[VApeople]

When we look at re-sale houses in The Villages, we see that most of them have two car garages. How does this work out for you?

If you own two cars and a golf cart, which one do you park in the driveway?

Do you wish you had a 2-car garage and an additional garage for a golf cart?

We only have a one car carport in our present house. It is not ideal, especially when it snows, but we have adapted to it. We are just wondering how important it would be, in your opinion, to have a 2-car garage plus a golf cart garage when we start house hunting in The Villages.

[Sandtrap328]

I moved to The Villages and wisely purchased a resale home with a golf cart garage. Other friends bought new homes with two car garages but no golf cart garage. Two of those friends park one car and the cart in the garage and leave a car in the driveway. The Florida sun fades a car much faster than in Virginia!

The other couple parks their two cars in the garage and then manipulates the cart sideways so all fit. Not very convenient, though.

If you talk with most two car families, most will probably tell you that the golf cart garage is the one big thing they wish had been included on their list.

Lots of resale homes have them. Look in the Caroline, Mallory Hill, or Virginia Trace areas for some very nice resales. Great communities! Polo Ridge and Glenbrook are also excellent choices. Very low bonds and those homes have natural gas.

[baustgen]

No basement and limited storage in the attic means garage space is very valuable. A two car garage fills up fast.

[perrjojo]

We have a one and half car garage. Moved from 5000 sq ft home with full basement. We have one car and one cart. It's all we really need and we aren't storing a bunch of stuff we don't use and don't need. It has been very liberating and we don't miss it at all. When we moved and had a sale we found stuff we didn't know we had and duplicates of some things.

[Waverunner]

It depends on how you use your garage.

We have a golf cart garage and it was on our must have list when we were looking to buy. That said, six months after we moved in, we found we weren't using one of the cars and sold it. (We took about the same amount of time picking out and buying a golf cart (gas vs. electric decision). Now we coordinate our electronic calendars to make sure that when one of has to use the car, (mostly for shopping, doctor appts. on the other side of TV and off premises), that the appt. appears on both calendars.)

We also moved a lot of our "stuff" to TV and use the garage for storage of all our boxes. Many couples that move here have wisely gotten rid of all their "stuff" before moving and have pristine garage space.

We find that most people try to park all their vehicles inside. It is also difficult to find a lot that has room to expand to add a golf cart garage after the fact, plus some of the CDDs (Community Development Districts) decline to add additional garage space and/or the concrete driveway extension for an addition to the home. In our neighborhood, one of the owners has a corner lot and has added a second golf cart garage. (It sits further to the back of the property and has been beautifully landscaped to lessen the extra concrete driveway.)

You may also be aware of the statistic that the average Villager moves three times in the course of living in The Villages. Extra garage space is one of those reasons cited for moving.

So, the best advice we can offer is...if you think you are going to use or need the extra space, put the golf cart garage on your "must have" list.

[graciegirl]

I agree with most everyone and have to add, for some reason here, parking a car in the driveway isn't .......umm nice? Also the sun is harsh on cars and make them very hot to get into when they are parked outside, during most of the year. I had never run into that before but when in Rome, don'tcha know?


You really will be glad for too much garage space, as Bausgen says, it is your basement too. We have art supplies and Christmas ornaments and golf shoes and extra clubs and Sweeties gardening tools and sprays and powders and car fixer tools stored in ours in nice cupboards. AND STUFF. Neatly stacked on nice shelves, but can't do without it STUFF.

[Fred R]

Many of the homes sold in TV are Patio Villas which only have 1 1/2 garages. I needed a home and garage that I could house a truck, golf cart, AND a big Goldwing Trike. Only a true two car garage would work for me. I'm so pleased I did. The extra space it great. I did not want to park anything outside in Summer or Winter. I think it may helpf me come resale time.

[Retiring]

When the realtor was showing me around TV last week he showed me a few homes that had 3 car plus golf cart garage. At one house, the double door was extra wide too. That will be a must me for as you can never have too much garage (IMO). As another poster said, it depends on the lot size. TV has some very strict rules on setbacks.

At this point I’m only looking at building new. If the lot is large enough, getting 3 car plus GC is just a matter of checking that box, and writing a check of course.

[HimandMe]

Get the space if the price is right and some attic storage area. Garages here are known as Florida basements.

[JoMar]

The decision also includes if you believe you will continue with two cars. Lots of our neighbors (us included) are down to one car and one or two carts. Even with the reduction I don't know that a two car garage only really works. Even if you get rid of all your stuff before you get here at some point you will start to accumulate again. Of course the defining factor is how much you can afford but if you are not really limited, go for the golf cart garage addition, at a minimum.

[asianthree]

Went from 1.5, then 2, then 2 plus golf cart

[jebartle]

When we moved here we brought LOTS of STUFF, should have weeded thru
STUFF, now someone else owns that STUFF, and I don't miss any of it!...Two car
garage is perfect for us, if one is in the car, other is in golf cart. I love the golf cart and btw LOVE the Villages.

[rubicon]

I have to compartmentalize. I am a neatnik. It took some convincing but my "we might need that later" wife is finally coming to the reality that we need to liquidate as much as we can rather than leave the task to the kids (I instilled that guilt ridden thought to this catholic bred girl). Well I was desperate she is an acute saver

We have a two car garage and a golf cart garage. I installed cabinets all around the perimeter to store stuff so that it is neat and tidy to the naked eye.

We have stuff stored in the attic and recently had a garage sale and rid ourselves of much. we will make a second pass after the holiday and have nothing but christmas stuff up in the attic.

It was a real adjustment to move from a 5000 sf home with a three garage garage to half the size but even half the size is getting to be more than I want to clean and maintain.

I wonder if I can pique my wife interests in being cave dwellers...no painting no cleaning no................................................ .....

[Chatbrat]

Two cars , no golf cart --plenty of room for both cars--the Fl sun destroys cars, headliners, windshield wipers, etc.- the garage is a 2 car + a golf cart garage

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

Two cars , no golf cart --plenty of room for both cars--the Fl sun destroys cars, headliners, windshield wipers, etc.- the garage is a 2 car + a golf cart garage

No golf cart? I am surprised.