NavyVet |
07-11-2020 09:43 PM |
Hi! I don't know if I have much helpful info but I'll do my best. You'll be able to find premier home resales in several areas between Route 42 and State Road 44. The further South you go, the newer the homes/villages. In the size you are looking for, also check out the St. Augustine model. It is a wonderful floor plan (my favorite!). I think it may have been discontinued by TV but I have a jpg or pdf if you need to see the plan. I have a 1900 sq. ft. designer home with pool. We installed solar panels for $4000 and the pool cleaning service comes once a week. $140/month for both the pool and hot tub. We have house cleaners (2 ladies) that come every other week. I pay $130 but they do a thorough job, not just light housekeeping/surface cleaning like some people have. Since my home is about half the footage of what you are looking for, I won't bother with electric, water, lawn maintenance, pest control, amenities fee, trash, etc. Sounds like you already have a handle on all that.
Now, the single biggest, most annoying bill (other than the actual house mortgage) is the BOND. The newer the areas and I assume the larger the home, the bigger the bond. Our last 2 designer homes were around $20,000 (in 2009 and 2013). So figure this into the cost of the house. Some people think of this as a tax as payments for the Bond show up on your annual property tax bill. It's a way to inflate the price of the homes by saying you're paying for the 'lifestyle' but really it's to pay for infrastructure of the next new area. The really annoying part is even if you are a 100% disabled Veteran, this bond is on the NON-ad-valorem side of the tax bill, so no exemption. In other words, even if your property taxes are zero, you still get a hefty bill every year. I forget how many years it runs, but you will end up paying a lot of interest, too. You do get an option to pay the whole thing off if paying interest or having any kind of debt bugs you like it does me. I have paid off 2 bonds, but now on 3rd house here and I've paid more than my share for the privilege of living here. I've heard the bond on the new homes South of 44 can be upwards of $30,000 now. Definitely check the listings for Bond Paid or Low Bond Balance, more likely with older homes which can be very beautiful with mature trees, etc. If you have 2 vehicles, you'll probably want at least a 2.5 garage to also keep a golf cart. Too hot to leave anything outside. Some people use a golf cart as their second car. Anyway there are a lot of choices for a lot of different preferences. Best of luck in the search for your dream home!
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