[cgalloway6]

Leaving is much easier than you think. Resale houses are selling very quickly. We had and offer in 2 days and a contract the next day. The buyer had a contingency for selling his house in TV which he listed the next day. He sold his immediately, had to close in 2 weeks because his buyers wanted to move in so our closing moved up too. In 3 weeks both houses sold, were closed and we were all moved. We had to contract the packing and moving because we couldn't get down in time to do it all. Closings by mail. If you don't like it in TV, don't think it is hard to leave.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Your post is very scary to those contemplating either building or buying used.

However, I've heard that phrase, "You are buying a lifestyle" so often, as well as "We want to get you out into the community" that kind of raises red flags.........not to start a family feud, but perhaps we are just too independant, being Yankees for so long.........

This is the very reason TV gets the "Stepford" label thrown at it so often. If you don't speak the party line, get my drift?

Am I really the only one who notices this? I doubt it.

The homes we stayed at, both of them, had very nice cabinets and other added features..........I guess what you saw was the stripped down lowest priced model?

NO Senior. Read some of his old posts. What he saw was the owners being a member of a political party that he doesn't like.

One of the things I love about the villages is that homes are available at resale starting at about seventy thousand dollars clear through over a million dollars.

The new homes are available at prices of about $140K and can be built that cost more than a million dollars.

The amenity fee is around 135 dollars a month and based on cost of living. Bonds are higher or lower based on the size of the home and the area. Taxes are based on size of lot and size of home and price. So homes here are available to fit a lot of people's budgets.

So the folks living in the lower priced home are getting the exact same lifestyle as the folks living in the highest priced home. How nice is that? Plus all this building is giving employment to a lot of families and has taken Sumter county from one of the poorest counties to one of the most employed areas in Florida.

Now. I am from Ohio. I do not know the Morse family. I don't work for them or for anyone anymore. I just absolutely love it here.

[justjim]

Boy Howdy Graciegirl! TV may not be for everyone but if its the lifestyle you want in your retirement years you do have many options available to you and you can, as you say, spend as little or as much as you want on your home. We looked at several retirement communities including places in Arizona, Texas, Arkansas and Florida. And we did it in person----not on the Internet. No other retirement community even came close to TV in our opinion.

[createquilts]

I always find it interesting that in any group you will find mostly very nice people, with a few picky people, rich people, some just scraping by, exaggerators, rumor mongers, and complainers thrown in. I would not expect TV to be any different. And each person has to find what fits them the best. I would think a single person who is not interested in home repairs would probably like a new home best, and a couple like us who love to tinker and remodel would like a resale. But you never know. It is easy to fall in love with a particular house for no apparent reason except because.

[hotrodgirl]

Boy Howdie again! The thing that I place above ALL else at TV is the fact that no matter what type of home you have, no matter what neighborhood you call home, no matter your retirement income, no matter your political affiliation, religion, or race, each person has the same amenities and resources available to them. Does it get any better than that? I don't base my friendships on where someone is from, or who someone knows, or how much money someone has. I base my my friendships on compassion, ideals, human interaction, a sense of humor,and kindness to others. Most in TV have the same aspirations for retirement and that includes a good quality of life which is so easily attainable there. I cannot wait to meet people, get involved in activities and enjoy each and every day!

[l2ridehd]

As with everything else their are pro's and con's to both new and re-sale. I have bought a few different homes in the Villages and I stay on top of the market. In my experience you can always do better on a re-sale over new. Part of that is what has been completed by someone else, part is being able to negotiate on price, and part is lower or no bond. However the difference is usually less then 10% house for house. So new you may pay a little less in visible price, but once all the hidden costs are identified, re-sale is almost always a better buy. There will be some exceptions to that, but very few.

So buy what you want and as always in real estate, location, location, location is all that matters.

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

One of the main benefits of buying a new construction here is because of the neighbors being at the same age and stage in life....newly retired or about to retire....and moving in at about the same time and being "all in the same boat", new in the community.

Our sales rep mention that, and it makes a lot of sense, I've read posts here where folks moving into an older village and they were not getting that warm & fussy from the neighbors.

[aljetmet]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

Our sales rep mention that, and it makes a lot of sense, I've read posts here where folks moving into an older village and they were not getting that warm & fussy from the neighbors.

One of the main reasons we decided to buy new. I was enticed looking at resales but kept reminding myself we weren't ready to buy yet.
Also, I suppose you have to put your furniture in storage and rent while you house hunt ( but for how long?)
Not that there is anything wrong with it but my wife and I strongly believe you're buying into a lifestyle in a new neighborhood. We've met several TOTVers building in Fernandina and we can't wait to meet them all.

[paulandjean]

When we sold our first home in the villages we where disappointed. With our 6 month real estate contract with the villages,our real estate agent never once had a showing of our home.We would stay outside of the home when there was a showing, and 90% of the time it was a quick look and off they would go to the new homes.We would follow and observe. Greater time showing of the new homes. We believe they put more in new home selling than trying to sell a used home. Contract expired in 6 months. 2 lowball offers. We put the house on the market ourselves. Sold in 7 days. 53 showings and calls.

[JohnN]

I bought new.
I like the one year warranty on everything.
I like the new roof, new HVAC, new paint, etc.

The new neighborhoods are wider, better laid out.
Enjoy the traffic on the north end.

Different strokes for different folks

[Joaniesmom]

Our home in The Villages is our fifth. Some were new and some were lovingly used. We've found advantages to both.

I think the disadvantage to a new home that folks don't think of is that you don't have so much as a nail to hang a picture on. I went to Lowe's every day for at least a month after buying one of our new homes. How about a toilet paper holder? Hook for the bathroom door? Night light? Backsplash in the kitchen? Little things that seem to pop out of nowhere. Grass in the yards? Bushes? Flowers? Flag pole? Hoses? You get the point.

We walked down to our new basement and saw four cement walls and a cement floor. Won't bore you with what we did but it took four years and $35,000.

Older homes have lots of goodies. Some of them you won't like. But probably you will since they were there when you bought the house. We bought a previously owned CYV and absolutely love it. The owner made improvements too numerous to name. It felt like Christmas when we saw everything. There are a few things we will have to change/fix, but there you go.

Look at them all. Just find a home you love, new or previously owned. And come on down! Good luck and have fun looking!

Joaniesmom

[tpop1]

All I ever needed to know I learned from Pink Floyd!!

"We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone"

In other words...If you don't try to tell me how to think or behave, I won't try and tell you!!!

[ricthemic]

Originally Posted by Quixote

This from friends who, though settled in TV for a few years, still go to open houses to see what’s out there and to get ideas. How’s this for an endorsement to buy only a resale and never new construction?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Promise me you will go down and look over the new homes which are being shown every day in the new areas. I want you to squeeze the outside siding on the new homes being built. It is like squeezing cardboard. The Villages is the only builder using this newer material in Florida. It feels like you move into a cardboard home.

We know someone who bought a new patio villa and paid $145[000] plus a bond of $20[000] in Saint James. It is a square box, The other day we went into a beautiful two-bedroom Designer home with a floor plan never seen by us. It was in Hacienda East, a charming, lushly landscaped area near Hacienda [Hills] Restaurant. The house had a load of extras, including a gorgeous new kitchen, pavers in the driveway, heavy landscaping and a bumped out lanai. Both bathrooms were big. The home was listed at $151[000] with no bond. The house was sold while we were there because a couple were going to fill out papers. The price was around $143[000] at sale.

I thought of this woman we know who bought this hideous brand new piece of **** for more money when she could have had this gorgeous Designer. For a moment, I actually thought of buying it and renting it out; it was that beautiful. The older areas in Hacienda East and nearby are beautiful streets with mostly older Designer homes. We try to look at homes now which pop up in older areas that we never saw….

A couple of thoughts and I hv not read all the previous post
1. I am pretty sure, no new patio villa hv a $20,000 bond. i think they are under 12K
2. I am sure, if you want a plus 70 yr old community go for your 15 year old preowned
3.Also sure, be prepared to pay for at least a new AC system and roof in your preowned 10 to 15 yr old plus 70 community home.
4.IMO, Your new neighbors in this older village are wonderful, nice and friendly. However they hv done it all for many years and have their own network of close friends.
5.Also IMO. If your only goal is to get SO much more house for the money... then check out all the near by communities outside the villages up on 27/441.
What a deal and you can get and still drive you car to spanish springs at night. While enjoying your one golf course/pool and tennis court. Might as well check it out even though it may be plus 80 with a ton of resales.
6. Keep hearing "mature landscaping" yes you get that and a "mature neighborhood".

[asianthree]

if i would not have read this post i would not have known i bought a POS
thanks for the info

[BobKat1]

This is my opinion only, but the thread came across to me as confrontational and worded to elicit responses.

Powerful? ONLY resales? POS?

I guess "Endorsement For Buying A Resale" wouldn't have been powerful enough.