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldwingnut (Post 2065440)
There's an explanation and it was given to you when you purchased your home and you agreed to it. It is very clear, there is a CPI adjustment annually, it is spelled out in the deed restrictions. If you didn't read everything before you signed on the dotted line whose fault is that?

Nice - very helpful. November is not far away.

HIgolfers 02-24-2022 06:26 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldwingnut (Post 2055456)
I went checking my email from the District Staff, they provide the CPI adjustments to us (District Supervisors) every month. Most homes have a CPI adjustment every year and apparently some have it based on the 3 year rolling CPI (I'm checking on this also this morning). Here's the body of several of the emails I've received on CPI adjustments:

Jan 21,2022
The following is being forwarded to you at the request of Anne Hochsprung…
Please note the change in the Consumer Price Index – All Urban Consumers, Not Seasonally Adjusted, US City Average, All items is as follows:
For the one year period December 2020 – December 2021, CPI increased by 7.036%.
The three year CPI increase from December 2018 – December 2021 was 10.973%
This increase will be used to adjust Amenity Fees for those properties with an February 2022 anniversary date.
Please let me know if you would like any additional information.

Excerpts from other similar emails:

For the one year period October 2020 – October 2021, CPI increased by 6.222%.
The three year CPI increase from October 2018 – October 2021 was 9.373%

For the one year period September 2020 – September 2021, CPI increased by 5.390%.
The three year CPI increase from September 2018 – September 2021 was 8.664%

For the one year period August 2020 – August 2021, CPI increased by 5.251%.
The three year CPI increase from August 2018 – August 2021 was 8.495%

For the one year period July 2020 – July 2021, CPI increased by 5.365%.
The three year CPI increase from July 2018 – July 2021 was 8.332%

For the one year period June 2020 – June 2021, CPI increased by 5.391%.
The three year CPI increase from June 2018 – June 2021 was 7.821%

For the one year period May 2020 – May 2021, CPI increased by 4.993%.
The three year CPI increase from May 2018 – May 2021 was 6.998%

I have many more months of these numbers, but these are a good example of how the rolling 12 month average CPI is changing.

Not knowing your exact address, it is impossible to say what CPI was applied to your previous Amenity Fee amount was. As the adjustments are made at an accuracy of 5 decimal places (% + 3 decimal places) I find it absolutely amazing that your previous Fee was exactly $155.00, the odds on such a round number occurring must be so astronomically small. Stranger things have happened...
I don't understand this sentence: "Most homes have a CPI adjustment every year and apparently some have it based on the 3 year rolling CPI "

Who decides which one it is?

OrangeBlossomBaby 02-24-2022 10:15 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rainger99 (Post 2048619)
Does that mean that it will not go up to $179 for those of us who currently own?
It will not go up for any home you currently own. But if you currently own, and then buy another home, then that newly-purchased home will have that $179 amenity fee responsibility.

We received advance notice that the amenity fee was going to go up, months ago.

Goldwingnut 02-25-2022 10:29 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by HIgolfers (Post 2065485)
I don't understand this sentence: "Most homes have a CPI adjustment every year and apparently some have it based on the 3 year rolling CPI "

Who decides which one it is?
Sorry I forgot to get back on this thread about the amenity fee adjustment date.

Here are excerpts from email responses I received from the director of finance Anne Hochsprung:

The 12-month rolling average CPI is applied one month in arrears to the anniversary date of the land sale. (January 31 CPI is applied to March anniversaries.)

The 3-year average is used for specific units/lots in the VCSA service area. If you would like the specific information, we would be happy to provide it to you.


and

The specific language that is provided to a resident is as follows:

“ All documents have an anniversary date which is – in almost all cases – the month that the original contract for sale (not closing date) to the first buyer occurred. Therefore, these anniversary dates vary based on the month of contract signing.”

This can mean the date a contract is signed for the purchase of the lot by a homeowner or by the developer to build as a spec home.

The VCSA is the Village Center Service Area approximately 17,948 residents in District #1, Lady Lake and Lake County - some of the original sections have the 3 year adjustment while the rest of the residents are on a 1-year rolling average adjustment cycle. Either way, 1 or 3 year, the math works out about the same over time.

Based on the date information provided it is the date of the original contract signing for the lot sale or build contract and not the sale/closing date of the property - new or resale. This could, in some cases, lead to what appears as an unjust hit for an increase based on timing - buy a resale in January and pay the new higher prevailing rate and then have an anniversary date shortly thereafter resulting in an increase based on the CPI adjustment. It might seem unjust but where do you draw the line? If one were to say have no increase in the first year after a resale purchase then a favorable anniversary date could have the rate go unadjusted for up to 23 months; how would this be just to the rest of the residents?

It's not a perfect system but in the end, it works out relatively equal for all the homeowners over time.

Papa_lecki 02-25-2022 11:50 AM
So everyone has a CPI increase annually. Most are based on a 1 year rolling CPI, SOME (and it seems to be original lots) have a 3 year rolling CPI increase.

The increase is on the date of the original sale - probably the settlement date. It has nothing to do when you bought your lot if it was a resale.

Bogie Shooter 02-25-2022 11:58 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by rustyp (Post 2065447)
Nice - very helpful. November is not far away.
After all the info he provides……a cheap shot is not necessary.

Dvanjvan 05-23-2022 10:22 AM
Jan closing- May contract date seems unfair!
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldwingnut (Post 2065639)
Sorry I forgot to get back on this thread about the amenity fee adjustment date.

Here are excerpts from email responses I received from the director of finance Anne Hochsprung:

The 12-month rolling average CPI is applied one month in arrears to the anniversary date of the land sale. (January 31 CPI is applied to March anniversaries.)

The 3-year average is used for specific units/lots in the VCSA service area. If you would like the specific information, we would be happy to provide it to you.


and

The specific language that is provided to a resident is as follows:

“ All documents have an anniversary date which is – in almost all cases – the month that the original contract for sale (not closing date) to the first buyer occurred. Therefore, these anniversary dates vary based on the month of contract signing.”

This can mean the date a contract is signed for the purchase of the lot by a homeowner or by the developer to build as a spec home.

The VCSA is the Village Center Service Area approximately 17,948 residents in District #1, Lady Lake and Lake County - some of the original sections have the 3 year adjustment while the rest of the residents are on a 1-year rolling average adjustment cycle. Either way, 1 or 3 year, the math works out about the same over time.

Based on the date information provided it is the date of the original contract signing for the lot sale or build contract and not the sale/closing date of the property - new or resale. This could, in some cases, lead to what appears as an unjust hit for an increase based on timing - buy a resale in January and pay the new higher prevailing rate and then have an anniversary date shortly thereafter resulting in an increase based on the CPI adjustment. It might seem unjust but where do you draw the line? If one were to say have no increase in the first year after a resale purchase then a favorable anniversary date could have the rate go unadjusted for up to 23 months; how would this be just to the rest of the residents?

It's not a perfect system but in the end, it works out relatively equal for all the homeowners over time.


We closed Jan 2022 (179.00 amenity fee)
Just received new amenity fee based off original homes contract, our amenity fee went up to 194.00. How is this possible and or fair?
Should have a 12 month reprieve from higher fee or simply adjust fees based on current contract date.

Goldwingnut 06-25-2022 08:43 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dvanjvan (Post 2098140)
We closed Jan 2022 (179.00 amenity fee)
Just received new amenity fee based off original homes contract, our amenity fee went up to 194.00. How is this possible and or fair?
Should have a 12 month reprieve from higher fee or simply adjust fees based on current contract date.
We all have different ideas on a "better way" of doing this and what is "fair", if we change the way it is done now then it won't be "fair" to someone else. The explanation of how this happens is explained earlier in this thread.

Marathon Man 06-26-2022 05:52 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by davem4616 (Post 2048571)
does a bear do 'you know what' in the woods?
Yes. But, does it make a sound if no one is there to hear it?

Papa_lecki 06-26-2022 06:11 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dvanjvan (Post 2098140)
We closed Jan 2022 (179.00 amenity fee)
Just received new amenity fee based off original homes contract, our amenity fee went up to 194.00. How is this possible and or fair?
Should have a 12 month reprieve from higher fee or simply adjust fees based on current contract date.
It’s not fair to you because the inflation increase was 8%. When the increases were 2 or 3%, no one complained.
The Cleveland Fed just released a report that CPI is 10%, so your increase is more fair than the houses whose anniversary date is in the future, and will see an even higher increase.

Laker14 06-26-2022 07:49 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dvanjvan (Post 2098140)
We closed Jan 2022 (179.00 amenity fee)
Just received new amenity fee based off original homes contract, our amenity fee went up to 194.00. How is this possible and or fair?
Should have a 12 month reprieve from higher fee or simply adjust fees based on current contract date.
Why?

jrref 06-26-2022 08:14 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rainger99 (Post 2048919)
As far as I can tell, if you close after 1/1/22, your amenity fee will be $179. If you closed before 1/1/22, it will go up on the anniversary date of your closing.

Will everyone's amenity fee then go up to $179? Or will everyone's amenity fee go up based on the rate of inflation? Is that calculated yearly (the inflation rate for 2021) or for the inflation rate for the 12 months before your anniversary date? Do they use a rolling inflation rate? All of 2021 for everyone so that everyone will be paying $179 - or do they do individual calculations for everyone?
I believe on the anniversary of your home you will get the new rate at that time and it will be good for a year.

pauld315 06-26-2022 09:23 AM
Be prepared, they go up every year

Woodbear 06-27-2022 01:11 AM
Our amenity bill went up this month (bill due mid July). The contract on our house was signed August 2021.

docimomo 08-12-2022 12:31 PM
Mine have gone up every year. Dec 2020 I was at $163, Dec 2021 raised to $174 and now Aug 2022 raised to $183.
So it seems to me that they can raise it whenever they feel like it.

smurphy 08-12-2022 01:25 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by docimomo (Post 2125200)
Mine have gone up every year. Dec 2020 I was at $163, Dec 2021 raised to $174 and now Aug 2022 raised to $183.
So it seems to me that they can raise it whenever they feel like it.
It is not whenever they feel like. It changes annually based on a cost of living index (not sure which one) on the anniversary date of when the house first was put up for sale. All of the houses in your area probably have the same change date.

docimomo 08-12-2022 01:43 PM
It was increasing annually. But in the past 12 months I have had two increases, one in December and one on this last bill.

EdFNJ 08-12-2022 06:36 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages (Post 2048654)
Not immediately.

Your amenity fee will go up every year, in the anniversary month of when you bought, by the CPI index percentage.

So in a few years your fee will be more than $179.
Interesting and made me want to check:

2017 $145.00
2018 $147.96
2019 $151.69
2020 $156.19
2021 $156.19 NO INCREASE!
2022 $165.91
2023 ????????????????

All in all, a bargain.

My father lived in South FL for 0ver 25 years in a very large 55+ 3 floor elevator condo development and he was paying as of 2018 $543/Month CONDO (HOA?) FEES for a 1 bedroom PLUS multiple times over the 25+ years he was hit with a $500-$1000+ "special assessment." They had 1900+ units there and 2 pools, 4 tennis courts and 2 golf courses. BUT they were close to Costco, BJ's, hundreds of restaurants and lots of civilization. :D

Toymeister 08-12-2022 07:00 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by smurphy (Post 2125221)
It is not whenever they feel like. It changes annually based on a cost of living index (not sure which one) on the anniversary date of when the house first was put up for sale. All of the houses in your area probably have the same change date.
The rate used is CPI-U. That is U for urban workers nationwide. There are hundreds of CPI rates (price indexes) but the CPI-U is the most commonly reported.

It should be no surprise to anyone that the CPI-U is manipulated to be lower than it would otherwise be. The reason for this is so many Federal unfunded liabilities are tied to this CPI such as social security, Federal and military pensions. The manipulation is subtle. The 'basket' that is used to determine food costs, for example is changed periodically to "reflect changes in consumption" less red meat and more chicken, etc. This fails to acknowledge that less red meat is consumed because it is too expensive. In a different ploy housing costs are also under reported.

So, your amenities are actually increasing too slowly. That is if those costs mirror the CPI-U, which they do not

ZippyFireRider 08-12-2022 07:56 PM
I also closed earlier this year, amenity fees were $179 until this week's bill now at $195.22.
In an older area north of 466. Not complaining, but how often do these increases occur? This increase was not on the purchase anniversary date either. Also do amenity fees vary dependent on location, or longevity of residence?

Rustyboy 08-12-2022 08:20 PM
Amenity Fee Increase August 2022
 
We moved here in April 2021; our amenity fee was $164.00. It jumped to $174.84 last August, this month it increased to $188.50.

Papa_lecki 08-12-2022 08:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rustyboy (Post 2125309)
We moved here in April 2021; our amenity fee was $164.00. It jumped to $174.84 last August, this month it increased to $188.50.
6% then 8%. Seems right

Stu from NYC 08-12-2022 08:48 PM
And will keep going up on an annual basis so this place can continue to look great

Nucky 08-12-2022 10:17 PM
I will not speak for any other Village in The Villages but in The Historic Section, the Fee is supposed to be re-cypheredized every three years. We bought it in 2016. and the fee was $145. It went up to $159 a month in 2019 and we will be expecting something to go on with it on our anniversary date in June of this coming year. Who likes paying more? Nobody. Can you get a better deal or live better cheaper in Florida, I don't think so Johnny! I'm thrilled about the privilege of living here. The fee is a bargain, in our eyes. This is a dream come true.

We are freshly landed from 6 or 7 weeks in hell, I mean N.J. and it just solidifies the decision we painfully made 6 plus years ago to leave everything we knew to move here. We were built to live here, it's not all perfect but it's pretty close.

DARFAP 08-18-2022 08:45 PM
My bill shows $179 for September, not a new or resale.


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