[MikeVillages]

We have a golf & lakes view, very open. We can sit in the great room & see the view. Very relaxing.

[Babbs1957]

Worse lots: The tee or green view. Lots of carts, loud conversations, and many jack a$$es.
Better lots: Fairway or water view. Somewhat quiet, low water smell, and bugs
Best lots: Nature view. Quiet, trees covered in moss blowing in the wind, and animals

Sitting in your hot tub and nobody can see you - priceless

[fflmaster]

Originally Posted by jbartle1

An additional thought, difficult to find water view that doesn’t come with alligator!

I need a 😂 button. This did make me laugh. But, I actually like looking at the alligators.

[CarlR33]

Look at existing homes for sale (or sold) and compare with what they paid on their county website. Also, a view home is not going to bring a premium on resale if you do silly things like overdo the landscaping or use non neutral specific to you upgrades, etc. I have seen this type of home for sale.

[thelegges]

Posters will tell you what lot you should or shouldn’t choose. However my bet is they haven’t tried for a build lot with a view for at least 4 years.

First if you want to build, choose the $$$$ you need for your budget. Then try for every available lot.

There will be around 30-50+ names for each lot. You will be very lucky to be #1. You have 48 hours to say Yes or No.

So think if you and hundreds are trying for lot release available, those lots will also be highly sought after if you build a desirable model.

That $200,000 lot does sell well if you can only afford a $200,000 model.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

You have to decide for yourself what you want to see out the back of your house, combined with how often you'll be looking.

If you feel a golf view is your ideal location, consider two important things:

1. The spot right in front of the tees will often be more congested with golf carts, and some of them are noisier than others.
2. The spot closest to the point at which most balls are likely to land after taking their first shot - is more prone to damage to siding, stucco, windows, and screens, due to slices and whatever other terminology indicates someone messed up their shot.

Try and find the sweet spot. Maybe between the last hole and the next tee, at whichever part of the course you fancy.

[village dreamer]

its always location , location , location with real estate.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by fflmaster

I am sure this is discussed in Nauseam, but can’t seem to find much on a search with recent opinions.

I expect my wife and I will want to design our house vs purchase an already made and ready new home if we go in the new home direction.

However, looking at locations TV releases to build lots on the price can go from 5k to 200k.

I get the idea of pick what you can afford and want, but I am still the kind of person that needs to confirm value. Say, we decide to move to a new location in 10 years. I don’t want to loose 200k in value. Up North, the area and size of house would all be similar in price. View would not mean anything to valuation of sale.

So, do the golf course views really sell for 200k more than a same style home without the view? Or do you understand and accept a loss if you purchase the view?

Simple to find out facts. Look up the Assessed Value of homes with "views", vs similar homes without (or even Redfin or Zillow).

I can tell you one thing for sure. If you ever walked into a neutral bank (NOT Citizen's or whoever TV is using now) and tried to finance an extra $200,000 because the home you wanted to buy is on a detention basin, they'd laugh at you.

[Coop63]

As an avid golfer, I would be very reluctant to own a home on a golf course. Carts zooming past my lanai would drive me nuts. If you are lucky to be anywhere from 20 to 100 yards off a driving hole expect to be peppered by shanks, hooks and slices. Good golfers are not immune from errant shots. Handicap goes up and your odds increase. Guys having fun can be offensive to some.

[vintageogauge]

We lived on a Golf Course for 11 years and were very excited to move in until we actually moved in. There was no privacy, lots of noise, foul language, littering, men relieving themselves right out in the open with no regard of the residents or their children (and yes I did get the police involved with that no-no), spectators for local tournaments would set up their chairs on our lawn without asking and leave their trash behind when they left for another hole, the groundskeepers are on the course before dawn working with lights and after sunset to keep the course free of debris, leaves, mowed, watered, etc. Golf balls were the least of our worries, it was the pigs that were disguised as Country Club Elites that were the biggest problem. When we moved here we decided no golf course but we did want the privacy and peacefulness of a water view which is what we bought with no regrets. For a good return on you home investment try to get on a all stucco street or cul-de-sac where all of the neighbors on the street have a water view. The homes on our street that have been sold to date were off the market almost overnight.

[Nell57]

Originally Posted by Rango

There is no guarantee that there will always be water in you pond

Not necessarily.
I attended a class on water management in The Villages, presented by The Villages. They have a map that identifies the three types of ponds in The Villages.
1. Ponds with liners. These always have water, and water is moved in and out of these ponds. It is used to store excess water in the rainy season.
2. Unlined ponds. These might completely dry up in the dry season. So there is a chance that when you purchase the property you have a water view, six months later you are looking at a mud hole.
3. Ponds that are adjacent to nature preserves. They never interfere with these ponds.
So if you are purchasing a home have your sales agent find out what type of pond you’re on. At our class they had a big map that clearly identified the purpose of each body of water. I took a picture of it. Make sure you know what you’re buying.
I have lived on the 3rd type for 13 years. We usually do have one gator . …very entertaining.
If you are comfortable with the price…go for the water view.
It’s a great investment.

[jimhoward]

I have a theory that the housing economics for moderately affluent retirees is different from young working people. When you are coming up you buy the home that you can afford based on your savings and your income. The house is mortgaged and the maximum you can pay for the house is limited by how much mortgage you can afford.

But when you are retired it is different. If you have money you can buy any house you want. So then the question is not how much can you afford, its how much of your money do you want tied up in real estate. Your estate is going your heirs. Whether you leave them a million dollar house and some money or a 500K house and 500K more money its not all that different. So you might as well live in the nicer house.

My theory is that this is one factor holding up house prices for nicer homes in the Villages and that buying a view lot is a good idea.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Nell57

Not necessarily.
I attended a class on water management in The Villages, presented by The Villages. They have a map that identifies the three types of ponds in The Villages.
1. Ponds with liners. These always have water, and water is moved in and out of these ponds. It is used to store excess water in the rainy season.
2. Unlined ponds. These might completely dry up in the dry season. So there is a chance that when you purchase the property you have a water view, six months later you are looking at a mud hole.
3. Ponds that are adjacent to nature preserves. They never interfere with these ponds.
So if you are purchasing a home have your sales agent find out what type of pond you’re

Good for you. In my 4 years in TV, I have never run across a single person, who has a clue how the "ponds" and drainage system works and why.

What you're describing are "Retention Ponds", "Detention Ponds" and natural impoundments (of various types).

You're 100% right. Folks should know what their "view" actually is and most don't seem to have a clue.

[Coop63]

Originally Posted by jimhoward

I have a theory that the housing economics for moderately affluent retirees is different from young working people. When you are coming up you buy the home that you can afford based on your savings and your income. The house is mortgaged and the maximum you can pay for the house is limited by how much mortgage you can afford.

But when you are retired it is different. If you have money you can buy any house you want. So then the question is not how much can you afford, its how much of your money do you want tied up in real estate. Your estate is going your heirs. Whether you leave them a million dollar house and some money or a 500K house and 500K more money its not all that different. So you might as well live in the nicer house.

My theory is that this is one factor holding up house prices for nicer homes in the Villages and that buying a view lot is a good idea.

Totally agree, home equity is a solid asset that increases with cost of living. It’s a conservative part of your portfolio that you get to enjoy daily. Spending wisely on upgrades increases the value of the asset. Key is to always make choices with the mindset of resale.

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by fflmaster

I am sure this is discussed in Nauseam, but can’t seem to find much on a search with recent opinions.

I expect my wife and I will want to design our house vs purchase an already made and ready new home if we go in the new home direction.

However, looking at locations TV releases to build lots on the price can go from 5k to 200k.

I get the idea of pick what you can afford and want, but I am still the kind of person that needs to confirm value. Say, we decide to move to a new location in 10 years. I don’t want to loose 200k in value. Up North, the area and size of house would all be similar in price. View would not mean anything to valuation of sale.

So, do the golf course views really sell for 200k more than a same style home without the view? Or do you understand and accept a loss if you purchase the view?

View lots are in demand. Kissing lanais are not. You don’t have a lottery for kissing lanais.

Check out the preowned houses in Moultrie Creek that have a view that are for sale. They are a year old. Check out the original sales price and check out the asking price. And then follow up for the sales price. Prices are available at Sumter County appraisers website.


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