[VApeople]

Maybe the best way to avoid living near short-term rentals is to buy a house in a crummy area where no one wants to rent.

In my expert opinion, Dabney is an excellent choice because it is a long way away from everything and most people will not want to rent there. Our neighborhood Osceola Hills is good as well, because we are a very long way from the entertainment areas.

I think the neighborhoods near the entertainment will appeal more to renters.

[Babubhat]

No guarantees. Would need a ordinance like Nyc. Would expect the lowest priced housing to be rental heavy. Check the rent from a villager site. Can sort by village

[margaretmattson]

Originally Posted by Babubhat

No guarantees. Would need a ordinance like Nyc. Would expect the lowest priced housing to be rental heavy. Check the rent from a villager site. Can sort by village

I live in a CYV that is walking distance to a town square. In the past three years, rentals have been increasing in my neighborhood. The street I live on now has 10 rentals. I have spoken to many homeowners who are surrounded by investment homes, like myself. I agree that it seems the lowest priced housing is rental heavy I.e. patio villas, ranch style homes, and court yard villas. My area is rental heavy because it is close to a town square. If you purchase a designer home, I believe you will have a better chance of avoiding rental properties.

[Two Bills]

My thoughts echo OBB's very good summary in post #9.
I would add that STR on Lifestyle visits are usually people considering moving too, and living in TV.
Probably a better neighbor, than vacationers that come to party.
We were winter months renters for over 20 years, stayed in various parts of TV and never met any of the anti-social behavior that a lot of posts are now quoting.

[BlueStarAirlines]

Originally Posted by mtdjed

Isn't this somewhat contradictory since the Developer is likely one of the largest short term rental agents in The Villages with its Lifestyle Visit rentals?

The homes used for the lifestyle visits are not sprinkled throughout a village and are located in one section. There are no residents in that cluster of villas, just those on a lifestyle visit or here for their design appointment.

The key as others have mentioned is to stay away from the villas and cottages as well as villages that are close to the town squares. If you want to see a VERY heavy rental village look at Richmond.

[wachteldepew]

If you don’t want to buy where there aren’t any short term rentals, then the villages is not for you. They are permitted everywhere here and will continue to operate. Not trying to be rude just realistic.

[Klearhead]

Investors buy with their own intentions just as you or I would. **** is something I've used for over 20 years and can attest to the quality of homes these owners make available for people like myself. I'm a Villager for the past 7 years as a result of ****. Unnecessary fears are often projected here by rightfully concerned owners. Hope this helps, have a great day...

[margaretmattson]

Originally Posted by wachteldepew

If you don’t want to buy where there aren’t any short term rentals, then the villages is not for you. They are permitted everywhere here and will continue to operate. Not trying to be rude just realistic.

No truer words have been spoken. More and more are popping up everyday. Preowned investor homes are listed on MLS as ready to go STRS. The new square, East Port, will be here in the Spring. That area is most definitely going to be rental heavy. Investors will not be able to resist the high rents they can collect.

[bowlingal]

you already purchased your house. It's a little late for concern now. There is not any area in the villages that rentals are prohibited. Keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best

[Triker]

Definitely check it out before you purchase. Love Village of Richmond, it is close to Brownwood and other things but it’s full of investment rentals, corporate rentals and private rentals. More than a homeowner would want to see. Miss having regular neighbors.

[Sandy and Ed]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

I don't know if the possibility of rentals would dissuade me from buying. We bought used three years ago, and on our block there are two rentals that I know of. Both properties are better-kept than a couple of properties where the owner lives on premises.

This probably isn't an uncommon phenomenon though. People use forums like this to vent, so it is a possibility that the "problem" of rentals is more apparent than real.

Agree to a point. **** properties probably are kept well. Problem is length of the rental. Should be no less than 30 consecutive days minimum and not the weekend or weekly ones.

[Stu from NYC]

Here we have lots of snowbirds so not many people out and about.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by DrMack

We are purchasing in Dabney and are very excited! There is a major concern though. I have read some threads here and we know we don’t want VRBOs or short term rentals near us. Are there any places that guarantee this in the villages? We would like to take care of our new home and don’t necessarily want to to step into that kind of a mess. Any help would be appreciated.

There is no area of The Villages, where STR's are clearly prohibited. There is an argument that the "no business" language in the Deed Restrictions would apply to STR's, but no one has been willing to press the issue in court.

This post sums it up.

Originally Posted by margaretmattson

I live in a CYV that is walking distance to a town square. In the past three years, rentals have been increasing in my neighborhood. The street I live on now has 10 rentals. I have spoken to many homeowners who are surrounded by investment homes, like myself. I agree that it seems the lowest priced housing is rental heavy I.e. patio villas, ranch style homes, and court yard villas. My area is rental heavy because it is close to a town square. If you purchase a designer home, I believe you will have a better chance of avoiding rental properties.

If you opt for a more economical choice of homes, you're likely to get what you pay for. Patio Villas & Courtyard Villas are what they are. Glorified apartments, with little or no separation from your neighbors, limited parking, shared property areas and just about every other negative you'd associate with the bargain basement solution. The old adage, "you get what you pay for", certainly applies in those neighborhoods. It's sort of like buying in the so-called "historic district" ... don't be surprised if you're living next to a trailer.

"Renters" are much more likely to choose the most economical solution, which means renting in the less desirable areas ... patio villas, courtyard villas, historic district, etc.

The folks living over in Bridgeport, certainly aren't complaining about all the renters in their neighborhood.

[karenzeee]

In 2019, we acquired a preowned property with the purpose of renting it out during the peak season until our retirement, which is only a few years away.

We place great importance on carefully handpicking our tenants because we highly value our neighbors and aim to uphold a respectful and harmonious atmosphere in the community. Our rental period spans four months annually, with a minimum lease duration of two months. This approach serves to help us cover the property's expenses as we approach retirement.

What sets our approach apart is our personal involvement in tenant selection and management. We utilize an owner-managed website for renting our home, distinct from platforms like Airbnb and property management companies, which offer less control over tenant selection.

Speaking from a personal perspective, I share the sentiment of not wanting a property next to mine to experience frequent tenant turnovers every 2 or 3 days. This is why we believe in longer-term rentals, which contribute to maintaining a stable and friendly neighborhood environment.

[lphallrd]

I have been told that many VLS sales agents own income properties for rental purposes. I don’t know any stats regarding this. Many people who purchase in The Villages probably did a short-term rental before buying, so there’s that. The other option that you might find yourself faced with is not renters but vacant properties around you where owners are there only part of the year. Honestly, you make your life around what you have and you can’t control what others do with their properties. Enjoy life!