[Boomer]

I think the VLS website is excellent, well organized, and easy to navigate. That site sure can get 'em in the door.

But what about the MLS?

I think I must be missing something.

Can anyone recommend a site that covers all the MLS listings in TV and is user-friendly?

[asianthree]

Our village rep sold our house in 3 days, showed the house on Friday, Saturday, and sold on Sunday. Never had time for open house. It was turnkey.

We texted him about a preowned we saw on web site, late Friday night, looked on Saturday morning, made an offer, Saturday was his birthday, he sold three houses on his birthday Saturday.

Out of 3 TV reps two were more than you could ask for. Our 2 rep was not even so so. It depends on who you use.

[npwalters]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Well, I add the principal of the bond (if any) to the listed price of a house in determining its actual asking price because a bond is a lien on a house and therefore part of its cost.

We bought in April and that is exactly how I approached it. Only one rational way to compare prices. Take the ask and add the bond (if any) and that is what the true cost is.

[Spikearoni]

Originally Posted by Boomer

I think the VLS website is excellent, well organized, and easy to navigate. That site sure can get 'em in the door.

But what about the MLS?

I think I must be missing something.

Can anyone recommend a site that covers all the MLS listings in TV and is user-friendly?

I find Trulia.com to be very helpful. The site states the age of the house that is for sale as well as its sales history.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by Boomer

I think the VLS website is excellent, well organized, and easy to navigate. That site sure can get 'em in the door.

But what about the MLS?

I think I must be missing something.

Can anyone recommend a site that covers all the MLS listings in TV and is user-friendly?

You may also try realtor.com, redfin.com, zillow.com and ziprealty.com as well as the above mentioned trulia.com.

I have found the comprehensiveness of results vary by website.

[Boomer]

Thank you to those of you who answered my question about where to find MLS listings. Those national sites certainly can be helpful.

I have been hoping to find a local MLS site also, one that is well organized and easily navigated. And tonight I think I finally found one.......

The MLS agent who provides the site is Sally Love with Realty Executives. I have never met her, but I happened upon her site which is sallysellsthevillages.com and I found it to be easy to use.

Sally Love's site can be searched by village, by price range, and other ways to customize the search. I could get to a lot of information and pictures quickly.

It is the best local MLS site I have found so far, but I might be missing other good ones.

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by Boomer

Any thoughts on whether selling turn-key narrows or expands the field of potential buyers?

Any thoughts on the idea that a turn-key house will sell faster if priced to compete directly with other houses of the same type that are not turn-key?

Originally Posted by charmed59

Turnkey houses have their pluses and minus'. There are a large number of folks that would love nothing more than showing up with a suitcase and starting their life here. There are also some number of folks looking for investment property, and a turnkey property means they can put it up for rental now. That said, if the furnishing look worn, they aren't attracting either of those groups. So to really discuss turnkey, let's assume the furnishings are in fairly new shape, like a model home.

Those looking for investments are less invested in the style of furnishings. It doesn't matter if the house is decorated in rustic, sea cottage, modern, tropical, or contemporary. Any of those styles will rent out equally well. As long as it isn't something very specific, such as a Blue and Green Norte Dame fan theme, people won't shy away.

However, if when you look at the group of folks looking for their own home for either seasonal or year round, even nice furniture can be a turn off. If the couple have their heart set on a beach cottage home, and the furnishings are mid-century modern, they might give pause, even if the bones of the house are perfect for them. If they have to replace the furnishings, and empty version of the same house might be more appealing. However, if the house is priced the same as an empty house, you won't be losing the folks that need to refurnish the house, and you will be gaining those that love the decor that is there.

If a family finds a house where the furnishings are perfect, but they will have to move the furniture to redo floors or take popcorn off ceilings, or make even larger fixes, then an empty house might have an advantage. It depends how in love they are with the furniture.

Thanks again for answering my question. I am quoting us here because I have more questions about turnkey sales..........

It seems to me that before the house is listed, the best thing to do would be for the seller to remove any items they want to keep. But that might not always be possible.

Do sellers mark items that will not stay or do they provide an inventory of what will stay? Or both?

If a turnkey has always been a private home and never a rental, a seller probably has a few more things to think about when preparing the house for listing. For instance, what about artwork? If the seller is taking a painting, should they just mark it to show it does not stay? Or just get it out of there, leaving a blank wall? Or, if possible, try to find something to replace it for staging? Or is it better to just have freshly painted walls with nothing, or very few items?

Suggestions? Advice? For sellers and/or buyers of a turnkey home?

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Boomer

Thanks again for answering my question. I am quoting us here because I have more questions about turnkey sales..........

It seems to me that before the house is listed, the best thing to do would be for the seller to remove any items they want to keep. But that might not always be possible.

Do sellers mark items that will not stay or do they provide an inventory of what will stay? Or both?

If a turnkey has always been a private home and never a rental, a seller probably has a few more things to think about when preparing the house for listing. For instance, what about artwork? If the seller is taking a painting, should they just mark it to show it does not stay? Or just get it out of there, leaving a blank wall? Or, if possible, try to find something to replace it for staging? Or is it better to just have freshly painted walls with nothing, or very few items?

Suggestions? Advice? For sellers and/or buyers of a turnkey home?

We removed everything from our house that we were taking, as our agent said if it's in the pictures or at a showing buyers will want it, even something as small as a vase. Unless house is listed turnkey available then you might buy sections of furniture

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by asianthree

We removed everything from our house that we were taking, as our agent said if it's in the pictures or at a showing buyers will want it, even something as small as a vase. Unless house is listed turnkey available then you might buy sections of furniture

Thank you, asianthree. I appreciate hearing from someone who has been through it. I have sold quite a few houses but never a turnkey. There is a bit more to get my head around while we decide for sure.

[phairmason]

We bought a partially furnished (not turnkey) patio villa. The seller was still living in the house so there was a list displayed of what furniture stayed (couch, chairs, table, bedroom sets, major appliances, etc.) when we viewed the property. We negotiated the purchase price of the house and the contents separately. That list of furniture was included in a rider on the contract and we paid for that with a personal check--I won't pay real estate property taxes on furniture and appliances.

[mrdarcy]

Lyle Gant at lylegant.com is another local MLS realtor who specializes in Villages properties.

[trueorange]

We bought our home here turnkey, and when the previous owners gave us a counteroffer, they listed which items they planned to keep, mostly some artwork, their personal computer and some knick knacks. Their counter offer had pictures of everything they kept. It was a very organized process, although I wish they had kept more stuff, there was a lot to wade through when we got there. We had a huge garage sale to sell some of the extra dishes, curios, linens, etc.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Boomer

Do sellers mark items that will not stay or do they provide an inventory of what will stay? Or both?

Suggestions? Advice? For sellers and/or buyers of a turnkey home?

When I was a Realtor, if a home were sold with furniture/golfcart/belongings, there would be a comprehensive list of all inclusions which would form part of the contract. If not included on the list -- not included.
This is especially important for fixtures such as dining room lights. Fixtures should be included or replaced.

[thelegges]

Our preowned had furniture, pictures, and tv for sale, there was a list of what was for sale. We bought most of it, so the owner whos wife had passed did not have to deal with it. We then donated items we did not need after we closed. It made his move so much easier.

[ricthemic]

Regarding the OP: just curious, have sales of village pre owned homes declined a lot compared to the last 2 years? If so, are new home sales also down?