[rjm1cc]

Indoor much more important than outdoor. You can use the grass area if you have to and maybe you can build a larger patio. Golf cart- I park behind my car. Had to have the garage made larger. My problem was the lot I wanted could not have a golf cart garage added. Measure the space in the garage and make sure you can open you car doors and get in and out of the car. Garages can be tight especially if you get mobility problems as you age.

[Altavia]

You can never have too much garage space in FL.

[MX rider]

Look north of 466A. The lots tend to get a bit bigger the further you go north. We were in about the same price range but $425K was our max. We found a nice 3 and 2 ranch on a corner lot with a 2 car garage and a cart garage in Amelia. I love having a bigger yard. I can get my Chevy Colorado, my wifes Lexus NX300, a Harley Road king, my dirtbike, 2 mountain bikes, a Honda push mower and our golf cart in there. Yes it's tight but if you get creative it can be done. Good luck.

[patfla06]

We were lucky having lived in Florida for 17 years before we moved to T.V. so we already knew what was important for us.

We bought a spec house that is 2,600 sq ft with a 2-car garage with an extra 4 ft. down the right side.
We are not golfers so the lack of a golf cart garage wasn’t important. We have 1 golf cart with room for 2.
We have 2 SUV’s and have no problem getting in and out. The size of the house mattered more to us.

We have a water view lot and that was more important to us.

[kidnerkim]

Welcome. First thing I always recommend to newbies is rent first. That way you can get a better idea of area & size. Do you have children that will be visiting? Lanai space is good if you don’t have kissing lanais. Good place for grandkids to play. Area to move into is more important. How close to your square, golf, theatre/entertainment.

[Craig Vernon]

Thanks again for all the wisdom. Have a wonderful day.

[bowlingal]

very very hot and humid in the summer. Your lanai should face north to avoid the summers hot rays.

[Papa_lecki]

We only need one car, but two golf carts. We do not have a golf cart garage and that is the ONE regret we have - love everything else about the house.
If you will have 2 cars, you need the golf carts garage. (But you probably only need one car)

[sowilts]

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 have a large lania and cart space in the garage. If we couldn’t have both would go with large lania and small garage. We spend more time in the lania.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Brwne

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...

My first home in The Villages was in Tierra del Sol South. 1600 sq. ft., small lanai, large bird cage with swimming pool, two car garage, on the golf course. Thinking of adding another person to my life, I looked at a house on the same street and backing onto the same golf course, but it was 2500 sq. ft. So I went to view it during an open house. Turned out it had a tiny lanai rather like mine, but the extra 900 sq. ft. was simply putting more indoor space in the outdoor space with birdcage and pool where I lived. Same size lot. The distance between the back of that house and the golf course edge was the same as the distance between the back of my birdcage and the golf course. So in that neighborhood, built in 1998, it was one or the other.

[SeaCros]

Once here you may find out that you no longer need 2 cars but having 2 carts is something that works for you most in TV. To each their own for sure but IMO so many have high demand in what they want here in TV and it doesn’t exist or you will exstend way outside of your budget. Like others have suggested it could be better to rent until you can find something that works for you and family.

[gorillarick]

We visited here at least once a year for ten years before buying, and looked at real estate and open houses on every trip. Then we bought 3 years ago.
So far, I see no reason to move for a long time.

While buying this house, our real estate agent said many people buy and move 2 to 4 homes while here. Thought to myself; 'and throw $30k in the toilet every time you do, and disrupt your life by 3 to 6 months every time?'

Yeah, shop.

[Shelbyh]

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 moved here in May. We had a budget but of course wanted it all. We preferred a large backyard and we predetermined a 2-car garage will do. We are in retirement and downsizing was the point. The house floor plan with the large fenced backyard and big lanai is what pulled the trigger for us. The home has a 2-car garage. I was not driving my car so we sold it and living with one car and one golf cart works out fine. My husband build himself a workshop in the garage. Everyone comes here with too much stuff and ends up throwing it away or donating. Save ur self the trouble and downsize before you get here.
As you can see lots of scenarios
Either way you will love it here!!

[bark4me]

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?

If you're gonna have 2 cats and a golf car, you're gonna need at least a 2 car garage w/a golf car garage.
As for Lani, do you plan to spend alot of time outside? Is then yes, a bigger Lani. Don't worry, you'll move a couple of times anyways. We did.

[MicRoDrafting]

We are relative newbies that decided on the “CYPRESS” Designer Style HOME in a Older, well established Village.

Found the Floor Plan Very appealing with the Lanai built into the interior between the Master Suite and Guest bedrooms. And have decided to leave the patio doors open so the A/C flows in, as the Lanai has storm windows installed.

We did sacrifice the rear yard - having just enough room for small garden plots and our barbecue as the inside is quite adequate for entertaining.

Realizing that since one of us is retired, but the other remains in the work force, we only need one vehicle in the garage. Which leaves plenty of room for the Honey Buggy (we don’t golf), which is perfect for running errands in the Spanish Springs shopping area, as well as shooting over to Savannah for evening shows.

Lake Sumpter Landing is only a 10 min ride by car or 20 mins by the cart - which makes shopping at Whole Foods on 466 quite convenient as well.

AND as luck would have it (a True Blessing), we moved right next door to “the Mayor” couple of the street that have been here since ‘Day One’ … which gives my Better Half the most Gracious Copilot that simply loves to navigate around the cart trails - including all the shortcuts.

Only reason I did not touch base on activities and club access is because there are thousands within reach and everyone has their own preference.