Talk of The Villages Florida - Can anyone help this woman?

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- - Can anyone help this woman? (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/can-anyone-help-woman-313990/)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruralgoddess (Post 1873195)

It's time for people to step up and help her.... it's what true neighbors are for, right?

So for how long are her neighbors expected to carry her load? She got in this predicament because she supposedly can't afford maintenance of her property. Sure, gather the neighbors to go fix it for her. Then they can continue to take care of her property until she dies?
Great solution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFB41 (Post 1873192)

She gets 55% of his military retirement - a minimum of $43,000 ($23,600)
Plus Social Security- $35,000.
She needs someone to assist with ensuring she receives her entitlements.

Do you know this or is this a guess? She really needs a certified financial planner, but these are scarce around here, if any exist at all. Most are investment advisers or annuity salesmen, not planners. As mentioned in another post, an elder care attorney may be of help.

If she is alone - without family assist or neighbors willing to help now is the time to look into independent or assisted living. She has new friends and activities

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dana1963 (Post 1873250)

Life is full of mistakes and hardships we can't save everyone. Currently according to Zillow, there are 16 foreclosures in The Villages area who do you want to save next.

Wow......Santa...I know what you and that cold heart are getting for Xmas!
There is no doubt she needs assistance... not sure some strange knocking on a 70something's door to offer to buy the house to then rent back is the answer....seems like someone taking advantage of a bad situation.
if there were enough people really interested in helping they should organize a team to assess the whole situation. First and most importantly, talking to her.... what does she want, what opinions does she have, does she even want to stay here. Just blindly looking most likely is sell the house, take the proceeds and get a place on historic side with no bond.
With all this said....yes covid us probably the biggest obstacle here, but maybe just a friendly knock to start.
And yes, I would do it if I could, but because of covid I can't comfortably get down to my place and we'll ride out this pending Nor -easter while my home in warm Fl calls my name.
Fingers crossed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DON10E (Post 1873097)

I read this story and it’s been bothering me all day. Her husband was military till he died and she needs help to bring her house up to standards. She seems like a great candidate for a Go Fund me page but I have no experience with that. Do you? Any ideas? There but for the Grace of God...Merry Christmas?

A Villager is claiming her loss of supplemental income is making upkeep at her home too expensive for her to afford.

The home of Ingrid Rickard at 16558 SE 77th Northridge Court in the Village of Calumet Grove was the subject of a public hearing Friday before the Community Development District 4 Board of Supervisors.

A complaint about missing lanai screens and weeds was lodged against her property Oct. 13 with Community Standards. The violation was verified the following day.

Rickard’s husband, a retired Air Force colonel, died in 2012. They moved to The Villages in 2003. The house in Calumet Grove was built in 2004 and they were its first and only occupants.

In the years since her husband’s death, Rickard has fallen on hard times.

She said her supplemental income from retirement has been depleted

“I have no other way of making any money,” the 76-year-old told the CDD 4 board.

She had to trim back on her landscaping budget to save money and friends from her church have been helping her pull weeds.

On Tuesday, she signed an agreement with a contractor who can replace the screens in her lanai. But the contractor is “backed up” and can’t get to her job for 12 to 14 weeks.

Rickard said she understood she could be fined if the work isn’t performed in a timely manner.

“I had to borrow money to have the screens replaced. I cannot afford a daily fine,” she said.

Supervisor Don Deakin urged Rickard to get other competitive bids and potentially use them to spur her chosen contractor to move up the job on his priority list.

CDD 4 Board Chairman Jim Murphy reminded Rickard that she has a responsibility to “keep up the property.”

By a unanimous vote of the board, she was given 45 days to bring the property into compliance. If she fails to do so, she will face an initial $150 fine followed by $50 daily fines.

There are other methods of contributing ! Gofundme takes a big chunk for themselves

Quote:

Originally Posted by retiredguy123 (Post 1873107)

According to Zillow, the house is worth $554K. The obvious possible solutions are to either get a mortgage on the house and use the cash to pay bills, or to sell the house and buy a less expensive house or get a rental. The missing information is what is her equity in the house?

Zillow is inaccurate

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eg_cruz@comcast.net (Post 1873147)

That would be rare most retired military passes to spouse

Agreed. In fact, if you choose not to, the non-military spouse has to sign a form agreeing to that. But the pension amount to the surviving spouse is less so that may account for some financial difficulty.

I highly recommend she sell and downsize to something she can afford before she loses any remaining equity and finds herself in 8A housing. I would gladly help her move and help her sell this house voluntarily and free of any charge, but I would not give a penny for someone to keep a home with a pool and a golf course view that they cannot afford.

I think this whole situation is sad. Posters offering unsolicited advice, speculating on her financial situation, virtue signaling.

This all amounts to a gross violation of her privacy. Her name and other personal information should never have been made public. I hope she doesn’t read this board.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Villageswimmer (Post 1873406)

At least she is getting some advise but agreed her name should not have been made public.

She may or MAY NOT have a pension coming in. Military members opt for survivor benefits or NOT while they are active duty. If they opt for survivor benefits, they get less take-home pay. Some choose for the higher paycheck and forego the survivor benefits.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DON10E (Post 1873097)

I am thankful that I do not need to make such decisions. The reason why I would not accept any position where I would need to make such decisions,

I expect there are missing details. Borrow money to have the screens done? Doesn't sound like she can possibly pay it back. Contractor can't do her screens for 12-14 weeks. Sounds like it is more than just replacing the screens. I would think as far as management they are not out to get people. I would hope that if she can show that she has an agreement to have the screens they would grant her an extension. I also expect the management did not look to catch her neighbors have complained.

I am not a financial advisor. She might explore one of those home equity deals. They are expensive but she could raise the money she needs and keep living in her home.
Perhaps, a relative would agree to a similar deal where she could stay in the home?

It is a sad situation-truly sad.

What about a reverse mortgage? There is probably a lot of equity in the home.

Since members of her church are helping her pull weeds, as the original story stated, it is curious the church membership isn’t more involved in helping find a reasonable solution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eg_cruz@comcast.net (Post 1873146)

Sound like a reverse mortgage is what would really help her. She would be able to have funds in a line of credit where she could draw monthly income.
This is exactly why reverse mortgages help some.

The seller of same is who it helps..