[Kazmi]

Glad you and your brother did the research Lovey2! Its a very nice area and a decision that I'm sure he'll be happy with.

[birdawg]

Hope all works out for you. And your brother.

[Lovey2]

Thanks, Kazmi and birdawg! It will be a few years before they are here full time. I've been in Florida without my siblings since 1989! Although I go up north frequently and they visit me, it will be nice to have a sib in the same state, and especially in this fabulous place!!

[Kazmi]

Originally Posted by Lovey2

Thanks, Kazmi and birdawg! It will be a few years before they are here full time. I've been in Florida without my siblings since 1989! Although I go up north frequently and they visit me, it will be nice to have a sib in the same state, and especially in this fabulous place!!

That will be a treat! I'm happy for you and bet you can't wait. Congrats!! By the time he's down fulltime Pine Ridge/Hills will be done and he'll have a great area to settle in to.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

Look up the mil rate for both Lake County and the City of Fruitland Park.

Easier said than done. I tried doing a web search on "mil rate fruitland park" and I could not make any sense out of the results.

On a $400K house, how much property would a person pay in Labelle versus Pine Ridge?

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by VApeople

Easier said than done. I tried doing a web search on "mil rate fruitland park" and I could not make any sense out of the results.

On a $400K house, how much property would a person pay in Labelle versus Pine Ridge?

The mil rate for Pine Ridge is 19.5, Sumter 12.25
Labelle $ 4,900
Pine Ridge 7,800

https://www.lakecopropappr.com/pdfs/...ison_Sheet.pdf

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

The mil rate for Pine Ridge is 19.5, Sumter 12.25
Labelle $ 4,900
Pine Ridge 7,800

https://www.lakecopropappr.com/pdfs/...ison_Sheet.pdf

Thanks for the info. I looked at the link you gave and I still did not see a 19.5 mil rate for Pine Ridge, which I guess is part of the Fruitland Park district. Did you actually add up all of the individual mil rates to get the 19.5 figure? Very impressive.

Anyway, the taxes for Lake County seem very high to me. They are almost double of the amount we would pay for a $400K house in the Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C.

[Happinow]

Originally Posted by Lovey2

We have done a lot of research these past few days and spoken to quite a few people in the area of Labelle, and the new Pine Ridge Villas. We also went up the hill and spoke with the people working at the "dump" and had a peek at what's around there. The people at the dump were very welcoming and had nothing to hide. They were happy we came and asked them and said they are tired of the complaints about the smell. Remember, they butt right up to the golf courses there and they confirmed a lot of the smell comes from the courses. It's what they spray to fertilize and even the water. I've smelled it myself from the golf courses and retention ponds near where I live in Gilchrist...nowhere near the "dump". I have friends that live in Sanibel on the golf course, and they get the same smell...from the golf course. The gentleman we spoke with at the dump said he had been there for 10 years working in the trailer there. Our thoughts were, he had nothing to gain by being truthful with us. He does not own the dump, simply works there. Anyway, the villa is lovely, the tax rate is NOT double, albeit it IS more than ours, everyone I have met in the area is very kind and nice, and my brother has decided to go ahead with the deal. Prospective buyers: keep in mind...you get a lot of "opinion" here. Come down and do your own research, talk to the neighbors where you're looking, and make your own decisions. While it's good to gather info here, be careful the source.

No Lovey.....we don't get any smell on this golf course if it was us you were talking about. In our almost 4 years here I have never smelled anything on this course.....Fort Walton. I guess we are lucky because when drive down Pinellas towards Braydenton, I smell some pretty foul stuff in the summer. I guess it may be the fertilizer....I don't know. Glad your brother found a home he loves!! It will be nice to have him here. 😀

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by Happinow

No Lovey.....we don't get any smell on this golf course if it was us you were talking about. In our almost 4 years here I have never smelled anything on this course.....Fort Walton. I guess we are lucky because when drive down Pinellas towards Braydenton, I smell some pretty foul stuff in the summer. I guess it may be the fertilizer....I don't know. Glad your brother found a home he loves!! It will be nice to have him here. [emoji3]

The odor comes from the dump that has been disguised and looks like a weird looking plateau. The developer has admitted the odor comes from the dump. Do a TOTV search on this subject.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by VApeople

Thanks for the info. I looked at the link you gave and I still did not see a 19.5 mil rate for Pine Ridge, which I guess is part of the Fruitland Park district. Did you actually add up all of the individual mil rates to get the 19.5 figure? Very impressive.

Anyway, the taxes for Lake County seem very high to me. They are almost double of the amount we would pay for a $400K house in the Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C.

I simply added the general fund, water, school & Fruitland Park. You can extrapolate the rest. Not sure which fire district, hospital etc. A call to the county assessor would be helpful if someone were considering a move. Me, I'd stay out of this area for several financial reasons. It won't be long before it will become common knowledge that the taxes are much higher which will affect resale value as well as ongoing monthly expenses. After all, most of us will be living on a fixed income. The power lines are the demarcation line and as such people being people will form opinions and attitudes which eventually will affect values. This is my opinion based on several conversations I've had with sales reps and people looking in both LaBelle & Pine Hills.

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by Happinow

No Lovey.....we don't get any smell on this golf course if it was us you were talking about. In our almost 4 years here I have never smelled anything on this course.....Fort Walton. I guess we are lucky because when drive down Pinellas towards Braydenton, I smell some pretty foul stuff in the summer. I guess it may be the fertilizer....I don't know. Glad your brother found a home he loves!! It will be nice to have him here. ��

Nope! Not you guys. I have other friends that live in Sanibel on the golf course. She said they were concerned about moving there when they heard about the "smell", and it turned out to be fertilizer. She lives on a more open part of the course. Maybe you don't get the smell because they don't fertilize so close up by the trees or the cart path? Or, are just lucky!! I smell the fertilizer on whichever course they are spraying, but I don't find it offensive, I guess unless I were to sit there and breath it in. I've smelled it in the Village of Pinellas when those courses by the rec center were new, going by Bonifay, and coming thru the tunnel under Morse to Colony. It is, what it is. You want pretty, it's got to be fertilized. Also, I believe those retention ponds can throw off some odor, depending on the conditions. Thanks, and we are looking forward to him coming down more often and eventually permanently.

[birdawg]

.[/

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

The odor comes from the dump that has been disguised and looks like a weird looking plateau. The developer has admitted the odor comes from the dump. Do a TOTV search on this subject.

That's funny. If you mean "the developer" to be The Villages "developer", they don't own the dump. Stands to reason they would blame it on something other than what they do. If you actually go talk to people working at the dump, they say it's The Villages Golf courses. Hmmmm, who to believe? And, since I've been here several years now, and smell odors whenever I am on my cart near a course being fertilized, I tend to believe that. Also, why would "the developer" build a brand new recreation center right next to the dump if they know it's an issue? Just sayin'....
My brother bought a lovely 2nd home, at a slightly higher tax rate, which was completely disclosed by the sales person and was negligible to him. Thanks for all your input. We have done our research and are happy what WE came up with.
I suggest anyone looking to buy come here and do their own research. While getting the opinions of residents is a good idea, I have found that our likes/dislikes and priorities are all different. Best to just come and decide what works best for you.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

I simply added the general fund, water, school & Fruitland Park. You can extrapolate the rest. Not sure which fire district, hospital etc. A call to the county assessor would be helpful if someone were considering a move. Me, I'd stay out of this area for several financial reasons. It won't be long before it will become common knowledge that the taxes are much higher which will affect resale value as well as ongoing monthly expenses. After all, most of us will be living on a fixed income. The power lines are the demarcation line and as such people being people will form opinions and attitudes which eventually will affect values. This is my opinion based on several conversations I've had with sales reps and people looking in both LaBelle & Pine Hills.

Rickey, you have made some very good points that will definitely help us when we look for a house to buy this summer. Thanks very much for your comments.

[Lovey2]

WOW! Somebody please explain to me how you totally delete posts. I haven't figured that out yet. I just know the "///".