[barb1191]

I spent a day with a TV salesperson where I was shown all newly-built homes. This was back in 2002 when TV did not sell resales.

I was somewhat disenchanted with the newly-built homes to buy as most options seemed quite costly.

I then purchased the Daily Sun and circled three private sales listed in the classifieds. The very first home I saw I loved and bought it then and there. The owners had it on the market as they were building an upgrade. I love my home and have never regretted buying it as it had all of the options I wanted at a very reasonable price; it was built in 2001 and immaculate with lovely landscaping.

My choice: Buy resale!!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by jimlocke

Actually, my house was used for multiple locations up to 10 days after I closed on it.

I have read this post four times and I still don't understand it.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by tucson

I would rent for a mo. or so and look everywhere (I mean even outside of TV) and compare w/TV, you'll be surprised ! We lived in TV since 2005 and moved out recently to another GC comm. 5 min./4mi. from TV , so we still use the convenience of shopping/dining/etc. in & near TV but best of all, we have a better house for less$ and taxes, insurance etc,etc. We moved b/c .(for us) TV is getting too big,crowded,noisy,etc.

I agree renting for a couple of months is a good idea if you are planning a big investment in a new or resale home. This is true Wheather in TV or another retirement community. TV you pay for the lifestyle and all the convenience. Is it worth it? Most of us think so and over time the "value" of your investment has increased when compared to other retirement communities. The proof as they say is in the pudding---in sales of new and resale homes in recent months----TV is the leader in Florida and the country.

[John_W]

We moved into our new CYV in Tamarind Grove in July 2011, the entire villa community sold out in about 4 months and we were one of the last to move in. The home next door was sold the same time but we didn't meet the neighbors until about three months later. They were both 7 years from retirement and we would see them every three months when they traveled down from Connecticut. They bought a 2 BR Marathon model that was furnished, it was a display model.

When they came they always did some improvement. Last time was a $10,000 landscaping job from Mansfield. Another time it was to get glass in their front door, another was to buy a golf cart and a TV. Last week they came and decided a 2 BR wasn't big enough. They listed their home for sale with the Villages RE and bought a new CYV 3 BR Arlington in Sanibel. Before they left they had a buyer and sold their old home. So in one week they bought and sold a CYV.

[senior citizen]

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[a1b2c3d4]

Becareful there may be sink holes in the area, this has been known

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by a1b2c3d4

Becareful there may be sink holes in the area, this has been known

What area is that?

[perrjojo]

It seems clear to me that the photos of the model are exactly that...photos of "the current model home". The home you are looking at is NOT "the model" but an entirely different home with the features listed. The floor plan is the basic floor plan and not necessarily the exact plan of the home you are viewing. You must compare square footage.

[jagdl]

I am not a realtor nor do I work for the Villages. Just learned things for our purchases. Each model has a base price. You start there. Each model has a designated name. "iris" "begonia" If an upgrade is made to a particular floorplan (say trey ceilings) the developer may change the name (and usually raise the base price). The old name will be shelved.

Now you have to pick the land. Each model comes with a base price for a lot. If you pick a house on your standard lot there is no add on. OR if you pick a standard lot and build on it there is no add on. If your lot is oversized, or has a golf course "view" (from even across the busy street), or is on the golf course, or is on a preserve, there are add ons. A nice lot on a golf course could add as much as $50,0000 to your house price.

Now you have to pay for what you or they put in the house. Low end package is laminite, carpet, enamel appliances. If you go with a stainless steel package, granite countertops, high end tile on the diagonal. Add on Add on Add on.

Now the structural add ons. Golf cart garage? Add on. Stretch the garage? Add on, Stretch one side of the house to give more living room and bedroom? Add on.

Pool or spa? add on.

Some of the models are sold with furniture package. add on.

Now you know why two models of the same house can have a vastly different bottom line.

Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Question for those in the know.......
Usually, I've been looking at "resales" of designer pool homes as we were not sure we'd want to go the route of building "from afar".....not knowing exactly how it would turn out.......been there, done that. We've done a lot of additions, building and remodeling in our lifetime. Owned many homes.

Plus, there are many excellent , gently used, resales in The Villages.

However, yesterday, I came across a newly built cement/stucco home in the Village of Gilchrist........today I came across the same exact house in the Village of Fernandina. Same model tour.

The "model tours" are exactly the very same house visually.

Both say corner lot. Both have HUGE lanai and look to be on golf course.
Spa. No pool.

However, I doubt the first one would be only $265,931. marked down to $256,995. Its a Begonia on Dafoe Terrace, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,910 sq. ft. golf cart garage, etc..........it shows a HUGE LANAI and a spa.

The second one, just found this morning, is the exact same house, but it is $317,382. marked down to $305,995. Same house as the one yesterday. This model is on Mockingbird in Fernandina.

They look like they are on a golf course.....but something tells me NOT.

The one on Dafoe says it has carpeting.

The one on Mockingbird says it has tile everywhere but bedrooms.

The MODEL TOUR shows beautiful dark wood floors throughout.

My husband thinks they are using one generic photo for all???????????

How much more would it cost to build the Begonia but with hardwood floors throughout, even in the kitchen?

Also, I wonder if these "models" are "bumped out" like the one we stayed in which was very generously sized and bumped out, as told to me by the owner. Our kids even liked the Begonia. The lanai was good sized with a birdcaged pool off of it......for great outdoor living.....

How many have traveled down thinking what they saw online was still around and it was either sold or not quite the same?

When we looked at some models, the realtor told us that the Iris was supposedly the shrunken something or other that we were staying in for our Lifestyle Visit at Creekside Landing. I can honestly say it did not look anything like the model we were staying in.........

Can anyone divulge the "extra amount of $$" to get the average new construction house to look like the model???? Cost to bump out here and there? Cost for a few upgrades. Cost for larger lanai?

I know the realtor could tell us. Just wondering if anyone could help us out as we "think it over"..........first.

Thanks in advance, as always, for the wonderful input everyone shares along with the wonderful insight of having been there and already done it.

Also, who is happy with their resale?
Who is happier with their brand new home?
Obviously there are good points to both.

We would want to make the lanai and birdcaged area a great outdoor living area with summer kitchen..........so that's another fee on top of a pool.

Thankyou!!

Anyway, we are planning.........