[Sleeper]

I'm a newbe to the forum but love all the information on TV! We fell in love with one of the models in Sanibel, great lot, added options fit our style, it was all good....but sales persons says you can't buy it! TV does not take "hold" money or lease back models, right? Anyone buy a model? What did you do? What is the best plan to purchase one when they are made available? We were told you must buy furniture also! One visit and we are hooked!
Lou and Mary

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by LouHeindel

I'm a newbe to the forum but love all the information on TV! We fell in love with one of the models in Sanibel, great lot, added options fit our style, it was all good....but sales persons says you can't buy it! TV does not take "hold" money or lease back models, right? Anyone buy a model? What did you do? What is the best plan to purchase one when they are made available? We were told you must buy furniture also! One visit and we are hooked!
Lou and Mary

Good luck. You have to be ready to buy when the furnished models come on the market. They don't last long and there is NO way to hold them.

Welcome to the forum . Hope you make your dream a reality...

But...there are many of THAT model built and that can be built...no matter which model it is...so don't fixate too much on the model you saw.

There is a home for you here in Lower Paradise with all of us happy folks.

[rosygail]

There are 3 Courtyard Villa furnished models for sale right now on the TV website. Don't know if you are looking for something bigger, but they are all nice. 2379 Flatwood, 2007 Paisley and 2398 Muirwood. Hope this helps you get to The Villages!

[bonrich]

Our first home in TV was a Cabana Villa in Pennecamp. It was a model, fully furnished and the last one in that area that was to be sold. There were three of us waiting in line to make a purchase. The first one in line had 3 hours to make up their mind to buy or not to buy. As it happened they backed out and we were up for our 3 hour determination, and we bought. The salesmen had previously stated the home was going to be sold that day!! Work with a salesperson and state your preferences, if a model is what you want. They will work with you on that choice.

[Radioman41]

We purchased a furnished patio villa in February. We saw the price drop on-line and went to the location. We found an open house around the corner and that sales person gave us access to look at it. They gave us a four hour hold to make a decision. While we were in the villa, other agents came by with clients ready to make an offer. Our agent was busy that day. If we had waited until the next day when we had an appointment, it would have been gone. Our agent still handled the transaction. Yes, furnished houses go very fast!

Dick & Roz

[Markam]

We bought a furnished designer last year. I think it had been on the market for a few weeks before we saw it, so not all sell right away. Ours had been used as a model for about a year.

Your sales agent should be able to tell you about when it should come on the market in order for you to determine if it is worth your wait.

Gracie is right, a twin can easily be built and furnished.

Yes, you have to buy all the furniture, window treatments and accessories. We were easily able to sell some of the furniture that we couldn't use thru TOTV at a very fair price.

One disadvantage to a model - they will probably be over a year old and you will not have the normal warranty coverage afforded to a brand new house. To the developer's credit, all irregularities we found were resolved without issue - even though we moved in about 18 months after it was built.

[shcisamax]

I arrived to look at preowned. After not finding what I wanted, the agent took me to a model. I asked if I could just buy the model. He said it wouldn't be available for another year and the chance that I would be the lucky one to get it was very slim since it is like the gold rush when they come available. BUT, he said, I could duplicate it exactly. Which is what I set out to do. I found a similar lot but, at the end of the day, I ended up making more changes than not. The fact is, if you want, you can have that exact house with or without the furniture. And not wait a year.

[Niels]

When my wife and I decided to buy in 2009, we knew the type of home we wanted but wanted to see the model again to refresh our memories. My wife originally wanted a yellow house but fell in love with the designer siding on the model home. We also liked the exterior light fixtures. Inside we liked the interior colors and light fixtures.

At that point I sat in the living room chair and looked around the living room and told my agent "we'll take this house". My agent chuckeled and told me they just built these models recently and they won't be going on sale for a long time.

So what did I do? I had her find me a nice corner lot (better than the model home was on because I have a nice water view) and I built the same style house with the same exterior siding, same exterior color combination, same exterior decor package, same interior colors and same interior decor package that the model had. I believe my wife may have made a slight change in tile color and at the last minute I decided to add a golf cart garage which the model home did not have. Throughout my contract, next to the major choices it made reference to the model home by unit and lot # .

So I got the same home on a better lot and with a golf cart garage. And my wife got to buy her own new furniture that she wanted which was a lot different than the furniture in the model home.

[cgalloway6]

We bought a model on our first trip down. I won't be retiring for a few years so we will be renting it for most of the time and a furnished model worked great for us. It was built in Sept 2010, we were down April 2011 when it was put up for sale. There was no rush to get it but we signed the papers a day or so after seeing it but the closing wasn't until July 1 because they wanted to continue using it as a model until a newer one was built. All the furnishings were included in the price. There was a discount on the house and contents but with the builder's markup on the contents, it wasn't much of a discount after all. But is was professionally decorated with all new furniture so we didn't have to move anything major to make it "rentable", just sheets, towels, etc.

[Sleeper]

Thanks everyone for the replies. We also have our salesperson watching for a new section to open and find an ideal lot. But a cul-de-sac or large lot with golf view are a little hard to score. Today there are no lots that would fit the house with a few stretches. We are excited to keep looking.
Lou and Mary

[Golfer in Sanibel]

Just be patient. They are opening new areas like crazy at TV. On August 8th last year we told our sales person to contact us as soon as a new area opened up with lots which fit our criteria. We had money down on a lot on Sept. 1. You are going to be so happy at TV.