[terrieb]

We have been coming to the Villages for the past 4 years and we love it every time we come here.

Besides the cost of a home, what are the fees to live here? I know about the Trail Fee associated with driving your golf cart on the golf courses. (We walk when we play golf). What determines the amount of the "bond" fee on new construction? Is it a certain percentage of the cost of the home? What is the monthly cost of the ammenity fee and how often does it go up? I understand there is also an annual assessment fee...how much is that or does that depend on the value of the house and how often does that fee go up? What does the ammenity fee go towards? What does the annual assessment fee go towards?

It seems there are a lot of "fees" to pay just to live in the Villages? I would appreciate any feedback and yes we have talked to a real estate agent at the sales center but I want "real" information from you who live here now and not from someone trying to get me to move here by giving me "ballpark" numbers.

Thanks

[l2ridehd]

If you buy a home you will decide if you have a mortgage. So take whatever the mortgage payment and add about $1000 a month. That covers about everything. Bond, all utilities (gas, electric, cable, water trash), amenity fee Insurance and a few miscellaneous items. Bigger home (large designer or premier), probably a little higher, smaller home a little less. If you have a pool that cost goes up by $175 a month for additional electric and pool service. If you buy a resale home and the bond is paid, about $50 a month less. If you join the premier golf member ship add $80 a month.

So a lot has to do with your lifestyle and the size and type of home.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by terrieb

We have been coming to the Villages for the past 4 years and we love it every time we come here.

Besides the cost of a home, what are the fees to live here? I know about the Trail Fee associated with driving your golf cart on the golf courses. (We walk when we play golf). What determines the amount of the "bond" fee on new construction? Is it a certain percentage of the cost of the home? What is the monthly cost of the ammenity fee and how often does it go up? I understand there is also an annual assessment fee...how much is that or does that depend on the value of the house and how often does that fee go up? What does the ammenity fee go towards? What does the annual assessment fee go towards?

It seems there are a lot of "fees" to pay just to live in the Villages? I would appreciate any feedback and yes we have talked to a real estate agent at the sales center but I want "real" information from you who live here now and not from someone trying to get me to move here by giving me "ballpark" numbers.

Thanks

Look at the nuts and bolts thread on this site....it has a lot of information to your questions.

[Larryandlinda]

Some of the expenses we didn't know about before we bought a ranch home here:

Mowing, hedge trimming, keeping palm trees properly pruned can run $100 a month or more if you don't do it yourself.

About $100 a month for various chemical treatments - fertilizers, pesticides on lawn, termite treatment, treatment for the water bugs, etc.

Water for the lawns can run quite high during the times of year it is most needed. The expense obviously varies by lot size.

[mgm4444]

$200.00/mo for lawn care & pests? 2400.00 a year? I think I just made up my mind...... CYV with a stone "garden" !!!!

[Russ_Boston]

Basic law cutting,weeding is $40-50 per month. Fertilizer apps are about $50 per application (3-4 times per year). I just signed up for mine since I won't be there full time yet.

Of course other things like palm trim etc can be more.

[spk7951]

Those figures posted above for lawn care and maint are a bit high. This is what we are paying to maintain our over sized lot:

$40 per month for lawn cutting
$315 year for lawn fertilizer
$60 year for shrub fertilizer
$60 for once a year tree pruning and trimming bushes

I don't think I saw it mentioned but also consider quarterly pest prevention which costs us $220 year

[pooh]

I pay $40/month for lawn cutting, $70 per quarter for pest control, $60 per quarter lawn and shrub fertilizer. Hubby trims our trees and bushes, but brought the tools with us from CA where he also did them. He wanted to cut the lawn here, but in the summer it's too hot and we have a very large lot.

You should have a yearly termite inspection. That can cost anywhere from $125 to $150/year. Also remember to have your house power washed every once in a while, though if you have a power washer, you can do it yourself. You should also have a checkup for your heating and cooling system done yearly, especially the cooling system. It's used more than the heating system.

You have home maintenance here just as you do where you live, though some of it is different.

There's the monthly amenity fee, electric, gas, cable, water, sewer, newspaper (if you choose to subscribe), telephone bill, homeowners insurance, auto registration, golf cart insurance if you decide you want a golf cart, your property tax, which is due yearly in one payment, yearly payment of your bond if it isn't paid in full, again one payment paid along with the taxes (included in the bill), and any special tax assessments. These extra assessments aren't horribly high and they are also included in your tax bill.

I've seen people living here on large incomes, others living quite happily on social security income, but no matter what your income, the amenities are available for each and everyone living here, equally.

[robbie]

when you all reference $40 a month for lawn cutting, do you mean that it is the same amount for both summer and winter service??? does that kind of grass even get cut when it goes dormant in the winter??? just trying to figure out if that $40 is a year round average??? or per cut in the summer when i assume it needs more attention???

[Pturner]

I like l2 ride's approach and find it quite accurate.

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by robbie

when you all reference $40 a month for lawn cutting, do you mean that it is the same amount for both summer and winter service??? does that kind of grass even get cut when it goes dormant in the winter??? just trying to figure out if that $40 is a year round average??? or per cut in the summer when i assume it needs more attention???

It is $40 per month year round. Warmer months the lawn needs cutting weekly while in the cooler months it gets cut maybe once a month. This month our lawn was cut in early December and this week they were here trimming around the landscaping and around the sprinkler heads but no general cut. I believe that is a fairly common approach to "average" the cost of cutting over the year versus charging more in the summer and less in the winter.

[terrieb]

Thanks everyone for the responses. But what about the yearly assessment fee and the ammentity fee....how often do these go up? Every year?

[gongoozler]

Originally Posted by mgm4444

$200.00/mo for lawn care & pests? 2400.00 a year? I think I just made up my mind...... CYV with a stone "garden" !!!!

I've owned one for 4 years and it is the greatest . . . My only complaint about a CYV is not having a two car garage but with one car, a street legal golf cart and a good bike my wife and I get by.



RI/AL/TX/CA/AR/OK/MA/RI . . . TV

[jojo]

We have a large designer with a fair amount of landscaping and pay $45 monthly for mowing and $45 monthly for pests- covered inside and out - and for fertilization. CYV would likely be less for mowing but I'm guessing pest/fertilization would be similar.

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by terrieb

Thanks everyone for the responses. But what about the yearly assessment fee and the ammentity fee....how often do these go up? Every year?

terrieb:

I'm still a wannbe myself but I believe the ammenity fee has not change much in the last couple of years. I believe I remember some posts stating the ammenity fee will not increase significantly as it is tied to the CPI index.

I don't know anything about a yearly assessment.

I'm sure some other members will correct me if I'm wrong.

Welcome to TOTV.