[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by Tom C

WOW! Terrific responses, all of them! THANK YOU!

Time to unveil my top 3 (remember this is a WISH LIST... just think Santa time when you were 7 years old)

1) I have a hobby that takes one garage stall, so the 2+cart garage is a minimum for us (we will have one car and one or two golf carts)

2) We both like being outside, but will not be accustomed to the heat. We want outdoor cooking and a pool inside a birdcage (and I guess it is best that it not be facing west from results here and from what I have seen on other postings.

3) We do want quiet privacy and a view (I know that is many times contradictory). The best I have been able to describe is on a lake with a golf course beyond. I have looked at a home in the past that was on the cart-side of a golf course, located very near the T-Box of a Par 3. Just looking at the house I got an ear full from the golfers waiting. They were not talking to me, just to each other. Let me just say that they were not using their "inside voices". Each had a story to tell and they all were telling them at the same time and each was trying to out talk the other... you know how it goes - they were enjoying themselves and that was great! I just know that is not what I want in my back yard (ideally), so I have a note - Find a place that the backyard is not near a T-Box and preferably on the non-cart side of the course.

My beautiful wife has her three... we will go there next time as I have written enough for now.

Tom

1. Whatever your wife wants!!!
2. Whatever your wife wants!!!
3. Whatever your wife wants!!!

My three are:
1. Close to doctors
2. Close two shopping.
3. Would prefer all floors to be tiled.

Just remember, as one gets older, someone won't be jumping up out of bed in the morning and saying, "great, I get to clean a big house"!!!

[asianthree]

3 car garage instead of 2 car plus golf cart.
Bigger lanai and birdcage
We back to a road with a pond view not a problem for us, but would not be on a corner lot to deal with those who cut thru the lawn. Nothing like looking out your window to see some weird guy walking past it

[Debfrommaine]

I love to move so my goal is to try as many houses as I can here! Our pool, 3/2 courtyard villa is for sale.....we are not selling because we are unhappy, we actually really like the home. It is an end unit so we do have the open view on one side, this is very nice (as someone had mentioned). The pool is a gift to ourselves. Can not really say we what we would get next, if there is a next time. If we don't sell this home, that's OK too, life is an adventure and wonderful!!! So I guess I might change one thing to answer your question, maybe a two car garage but that is not a deal breaker because we are not clutter people. Good luck with your search, enjoy the process.

[Topspinmo]

Do it all over.??? Stayed where I was? Had the big yard, had the big garage full of tools, had the truck, had the classic car. As far as the villages, I'm happy where I brought, corner lot, no kissing lani's, great neighbors. The grass is not always greener

[Chi33]

For me, for the house, its much as others have said...

1. Bigger garage.
2. Enclosed Hurricane-proof back lanai.
3. Zero landscaping.

[jrarm]

How can you find out about "Friendly Neighbor's" before you buy?

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by jrarm

How can you find out about "Friendly Neighbor's" before you buy?

You really cannot find out about a neighborhood before you move in. If it is an older established neighborhood the residents wonder what the new person will be like and if they will fit in, so people basically wait to see to form an opinion. Things usually work out.

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by 2BNTV

1.

My three are:
1. Close to doctors
2. Close two shopping.
3. Would prefer all floors to be tiled.

Just remember, as one gets older, someone won't be jumping up out of bed in the morning and saying, "great, I get to clean a big house"!!!

Always the voice of reason Joe ----- I think when we first move here, people don't think far into the future. When you have lived here for a time you do begin to think about how you will manage here when you are elderly and need doctors and shopping within golf cart reach.

If you are a young retiree then definitely be a pioneer and go out to the outlying villages, but if you are more mature you might be better off closer to the established areas.

[B-flat]

At this point we are closing on a CYV. I’m sure a bigger garage would have been a plus however and it’s a little off topic in sense but here’s what we wanted a were able to buy.’

1. No grass
2. Tile floors throughout ( we have 2 dogs and sometimes one has accidents)
3. In the North End in either Chatam or a neighborhood nearby ( we rented in Chatam this past winter) We were able to buy in Calumet Grove

I’m sure once we start using the CYV as our winter home we may find 3 things we wish we had. If we were to move the Villages full time I know we would prefer a home not a Villa. Yard work? I enjoy for a couple of hours per week. We had the choice of a very nice home on a corner lot with lots of grass, the reason we didn’t choose it we will be seasonal residents and we did not want the concern of having someone cut the lawn in our absence.

I think 2BNTV said it best:
1. What the wife wants
2. What the wife wants
3. What the wife wants. LOL

Just so happens that’s about what happened with our purchase.

[PoolBrews]

For us, it had to be a concrete wall CYV for the privacy and the safety from hurricanes. Once we established that, our top 3 were:

1. Minimum 2 car garage
2. No carpet ANYWHERE
3. No grass ANYWHERE

It took 2 tries, but we got it right!

Supplemental list:

4. Room for a big birdcage - possibility for a pool
5. Close to shopping and community pool
6. NOT close to a square - traffic is horrendous during snowbird season

[Henryk]

Bigger garage--I only have room for one car and a cart, and it's tight.
Indoor (not garage) laundry.
Bigger lanai. I'll never understand why people enclose them.

A pool would have been nice.

[IndianaJones]

What I have -
1) great western view of sunsets with two golf course holes and an open field behind me (NO other houses), being on the tee box;
2) A good-sized garage with a golf cart garage that's deep;
3) A large screened lanai with a hot tub.

And, the wife and I are on the same page, in sync perfectly, on these items. That's the bonus!

[Tom C]

…let me add now the most important three things (what my beautiful wife wants in a home for us) :

1) The house must have an open floor plan (like the Lantana or similar) and if there is any carpet, it must be replaced with tile/wood/etc. She wants the kitchen open to the rest of the house so that when we are working together in the kitchen we have ample space to work there and be able to enjoy others that may be there (even if it is just the evening news on the TV).
2) She LOVES being outside and wants to expand the indoor space into the outside space. We need a larger outdoor area, preferably with large sliding glass doors (or wall) that we can open during the day (when it is not too hot) to enjoy these areas. The outdoor birdcage area should have a pool so we can cool off as we wish and the area should be private so we can be comfortable wandering around in our bathing suits and bath robes. This area should have ample covered areas too so that I can cook outside and we can enjoy meals outside even if the humidity is falling from the sky.
3) We both thoroughly enjoy neighbors who are supportive and friendly. She is very much turned off by bossy people telling her what to do, how to do it and when she needs to get it done (I think we all can do without that in our lives). This is currently the item that I have difficulty in determining from afar and tell you the truth, I think it takes months to see how people really are. Where do the friendly people live? From this forum, I can see that they are everywhere!! ..however, let’s be honest, we have all had one of two of those prior-defined people nearby . People who seem to get some form of satisfaction (I guess, because I don’t really understand it ) in making those near them uneasy by imposing made-up quirky rules or just spouting off at you for no logical reason. If there is a solution here, please let me know …

So there you have it .. we are looking for that glass slipper or that bowl or porridge that is just the right temperature for our liking. I know it is out there, but please share your thoughts and help us put to rest some concerns if you have experiences that will help us.

Again, I thank you for taking the time to help us.

[l2ridehd]

Good list TOM C that your wife has. She just described our house. Now if only it were for sale. But it's not.

[Packer Fan]

Originally Posted by lrvalley

For us, it had to be a concrete wall CYV for the privacy and the safety from hurricanes. Once we established that, our top 3 were:

1. Minimum 2 car garage
2. No carpet ANYWHERE
3. No grass ANYWHERE

Very curious about the carpet? I agree except in the Bedroom. Why no carpet ANYWHERE?