[murray607]

We are back on Tuesday to buy a property. Although we would prefer a new furnished Patio Villa, it seems they turn over quickly and we hope there is one in our price range available on Tuesday. The alternative of course is an unfurnished property, but we have limited time in Florida this time around (2 weeks) so furnished is our preferred route. Our budget is $150,000 including all furnishings.
For those who have bought a new patio villa and bought their own furnishings, what is the typical cost for a 2/2 villa for all furnishings, small appliances, linens etc? Is there a service company locally that can receive and set-up furnishings for new owners, if they can't return immediately for closing on the property?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by murray607

We are back on Tuesday to buy a property. Although we would prefer a new furnished Patio Villa, it seems they turn over quickly and we hope there is one in our price range available on Tuesday. The alternative of course is an unfurnished property, but we have limited time in Florida this time around (2 weeks) so furnished is our preferred route. Our budget is $150,000 including all furnishings.
For those who have bought a new patio villa and bought their own furnishings, what is the typical cost for a 2/2 villa for all furnishings, small appliances, linens etc? Is there a service company locally that can receive and set-up furnishings for new owners, if they can't return immediately for closing on the property?

If you buy from Southern Lifestyles, I have heard they will deliver and sit up your furniture. BUT it would be less expensive and just as much fun to furnish your home from one of the terrific resale shops here.

Are you in a hurry because you want to live in it, or rent it?

Many of us have " camped" in our bare homes with an air mattress and a card table and chairs and went about furnishing this second home in a few weeks...or months, or on each visit.... and found it kinda fun.

Either way, good luck and welcome.

There are many people who do all kinds of tasks for pay here from moving heavy furniture to unpacking. If you ask for specific things they will send you PMs.

[DougB]

Hi Murray,
There is a patio villa in Rio Ponderosa, fully furnished. Think they are asking 134,000. It is on Lozano Ave. Another one a block over just went for 138,000 fully furnished.

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by DougB

Hi Murray,
There is a patio villa in Rio Ponderosa, fully furnished. Think they are asking 134,000. It is on Lozano Ave. Another one a block over just went for 138,000 fully furnished.

Go to www.thevillages.com to see the homes.

BTW - I am not the sales agent. This site is for prospective buyers.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by 2BNTV

Go to www.thevillages.com to see the home in this post.

BTW - I am not the sales agent. this site is for prospective buyers.

I agree. I just went and typed in Rio Ponderosa under village and there are several. One unfurnished is listed at 118K. Let's see if I can link the one on the preserve, furnished, but it says PENDING. It looked lovely. Furnished WITH a golf cart,134K.

I don't sell houses or work for anyone.



Properties of The Villages

[DougB]

Also, by buying a resell in an area such as Rio Ponderosa, or any area north of 466, you will save a lot because the bonds are usually paid off or have little balance remaining.

[alemorkam]

try Focus on The Villages and you can search all villas in the MLS. Villas that cannot be shown or sold by the villages sales reps. Good luck.
We had good luck with that website.

[asianthree]

Not including the house...Furniture, pots pans, towels everything $10872.27 I did buy from southern lifestyles, Tvs $700.00 and Lanai furniture $500. golf cart $6000.00. I had four days total to furnish our patio villa and two days of it was drive time of 18 hours each way. Arrived at 8am started shopping at 10, finished at 9pm...put away things i bought waited next day for all deliverys, and out the door next day at 4am...When i shop i know in my head what i want and where i am going to buy, and a list of everything i needed.....so it can be done

[Rickg]

We are in the final stages of what you are doing. Bought new patio home three weeks ago in Fernandina (missed the furnished one). Furniture for all rooms, kitchen utensils, bedding, washer dryer, fans, lamps, television, wall decors will end up at about $16,000. We went. To Showcase Direct for the furniture, mattress firm for the mattresses, best buy for the television, Kohls ect. For the rest. Did most of it in two days, but we need to wait for closing a week from Monday to have delivered. Fun to furnish a house in two days!

[murray607]

Originally Posted by DougB

Hi Murray,
There is a patio villa in Rio Ponderosa, fully furnished. Think they are asking 134,000. It is on Lozano Ave. Another one a block over just went for 138,000 fully furnished.

Our Villages Agent is going to show us some pre-owned homes as well as new.

As we only have a short (18 day) visit this time, we know there would not be enough time to close a purchase and furnish a property in that short window.

We are going to rent it over the summer and early fall as we won't be moving down for the winter until December 2013- April 2014.

My wife retires in November, so we want to have the home bought now and not in December, so we can move right inwhen we arrive in December.

With buying a furnished home, it would mean we don't need to be here for closing and I beleive the Villages Rentals people will make sure everything is ready to go for rentals, after closing.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Not including the house...Furniture, pots pans, towels everything $10872.27 I did buy from southern lifestyles, Tvs $700.00 and Lanai furniture $500. golf cart $6000.00. I had four days total to furnish our patio villa and two days of it was drive time of 18 hours each way. Arrived at 8am started shopping at 10, finished at 9pm...put away things i bought waited next day for all deliverys, and out the door next day at 4am...When i shop i know in my head what i want and where i am going to buy, and a list of everything i needed.....so it can be done

I am now completely and totally in awe of you. I always thought you were ONE SMART COOKIE...or three smart cookies. But now I know.

You go girl! WOW!

[Rickg]

We only had seven days and are closing by mail. We will be part timers but figure we won't rent it until beginning in December. We will be back for a week the end of march then two weeks April/May then two weeks in November. It will be ready by December first to rent. We will keep January for ourselves.

[murray607]

Originally Posted by Rickg

We are in the final stages of what you are doing. Bought new patio home three weeks ago in Fernandina (missed the furnished one). Furniture for all rooms, kitchen utensils, bedding, washer dryer, fans, lamps, television, wall decors will end up at about $16,000. We went. To Showcase Direct for the furniture, mattress firm for the mattresses, best buy for the television, Kohls ect. For the rest. Did most of it in two days, but we need to wait for closing a week from Monday to have delivered. Fun to furnish a house in two days!

I have been looking at whole home packages for two bedroom homes and even though they start in the $8,000 range, I think for better quality we would realisitcally be in the $12,000-16,000 range as well.

We realize that if we get a pre-owned unfurnished property in the mid-$130,000's with the cost of furnishing it would be about the same cost as a new furnished home.

So, looking at the cost of a new patio villa at $143,000, a fully furnished home for $149,000 seems to be a real bargain, with only $6,000 added to pay for furnishings! Or am I missing something?

[Rickg]

We did overspend on the mattresses ($4000+) but those are the places that you may wish you had a choice. Just a thought.

[murray607]

Originally Posted by Rickg

We did overspend on the mattresses ($4000+) but those are the places that you may wish you had a choice. Just a thought.

Yes these were pricey. We bought three queen mattress sets from Sears here in Canada five years back, for a total of $3,000 and we have been more than satisfied with them in terms of quality and comfort.

However these are pillow top mattresses and having recently slept on memory foam top mattresses, we think that they are now the way to go.

We are spending two days at the Villages on Tuesday - Wednesday and should we opt for a pre-owned property we will use the Wednesday to look at furnishings.

When we set up our condo in Kissimmee two years ago, it was already furnished, but we replaced all linens and towels. Those alone cost well over $1,000