[westernrider75]

Originally Posted by Normal

Those villages are a different type? Notice all they have is the Franklin Recreational Center for the community pool. Maybe villages in Lake County will have less amenities and are grouped differently?

I’m not sure what you mean. They have the Southern Oaks championship course, MickeyLee pitch and Putt, dog parks, hiking and biking trails, the only thing I notice missing is the adult pool.

[BlueStarAirlines]

Originally Posted by GizmoWhiskers

T
Question, did the trolley tour visit Brownwood? I would be curious about what the trolley tour says about the Brownwood theater that (OZ behind the curtain) has no plans to open.

The developer answered this a month or so ago. They said the Brownwood theater will never reopen as a theater.

If folks want the developer to change their mind, then LSL theater has to be close to sold out every day and every showing....not just the $6 Mondays.

[NoMo50]

When we bought our home in 2020, the villages of Chitty Chatty, Bradford and Hawkins were all being concurrently developed.

And yes, there does seem to be a trend where not all new villages will have an adult-only pool. Newell doesn't have one. Lake Denham doesn't have one. The adult pool for St. Johns is way down south by the intersection of Meggison and Warm Springs.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by NoMo50

When we bought our home in 2020, the villages of Chitty Chatty, Bradford and Hawkins were all being concurrently developed.

And yes, there does seem to be a trend where not all new villages will have an adult-only pool. Newell doesn't have one. Lake Denham doesn't have one. The adult pool for St. Johns is way down south by the intersection of Meggison and Warm Springs.

Citrus Grove and St.Catherine’s postal centers may be the last of their kind? They are the two closest adult only pools for the newest Villages of Dabney, Denham and Newell. Maybe just a little over 10 minutes by golf cart from Dabney? I did notice St.John’s got skipped too. The newer villages probably won’t get the amenity? Note, all 4 are the latest villages north of the turnpike. The taxes are quite a bit more in the new Lake County area; I wonder if that has something to do with it all? Additional costs? I can’t imagine higher bonds and taxes attract nearly as many buyers. Leesburg may be another sticking point in the newest Lake County expansion (intrusion)?

[sallyg]

Check out homes Marsh Bend. Great location!

[callalily]

Originally Posted by Normal

Citrus Grove and St.Catherine’s postal centers may be the last of their kind? They are the two closest adult only pools for the newest Villages of Dabney, Denham and Newell. Maybe just a little over 10 minutes by golf cart from Dabney? I did notice St.John’s got skipped too. The newer villages probably won’t get the amenity? Note, all 4 are the latest villages north of the turnpike. The taxes are quite a bit more in the new Lake County area; I wonder if that has something to do with it all? Additional costs? I can’t imagine higher bonds and taxes attract nearly as many buyers. Leesburg may be another sticking point in the newest Lake County expansion (intrusion)?

Dabney will have an adult pool.

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by BlueStarAirlines

The developer answered this a month or so ago. They said the Brownwood theater will never reopen as a theater.

If folks want the developer to change their mind, then LSL theater has to be close to sold out every day and every showing....not just the $6 Mondays.

I moved here after Covid. Were all three theaters doing good business before Covid?

[Ltwise3500]

It is Fenney

[BayLady57]

Originally Posted by margaretmattson

I have been in the market for a new home for over 6 months. I was beginning to believe it was just me! Yes, I agree, the quality of newly constructed homes is not worth the price. I am now beginning a search of preowned homes. So far, it seems you get more for your money. Location, at this time, is also better with preowned homes. As the Villages develop further this may no longer be the case. But, I'm not getting any younger! Not certain I have the time to wait.

My husband and I purchased a new courtyard villa in south St. Johns in May of 2022. At the time of our home purchase compared to now, inventory of both new and pre-owned homes were very low and we consider ourselves lucky to have been able to purchase our home. Our friends sold their home in Apollo Beach, FL this past June and following closing secured a rental in The Villages to move into while they searched for a new home. The 2nd or 3rd day our friends were here a model home they liked in their price range was listed for sale in Newell. After seeing the listing they called their Villages agent, and since there were no other interested buyers they had no difficulty in purchasing that home and moved into their new home a few days ago. So I am hard pressed to believe with a much larger inventory of new homes for sale since we purchased our new home in 2022 that you have had difficulty in purchasing a new home in the last 6 months.

With regards to your comment "the quality of newly constructed homes is not worth the price", my husband who worked in various home construction positions during his 50 years in the workforce with last position being a kitchen and bath designer, he found nothing wrong with the quality of the construction of our new home. And our friends that just bought in Newell, the husband is a retired master plumber and he also found nothing wrong with the quality of the construction of the home they purchased. And additionally, the small things we did find after moving into our new home The Villages sent someone over to repair them within a day of our call. And just before we reached the 1 year anniversary of the purchase of our home we had D'Angelo Inspections come in and they inspected our home with a fine tooth comb and they found nothing wrong with the quality of construction of our new home contained in the 12 page inspection report they provided to us and a copy was sent to The Villages warranty dept.

Other than investors, most people who purchase a home in The Villages either for full time or part time use are purchasing primarily for the lifestyle The Villages offers which there really is no equivalent compared to all other 55+ communities. And as long as The Villages remains in 1st place with the abundance of amenities it offers they as well as individual home owners that decide to sell for whatever reason, all homes will continue to sell without making major price reductions if they were priced right in the 1st place to those who are willingly to pay the price for the homes. Certainly one can get more bang for their buck buying in another community, but they will not get the same level of amenities in another community which for these individuals the home they buy is more important than the amenities of the community they buy in.

From the experience my friends just had in the purchase within a few days of their new home in Newell, for you having no success in the 6 months you have attempted trying to buy a new home, you either do not have a very good agent, or there are no new homes for sale you like that are in your price range. Not sure if you will have any better luck looking at pre-owned homes because those that are enhanced will likely be priced higher than a same model new home because of those costly enhancements. And those that are not enhanced cosmetically as well as may also be in need major repairs like new roofs the cost for those enhancements and repairs will fall on you. So after all is said and done, the total costs involved with that fixer upper pre-owned home may cost you equal to or more than what a same model new home costs.

I wish you the best in your pursuit of purchasing a home here. We have absolutely no regrets selling our home in R.I. and relocating to The Villages as full time residents. We love our home, neighborhood, have the best neighbors, and are living an active retirement lifestyle and consider ourselves very blessed and more so now having dear friends of many years from back home living a 10 minute golf cart ride from us.

[mizerkeith]

Originally Posted by Rwirish

This may be true. We certainly know they down have golf courses and a pitch and putt course does not count.

Who would live down there higher taxes and nothing there 10thousand homes builded and no par threes and one champing ship sad the kids ruining this place

[SusanStCatherine]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

Now that they are building family housing they may not have enough crews to do any more than they are currently building. I looked at a few cottage homes in Newell as a possible investment and the quality has certainly dropped, at least in the final fit and finish which is the first thing buyers see. This might be due to the lack of skilled workers.

Cheaper products and rushed labor. Two years ago we reported 112 defects after closing. D’Angelo inspections reported 62 defects after workers had been in our house constantly for 10 months. Many defects still remain. Most of the workers vented to us how rushed and overworked they are. Check out the quality in Middleton.

Remember, as the D'Angelos reminded me, "You are buying a lifestyle, not a house."

[kendi]

Originally Posted by MsPCGenius

Took the trolley tour with out-of-town guests recently and the driver indicated that expansion plans targeted only one new Village at a time. In other words, new Village homes would only be released one Village at a time. For example, Newell was not advertised until Richmond was fully released.

The marketing of Newell & Lake Denham homes at the same time seems to go against this model.

Thoughts? (Please don't state the obvious that making money is the prime directive )

Stop in one of the sales centers for you answer

[Marmaduke]

Originally Posted by margaretmattson

I have been in the market for a new home for over 6 months. I was beginning to believe it was just me! Yes, I agree, the quality of newly constructed homes is not worth the price. I am now beginning a search of preowned homes. So far, it seems you get more for your money. Location, at this time, is also better with preowned homes. As the Villages develop further this may no longer be the case. But, I'm not getting any younger! Not certain I have the time to wait.

With pre-owned, get ready to sink some big bucks into the house, after purchase, to get it updated, unless you get lucky!

Projects, especially now, with it being a "contractor's market", everything comes with "sticker shock".
Sadly, you hold your breath if the contractors are any good, unless you know your contractor, or they come with recommendations.

We bought pre-owned and paid very close attention to window coverings, Interior/exterior paint, age of water heater, roof, HVAC, bond.

Flooring- lots of owners took the builders grade carpeting and never updated anything in kitchen or baths.

Lots of pre-owned homes were rentals, as are the surrounding homes. We paid close attention to shoddy looking yards, a clear giveaway!
To update or upgrade a kitchen alone is a small fortune, not to mention the mechanics of a home, such as HVAC.

Buyer Beware. There are no warranties on Pre-Owned as opposed to new construction.

As very experienced buyers, we knew we had a good foundation, and could happily live in the house, as is, without doing much of anything, but we did it all to make it ours. Just saying, it was costly.


Be somewhat a Devil's Advocate on each home and be aware of "staging" to draw at your emotional side. Best of Luck!!

[Normal]

Originally Posted by callalily

Dabney will have an adult pool.

I’m glad at least one of those villages got an adult pool. Dabney is fairly far from most amenities.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by margaretmattson

I have been in the market for a new home for over 6 months. I was beginning to believe it was just me! Yes, I agree, the quality of newly constructed homes is not worth the price. I am now beginning a search of preowned homes. So far, it seems you get more for your money. Location, at this time, is also better with preowned homes. As the Villages develop further this may no longer be the case. But, I'm not getting any younger! Not certain I have the time to wait.

You are doing your due diligence. Congrats!