[rpodell]

Do I really need to rent for few months before I buy? When I retire, I won't have the income showing to get a mortgage. I thought I would look around during my visit in January and maybe even look at some foreclosures.
Any advice, or does anyone know someone ready to sell in July, 2019????


I mean BUY in July 2019, not sell. Sorry.

Originally Posted by rpodell

Do I really need to rent for few months before I buy? When I retire, I won't have the income showing to get a mortgage. I thought I would look around during my visit in January and maybe even look at some foreclosures.
Any advice, or does anyone know someone ready to sell in July, 2019????

Everyone is different. We never rented. We came down for the lifestyle visit went back and bought a house online. We have been here for 2 years now and have no regrets.

[New Englander]

I came down for a lifestyle visit and bought a house during the visit. It was not an impulse buy. To me The Villages was by far the nicest, cleanest, best run senior community that I've visited in Florida. I also did not want to be right on the coast because of the storms and I'm not a beach person.

[mixsonci]

I came down for the lifestyle visit, then went back home and bought online. However, I do wish I had rented for a month or so. There are many things about my house and grounds I wish I had not settled for. I did not realize it would make a difference to me, because I really didn't know what the issues were until I was here living it. For instance, I never would have settled for a house where my lanai is so close to the lanai's behind me that I can read the title of the book the guy is reading....much too close.

[UpNorth]

You can't go too wrong by buying a house here, since resale values are pretty stable. You can take your chances and buy a house online, but there are location issues to consider. Does it back up to a noisy main street? Or does it back up to a "kissing lanai" with a cigar smoker or yapping dogs? Those things you may never know for sure unless you inspect the property in person, or have someone else do it for you.

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by rpodell

Do I really need to rent for few months before I buy? When I retire, I won't have the income showing to get a mortgage. I thought I would look around during my visit in January and maybe even look at some foreclosures.
Any advice, or does anyone know someone ready to sell in July, 2019????

Come down south of 44 and build a new one, it will be ready for you just in time for your retirement and will be cheaper than a similar existing home. Pick a lot then pick a house and what you want in it. We've met a lot of people down here that did just that. I wouldn't put too much faith in finding a foreclosure, when they do come up they are snatched up pretty quickly by flippers or The Villages themselves.

[thetruth]

Originally Posted by rpodell

Do I really need to rent for few months before I buy? When I retire, I won't have the income showing to get a mortgage. I thought I would look around during my visit in January and maybe even look at some foreclosures.
Any advice, or does anyone know someone ready to sell in July, 2019????

You won't have the income,"showing," to get a mortgage.
Not sure what that means. If, you are saying you have UNDECLARED income. Obviously as you well know that is illegal and no lender will count that toward your eligibility for a mortgage. Foreclosures? Due to recent appreciation and The Villages being a desirable place to live. You may find a good deal. You may find people who wish to sell quickly but you will no likely find any foreclosures or short sales.

MY OPINION. Think and understand a seller. Why would any seller contract WITH YOU to sell in July of 2019 unless you plan on signing a contract with serious CASH that you woulr forfeit if you don't buy can't get a mortgage etc.

Your idea of renting for a while does have a great deal of merit. You may want to check with THE VILLAGES SALES OFFICE. I beleive they still have a program where you can rent for a week or two at a reasonable price. We did that twice. I used to or perhaps still does come with a golf cart to use, bicycles to use and some restaurant discount kind of stuff. It is not high pressure to buy. The attitude is more like the place will sell itself..

You are the only one who can decide what you can and what you want to do.

[villagetinker]

There is a book typically advertised on this site about the villages, around $20 or so. I suggest buy this and read it, then you will have an idea if you need to rent. We tried to buy, every house we looked at was already in the process of being sold, tried for a month by email, then we bought a lot and built (this option is not always available). In hindsight, wish we had the opportunity to get the book, we found out about it later, we may have done a few things different. I really think this book will give you a lot of info, and then you can figure out how to proceed.

NOTE: old neighborhoods maybe very different from new neighborhoods, and kissing lanais need good neighbors. With all of the recently announced expansions, Brownwood will be real close the new center of the villages. You need to see what is important to you, and talk to an agent (new homes), or MLS realtor (resale homes) to see if there any that fit your needs and desires.
Hope you help.

[Packer Fan]

Originally Posted by rpodell

Do I really need to rent for few months before I buy? When I retire, I won't have the income showing to get a mortgage. I thought I would look around during my visit in January and maybe even look at some foreclosures.
Any advice, or does anyone know someone ready to sell in July, 2019????

This may be a twist on your question, but you should not retire if you NEED a mortgage. Keep working and pay off all your debt before you retire, it will make retirement much easier and less stressful. That said, you can rent a house in TV for July, August, and Sept Fairly Cheaply. I have 2 rental designer homes in Fernandina and Hillsborough that I would rent you for $1300 a month all in for each of those months. It gives you a chance to get to know the area. However, if you just buy, it is hard to go wrong in TV..

As for buying a place now and not close until July, the only people who would do that have Rentals. I would do that if I was looking to sell so I could extract the high season rents before selling....

Ed

[rpodell]

I just wasn't sure if I wanted to pay all cash for the house, yet. I will be visiting the villages 1/3 - 1/8, maybe I can see one of your houses that we could rent for July and a few months. I would need furnished, as I don't want to have to pack everything up over and over again.

You can email me at robertapodell@optonline.net

[billethkid]

If it is in your retirement budget with a mortgage payment then proceed without concern.

There will always be differences of opinion regarding whether to borrow (for anything) in retirement.

Most people have done and bought what fits their budget most of their lives. Retirement is no different.

Some folks work the tax and or income tactic leveraging their savings by carrying a mortgage because they make money doing so. For example a 3.5 percent mortgage allows one to retain their money invested returning 6percent plus annually.

A mortgage can be paid off anytime by many retirees doing the above. There is no real right or wrong.To each his own and to that which provides comfort and joy in retirement.

[rpodell]

So tell me about the houses you have to rent, it sounds like that may be the best solution to finding out what will work for us in tv. I'll be there early January to have look around, but probably will not move until July.

Originally Posted by rpodell

So tell me about the houses you have to rent, it sounds like that may be the best solution to finding out what will work for us in tv. I'll be there early January to have look around, but probably will not move until July.

The lifestyle preview IMO has great value. You will be assigned a sales rep who will take you to see as many or as few houses as you want. They can also answer any questions you may have. They are NEVER pushy and are simply there for your convenience. We learned a lot about the different types of houses and neighborhoods from ours. They understand that people don't always buy on their first visit and just hope that you will contact them again when you are ready. There is NO pressure from Villages Sales agents.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by rpodell

So tell me about the houses you have to rent, it sounds like that may be the best solution to finding out what will work for us in tv. I'll be there early January to have look around, but probably will not move until July.

I don't follow you when you say, the houses you have to rent. You don't have to rent anything. Here's a websites with over a 1,000 rentals in The Villages.

VH4R Home Rentals in The Villages

Getting a mortgage with undeclared income, I did that in 1998. I had to put 20% down and pay 1% more interest rate. At that time it was 8 instead of 7, the going rate. After 5 years I refinanced at a much better rate.

Visiting in January you're probably too late to get a Lifestyle Visit reservation that soon, they're usually booked out about 3 months in advance. The LSV info is on the Villages website. Homes for sale in July doesn't make any sense either. At anyone time there is 500 to 1000 homes for sale in The Villages, either through the Villages or outside Realtors, The Villages is about 60,000 homes right now.

What you want to do now on such a short visit is to orientate yourself on the various areas, villages, squares, golf courses or anything athletic that may appeal to you, lots location whether water view, golf course, and style of home, free standing designer, cottage, courtyard villa, patio villa. Read the newspaper everyday you're here. Go to the squares, check out medical facilities and VA facilities is you're a veteran. Don't worry about the actual house, those change constantly, but you'll know what areas you'll want to concentrate on since you'll moving to an area that is about 35 square miles in size not counting the newest villages.

[GerryA]

They are in the process of building apartments.....