[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by gfmucci

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.

Great insight IMHO.

[drdodge]

I bought an amirillo model in Dec.1995 for $151.00.Upgrades were window blinds,washer& dryer.carpet,shutters,5 fans,laundry sink and extra large lani.

drd

[inda50]

I have noticed fewer homes available on the LVS website. In traveling around the " Historic Area" there are definitely more homes for sale than in the past and the prices are lower.

[Villages Kahuna]

It's really hard to be precise. There's the price of the lot, the house price and the upgrades. The assessment is subjective to a degree. But I rode around a couple of mornings to look at a few of the new models being advertised in The Daily Sun. I was selective and looked only at my model and another very much like it. Based on the location, model and upgrades I saw, I'm convinced that I could sell my house, including the cost of all the upgrades we've added in two years, for a modest profit over our total investment. If I'm off by a bit, I'm sure we wouldn't lose money.

My assessment is consistent with the statistics that Mark Morse presented at a VHA meeting in early May. He went over the house sales for the last several years and presented his calculations on the average increase in house prices over various periods of time. Those who purchased homes in TV 5-6-7 years ago would have made an excellent return, regardless of when they sold. Even people like me would have made an annual return in the low single digits, as I recall his presentation. He also said that the "bottom" was reached in TV last year and prices are now on their way up. I'd agree with that.

[travelstiles]

I think most of us would agree, the market in TV is not necessarily reflective of the housing market in general. While home prices here have not been hurt as badly, those who need to sell before they can move may need to be more flexible in pricing their homes.
According to a CNN today article,
"...The (National Association of Realtors) said existing home prices are also expected to fall. The aggregate median existing-home price is projected to fall 6.2% this year to $205,300, and then rise by 4.3% in 2009 to $214,100, the report indicated."

http://biz.yahoo.com/cnnm/080708/070...ales.html?.v=1

I have seldom agreed with Jim Cramer - a few years ago he was touting penny stocks! But he does sell plenty of books :

[Boomer]

sumtercountyfl.gov under the link to the property appraiser will enable you to search records to get a sales history. That might help to give you a feel for the resale market.

When I asked the agent from TV about the comparable sales prices for resales, I learned that they do not seem to provide that information to buyers. In my neck of the woods, agents sometimes provide comps to potential buyers. But as some of you know, Boomer is a bumpkin.

So anyway, you can do that yourself if you want to go to the trouble. It just gives you a little guide to the lay of the land. Even though each resale situation will have different ingredients so to speak, knowing a little about what things have sold for and are selling for helps you to get your bearings a little better.

Good luck on your journey.

Boomer

[tkret]

There's no question that The Villages held up better than the rest of Florida. Also, no dispute that when the rest of the country bottoms out and houses begin selling again, TV will be a BIG beneficiary because the "pent-up" demand from those wanting to move here will generate a lot of activity. The question is, though, WHEN is the rest of the country going to bottom out? See:
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Stor...sguid=QNBdlP2E