[Laker14]

DW and I will likely be doing some looking around for a home in TV this winter. Our areas of preference are between Lake Sumter Landing and 466A, maybe even just south of 466A, all of which puts us into homes that are between 6 and 15 years old, approximately.
How long do roofs last in the Central Florida climate, and do I need to know about the likely need to replace the HVAC?
Are there any other important and expensive items that have a life expectancy that suggests I need to factor maintenance or replacement into my thinking?

[retiredguy123]

The roof and HVAC system represent a very small percentage of the value of a pre-owned house. If the house is 15 years old with the original roof and HVAC, I would factor in a 3 to 5 percent discount over houses with newer systems. I think the roof is more important because an old roof may affect your ability to get homeowners insurance. Something to verify before buying. Don't let the selling agent convince you that a home warranty will solve everything. It won't. Another thing to verify is the age of the water heater. But, if I were considering a pre-owned house, I wouldn't make an initial offer of more than about 90 percent of the asking price, unless the house is in pristine condition.

[kathyspear]

If a 15 year old home still has the original roof you will not be able to get homeowners insurance unless you agree to replace it pronto. (Our ins. company gave us 30 days after closing to get it done.) The sellers may replace the roof prior to listing (or state in listing that roof will be replaced prior to closing) because they may have trouble selling otherwise. Don't assume you will have to replace the roof yourself but be aware that the age of the roof is an issue vis a vis insurance.

Good luck!

kathy

[bgamble3]

Originally Posted by kathyspear

If a 15 year old home still has the original roof you will not be able to get homeowners insurance unless you agree to replace it pronto. (Our ins. company gave us 30 days after closing to get it done.) The sellers may replace the roof prior to listing (or state in listing that roof will be replaced prior to closing) because they may have trouble selling otherwise. Don't assume you will have to replace the roof yourself but be aware that the age of the roof is an issue vis a vis insurance.

Good luck!

kathy

That is why you always have a complete inspection done by a licensed home inspector. Costs around $300.00 and worth every penny. They will state the age of roof and other issues that may need to be done prior to closing.

[retiredguy123]

A few other things that I always check on a house are the windows to see if they are fogged, and the amount of carpet because you will probably want to replace it. If the house has granite or quartz countertops, I check them very carefully for cracks and chips and seam defects I run my finger across every edge, top and bottom, to see if there are any major chips. Also, I use a flashlight to inspect all ceilings for water stains, especially in the closets. If there is a large expanse of wall surface, I shine a flashlight parallel to the wall to see if there are any major bows in the drywall. I close all of the doors to see if they latch properly and are not sagging. I walk around the outside to see if there are any possible drainage issues. I ask the agent or owner if they have any pets because I have found that they often try to hide this information. I check to see if the next door neighbor has pool equipment near the bedroom, which will be noisy. It doesn't take long to check these things. I agree that you need a home inspection, but these are things you can check yourself and notify the inspector.

[Laker14]

thanks to all for the info. WE will definitely have an inspection.

[joeharing]

Water Heater

[Timothyimitchell]

For a patio villa, a new roof will cost AROUND 12K and lasts about 20 years. HVAC is good around 10 years and replacement I believe is around 8K. This is info from the home inspection we had done.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Timothyimitchell

For a patio villa, a new roof will cost AROUND 12K and lasts about 20 years. HVAC is good around 10 years and replacement I believe is around 8K. This is info from the home inspection we had done.

Your roof price seems high. A friend of mine had a new roof installed a year or so ago on a patio villa by McGinnis Roofing for $5,000.

[taruffi57]

Shingle mfrs. warrant (in writing), 3-tab shingles for 25 yrs. and architecturals, 30 yrs. Why would they do that if they didn't know it? (I have 42 yrs. in the profession in Central Florida)

[JudyLife]

Bought 3/2 CYV Dec 2018. Had to replace the AC July 2019 for $5300 from Munns & roof in June 2020 for $9000 from Roof Guys. House was built in 2007.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by taruffi57

Shingle mfrs. warrant (in writing), 3-tab shingles for 25 yrs. and architecturals, 30 yrs. Why would they do that if they didn't know it? (I have 42 yrs. in the profession in Central Florida)

I my opinion, shingle manufacturers provide 25 and 30 year warranties as a way to sell their product. I think the warranty only covers the material and it is pro-rated based on the age of the roof. Your homeowners insurance company may tell that you need a new roof to get insurance, but the shingle manufacturer may tell you the roof is fine. Also, shingles will last a lot longer in colder climates. In The Villages, if you have a 15 or 20 year old roof, you should be considering replacing it.

[Stu from NYC]

We purchased our house in Bonita in Feb and hired an inspector.

Said the roof was in good shape but noticed several areas that needed help so it was done before we closed.

He found numerous other flaws as well and money was well worth it.

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by Laker14

DW and I will likely be doing some looking around for a home in TV this winter. Our areas of preference are between Lake Sumter Landing and 466A, maybe even just south of 466A, all of which puts us into homes that are between 6 and 15 years old, approximately.
How long do roofs last in the Central Florida climate, and do I need to know about the likely need to replace the HVAC?
Are there any other important and expensive items that have a life expectancy that suggests I need to factor maintenance or replacement into my thinking?

I think you are onto a really convenient location. For those villages it is just a dash to grocery stores, LSL, lots of golf courses, etc.

There are quite a few pools. Hadley, for instance, has a neighborhood pool, a family pool, and Colony regional rec center, with a sports pool, borders Hadley.

Many houses in that area were built in 2007-2008, but have newer roofs. Owens-Corning had a bad run of shingles about that time and the roofs had begun to deteriorate early.

After much back and forth with the developer and with the POA getting involved, a lot of those roofs were replaced, at no cost to the owner. As I recall, I think those replacements happened in 2013-2014. But check that because I am almost, though not quite, sure of those dates — and I am too lazy to go look in the file cabinet at the info, but I think ours was replaced in 2014

Ask the agent or owner if the house you are interested in is one of those that got a new roof — although surely they would tell you. It’s a selling point.

When our Ohio house took some storm damage, I was not pleased to find out that even though the roof was still in good shape, it was 17 years old and after 15 years, the insurance company depreciates roofs.

I had thought that carrying cost-of- replacement would take care of it but found out differently. This was our first claim ever.

Our independent agent had not made us aware of this roof depreciation caveat until the storm came through and we expected total coverage. He should have told me. I had even asked a few months previously to check the policy to let me know if there was anything we needed or to be aware of. He did not mention the change in roof coverage that the insurance company had put in place. (I will be breaking up with him as soon as I get my ducks in a row.) But I digress — so anyway. . .

I just thought I would fill you in this morning on roofs in the area where you are looking — some are newer than the house.

Boomer

PS: About Hemingway and Hadley — Hemingway’s first wife was Hadley Richardson so here we are reminded of that in TV with villages across Morse from each other named for them. Their story is told in a novel, The Paris Wife. They were divorced when Hemingway had an affair with her good friend. He went on after the friend, too. He was a serial womanizer — and a boozehound to boot.

Hadley and Hemingway hung around with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda. I know. I just know, that all of you reading this are so thrilled to find out all this stuff about Hemingway. (But please never spell his name with two ‘m’s‘ — that happens a lot — probably is what drove him to drink.)

[Boomer]

Part II:

I forgot to mention in my earlier post about roofs in the LSL section, that you might want to look up the tornado of 2007 that hit Mallory hard. But at that time the houses there were almost new.

When we looked at houses, Mr. Boomer always looked at the furnace and water heater. I think there is a sticker that shows the date of installation. That was sometimes a clue to whether the house had been hit by that tornado.

Therefore, some houses in Mallory, particularly, might actually be newer than the build date of their village. Not a lot newer, but a little bit.

Everyone survived and Villagers took care of each other and the rebuilding happened fast.

The tornado was before we bought. We know someone who was in it — in a Gardenia — that was demolished. I think they went to the center of the house in one of the walk-in closets. He told us — it really did sound like a train was coming through the house.

Tornadoes are not common in central Florida.