[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by VillageIdiots

So far, I haven't seen that next great thing in countertops.

Actually, granite was all the rage until quartz came along. Quartz is the next great thing in countertops. Granite needs maintenance and does scratch as someone already said. Quartz does not need maintenance. That as a no brainer for me besides being the latest and greatest product in counter tops.

[coffeebean]

The standard lot sizes for the Designer homes in the established villages are postage stamp size. How much smaller are the standard lots for the Verandas? They must be REALLY small!

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

The standard lot sizes for the Designer homes in the established villages are postage stamp size. How much smaller are the standard lots for the Verandas? They must be REALLY small!

You have to come down and see for yourself. I can tell you that they are no smaller than my non-veranda designer here in Fenney. Quite a few of them are on water with a metal fence/railing running the width of the rear so it make it look even larger.

[twoplanekid]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

My biggest objections to the Bridgeport floor plan are:

1) You have a view of the master bedroom while standing at the sink in the kitchen. Honestly, I don't want to look at my bed as I'm washing pots and pans. I spend quite a bit of time at the kitchen sink during the day.

2) The kitchen is quite large with a beautiful island BUT, that does not make up for the fact that the dining room is large enough only for a table. The table is also locked into the space so it can not be expanded with table leaves. I have a China cabinet and a server that I had to fit in my TV home.

Another view of why I like the Bridgeport design:

1) My view is blocked of people washing pots and pans while watching TV.

2) We eat all meals in the dining room as our view of the outside world is best from there.

3) Don’t tell my wife about #1

[VillageIdiots]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

You have to come down and see for yourself. I can tell you that they are no smaller than my non-veranda designer here in Fenney. Quite a few of them are on water with a metal fence/railing running the width of the rear so it make it look even larger.

Agree totally. If you think they are something you'd be interested in, come look. Or, if you have a strong urge to discuss them here and would be better served to have seen them in person first, come look.

I have one of the above mentioned homes with the water and the see through railing in the back. I haven't been in every model, but the one I bought and the ones I have seen were significantly upgraded. I don't know how my lot compares to standalone designers, but it's certainly big enough for me and is big enough to add a decent sized pool later on if I want. And that's with a Lanai that is extended out 4' and an extended garage as well. Coming from 20+ years of 1 acre+ lawns to mow, I'm not interested in a huge yard.

So, you can just believe what you read here and rule them in or out based on what you read, or you can just come take a look yourself. I don't know about every day, but yesterday, of the 20 something open houses that were held, 6 of them were Verandas. Quite a few were just opened up in inventory.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by twoplanekid

Another view of why I like the Bridgeport design:

1) My view is blocked of people washing pots and pans while watching TV.

2) We eat all meals in the dining room as our view of the outside world is best from there.

3) Don’t tell my wife about #1

#1 point taken and I won’t tell your wife. LOL.

[EPutnam1863]

Originally Posted by Jimf2018

It seems that with a high inventory of new houses that someone purchasing a new home in The Villages should pay less than the asking price. For example, if the asking is $300,000, would an offer of $270,000 be appropriate? What is your experience?

Especially interested in recent experiences and the village of Fenney.

Thanks!

It has been our experience in several states that developers and contractors will NOT budge on their asking prices - unless they have trouble selling them.

Younger buyers prefer new houses because there are options to choose from while resales don't. So, as a rule of thumb, resales owners are screwed unless they have something to offer that new sales do not.

[VillageIdiots]

Almost 30 new Verandas were just added to inventory for sale - fairly wide range in prices. I'd expect a fair number of open houses within the Verandas over the next several days. I've yet to see one reduced in price but I have seen a couple of them go up slightly.

[Abby10]

Originally Posted by VillageIdiots

Agree totally. If you think they are something you'd be interested in, come look. Or, if you have a strong urge to discuss them here and would be better served to have seen them in person first, come look.

I have one of the above mentioned homes with the water and the see through railing in the back. I haven't been in every model, but the one I bought and the ones I have seen were significantly upgraded. I don't know how my lot compares to standalone designers, but it's certainly big enough for me and is big enough to add a decent sized pool later on if I want. And that's with a Lanai that is extended out 4' and an extended garage as well. Coming from 20+ years of 1 acre+ lawns to mow, I'm not interested in a huge yard.

So, you can just believe what you read here and rule them in or out based on what you read, or you can just come take a look yourself. I don't know about every day, but yesterday, of the 20 something open houses that were held, 6 of them were Verandas. Quite a few were just opened up in inventory.

This is what I think a lot of people may not be noticing. Many of the houses in Fenney and other new villages are being built with a lot of extras, including extensions. It was once quite difficult to find a basic lot that would allow for more than one extension. Now it seems there are quite a few homes being built down south with more than one extension. More usable space and as you said, less lawn to mow. There is a lot of new and interesting stuff going on down there.

[VillageIdiots]

Originally Posted by Abby10

This is what I think a lot of people may not be noticing. Many of the houses in Fenney and other new villages are being built with a lot of extras, including extensions. It was once quite difficult to find a basic lot that would allow for more than one extension. Now it seems there are quite a few homes being built down south with more than one extension. More usable space and as you said, less lawn to mow. There is a lot of new and interesting stuff going on down there.

I made a comment about the homes in Fenney appearing even closer together than some other Villages. The rep told me that, at some point, TV started making more of an effort to take advantage of available lot space when building spec homes. If a home can be stretched, they may go ahead and stretch it. If there is room for added outdoor space, they may do that, and if there is room for a pool, often they go ahead and put one in. My lot is typical width but a little deeper than some, so my garage is stretched forward 4 feet and my lanai is stretched back about 4 feet, so what I was told seems to be true, at least in many cases. If so, that would result in homes being closer together more consistently than they may have been before. Even with the stretches, I still have a decent sized lawn front and back.