[Nonni252]

Hubby and I are planning a Lifestyle Visit for August. We're interested in buying a home less than five years old, 2000 sf or larger, not on the golf course but a water view would be great. Any suggestions for how to make the best use of our time (four nights)while in TV?

[Tom C]

When we were there, we rented a home for 10 days. We had done a lot of “window shopping” ahead of time and provided a list of what we thought was interesting to our VLS realtor. That was our “touring list”, however property moves fast, so about 1/2 were gone before we even started.

Like I have mentioned before on other postings to this BB, you need to look at 3 resources: MLS, VLS and FSBO.

For areas, take the 3 trolly tours (I suggest one per day). That will give you a lot of background on the three squares and the “flavor” of the different areas of The Villages.

[John_W]

If you already know the lifestyle, then the homes and location are going to be your main interest. Less than 5 years old, that would put you in the Brownwood area. Here's a map of Brownwood, you'll probably be staying in Alden Bungalows, which are masonry courtyard villas, they are immediately to the west of Brownwood just off the map. Take the golf cart that will be in the garage and drive around everywhere as you can. You'll get a better look at homes and various neighborhoods closeup rather than in a air conditioned car.

Ask your agent, I presume you're talking with someone with TV, and they give you a map. Just drive through the square (the commercial area) that's pictured on the map and go north on Buena Visa, east on Hillsborough, cross Morse and go all the way around Moyer Loop, check out shopping at Colony, go west on Pinellas. If you feel secure in your adventures cross 466A at Colony through the tunnel and explore Hemingway, Duval and St. James. I live just across 466A in Tamarind Grove, I like that because it's 3-1/2 miles to LSL and 3-1/2 miles to Brownwood. Within 20 minutes in my golf cart with my clubs on the back, I can be at Arnold Palmer, Mallory, Cane Garden, Havana, Bonifay, Belle Glade and Evans Prairie golf courses. They are all 27 hole championship layouts. That's the main reason I moved here, inland and not near the coast where I grew up.

[Nonni252]

Excellent info, John and Tom - Thx so much!

[Lottoguy]

Think of how far the shopping will be from the area your most interested in. After a while you'll only go to the squares for entertainment maybe once a month. The areas between 466 and 466A are the most crowded in the winter time. The lease crowded is the area north of Savannah Center.

[Kilmacowen]

Originally Posted by Lottoguy

Think of how far the shopping will be from the area your most interested in. After a while you'll only go to the squares for entertainment maybe once a month. The areas between 466 and 466A are the most crowded in the winter time. The lease crowded is the area north of Savannah Center.

We go to the squares about 5 times a week for the past 12 years.

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by Lottoguy

Think of how far the shopping will be from the area your most interested in. After a while you'll only go to the squares for entertainment maybe once a month. The areas between 466 and 466A are the most crowded in the winter time. The lease crowded is the area north of Savannah Center.

The least crowded area is south of 44 in Fenney, DeSoto, McClure, Linden, Marsh bend, and Monarch. Mostly new homes that are priced right and lots of them on water and many designer homes with fenced in back yards called Verandas, also a few dozen re-sales are on the market. It's worth a look down south, totally different atmosphere, everything is starting to come together now and in the near future. You might hate it or you might love it.

[rjm1cc]

How easy is it to get to your home for victors and how easy is it for you to get to where you want to go. Think golf cart time as well as auto time. Remember the snowbirds are gone so it might take a little more time in the winter.

[VillageIdiots]

Familiarize yourself with the app/website, if you haven't already. Not much point in shopping for specific homes now if you aren't coming until August, because anything worth buying will likely sell before then. But you can get an idea of what's out there. TV typically leaves you alone, for the most part, as far as sales while you are on a lifestyle visit. So, if you are definitely in the market to buy and want to do a lot of looking while you are here, find an agent and schedule time with them in advance of your stay. Otherwise it may be hard to get much of anyone's time. And if you don't have an agent handy, you'll be limited to only going to see homes that have open houses on specific dates and times of day. There is no "best village" or "best location". We all think where we live is best and we have our own reasons for feeling that way; that doesn't make it best for someone else. You have to determine what's important to you and zero in on a location based on that. Do you want to be near shopping, near an adult pool, near many golf courses, etc. No such place that is right next to all of those things but all are reasonably reachable from anywhere. South of 44 is the new growth area and is expanding and changing daily. However, it won't be connected to the rest of the villages until after the end of the year. For many of us that live down there, it's worth the wait. While others won't step foot down south. Start looking for specific homes for sale a couple of weeks before your visit and then monitor them to see which ones are still available when you get here and any new ones that have been added.

[villagetinker]

A water view that is NOT on a golf course, will change over time, and in general you will not be allowed to make changes to improve the view. Please ask a lot of questions about any water view and the specific restrictions on these lots.
The previous information is quite good.

[tophcfa]

Four days is a very short time to make such an important decision. We did several months of research so that we had a good handle on the market and felt comfortable understanding home values. Before our home search we retained both a Villages realtor as well as a multiple listing service realtor and made them both aware of our home search criteria (maximum price (including bond balance), desire for some privacy, room to build a pool, etc... We then rented for a month and began our search. We alternated daily showings between the two agents and focused exclusively on homes that fit our criteria. After two and a half weeks of extensive showings (about 40 homes) we saw everything on the market that fit our criteria. In the end, we ended up buying the very first home we visited. When we first visited our home, we liked it but were not ready to buy without knowing it was the best option available at the time. After seeing many other homes, we went back for a couple of second showings and bought our home. Four years later, after adding a pool/birdcage, we have no regrets.

[Nonni252]

...

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by nunzi

Hubby and I are planning a Lifestyle Visit for August. We're interested in buying a home less than five years old, 2000 sf or larger, not on the golf course but a water view would be great. Any suggestions for how to make the best use of our time (four nights)while in TV? We already live in a 55+ community so we know we like the lifestyle - we just need to narrow down the area that's right for us. We'll rent a car in addition to the cart provided. We haven't finalized the plans yet so I don't know which village they'll have us staying in.

You state you have four nights. Not sure why you are applying that pressure on yourself. If, that is the time limit for the lifestyle visit, you say you have a car, surely with a major decision you can justify staying in a hotel for a few days. As to the lifestyle visit, I think you are applying the pressure on yourself. We used it three times, not sure what you can do now. If, I recall the second time we did not get a free movie, diner I don't recall. You are not coming here for a free movie.


As to a water view, Depends on what you have in mind. Water view? Are you expecting a lake or a drainage puddle?

As to 2000 sq foot. We have 2200 sq ft and it is two bedrooms,
an office and two baths. Reminder there are no basements.
We have a two car garage plus a golf cart garage. Plan, my plan was to have a small boat. Well, my shop stuff is in the golf cart section. Wife's golf cart is in the second garage and our car is in the first garage. I sure miss my basement.

You state you and your husband. I would suggest you both write down what you want what you can or wish to spend and then see if both of you are on the same page. For example, many people like a center island in the kitchen. I hate them and find they are in the way. You may like it many people do.

Brokers you will find they will show you places that do not fit what you want or think you want. The truth is many people do not know what they want. Same as you are exploring the villages the broker is forming opinions about you. Sort of a matchmaker-customers and available homes.

RELAX. The old line-If, you don't have the time to do it right the first time you better have the time to do it again. It applies to most things including buying a house.

[Nonni252]

No pressure Daves - just getting a feel for TV on our first visit out there. We have other communities to see and we'll spend more time in the future after we've narrowed down our search. Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.

Ask for Chris Hallmark to be your Villages sales representative. He's extremely good at listening to you and finding what you want.