That is very kind of you Gracie and I truly do appreciate the open hand. When I’m here next I may take you up on the offer. This trip has been too short and exhaustive. The more I drive around the more questions I have. Fortunately, my sales rep is willing to answer any technical questions I may have. Wow, my grammar is poor.

I hope your agent is making you aware that you can add stretches to a new build, if the lot accommodates them. I built a new home this past fall. The base model, an Iris, which is a Designer home, is about 1900 sq ft. I stretched it 3ft to the side on one side, 4 ft to the side on the other, 8 ft to the rear on the lanai, and 2 ft to the front. My sq footage under air is 23000 sq ft and 3400 sq ft all total. The cost of my house is $100-150k less than a premier, yet nearly as large. I'd be happy to show it to you if you PM me, so you can see the possibilities of a stretched Designer.

I would like to suggest to make a list of "must have" and a list of "would like to have". That would help you to focus on what you truly want and easier to decide what home is right for you.

I myself, had a million questions so I got the "paralysis of analysis". As some point, you will be comfortable with whatever, you decide.

I'm not in my Village home yet! I've been renting my home in The Village of Charlotte for the last three years in a long-term rental program. My 91 year old mother likes The Villages but likes the four seasons in Michigan more! We have to rent another home when we visit The Villages!


I love the Eisenhower Rec Center! So patriotic and makes me proud to be an American.

The first home I was shown was a stretched Designer. I need larger, my plan is to stretch a Premiere. Like you said, the lot has to be big enough to accommodate the larger home with the setbacks. I would like approx. 4000sf of living space, without spending a million dollars. The salesman said there are only one or two models where that is possible. He showed me his personal home, a stretched premiere. He had rooms added to both sides and stretched the back by 6 ft. In addition he had the roofline stretched 6 feet beyond an outside sidewall, on one side, to create a storage shed on the side of the house. Also had the lanai stretch all the way around the house, which made room for the pool and outdoor kitchen. The lanai floor is level with the interior floor, making it handicap accessible and he can add AC at a future date. He will have a beautiful home when construction is complete. Since it was his personal home I was uncomfortable asking what it cost. He did say the lot was $189k.

You are absolutely correct. I do have my “must have/like to have” list. In the end it will be budget that dictates. I can go crazy with this thing but I’ll end up eating Top Ramen for the next 10 years. I’ll do the best I can within my budget. Stuff like painted driveway, cameras, etc. can wait. Rooms and bathrooms, will not wait.

There is one village (Harmeswood?) in TV north of 466 that has very large lots from 2/3 acres up to about 2 acres, I think. There are also massive homes there, with 4000+ sf.

You are right, but somehow I am reading that this single commercial pilot who has been all over the world wants all up to date light fixtures and tile styles and perhaps the new paned glass doors instead of sliders and maybe three bathrooms and stainless everything and a wine bar.


I understand this. And he can choose, so I am guessing he is leaning toward new. The Premier Village on 466 and the one in Pennecamp are only four years old and have the newer stuff, but the newest ones have even more updated appliances.


Here is my bet, Retiring will end up south of 466A and will find wonderful, welcoming and fun folks there. Just like so many of us landed in the perfect spot. He is having fun looking and digesting, mulling over things like palms or no palms, three car garage or two and golf cart, what kind of golf cart. Where do I want the sun to hit my home in the evening. Do I want a corner lot. What kind of view out the back? A pool or no pool? What kind of screen enclosure, pillars or not?


He has worked his whole life to enjoy the process he is going through right now.


I enjoy his journey.

If you get a chance, next time you're in the Brownwood area. Drive along Pinellas Pl, that's the east-west road that goes from Morse all the way to the Winn Dixie Shopping Center. Take Buena Vista south and turn west on Pinellas towards the shopping center. Look for a left turn, Islesworth cicle. It's a completed area, but maybe a resale may come on the market. All those homes sold in the $800,000 to $1 million range. Some have a 5 car garage, one even has a 9 car garage. There is also a few streets a little further south in the Village of Lake Deaton, behind the fire station off Hillsborough. They have a similar area of large Premier Homes, I believe that area is finished but a realtor can find a possible resale.

Gracie, you know me well. I enjoy my smart house. Yes, I like the latest gadgets. I have the remote controlled lighting and blinds and fireplace and tankless water heater and some fancy push button stuff in the kitchen. A central vac with an auto dustpan. Wifi locks, etc etc. I’m able to be so dependent on electric, where I am now, because I can use a natural gas generator that kicks in for a power outage. The (new) homes I’ve seen so far in TV have all been electric. Salesman said all the new areas are electric. No way I can risk a smart house if I don’t have a natural gas generator in the event of a power outage. I don’t want to go down the propane tank route. I can live without (most) of the bells and whistles but I will need a minimum 3 car + golf cart garage. There are many reasons I’m leaning towards new. The obvious reasons and no less important, comprehensive sinkhole insurance. I plan to visit The Villages Insurance after lunch. All I know about sinkhole coverage is what I was told by the TV Real Estate agent.

Since I don’t drink, never have, I will use the wine bar space for something else :)

John, I’m taking notes. I will look at that area on my next visit, since I’m leaving in the morning. My concern is comprehensive sinkhole insurance on a resale. I’ll know more today when I talk to TV Insurance. Ultimately I’ll have to stay around $850k, which eliminates anything with a 9-car garage.

I would not let sinkhole insurance coverage drive my purchase decision. ALL homeowner policies in Florida have catastrophic collapse insurance, which covers sinkholes that threaten the house. It goes into effect once a house is deemed uninhabitable/unsafe. The "sinkhole" insurance covers sinkholes that appear on your lot, but does not affect home safety. At least, this is my understanding.

I’m a big believer in insurance. It has saved many from bankruptcy. I spoke to The Villages Ins. and there is quite a bit to what the comprehensive sinkhole insurance covers.

The insurance agent is going to email the zip codes I need to avoid. There are zip codes where I cannot get comprehensive sinkhole insurance on any resale period. BTW, anyone have any concern that insurance companies, who are in the business of making money, will not insure certain zip codes? I may have to narrow my search to 32163, but the agent has not emailed me yet. Apparently that zip code is ok. However, there are insurance companies that will insure anyone for anything at any location, for a price. But I don’t want to pay the equivalent of a mortgage payment for insurance. Also, I’m not a rich man. I cannot risk an investment of this size just because I like the squares and the Eisenhower rec center. If the insurance companies find my home too risky to insure, I’ll find something in AZ.

This TV trip was more about getting an overall feel for the community, which I love. I only spent 1.5 days looking at houses. I picked up a 2016 detailed street map the sales office was selling. Now, when I talk to the RE agent I’ll be able to see the exact location he’s talking about. My next TV visit will be more focused on real estate. I’ll get detailed insurance info once I find a village I want to build in or a resale that fits my needs. Stuff for the next trip.

I want to thank you and the others here on TOTV. If it weren’t for the support I’ve received here, I would have taken a pass after the first program I watched about central FL sinkholes. After watching the second (frightening) program on central FL sinkholes I was ready to run from TV. TOTV has showed me that people spend many years here without any indication of any sh problem. But if I get to the point where an insurance company tells me I wouldn’t insure that home at any price, please don’t fault me for wanting to go elsewhere.

I also believe insurance is a necessary evil.

Being from the northeast where severe weather doesn't happen too often except for snow and some ice storms. I can say that one initially gets afraid when they hear stories of sinkholes, thunderstorms, etc. It has been a subject on TOTV many times and has affected only a few people out of thousands. To me, sinkholes are a very rare occurrance, IMHO. I was shaken to my boots after arriving and hearing of a house that burned down after a thunderstorm.

After awhile, you become immuned to it, as all areas of the country have their weather related problems. I would say the lifestyle here greatly out weighs the very small risk of getting a sinkhole. One should be somewhat concerned but hearing all of the war stories, will not help you. I wouldn't let something like that be the deciding factor but that's me.

your age not a problem.
 

The Fair Housing Act is no different. The Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA) is an exception that allows communities to operate as “55 or over” housing. To qualify for this exemption, the following criteria must be met:

At least 80% of the units must be occupied by at least one resident over the age of 55;
The community must publish and adhere to policies and procedures demonstrating an intent by the housing provider (the association) to provide housing for persons 55 years of age or older; and
The housing provider must engage in appropriate age verification procedures that includes a community census from time to time.
Ok – at least one person 55 or older must reside in at least 80% of the occupied units. What do you do with the other 20%? On April 1, 1999 the United States Department of House and Urban Development (“HUD “) published Federal Regulations implementing the Housing For Older Persons Act of 1995 (“HOPA”). Basically, HUD does not care how a community handles the 20% “cushion” as reflected below: