Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

Water/sewer/trash=$625.00/YR/$52.00/Mo.
Electric =$570.00/YR/$47.50/Mo.
Natural Gas =$250.00/YR/$21.00/Mo.
Cable/internet/
Phone(use Vonage)=$1500.00/YR/$125.00/Mo.
Amenities =$1565.00/YR/$132.00/Mo.
Lawn/Yard Care =$600.00/YR/$50.00/Mo.
Termite/Pest cont. =$350.00/YR/30.00/Mo.
Insurance =$600.00/YR/$50.00/Mo.
Taxes =$2671.00?YR/$223.00/Mo.

Totals =$8731.00/YR $728.00/Mo.

I'm not going into all the golf and food costs because they are very variable. I guess I'm saying if I had to survive on a budget of $5000/Mo, I'd live like a king

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

I'm not good at figures, and I don't play golf; can I live like a QUEEN at TV on a monthly income of $3k ?????

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

The biggest assumption to make in projecting a Villages budget is the size of your house and value of your lot, as these have implications on many costs.

The charts shared by HB and Handie confirm the integrity of Villages estimates provided to prospective purchasers. The Villages provided us with excellent initial budget information, which assumed a valuation of house and land of 175,000 and totaled $825 a month. Depending on tax valuation, the figures shared above could be expected to adjust up or down. Large adjustments should be made based on property value. Small tweaks involve overlap, packaged services, or DIY maintenance. Wouldn’t it be a mouthful to have a category called “web-access/phone/cable/newspaper/magazines” or better yet “lawncare/pest control/fertilizer/trimming/pressure-washing/painting/mulch”?

Villages estimates also cover three counties, among which there are differences. The components of your tax bill bear scrutiny. Sumter County ad valorem taxes are paid as a property tax based on the value of your land and building, and fund the school board. The non-ad valorem assessments include Fire, the VCCDD bond (if not paid off), and a maintenance assessment. If your bond is paid off, your budgetary expense is obviously reduced. The bond and the maintenance assessment are not county taxes, but are collected by the county and redistributed back to the VCCDD. An excellent thread elsewhere on TOTV describes the implications of this process.

Discretionary spending is challenging to co-mingle, but two Villages favorites include golf and eating out. A priority golf membership is within a bucket of beans of a grand a year. It buys you reduced greens fees on championship courses (and other benefits like cart trail fee, priority tee times and pool membership.) Three championship rounds a week at $25 to $35 for twenty six weeks on top of a priority membership gets somewhere between $3,000 to 4,000. A couple of lunches and dinners a week are subject to the same math. Since we have only spent time there “on vacation”, I may have a have a skewed viewpoint on dining out frequency, but how often does the “let’s go out for dinner” thing come up?

Health care coverage and medical costs, travel, gifts, and home improvement, furniture or landscaping upgrades are not in the picture yet. Bottom line….rich or poor, it’s nice to have a lot of money. I could handle winning the lottery. ;D

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

zcaveman - you may or may not want to incude this:
When we moved here 18-1/2 years ago, we were not aware that there was a rather hefty charge for an ambulance if needed. We came from Ohio and our city taxes totally covered that expense. It was a shocker. Don't know whether that is still true today in Ohio or not.

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

Hi Caveman: I have tried to print out your list of things to think about when moving to TV, but for some unknown reason, I can only get items 1-4 to print out before it skips to other replies to your list. If possible, it would be greatly appreciated if you could please e-mail the entire list. My e-mail address is:swb@netcommander.com.
I really hate to burdon you, but your list is very informative.

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

Thanks Barb - I was just about to do it before I rad your post.

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

I had the unfortunate opportunity of using an ambulance last year and I was not personally charged a penny. It might have been covered by my insurance. I live in Marion county although I do not think that makes a difference.

I have also had two 911 calls with EMS personnel that I never was billed for. Again probably covered by my insurance.

Now I will have to go back and check.

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

Hi Z,

Glad to hear that you are up and about. Sorry to hear that you had to use the local emergency services.

HB

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

To all wannabees and newbees this is excellent advice give by Z. It will save you time and answer your questons.

Thanks for the update.

HB

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

:)

We are closing on our home soon and this is great information.
Thanks.

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

Where we live in NJ, they'll bill you, but if you don't have insurance, you don't have to pay.

Re: Things to think about when moving to the Villages
 

Bump