[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by lovesports

I never felt TOTV was a good representation of what is in the minds of most villagers. The Villages is over 90,000 people.
Remember back to 2008 when we had a vote on a Horse Park. The majority of TOTV members were all for it. It was voted down by a wide margin.

I notice that many of the posters don't even live here. One of the top posters had all the answers before he moved here. Others have made one visit. Some are going to buy.

Its not about Talk of The Villages but rather a chat room for many opinions. Look at what goes on everyday here and how little of it makes this forum. At the same time, look at all the talk that has nothing to do with the Villages.
That is all fine with me. What ever makes you happy.

I agree!

[ydnar9]

I can only speak for myself. We do not live in The Villages but were there 3 different times trying to find the right home for sale. This last time we were there in July we did notice no for sale signs in the yards. That made it very hard to try and find the home we wanted. We would use outside realtors, villages realtor or for sale by owners, as we are not afraid of a by owner listing. By not allowing for sale signs in the yard that pretty much cuts out the FSBO's. I never thought a sign here or there was much of a distraction for the beauty of the Villages at all, especially seeing there are not many homes for sale at all there. Just my opinion of someone looking to buy.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by ydnar9

I can only speak for myself. We do not live in The Villages but were there 3 different times trying to find the right home for sale. This last time we were there in July we did notice no for sale signs in the yards. That made it very hard to try and find the home we wanted. We would use outside realtors, villages realtor or for sale by owners, as we are not afraid of a by owner listing. By not allowing for sale signs in the yard that pretty much cuts out the FSBO's. I never thought a sign here or there was much of a distraction for the beauty of the Villages at all, especially seeing there are not many homes for sale at all there. Just my opinion of someone looking to buy.

They allow signs in windows for home sales by owners. You often have to go around by golf cart to see these. I also know some Villagers who post their homes for sale on Craigs List for the Ocala area.

[ydnar9]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

They allow signs in windows for home sales by owners. You often have to go around by golf cart to see these. I also know some Villagers who post their homes for sale on Craigs List for the Ocala area.

I know that those little signs are posted in the windows but it is pretty hard to closely check every house in every block to see those signs, much easier to scan down the individual blocks to see a sign in the yard. I see many here oppose the signs, but they may change their mind when they try to sell their home sometime.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by ydnar9

I can only speak for myself. We do not live in The Villages but were there 3 different times trying to find the right home for sale. This last time we were there in July we did notice no for sale signs in the yards. That made it very hard to try and find the home we wanted. We would use outside realtors, villages realtor or for sale by owners, as we are not afraid of a by owner listing. By not allowing for sale signs in the yard that pretty much cuts out the FSBO's. I never thought a sign here or there was much of a distraction for the beauty of the Villages at all, especially seeing there are not many homes for sale at all there. Just my opinion of someone looking to buy.

Glad you had a nice visit and I hope you come back and find your dream home.
I just looked at the preowned homes listed by The Villages and there are 465. I do not know how many new build homes or listings by other brokers there are............but even 465 says there are a goodly number available.
Got to The Villages - Florida's Friendliest Retirement Hometown - New Home Sales, Home Resales, Build Your Dream Home, Brownwood Paddock Square look at any listing. It will give the address and even a map. That would be much easier that driving around endlessly looking for signs. Just my opinion of someone who doesn't like signs.

[Carla B]

I vote for no signs, either. We just sold our condo in south Florida. No signs of any kind are allowed. After listing with the realtor, we had two offers in five days. How? Obviously, the buyers saw it on the internet.

[jandbrare]

You may be tiring of this. I'm tired and disappointed. The answer seems so obvious to me, and yet some of my District 3 Supervisors are struggling with it. I sat through most of the District 3 Board meeting where it was discussed on Friday, August 10, 2012. Here is a 45-minute long recording of the discussion: http://bit.ly/R63eQN. The first few slides have no recorded audio as I had not yet turned the recorder on, so I summarized what was said. If any of you are interested, I will get the official recording of the complete discussion and publish it. (I use the Google Chrome Browser and the recording I made opened immediately. Probably current versions of Firefox, or Internet Explorer would do the same.)

1. There exists a deed restriction prohibiting signs of any kind, except in villas. It is 2.14 of this document: http://www.districtgov.org/images/De...%203/S3-36.pdf
2. All buyers in The Villages signed a covenant to abide by the deed restrictions.
3. This restriction had not been enforced north of CR 466 until recently.
4. A 2009 change to Florida Statue 190.012(4)(a) empowers CDD's "To adopt rules necessary for the district to enforce certain deed restrictions pertaining to the use and operation of real property within the district...." District 3 did so in a document referred to as RESOLUTION 11-04, http://bit.ly/N8Y0h7 This document includes a schedule of fines for violation of the deed restriction, including signs.
5. Complaints were received in District 3 about sign violations, recently. Action was taken in accordance with RESOLUTION 11-04 [which the District 3 board created and adopted on March 11, 2011].
6. All signs were removed in all districts north of CR 466 as a result of the complaints and action specified in RESOLUTION 11-04.
7. There was resistance from the public, regardless they had signed a covenant not to put up signs.
8. A public workshop was held July 30, 2012, and further, all numbered districts north of CR 466 have now met to consider enforcement of the deed restrictions on signs in their regular monthly meetings.
9. At the workshop, the Developer offered to permit 24-inch by 24-inch signs on the house. On May 16, 2012, the Developer had offered to permit 12-inch by 12-inch signs to be located within the home and only visible through a window of the home. Presumably, the latest concession was made so that residents and real estate agents might advertise with a sign but one less conspicuous than on a post in the yard. The specification for such a sign was incomplete, however, and left questions about form and allowable content.

My District 3 Supervisors were aligned as follows:

1. Chairman Charlie Cook, was strongly against enforcement, contrary to RESOLUTION 11-04, which he signed and which provides for enforcement.
2. Vice Charman, Bill Ray, wanted to reconsider the whole of the sign deed restriction issue with all districts and the Developer involved. [I suggest that this is unlikely and impracticable.]
3. Supervisor Tilman Dean just wanted to "get it right", but did not indicated how he would vote, although he said he was "ready to vote".
4. Supervisor John Goetz was clearly in favor of enforcing the deed restriction on signs.
5. Supervisor Gail Lazenby was likewise clearly in favor of enforcing the deed restriction on signs.

In the end, the Board decided to table the issue until next month. Their reason: to see what the Developer was going to specify for an "on-house" sign. District Manager, Janet Tutt mentioned that District 2 had decided to do this in their earlier meeting of that morning.

What is frustrating for me, is that I don't see why the exact form of the Developer's concession with regard to an "on house" sign has anything to do with the deed restriction and the "Rule to Bring About Deed Compliance", RESOLUTION 11-04. Seems to me we all should want a deed restriction on signs and that the districts, need to enforce that restriction. (I don't even like the idea of "in-window" or "on-house" signs that the Developer is ready to concede, but they are better alternatives than those on posts in the yard.)

The existing deed restriction is good for the community and needs to be enforced. If not, signs will be placed, as they have been north of CR 466 until the recent enforcement occurred. For the District governments to back out of the enforcement demonstrates a lack of leadership, a lack of conviction. It doesn't matter what the Developer concedes with regard to an "on house" sign, we need the deed restriction on signs and we (the districts") need to enforce it as we committed to do in RESOLUTION 11-04. And, that is why the vote on the issue should not have been tabled in the meeting of the 10th.

Supervisors representing District 5, south of 466, where the deed restriction on signs has been enforced from the inception of the district, expressed unanimous satisfaction with the deed restriction in the recent workshop. And, they have not had to contend with any signs—yard signs, window signs, or on-house signs.

Jerry Lester
Polo Ridge
District 3

[F16 1UB]

Originally Posted by Carla B

I vote for no signs, either. We just sold our condo in south Florida. No signs of any kind are allowed. After listing with the realtor, we had two offers in five days. How? Obviously, the buyers saw it on the internet.

What don't you understand about rules? Get with the times - People today look on the i-net to shop for homes THEN they may go to the location.

Spruce Creek has NO signage allowed. Hmmm Go look on the web. They're listed.

[asianthree]

i have to admit as we are looking for our next home i only use the internet and thus saving the time and effort of driving around...narrowning it down to 3 homes now that 1313 is gone

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Glad you had a nice visit and I hope you come back and find your dream home.
I just looked at the preowned homes listed by The Villages and there are 465. I do not know how many new build homes or listings by other brokers there are............but even 465 says there are a goodly number available.
Got to The Villages - Florida's Friendliest Retirement Hometown - New Home Sales, Home Resales, Build Your Dream Home, Brownwood Paddock Square look at any listing. It will give the address and even a map. That would be much easier that driving around endlessly looking for signs. Just my opinion of someone who doesn't like signs.

That's exactly what Ms Jennifer Morse Parr wants everybody to do, thus creating a monopoly.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by F16 1UB

What don't you understand about rules? Get with the times - People today look on the i-net to shop for homes THEN they may go to the location.

VLS and MLS homes are listed on the i-net. And there are FSBO sites. Home owners can place For Sale signs in their windows. Enough already.

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by ydnar9

I can only speak for myself. We do not live in The Villages but were there 3 different times trying to find the right home for sale. snipped
By not allowing for sale signs in the yard that pretty much cuts out the FSBO's. I never thought a sign here or there was much of a distraction for the beauty of the Villages at all, especially seeing there are not many homes for sale at all there. Just my opinion of someone looking to buy.

that is exactly how we found our house. took one week for each of four years to find the house for us - and all BECAUSE of a real estate sign!

[caroline]

Touché'

[perrjojo]

I think not having a sign does make For Sale By Owner more difficult but all others are on an even plane. My biggest concern is how many homes are rented. If we add all of the rental signs to For Sale signs..WOW! That will be unsightly. Then we have political signs, contractor signs and it goes on...we will become a village of signs.

[tv2016]

I have found several houses to rent for myself, bought 1 house, and have now rented my house to several other people - all with no signs in any of the yards. It doesn't take long for people who are looking for a place to realize they need to look on the Internet and in house windows. I think it works just fine with one small sign in a window. Let's keep TV looking nice!