[bragones]

Originally Posted by FloridaGuy66

Our total monthly expenses on a 3 bedroom designer home are just over $1200/month including taxes, insurance, lawn care, utilities, etc. No mortgage.

I think you nailed it. In my case, carrying costs have consistently been in the range of $1200/month average. (no mortgage or bond).

[WiscoDogsDad]

Originally Posted by clouwho

Check out “the villages newcomers” YouTube channel and search for their most recent annual budget video. It is very representative of what I would call an average villagers lifestyle costs. My friends and I find it to be very close to our own costs to live here. Jerry is a veteran so some of his costs are reduced for the generous veterans discounts here in Florida.
I am a budgeted, saver, and over-planner (which it sounds like you are also) and have tracked my income and expenses for 50 years and will P.M. you areas of concern based on huge increases across certain areas since we moved to TV full time 5 years ago. I don’t have time right now to open software and get hard numbers and I do want to be specific with someone such as yourself.
You will do great here!
My husband and I did the same kind of path to retirement you are choosing. He was engineer with same company in Georgia for 32 years. When we decided we wanted to retire to TV when he turned 64, he let his boss know he did not want to retire yet, but that we were definitely moving to TV. They did not want him to leave so they created their first “remote” employee position.
It worked fabulously. He worked full time year 1, 30-hour week year 2, 20-hour week year 3 (and started training his replacement), 10-hour week year 4. We maintained his company insurance, 401k match etc for those 4 years.
This allowed us to be debt and mortgage-free when he retired 12/23 at 68. Those extra 4 years also allowed us to create a nice travel fund, a more than adequate home maintenance and repair fund, college funds for grands, and increase our SSA payments by delaying filing.
And at the same time my husband got to enjoy the pleasures of retired life here in TV before and after work hours. We know several people who are choosing this path and have heard of a whole lot more who are moving here in their early 50s to have the best of both worlds.
I wish you a successful transition and happy house hunting. Make sure you work with both an MLS realtor and a Villages sales person to optimize your offerings. READ the Villages sales contract carefully. It is NOT a standard Florida real estate contract. We dealt with The Villages on our investment home and said never again. MLS realtor and standard Florida contract for us for any future transactions. Read your Deed Restrictions carefully. Every district has different restrictions. Since you are wisely renting first I would recommend you attend every new villagers class that is offered. ESPECIALLY the one that explains how CDDs and our district government works. It is unlike anyplace you have lived.

You sound like a kindred soul, CW!

I appreciate you taking the time to stop by my post and give me your insights.

It's looking good for me to WFH, from The Villages, until the end of 2026 or the end of 2028. Full time, full salary, full benefits.

If I pull the plug in 2026, I'll have to fund health insurance to the end of 2028. If I can weather the insanity until 2028, I'll transition right out of employment benefits, right into Medicare, and start "Me Version 2.0" with no debt and a razor-sharp understanding of what these costs will be.

Please feel free to reach out directly....anyone.

The classes are a real PRO TIP!

[WiscoDogsDad]

Originally Posted by bragones

I think you nailed it. In my case, carrying costs have consistently been in the range of $1200/month average. (no mortgage or bond).

I'm carrying $1,600 per month, net of mortgage.....sounds like I've not missed any HUGE hidden costs.

[WiscoDogsDad]

Originally Posted by asianthree

don’t get me wrong we loved to visit our two WW guys, but average age in our neighborhood was mid 80s and up. With a few new sprinkles of I bought the dead guys house, (that was us, and we always lived in _their_house.) Have learned many things since 2007, you may send a message or email at anytime, LMK when arriving If I can help in anyway would be happy to. At one time we had 3 TV houses and our northern home. I am so budget oriented, with handwritten/computer spreadsheets it’s is kind of scary.

Gonna be visiting for a week, starting 8/18....I'll buy you lunch. That is as hollow an offer as YOU choose to make it.

I think I can work you in between golf with Dad, a trip to Babette's with Mom, finding a MLS agent and re-connecting with my VLS agent!

Never too early to start meeting people!

[WiscoDogsDad]

Originally Posted by sharonl7340

Our cable is $296 and includes internet. Home insurance is 1200 for 1156 Sq ft home. Electric is $200 but with the new meters who knows. We have been here for 6 years and amenities are $193 and will go up in Nov. And don't forget the age of your roof. If it us over 12 years old, your home ensures may require you to replace it. Car insurance is $1500 every 6 months. Everything costs more than you anticipate.

Sounds like my auto insurance might be light. I choose to jack all deductibles up as high as they go...so my mileage might vary...no pun intended.

[Michael 61]

I have been here a year and a half, and I haven’t really been surprised by any unexpected costs. Insurance and grocery prices have risen, but they would have risen equitably where I moved from. The only expense I had to get under control was dining out. Since I felt like every day was a “vacation day” when I first moved here, I treated it as such, and ate out all three meals every day for the first several months, with dinner usually being at a pricey FMK restaurant. I had to get that under control, and now only eat out one meal per day.

For those that did their homework, I think you’ll be prepared financially.

[clouwho]

Too funny! I am on Me v. 6.1.2😉😂🤣😅

Originally Posted by WiscoDogsDad

You sound like a kindred soul, CW!

I appreciate you taking the time to stop by my post and give me your insights.

It's looking good for me to WFH, from The Villages, until the end of 2026 or the end of 2028. Full time, full salary, full benefits.

If I pull the plug in 2026, I'll have to fund health insurance to the end of 2028. If I can weather the insanity until 2028, I'll transition right out of employment benefits, right into Medicare, and start "Me Version 2.0" with no debt and a razor-sharp understanding of what these costs will be.

Please feel free to reach out directly....anyone.

The classes are a real PRO TIP!

[Topspinmo]

I just glad at my age able to and I have some skills fixing common stuff. Some are getting taken to cleaners for simple maintenance and around house tasks.

[clouwho]

We spent a couple of years living in a rental before buying. We are 65 and 68. The beloved go-go years.
We chose between the 6s and are in a small pocket community in Largo.
We LOVE where we live and we have a fabulous tight knit community on our tiny 10-home street.
Our neighbors are 50s, 60s, 60s, 60s, 50s, early 70s, and we have 4 of the original neighbors in their 80s.
Because of the constant turnover of original buyers aging out or passing away, ALL parts of TV have young people.

Our area is amenity rich, shopping, medical, restaurants, goods and services rich. And it is THE MOST golf and rec center rich area of TV. If you golf the south of 44 area is not a good choice.

It takes about 15 years for retail and restaurants to build to sustainable levels in TV. That is an easily trackable pattern.

In the newer built areas you will be closer to Leesburg than the heart of TV.

The good news is you are WISELY renting first, and will hopefully not buy until after you have lived thru at least one snowbird season. You truly cannot conceive of how massive TV is in scope and in humanity up until you are at least renting and out and about daily. Just to tackle the sports side of our offerings, or the entertainment side, or the exercise and lifestyle class options could take you a year of trying new things.

In the participation in recreation and activities you may well find your tribe(s). And if they happen to live in proximity to each other that may factor heavily into your location decision.

Every yes is a thousand noes. In TV, every yes is 10,000 noes!

If you approach the entire process as an adventure it will unfold in ways you can’t plan or predict. Who knows, you may wind up captaining a competitive dragon boat crew!

Originally Posted by WiscoDogsDad

Thanks, A3!

You make a VERY sound point that has been on my mind....the expectable ages of my neighbors. I completely agree that it is a significant consideration.

My folks are "between the sixes". That comes with very significant advantages of proximity to amenities...shopping, entertainment, etc....but that will be (my assumption) a more mature set of neighbors, on average.

As I look down south, I recognize that the likelihood of having neighbors closer to my age, goes up as I look at potentially buying new. Eastport will, as I perceive the intent, soon be filling the needs of southern Villagers now filled by Lake Sumter Landing, Spanish Springs, and Brownwood.

Buying new comes with a different set of costs, but has the allure of being a "blank canvas" on which I can paint while I'm working from home....upfit it to my exact tastes, out of employment income..

Can I hire you to be my consultant?
:-)

[bragones]

Originally Posted by WiscoDogsDad

I'm carrying $1,600 per month, net of mortgage.....sounds like I've not missed any HUGE hidden costs.

Oops, I didn't include internet and YouTube TV which run around $140/month, so I'm averaging $1,340/month (no mortgage or bond) with those items included for a stretched 3 bedroom golf front designer just south of 466.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Sully2023

What about streaming services, Prime, Netflex or peacock, Max?

How about an umbrella insurance policy?

How about costs to fix your sprinkler system?

Annual service plan for HVAC?

Weed pulling in your landscape?

Virus protection for your home computer?

House upgrades?

Fixing appliances, damage to the home?

House trash?

None of those are "blind side costs"...

[gorillarick]

Originally Posted by WiscoDogsDad

Jerry,

Thank you so much for the kind, thoughtful and thorough response!

Lots of the points you make are covered under other subsets of my budget. This is just to keep a roof over my head....nothing else.

For example:
- I'm in contact with Babette's Furniture and one opinion is to budget 10% of the home's value for furnishings and decorating
- I'm carrying $17k for golf cart
- Have NOT started to consider budgetting for travel. I'll be working full time for the first two to four years as a Villages resident
- Our family did Disney to DEATH in the seventies and eighties....and there are no children nor grandchildren in my life. I will take the money that MIGHT have been spent at "The Most Expensive Day on Earth" for other luxuries.

My intention is to work right up until the day I have the house all upgraded to my desires, the mortgage paid to zero, and a new car in the garage....then stop worrying about a THING.

"The Most Expensive Day on Earth" - that's pretty funny !

Gas $25. Natural gas? I paid more than that for a month I wasn't here (nothing running, service fees).
But natural gas is relatively cheap in the winter for heating if you're lucky enough to have it. < $100/mo. in the winter.

[NavyVet]

Hi! You sound very organized which is a good thing.
The only thing I noticed that seems low is HO insurance (200) which will probably be closer to $300/month. We have a 2011 designer home with brand new roof and paid $3100 for the year.
Our insurance last year was $4100. We got cancelled (with zero claims) and were forced to replace roof and find a new insurance company. The new roof cost $22,000.
Do pay close attention to hurricane deductibles and sink hole coverage.
There are so many different costs here, maintenance and otherwise, but the one that irks me the most is "The Bond." The amounts on the newer homes are ridiculous.
I've been here since 2003 and now in my third home.
Be sure to use both MLS and TV agents for the most choices in your home search.
Best of luck!

[Stu from NYC]

You might want to consider cost of clubs and entertainment.

We go out more here than we have ever before.

Between all, it is higher than we would have thought but happy to do so.

[Pugchief]

Originally Posted by Sully2023

Virus protection for your home computer?

Why would you spend $ on virus protection? Windows comes with Defender built in and is more than sufficient unless you are prone to opening attachments from people you don't know.