And many want to be able to use their lanai for 4 seasons and enclosing it is how. Too hot in the summer n cold in the winter so why waste the space and not enclose it???

Those established area homes are pushing 20 years old now, and not so "prime" in condition. Some may prefer living in the old sections but many are choosing the new areas with new amenities only available south of 44. Take a look at today's Daily Sun to see all of the new stuff going on from championship golf to open air indoor market shopping to restaurants and entertainment, lots happening in the south, noting new in the established areas.

We bought 2 resales. We got so much with our second home, on the golf course, 30' pool with many interior and exterior upgrades for much less then if it was new and then upgraded. The owner died 2 years after he built the home. I also got to see the neighborhood and after 10 years in this home, still love it. The bond was much less than the new homes down south.

Even with a high bond, it was cheaper for us to buy new. We didn’t like the older styles of kitchen cabinets, flooring, landscaping, etc. The same older house, jasmine, would have been $20k+ more and then we would have to put money into getting it to our style inside and out.

After staying in the Spanish Springs area for a month, we like it here south of 44. A lot less traffic (few roundabouts), good access to Brownwood Square, Wildwood, Leesburg and Orlando for shoppping and the amenities we like.

Not necessarily, depends on if seller paid it off or not. Most don’t unless home is paid in full as you would never get the bond amount back if paid off earlier than the home.

I have to laugh when people think a twenty year old house is past its prime. That is true for mobile homes, but not for our homes. I lived for some years in a 200 year old log cabin. My girlfriend in New Jersey lives in a 300 year old house. That’s old. My home here in The Villages is twenty-two years old, and it is beautiful. It has a new roof with architectural shingles and a new HVAC system and new appliances, and the bond is paid. Those are all things I wanted in a home, and I found them. The taxes and insurance are reasonable. The house is flawless.

Most days I take a two mile walk to the mailbox and back. I enjoy the lovely houses with their mature landscaping and big trees. I enjoy noticing the various flowers that come into bloom. New neighborhoods don’t always have that sort of landscaping or trees. Someday they will, but not yet. I want to enjoy those things now, all over my village, and I don’t want to pay an extra $10,000 to have a landscaper put it in.

One of the nice things about all the new houses going up down south is that a number of people in ten or twenty year old houses move and leave behind wonderful houses for the rest of us. The Villages would be somewhat different if there were no new houses going up.

Some of you who have moved half a dozen times in twenty years to have a new house remind me of the pioneers of past centuries who would head west again because there were neighbors moving in just ten miles away. (Laughing.) Takes all types.

More windows to wash?

I personally like resale, if you can find something with potential and good bones. Many upgrades are in place already, (cheaper than paying for it new), landscaping and irrigation are in place, neighborhood is established, no new building construction noise, and I love looking for something with character that previous owners have already established that I can make my own. Also, oftentimes you can make an offer with pieces of existing furniture that you like in the space... big savings if you don’t have furniture or want something new. Sometimes they will leave mounted televisions, etc. Get a good realtor that knows the area and features (I used Stephen Yohn at Remax) He is a great source of all kind of Village info and can point out all the pros and cons of the property, location and features that I never would have thought of with an unbiased opinion instead of just the builder’s view of new homes.
But as others have said... to each his own! Good luck!
#lovingthelifestyle

Just Researched for Our first Home in The Villages
 

My wife and I just went under contract for our first home in the villages. We found the new homes to be expensive in price, bonds (some were over $40K) and Wildwood taxes (south of 44). Location was important though, so we found a five-year-old home in Dunedin that has most everything we wanted - and we will upgrade the rest (screen room, etc). The location is ideal, as it feels like the new "center" for now anyway. The taxes are much more reasonable than the new areas south of 44 or Pine Hills area in Lake County. We also like the mature landscaping and established, but still "new" neighborhood. I just think that the taxes and bonds south of 44 make new higher priced in the long-run (even the spec houses).

The area in the far north is the best kept secret in The Villages. Less crowded in the winter. Close to everything thing including the hospital and squares.

The notion that older homes in TV are in less repair is humorous....in most homes here two little old people who have all the time in the world to keep the place pristine....

For example....we had ours built 17 years ago. We have replaced everything that can be over the last 4 years.
Better than the day we first moved in.

No right or wrong. Take the one that meets the expectations you have for what and where.

Ohiobuckeye
 

TNLAKEPANDA - I think that’s everywhere, even here in Texas everything is higher but I have to say preowned homes here do sell very well & new homes sells a lot higher than preowned. Florida is a place where a lot of people want to retire, maybe that’s why home price keep going up. We sold our home in TV & did make a profit & we did sell our home (Lilac) less than the least expensive new one & made a profit but it was less than what they appraised it for. TV is a very desirable place to live, maybe that’s why TV can keep under selling preowned. Go Figure!

Not so humorous. You replaced everything that can be replaced in your 17 year old home, there are many, many homes of that age that still have the original roof, HVAC, Windows, etc, all very expensive to replace. I do agree that there is no right or wrong, it's a personal decisions.

Each approach has advantages and disadvantages . New gives you new warranties, new, read small, shrubs and landscaping. You have to add your own window treatments but they are your taste, and the general location is restricted to the area being developed. Be sure you understand current amenities and services available. Get everything that prompts you to buy in writing.
Previously owned typically provide mature landscaping, tried, and perhaps tired, appliances, established neighborhood groups and activities plus there are home available throughout the Villages. And, no, I am not a realtor

We are finding the same thing. We looked at A LOT of homes around Lake Sumter - have a few family friends near there. We would have needed to dump a lot of Monet into them. Then we looked south of 44, and seem to like the places much better.