I question how one can skirt Disclosure Laws. someone/or many are game playing and the fact that it was repaired by the Warranty Department means nothing as the water leak needed to be disclosed why it occurred how it was corrected by whom etc. If the facts are accurately recounted then I would never place my trust in The Villages Real Estate.

I pay extra for sink hole coverage and I paid to have my property inspected
before the insurance company would accept coverage.

The insurance companies in Florida have all government officials on the run because if they don't get their way they threaten to pull out of the state

We won't have to wait that long to find out if adjacent property values are effected by sinkhole activity. There are six new listings today in Buttonwood, out of 11 for sale total, listed with TV. See how long it takes these houses to sell and at what price.

Maybe the buyers sold quickly because they have a really sh***y neighbor who is not for harmony among neighbors, but is chomping at the bit to cause them angst about a problem that no longer exists.

The slab crack/leakage could have been due to the concrete mix or plumbing pipe/valve problem, and not necessarily to ground movement. I just looked at our disclosure and it is ten pages and asks nothing about the slab. The only question I could find was "f. Are you aware of any plumbing leaks since you have owned the property".

Also, this is why home inspections are done when buying.

We arrived last Saturday only to here about a sink hole in Buttonwood. I can tell you as a future buyer this puts you on edge. Just wondering if other communities have as many as TV? I know they can happen anywhere but not as common as central florida.

The bigger question is will you be able to get sinkhole insurance. Use this opportunity to sit down with an insurance agent and find that out now before you start shopping for a home.

Many communities have far more than TV. I've been here two years and this is the first one I've heard about. There are 60,000 homes here and from what I understand less than a dozen sinkhole problems in the past 30 years.

Like someone said, sinkholes happen, hurricanes happen, tornadoes happen, lightning strikes happen. No matter where you live natural catastrophes can happen.

People are reading this thread and getting the impression that this is some kind of widespread problem. It is not. Sinkholes are rare.

Then Central Florida may not be the place for you.
Look at the other posts on this thread, there are maps pointing out all the sinkholes in Florida............don't worry about something you cannot control.

Buttonwood
 

The Village of Buttonwood is pretty large. Someone living in Village of St. Charles or Village of St. James may actually live closer to the sinkhole than someone in Buttonwood. Unless the home for sale is in the immediate neighborhood of the sinkhole you probably won't find any selling time difference.

People have short memories----I doubt if it makes a difference a year from now. You can be pretty sure there will be another sinkhole in TV-----hopefully not in my yard or yours. :read:

See your name a lot.....please help me as to how to post a thread/post....what is the difference. I have a great lawn service and I want to put something on here about him. Thanks for your help!

Go to the Forum Jump drop down menu at the bottom of the first page and find the category you want to post on. To recommend a lawn service, it would be landscaping. Type your post and hit submit reply. I'm not sure with only six posts you are allowed to recommend someone on this forum.

You are correct that there are less sinkholes that are of the catastrophic ground collapse. That is not the norm. Those types of sinkholes are not widespread; however, it is the sinkhole damage that is NOT of the catastrophic type that is more concerning to me as a potential buyer.

I contacted Allstate insurance and was told that there have been many homes affected by sinkhole problems in the Villages, as well as, all over the State of Florida. And while some insurers currently will offer a policy with a 10% cost of the home deductible, it is anticipated that in the very near future there will be NO sinkhole coverage for new construction or resale homes. Small sinkholes near foundations, under lanai's, garage floors, shifting walls, lanai's, sunkens spots in driveways; windows or door jambs that have shifted out of alignment are more the norm (I'm not talking about normal settling issues). This can run into well into $100,00 or more depending on the extent of the damage. I can deal with a large deductible, but NO insurance????? That's an awful lot of risk.

They will no doubt sell quickly to some unsuspecting out of staters who are totally unaware and in the dark about sinkholes in Florida.

Good folks who have never done their research prior to buying.........

Excellent
 

EXCELLENT. Thank you.

PLEASE know that a sinkhole has to be disclosed. AND will be disclosed or the seller is liable. Those are the laws in Florida and anyone not disclosing would be legally liable just as anywhere else.. It must be disclosed by the sellers. Period.


Sinkholes do not COMMONLY occur. Please reread all of the very good information that has already been printed. The insurance for sinkholes that worked so well was badly abused by insurance fraud and so the laws were changed. There is no conspiracy. This isn't any thing different here in The Villages than the Tampa area for instance, except the Tampa area is MORE subject to sinkholes. We are NOT the sinkhole capital of Florida. It is troubling and worrisome and can be expensive but in life there are no guarantees. There will be more sinkholes and more houses will be burned to the ground due to lightning strikes and there will be hurricanes in Florida and Texas will need rain and get too much and nature will be ugly...EVERYWHERE. There is a huge storm, a dangerous storm predicted for tonight and tomorrow affecting much of this country and tornadoes are predicted.


I can understand your fears. I played golf yesterday very close to the home where the sinkhole was and I thought about it. We are all going about our business as usual. Life becomes shorter everyday. We all have to make choices.


Our Friday golf group discussed it and we are still very glad we are here..HERE.

I agree with you.

http://www.travelerstoday.com/articles/9630/20140425/villages-florida-sinkhole-reopens-65-feet-wife-deep-between-two.htm


This was just sent to me. Residents have now been evacuated. Not a minor issue.


Friends and relatives have been telling me it is all over their local news t.v. stations......in various parts of the U.S......so the word is spreading. They knew we were planning to retire to T.V.


Guess full disclosure is "out there"...............like the "X Files".