[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by Lil Dancer

Well, check the listing for yourself: http://www.thevillages.com/homes/new...?nav=4#listing
VNH 1350114 $237,768

I was suprised too. Doesn't seem possible.

These houses are on interior sites with minimal upgrades. Look at the one for $237, then the one for $267. $267 has fewer upgrades, but it's on a cul-de-sac. Then look at the one for $417. It's got lots of upgrades, plus it's a golf front site.
The base price of a Gardenia is probably just a little over $210, about 10% over where it was in 2005.

[jeffy]

potterthompson:

BMS is kind of off by itself. If you want a really big house at a really great price , BMS would be hard to beat. The people that bought there a year or so ago , must be sick with the price they paid and what they sell for now new. I believe the bond is about $48k there . I may be wrong but I believe you can get around the golf cart inaccesibility by buying a street legal golf cart to get from BMS to Buena Vista Blvd. I think that the speed limit there would allow it (someone correct me if I am wrong, as this would be my major fault about buying at BMS). As far as the other concerns, the great deals they offer there would far out way those.

I live in Winifred in just a tremendous street with tremendous neighbors. If that were not the case , I would certainly be looking a grabing one of those deals.

/
jeffy

[inda50]

Originally Posted by F16 1UB

I've been watching new home prices for almost 2.5 years. We bought in Apr and felt the prices from what they were in 2005 were comparable. Then they started climbing dramatically and have since dropped. Have they bottomed? All I know is that we looked at everything from pup tents to premiers. We felt as though the price and time was right and considered it a "wash". We dropped the price on our northern home until it sold and noticed that TV homes had also dropped. There are some good values especially with pre owned homes too. One such home we first looked at dropped drastically since we've purchased our new home. Figures! They've lowered their original price by 14%. Sorry - snooze ya lose.

I guess it's like the stock market, supply /demand. demand goes up inthe winter, down in the summer, the opposite of almost any other state. Also other currencies can buy against the greenback. May pick up after the election.

F16

[Lil Dancer]

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

These houses are on interior sites with minimal upgrades. Look at the one for $237, then the one for $267. $267 has fewer upgrades, but it's on a cul-de-sac. Then look at the one for $417. It's got lots of upgrades, plus it's a golf front site.
The base price of a Gardenia is probably just a little over $210, about 10% over where it was in 2005.

Obviously a home for $237 will not have the upgrades or location of one at $267. But in 2006 the salespeople told us the base price of the Block and stucco gardenia was $250. (The vinyl version of the home was lower). I'd seen a few in the past few months in the $246-248 range, but nothing as low as $237K. Does anyone know if they've lowered the base price?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Lil Dancer

Obviously a home for $237 will not have the upgrades or location of one at $267. But in 2006 the salespeople told us the base price of the Block and stucco gardenia was $250. (The vinyl version of the home was lower). I'd seen a few in the past few months in the $246-248 range, but nothing as low as $237K. Does anyone know if they've lowered the base price?

I think that the management at new home sales is very quick to respond to economic times. There is always a margin to play with in sales.

[JohnN]

Jeffy,
re: street legal golf cart.

Interesting point, except that I'd still be afraid to be driving on a street in a golf cart where folks aren't that used to seeing 'em, besides the added speed.

[NJblue]

According to Jim Cramer, the Florida real estate market has hit its bottom:
http://www.thestreet.com/s/cramer-fl...atb#1614615989

[Lil Dancer]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I think that the management at new home sales is very quick to respond to economic times. There is always a margin to play with in sales.

[jerseygirl008]

After reading these posts, I am very glad I bought my villa in May. Also sold house in PA, close 7/31. Thanks to all who gave their opinion, great reading. Don't know what I would do without TOTV. Great forum. Seems like I've been making really good decisions where TV is concerned. Yippppppeeeeeee.

[gfmucci]

Originally Posted by jerseygirl008

... sold house in PA, close 7/31.

What are your "lessons learned" from selling your house in PA? Any advice to others trying to sell their homes?

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by Lil Dancer

Obviously a home for $237 will not have the upgrades or location of one at $267. But in 2006 the salespeople told us the base price of the Block and stucco gardenia was $250. (The vinyl version of the home was lower). I'd seen a few in the past few months in the $246-248 range, but nothing as low as $237K. Does anyone know if they've lowered the base price?

I don't think the "base" price ever went that high. By base, I am talking about the home with absolutely no upgrades. I don't think TV builds a home with NO upgrades, so it could be the realtor was discussing the homes available at a base of $250. Our realtor told us to look at the base and add 20% for the upgrades people want. Remember, extra electric and cable outlets, blinds, beveled edges on formica countertops, appliance upgrades, the triple width door, the ceiling fan outlets, the ceiling fans, the landscaping, etc, etc. My house, which is modest by almost any measure when compared against other designers, had 4 pages of "extras" that totaled $40K. Most of these items seemed pretty basic to me.
So maybe we are talking about the same thing - or maybe I'm just wrong altogether and I missed a 25% temporary rise in prices during 2006. I didn't think it went that high but if it did, I'm sure glad I did miss it since that means its down rather than flat as I thought.

[inda50]

Saw the Cramer story and he is usually right.

[Lil Dancer]

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

I don't think the "base" price ever went that high. By base, I am talking about the home with absolutely no upgrades. I don't think TV builds a home with NO upgrades, so it could be the realtor was discussing the homes available at a base of $250. Our realtor told us to look at the base and add 20% for the upgrades people want. Remember, extra electric and cable outlets, blinds, beveled edges on formica countertops, appliance upgrades, the triple width door, the ceiling fan outlets, the ceiling fans, the landscaping, etc, etc. My house, which is modest by almost any measure when compared against other designers, had 4 pages of "extras" that totaled $40K. Most of these items seemed pretty basic to me.
So maybe we are talking about the same thing - or maybe I'm just wrong altogether and I missed a 25% temporary rise in prices during 2006. I didn't think it went that high but if it did, I'm sure glad I did miss it since that means its down rather than flat as I thought.

You're right about the upgrades. We're probably talking about the same thing. I imagine the homes at $237 don't have much. From the picture I could see they didn't have the beveled edges on the countertops to start with. Still, you could add and upgrade as you go along. Its a pretty good deal if someone wants to get in on the base floor with a gardenia.

[inda50]

I'm starting to think house might be close to bottoming. What do others think?

[gfmucci]

Originally Posted by inda50

I'm starting to think house might be close to bottoming. What do others think?

In TV, I think prices are starting to increase - I think we are past the bottom here. This is also true in other parts of Florida - Martin County and Destin are two locations I am familiar with that have shown a 30 to 60 day increase. Other parts of the country are still bumping along the bottom or still declining.

It seems the first regions to sink the fastest are also the first to recover. Could be because if the market was originally hot enough for the speculators to bring it down, the speculators will be the first to bring it back up again. A good location is a good location.