[momesu]

Originally Posted by obxgal

We have a CYN and did the back and front in rock and do not have any problem with heat. If we had a dog we would have left the grass, but like the ideal of not having any maintance. Still get great breezes, no excessive heat.

No problems with chatting with the neighbors either. Your constantly running into someone when your coming and going.

We have the Bonita 3/2 with the laundry inside, because in my last home the laundry was in the garage and I thought it was to hot in the summer and to cold in the winter. My one neighbor hates having hers in the garage because of that, plus she's always running to check when it's done.

The 3rd bedroom we turned into an office/craft room, and it's nice to have the extra closet space.

Thanks for your input. The Bonita is one of the models I'm looking at. My only issue with it is that the 3rd bedroom which is what I'm planning on turning into my guestroom is so far from the guest bathroom. Since I will be single by the time I move down and I am a big sewer/crafter I am planning to turn the master bedroom into my sewing/craft room and bedroom 2 into my bedroom. All I will be doing in bedroom is sleeping so it seems silly to take the biggest bedroom for that and then a small one for the room I will be spending a lot of time working in. I'm a little concerned that when my 85 year old mother visits she might make a wrong turn and end up outside instead of in the bathroom in the middle of the night... For that reason I am also looking at the Cumberland, though other then bedroom layout it is really bigger than I need an of course significantly more expensive. So then I looked at the Hammock Cottage. Price is better, but I don't particularly like the kitchen layout in it and don't really want the yard work....oh heck decisions and trade offs. I am not a good decision maker and have never had to make decisions like this on my own before......
Suzanne

[Ohiogirl]

Originally Posted by momesu

Thanks for your input. The Bonita is one of the models I'm looking at. My only issue with it is that the 3rd bedroom which is what I'm planning on turning into my guestroom is so far from the guest bathroom. Since I will be single by the time I move down and I am a big sewer/crafter I am planning to turn the master bedroom into my sewing/craft room and bedroom 2 into my bedroom. All I will be doing in bedroom is sleeping so it seems silly to take the biggest bedroom for that and then a small one for the room I will be spending a lot of time working in. I'm a little concerned that when my 85 year old mother visits she might make a wrong turn and end up outside instead of in the bathroom in the middle of the night... For that reason I am also looking at the Cumberland, though other then bedroom layout it is really bigger than I need an of course significantly more expensive. So then I looked at the Hammock Cottage. Price is better, but I don't particularly like the kitchen layout in it and don't really want the yard work....oh heck decisions and trade offs. I am not a good decision maker and have never had to make decisions like this on my own before......
Suzanne

Every single house (or villa) anywhere has pluses and minuses - you just have to figure out what works best for you.

Maybe a nightlight and just leaving a lamp on in the LR when your mother visits would solve one problem.

Met a lady who added washer/dryer in her kitchen in the Anna Maria/Stoneybrook model - didn't see it, so don't know exactly where.

Look at some resales to see the interesting and innovative remodels some have done to villa and home models. In the Bonita, the closet in the 3rd bedroom (across from the laundry room), is larger than the 2nd bedroom by the hall bath - closet could be customized for crafts - just a thought. We also tripled the storage space in the vaulted master bedroom closet by customizing it.

[Jody Fisher]

I'm also single & I almost bought a CYV, but when I saw the At Ease Cottage I just totally fell in love with the layout. The 3 newer cottages are a bit different in that they've enlarged the kitchen space & that's the only place for a table. That's a different feature, but I still like the style of my cottage the best. As for yard work, you can hire someone to do all of it if you choose. I do some, but have a yard service for mowing & trimming. I like having my lanai open on 3 sides so as to catch any breeze that's coming my way. Also, I think you get a better bang for your buck with a cottage vs. a CYV, especially with 3 bedrooms, but that's just my opinion. Whatever style of house you end up choosing, you'll love living here. That I can pretty much guarantee! Welcome to The Villages!

[laryb]

Originally Posted by Jody Fisher

I'm also single & I almost bought a CYV, but when I saw the At Ease Cottage I just totally fell in love with the layout. The 3 newer cottages are a bit different in that they've enlarged the kitchen space & that's the only place for a table. That's a different feature, but I still like the style of my cottage the best. As for yard work, you can hire someone to do all of it if you choose. I do some, but have a yard service for mowing & trimming. I like having my lanai open on 3 sides so as to catch any breeze that's coming my way. Also, I think you get a better bang for your buck with a cottage vs. a CYV, especially with 3 bedrooms, but that's just my opinion. Whatever style of house you end up choosing, you'll love living here. That I can pretty much guarantee! Welcome to The Villages!

We have an At Ease cottage in Buttonwood too, and love it for all the reason Jody mentioned. I also like being surrounded by grass, and looking down the street and seeing individual homes with a variety of landscaping, but that just how we feel. We also stayed in a villa during one of our many lifestyle visits, and really liked it too. For us, it came down to the size of the house and garage for the money, but truthfully, we would of been thrilled with either one.

[obxgal]

Originally Posted by momesu

Thanks for your input. The Bonita is one of the models I'm looking at. My only issue with it is that the 3rd bedroom which is what I'm planning on turning into my guestroom is so far from the guest bathroom. Since I will be single by the time I move down and I am a big sewer/crafter I am planning to turn the master bedroom into my sewing/craft room and bedroom 2 into my bedroom. All I will be doing in bedroom is sleeping so it seems silly to take the biggest bedroom for that and then a small one for the room I will be spending a lot of time working in. I'm a little concerned that when my 85 year old mother visits she might make a wrong turn and end up outside instead of in the bathroom in the middle of the night... For that reason I am also looking at the Cumberland, though other then bedroom layout it is really bigger than I need an of course significantly more expensive. So then I looked at the Hammock Cottage. Price is better, but I don't particularly like the kitchen layout in it and don't really want the yard work....oh heck decisions and trade offs. I am not a good decision maker and have never had to make decisions like this on my own before......
Suzanne

Suzanne there's not much difference between the master bedroom and bedroom 3. I wouldn't give up my master bedroom for a craft room because it's nice being at the end of the house. You might have trouble sleeping in bedroom 2 because of the street lights shinning in, and the early morning trash collection might bother you. I'd rather keep a guest in bedroom 2, that way they have the bathroom just outside the door.
I spend most my time in the office/craft area(also have a small TV), and it's real handy for answering the front door and running back and forth to the kitchen while checking on dinner.
The Hammock has a nice floor style, but I like mine better. I need all the additional counter space for when I bake. Plus I don't want to bother with yard work. LOL

[rhredd1654]

I was down two weeks ago on the LSP and stayed in the Creekside Villas. I was not impressed with the size vs cost. I especially was turned off that in order to enter the fenced area, access was from the neighbor's drive..don't know if all CYV's are the same. I opted to build the Sandcastle, which gives me 2BR plus a den. I expect to use the den as computer room/office and also have a futon for overflow guests (like grandkids). Only difference I see between a BR and den is no closet.

[sands]

I am sure it is very rare, but while walking early one morning, I did see a dog running free. It was just a couple of months ago. He was friendly as could be, and ran right up to me wanting attention, but I do think he was even a pit bull. I thought he belonged to a man who was walking toward me with another dog on a leash (an airedale, as I recall) but that was not the case. In fact, the man had been yelling at this loose dog trying to get it to get away, because it wanted to play and kept pestering his airedale.

I am sure that is very, very rare, but just wanted to point out that it has happened.

[ladydoc]

Yes, it happens. I saw a dog running free when we were there for our LSP and thats why I nixed the underground system to contain the dogs and we got a CYV. You might be able to keep them from getting out, but you can not control who or what can come in. My Gertie is a little dachshund and I would never forgive myself if she got hurt by a roaming dog, however rare it might be. It happens. She thinks she is a great dane and is fearless. Mom is not so fearless.
Our yards fences are quite high, I could only see a littlel below the neighbor's roof line. I could never tell if they were in their yard or not.

[ssmith]

bump

[champion6]

Originally Posted by ssmith

bump

Why? The last response was YESTERDAY!

[ssmith]

Hey Champion6....Thanks for asking. I gave it a bump because on my computer it was drifting off to never, never land...you know the cyber place where all dead threads go...and I thought it was an interesting thread....also I feel for momesu and wish her luck...so I'm hoping she can get all the posts she could ever want.