[Craig Vernon]

As we search for our forever home in TV a glaring problem has developed in our price range 400-450k. If I like the house size the outdoor space, meaning the lanai and patio, is small or non-existent. If I like the outdoor space the home is smaller than we would like. Which is of higher value to full time residents? House square footage or Lanai and patio space? Question2. Can we get by with His/Her cars and a golf cart without a golf cart garage?

[retiredguy123]

In my opinion, no. You need a separate golf cart garage. It will make it easier to park the golf cart, but, more importantly, you need it for resale value. When you sell your house, a lot of people will reject it because it doesn't have a golf cart garage.

[Brwne]

Originally Posted by Craig Vernon

As we search for our forever home in TV a glaring problem has developed in our price range 400-450k. If I like the house size the outdoor space, meaning the lanai and patio, is small or non-existent. If I like the outdoor space the home is smaller than we would like. Which is of higher value to full time residents? House square footage or Lanai and patio space? Question2. Can we get by with His/Her cars and a golf cart without a golf cart garage?

Find a house that has the indoor floor plan you like, including golf cart garage, and make sure there is sufficient backyard space for an additional amount of lanai. You can always add a birdcage covered lanai later but you can't expand the floor plan.

Pre-owned houses with golf cart garages are more attractive on resale...

[Laurawilcox]

Hello there - You don’t say if you have tried renting for a few days, preferably summer and winter. That would be my recommendation or you could make a mistake that is expensive to recover from. I have three neighbors with large lanais, 2 of them live on the lanai 100% of the time and it is not enclosed, but they have large heaters. My husband and I and the other neighbor are very rarely outside. It wasn’t something that we did when we lived in our previous location so we don’t just naturally go outside. You want to consider what temperature you are comfortable in , the neighbor sounds around you, also need the furniture that’s going to make it as comfortable as the inside for you. My neighbors who enjoy it live in Florida simply because of the beauty of being outside, and they have all three of these covered, it all depends on what works for you. You will not know until you try it. We rented for 3 days to a week a couple of different places and all different kinds of scenarios. We were very surprised with how it changed our thoughts.

Don’t know the cart garage question better than those who are answering. If you make the correct decision on living space, you aren’t as likely to need to sell.

The time that I see this as a different is when people have enclosed their lanai at least with single pane if not more expensive double pane and then they live in the room, they buy the mini split so it is temperature controlled. It is the brightest space in the house, and it definitely becomes the man cave the craft room the place for entertaining. They are managing the weather that way. Then they can have a smaller footprint in the family/living room.

[asianthree]

Your Only storage here is your Garage, or extra closet…OP you have been shopping prices for more than a year..

However if you have a budget one needs to figure it out. List What you have to have, and wish list but can live without.

But all this is mute if you are still shopping not ready to buy. Wait until you are ready to actually buy a home…plotting and charts are just paper, not reality. That said garage (ours is 780sf) and our lanai (70% of our time) is always top of the list.

The home you need may be available with cash in hand, and who knows the seller may except your offer.

[CarlR33]

Craig, we rented a 2-2 patio home with one car garage and separate golf cart garage (with small lanai in between) that was sufficient and livable but we did want more and at the time my stuff was in storage and the second car sat outside off to the side so the garage car could get out without moving the one sitting outside. I have seen used larger homes for sale with a two car stretched garage with the cart sitting in front of the two cars (doable but not real convenient).
Only you can answer your questions as to what is important to you as do you need two cars and do you need a golf cart or maybe have two golf carts? I like the outdoors and am sitting here in 42 degrees with the sun on my back (yes the lanai is important to me). We currently do not have a golf cart and we are living ok without it. You have been looking from a distance for a long time and I would suggest renting for at least a year (in your case) before pulling the trigger on owning. Renting on a long term one year lease is not a bad deal right now vs. short term.
Lastly, have you checked out any other retirement communities during your visit? There are others. Best of luck, now just pull the trigger!

[justjim]

Everybody’s needs and wants are different and they also change. They often change after living in TV for a year or two. For example, you arrive with two cars but after a few months you find you only need one car. That really happens! Many find they need two golf carts not one and their golf cart garage has space for one. I could go on but I believe you see where my post is going. Bottom line - after many houses over the years we found no such thing as a “forever home”. Its about the same as looking for the fountain of youth. “In life you adapt, improvise, and overcome” Clint Eastwood

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Craig Vernon

As we search for our forever home in TV a glaring problem has developed in our price range 400-450k. If I like the house size the outdoor space, meaning the lanai and patio, is small or non-existent. If I like the outdoor space the home is smaller than we would like. Which is of higher value to full time residents? House square footage or Lanai and patio space? Question2. Can we get by with His/Her cars and a golf cart without a golf cart garage?

We had a similar dilemma. We wanted a home with a private back yard and either a pool or adequate room to build one. Our maximum price limited us from getting both a larger home and the private pool we desired. We mutually decided our priority was the privacy and pool. We settled for a very modest 2 bed 2 bath stick built ranch that abuts a wildlife preserve and had adequate room to build a large birdcage with a pool. Going on 10 years later, we are very happy with our decision. We spend more time in the pool/birdcage than inside the home and it’s less home to cool, clean, and pay taxes on. It sounds like you and your wife have to prioritize what will be most important to you going forward and weigh the trade offs. As far as the garage, it would be difficult to have two cars and a golf cart. We have three golf carts and no full time car at our home. When we drive down and have a car we leave it in the driveway and barely use it. If you’re limited to a two car garage you might want to consider one car and two golf carts? Best of luck with your search, I enjoy the updates as it brings back memories.
Below was our priority : )

[dtennent]

For a variety of reasons, I would rent for a few months at a time in different style homes in different locations. For us, having an expanded garage with bays for 2 cars and a golf cart allowed us to go from a 2 car/1 golf cart to a 1 car/ 2 golf cart family with plenty of room for tools/tool bench and more storage. We enjoy our expanded lanai but, as others have noted, you can modify your outdoor space later.

How do you use your home? In The Villages, most people meet others at restaurants around the area. For us, entertaining at home is important. Since we love to cook, having a nicer kitchen is a necessity. Having space for my wife’s crafting tools and supplies is also important. But you will only understand what is really important by living here. Good luck.

[GreggC69]

Agree with others - it is a personal choice and what is important for some is not for others, and vice versa. I think with the large number of houses, you will find one that fits for you once you are definitive on your "must haves" and "would be nice to haves". For us...we checked all our boxes and could not be happier. But again - situations are different.

For us...it was a must for a golf cart garage. But, we wanted it for a singular car and two carts. We go EVERYWHERE in the cart; having only one car has never been an issue for us and frankly, even with the one car, it sits in the garage unused far more that either of the carts.

Additionally - we wanted a nice and spacious lanai. We stay outside much of the time. Having that space to be out and enjoy was important for us.

Also, it was important for us where that ideal house was. We wanted it to be convenient to multiple squares as well as golf, recreation, and shopping/restaurants and in a village that is very active.

Again, to each his own but we found ours that checked all the boxes. You will too! Good luck.

[Craig Vernon]

I have read all your responses and understand what each is saying. As some of you know my wife and I have been renting in TV for about six years different times to get a full picture. We have stayed in a 2/2, 3/2 and 3/2 with a golf cart garage none had very large lanais just the most basic standard screened ones. My retirement is now set for April to May 2025 so shopping is in full swing pre-approved by Citizens First if we buy before selling our Ohio home. Looking forward to our full time Village's adventure. Appreciate all the wisdom and personal experience.

[jimhoward]

We are new to the villages and have a two car garage with no golf cart garage. While a golf car garage would be nice, we really have no problem with two cars and one golf cart. I think we could even have two golf carts if we wanted. The cars mostly stay parked in the driveway. There is plenty of room in the driveway to scoot the golf cart by between the parked cars and park it in the garage. There is also room on the concrete pad beside the house (its a CYV) to park the cart if we don't mind leaving it outside.

Even if we filled half of our two car garage with junk, I think we would still be okay.

So for us a golf cart garage is a nice-to-have not an absolute essential.

[Bogie Shooter]

Cars parked in ones driveway...add so much...

[Aces4]

We would caution to get a plot plan of your future home before purchasing if you plan on expanding any portion of the home. You'd be surprised how many homes on nice sized lots have "right of ways" running across them and other restrictions. Due diligence is necessary on so many fronts when purchasing here.

[Cupcake57]

1. If you are social and active and plan to be out and about a lot, extra lanai space may not be priority. If either of you still work from home, maximizing living space is important.
2. Unless you are both working, ditch the second car. As another poster said, the garage is where you store your stuff; don't forget sports equipment, bicycles, cardio drumming balls, pool noodles, etc. And if you are doing your own lawn maintenance, lawnmowers, edgers, trimmers, chemicals....that has to go somewhere. Plus vacuums, mops, brooms, all end up in the garage as closets are not big.
3. Many people move and adjust their wish list after they get here. Just get here!