Originally Posted by Lolabird (Post 2399132)

Hello everyone,

My name is Lora. My husband Mark and I are headed to your beautiful community in February for the first time. We have been excited about our home buying / building process, and are planning on getting started when we arrive.

We have never built a home before, and I would appreciate any suggestions from those who know so much more than we do.

We have chosen a model (Anhinga), and will most likely choose a site near Waters Edge.

I would appreciate any suggestions as to what I should ask when we meet with the staff.

Such as:

1) types of finishes (flooring, cabinetry, countertops, roof, etc.)

2) insulation

3) gas vs electric

4) making changes or additions to the model - remove a wall, put washer / dryer in garage'
additional outlets

5) what does it mean exactly to "stretch" a floorplan?

6) location of lot to choose - noise level (I hear many people comment on this)

7) What does it mean when a floorplan has a C or F after its name?

Building vs. purchasing an existing home in other areas of the Villages.

Thank you all so much for your time and expertise. I have been perusing the forums, and you are all such a wealth of information. I look forward to your guidance!

Lora from RI

Originally Posted by Lolabird (Post 2399235)

Is it fair to assume that the "newer neighborhoods" are in the southern sections?

We are 60 years old. Can you recommend a neighborhood that fits your description - a bit more established, homes that a few years old, landscaped. etc.

Dusty Star and Orange Blossom Baby mentioned " "north of 44 & south of 466A. "

Could you please offer some village names in that area so that I may look at a map?

Again, many thanks to all!

Lora

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2399162)

You'll get as many different opinions as there are people who post here. Here's mine:

Don't buy brand new, unless you're buying on an empty lot or tearing down an abandoned foreclosure in an established area. Reason: New areas are unproven. Landscaping isn't mature. I mean if you don't mind looking at nothing but houses and saplings for the next five years, I guess - okay? Zero shade trees for at least five years, because that's how long it takes for saplings to become shade trees.

Most stores aren't built yet. You might have to spend the next couple of years driving out of your area to pick up a quart of milk when you run low between grocery shopping.

Yes I know this is sinkhole country. But there are sinkholes caused by natural ground collapses, and sinkholes caused by overdevelopment, or poor workmanship, or lower standards for pipelaying. There have been more of these in the southern areas of The Villages than there have been in the northern areas. Regardless of what caused it, that's just how it is. The Historic section (east of 441 up north) has had maybe 3 little ones in the past five years. Nothing that closed down the whole street, none that have caused property damage, and none that had to divert traffic to road detours. All of them, to my knowledge, were limestone crumbling around sewer pipes in the road, causing 2-4-foot holes that could be repaired in a day.

Personally, if you want a newISH home, you might be better off closer to 466A. Another upside to that, is that while someone else has been owning the home, they've also been paying the bond. So your responsibility for the balance of the bond will be much lower, than buying a new-construction home in the south. SIGNIFICANTLY lower, since the bond fees have gone up over the years. Paying off a $8,000 bond balance vs. paying a new $25,000 bond is a big deal, and the bond is NOT included in the listing price of the home.

On the Historic side, there is no bond, and never was any bond, because it was originally a trailer park and the county can't impose a bond on a developer for rolling in a mobile home and putting it down on cinderblocks. But MOST of those old mobile homes are gone, replaced by luxury double-wides, and some site-build (constructed) homes. There are also a couple of empty lots for sale. Landscaping is mature, traffic is minimal, one of the pools has a jacuzzi hot tub, there are rolling hills so it's not all flat, we do have "standards" for how our property has to look but mostly it's just "neat and tidy" and well maintained, and you can still give it your own personal touch with lawn ornaments and what not. Ours is a very walkable area, even though there are no MMPs or sidewalks except right in front of the rec centers and at Paradise Park. Every store you need/want is within 5 minutes by golf cart, the hospital is across the street, the fire department is next door to the rec center. Two exec golf courses, 1 country club with a restaurant and an 18 hole golf course, two community pools, one family pool, one country club pool (with a waterfall and a jacuzzi), two rec centers, a dog park, archery range, softball fields - no "kissing lanais" or cookie-cutter houses, that's all my idea of a Florida paradise.

Originally Posted by Lolabird (Post 2399235)

Is it fair to assume that the "newer neighborhoods" are in the southern sections?

We are 60 years old. Can you recommend a neighborhood that fits your description - a bit more established, homes that a few years old, landscaped. etc.

Dusty Star and Orange Blossom Baby mentioned " "north of 44 & south of 466A. "

Could you please offer some village names in that area so that I may look at a map?

Again, many thanks to all!


Lora

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2399285)

And there we have it---the Chamber of Commerce advertising infomercial for the hysterical side:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by Lolabird (Post 2399132)

Hello everyone,

My name is Lora. My husband Mark and I are headed to your beautiful community in February for the first time. We have been excited about our home buying / building process, and are planning on getting started when we arrive.

We have never built a home before, and I would appreciate any suggestions from those who know so much more than we do.

We have chosen a model (Anhinga), and will most likely choose a site near Waters Edge.

I would appreciate any suggestions as to what I should ask when we meet with the staff.

Such as:

1) types of finishes (flooring, cabinetry, countertops, roof, etc.)

2) insulation

3) gas vs electric

4) making changes or additions to the model - remove a wall, put washer / dryer in garage'
additional outlets

5) what does it mean exactly to "stretch" a floorplan?

6) location of lot to choose - noise level (I hear many people comment on this)

7) What does it mean when a floorplan has a C or F after its name?

Building vs. purchasing an existing home in other areas of the Villages.

Thank you all so much for your time and expertise. I have been perusing the forums, and you are all such a wealth of information. I look forward to your guidance!

Lora from RI

Originally Posted by Lolabird (Post 2399235)

Is it fair to assume that the "newer neighborhoods" are in the southern sections?

We are 60 years old. Can you recommend a neighborhood that fits your description - a bit more established, homes that a few years old, landscaped. etc.

Dusty Star and Orange Blossom Baby mentioned " "north of 44 & south of 466A. "

Could you please offer some village names in that area so that I may look at a map?

Again, many thanks to all!

Lora

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2399285)

And there we have it---the Chamber of Commerce advertising infomercial for the hysterical side:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by Bay Kid (Post 2399169)

I remember the agent on my 1st home telling me I have a stretch 2 car garage. I told them that is a stretch to call that a 2 car garage! My home now has a real 2 car garage.

None of my business but I would at least look around at existing homes. Lots of advantages, LOCATION, bonds, value, etc.

Originally Posted by Lolabird (Post 2399132)

Hello everyone,
We have chosen a model (Anhinga), and will most likely choose a site near Waters Edge.

Originally Posted by bowlingal (Post 2399372)

gas or electric? no choice, you have to go with whatever lines have been installed in the area. Some villages are all electric, some are all gas. Beware of the bonds/taxes. In the newer areas, both can be very expensive and you are paying additional taxes to Wildwood as well as Sumter County. The bonds can also be upward to 30,000 or more depending on the size of the house. Also, gets extremely hot and humid here in the summer, so a north facing lanai is best. .Watch out for Coleman Prison, not far from your area. Sign up for the Nextdoor app. lots of information of there. Also, check out the Daily Sun, there are many, many houses already for sale in the southern areas. You have got to ask yourself.....why?