[CWGUY]

After selling thousands...... we find out they are doing it wrong!

I like the end unit. We have property all around the CYV, windows on all sides, and 2 gates.

[John_W]

I live in a CYV in Southern Star Villas, we have 80 in our community. The only negative to the setup is if your neighbor decides to put in a pool. I've seen two go in our community and basically they take the gate down on your driveway side and go in and out with all kinds of equipment, it's real mess. If you backyard is fairly small, then you won't see the problem, it's usually those with big lots.

They have walk-in showers in every CYV master BR I've been in. There are two kinds, we have the fiberglass prefab which I hate. Some others have a regular tile shower, looks much nicer.

[Leslie Hay]

No, you have a private gate to your back area, it just happens to be on the other side of your house. It looks weird but it’s totally private.

[bbbbbb]

[QUOTE=Garywt;1576801]We are thinking of buying a new Villa for a number of reasons but mostly health and they now have the walk in showers. My question about the Villas is, if I can
make sense, is the fence door and walkway from your


Hi, not sure of all Villas. Any we have seen, and ours, yes, the neighbors gate is close to our driveway, but that gate has a fence, all the way to the back. Our gate is over by our other neighbor, we have to unlock it when our other neighbor is having her siding washed, but no problem So we do have a totally private back yard and so, IF the villa is different you need to look into that. The great thing about our villa and many like it is ,,,,,,, A VERY PRIVATE BACK YARD. I even made some small wooden plasticized blocks to glue at the bottom openings, to prevent rats from getting in, yep, they are around. You can Private mail us and we can show you this if you like.

bbbbbb

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by Rango

Rent before you buy

Why do you say that.

[Garywt]

[QUOTE=bbbbbb;1578082]

Originally Posted by Garywt

We are thinking of buying a new Villa for a number of reasons but mostly health and they now have the walk in showers. My question about the Villas is, if I can
make sense, is the fence door and walkway from your


Hi, not sure of all Villas. Any we have seen, and ours, yes, the neighbors gate is close to our driveway, but that gate has a fence, all the way to the back. Our gate is over by our other neighbor, we have to unlock it when our other neighbor is having her siding washed, but no problem So we do have a totally private back yard and so, IF the villa is different you need to look into that. The great thing about our villa and many like it is ,,,,,,, A VERY PRIVATE BACK YARD. I even made some small wooden plasticized blocks to glue at the bottom openings, to prevent rats from getting in, yep, they are around. You can Private mail us and we can show you this if you like.

bbbbbb

So I believe this is the setup we are looking at. Do most lock the gate? My guess is I would mostly us the sliders from the house and that the landscaper would use the gate mostly and the neighbor if they needed to do something to their Villa.

[VillageIdiots]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

They are talking about courtyard villas that are completely fenced in. The new Veranda designers are the same way.

The Verandas are fenced in like the CYV's yes. But there are some differences. First of all, your driveway may be on the left side or the right side, but the gate to access your fenced in yard is going to be on the same side of your house regardless of the driveway. On mine, it's on the left when facing the house. I'm responsible for the lawn behind the fence, even though part of it technically belongs to the neighbor. But then my other neighbor is responsible for the part of my yard that is behind his fence. It appears some, or even all, of the corner lot Verandas get 2 gates, 1 on either side, to access their fenced back yard.

All that said, and I expect this is the same for most CYV owners as well, I almost NEVER access my back yard through the gate, unless it's when I'm mowing my lawn. Other than that, I walk out the back door of the house.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by CWGUY

I hope you looked at the "LINK" in post 6. Great explanation with pictures.

Yes I did, thanks

[CWGUY]

Originally Posted by Garywt

Yes I did, thanks

Also wanted to say I gave my nextdoor neighbor a key to the gate. They only need to get in for "House cleaning" and "Pest control" on that side of their home and they always call first or knock on the door. The key is for when I'm not home.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by John_W

I live in a CYV in Southern Star Villas, we have 80 in our community. The only negative to the setup is if your neighbor decides to put in a pool. I've seen two go in our community and basically they take the gate down on your driveway side and go in and out with all kinds of equipment, it's real mess. If you backyard is fairly small, then you won't see the problem, it's usually those with big lots.

They have walk-in showers in every CYV master BR I've been in. There are two kinds, we have the fiberglass prefab which I hate. Some others have a regular tile shower, looks much nicer.

I guess my description of walk in is off, I consider the tiled floor and walls as walk in, the prefab showers with the glass doors are what we want to avoid. Going to a Villa we are giving up the larger garage, the breakfast nook, the third bedroom and many other things just in case my wife ends up there along but we do not want to give up the walk in (or roll in) shower as that might be the most necessary. I know we can get some of those things in a Villa but for cost and cleaning we have decided to go this route.

[sallybowron]

The ownership of these properties are definitely weird. I turn onto what would appear to be my property to get to my garage.. It is about 2/3 ways up to the garage door that the property becomes mine. The side of my home without windows borders on the sidewalk which runs down the windowed side of their house. If that driveway was mine, their lanai, etc would open on to my courtyard. That would not leave me with much privacy.
If you are questioning whether to buy one,don't let this somewhat of a none issue change your mind. Come here and enjoy your home.

[VillageIdiots]

For what it's worth, if you are looking at new CYV's, it appears that they are now building more of them with garages that face straight out the front rather than at an angle to the street, and many of those are 2 car garages instead of 1.5. I rode through a CYV area under construction yesterday evening, in DeSoto, and every one of them has the garages that face the street directly. You'd still have part of your property in your neighbor's courtyard and part of the other neighbor's property in yours, but it removes some of the vagueness about property lines elsewhere and access to your gate won't appear to actually be on someone else's property. And I am almost positive they will all have true walk in, tiled showers.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Garywt

I guess my description of walk in is off, I consider the tiled floor and walls as walk in, the prefab showers with the glass doors are what we want to avoid. Going to a Villa we are giving up the larger garage, the breakfast nook, the third bedroom and many other things just in case my wife ends up there along but we do not want to give up the walk in (or roll in) shower as that might be the most necessary. I know we can get some of those things in a Villa but for cost and cleaning we have decided to go this route.

You may not think you need the extra room especially the garage (cause the 1.5 garage on curved driveway hard to get in and out of if you have garage full of stuff). I had the same opinion, But after you in small two bed 1.5 garage you'll realize NOT enough room and you really have to manage space.

Now if you have small car and no golf cart and bring very little with you roominess shouldn't be problem. I doubt you will find 2 bed room entry level model with tiled walk in shower. Usually the higher end 3 bed two car garage styles offer that for 285k plus? If I move will only look at two car garage styles. One thing that I like I'm in end unit and my back yard private cause the neighbor two car garage length of my property.

[DReifinger]

Our neighbor does NOT walk up our driveway to his fence nor does our driveway lead to anything other than our garage. That being said, we have a corner courtyard, so I believe that may be different with the driveway set up. Neighbors are usually nice and respectful. We have never had a problem.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Garywt

...My guess is I would mostly us the sliders from the house and that the landscaper would use the gate mostly and the neighbor if they needed to do something to their Villa.

I found myself included, most will remove the grass from the front and backyard making the home basically maintenance free. Yes, you'll have some trimming or weed pulling now and then, you can do it yourself or hire someone. I keep my gate locked and do all my yard work, that's one of the big advantages of a villa and not having grass. I'd say out of 80 villas in our community, after 7 years maybe 25 still have some grass in the front, the backyard even less.

Originally Posted by Garywt

I guess my description of walk in is off, I consider the tiled floor and walls as walk in, the prefab showers with the glass doors are what we want to avoid...

From what I've seen, the newer CYV's walkin showers have been all tile. It's only if you get into a resale, you'll need to watch. The prefab shower is a complete walkin, but the walls are molded with built in soap dish, and hand hold. The problem is they are harder to keep clean. Our CYV's were built in 2011 and we have villas with both fiberglass and tile, it can be either.