[mraines]

Originally Posted by GizmoWhiskers

"Not for the FL lifestyle." -

Not sure what to make of a comment like that having lived in FL my entire adult life. The "Bubble" "lifestyle" is only so big. Eventually one has to leave T V.

For instance, going to the airport to go back to CA. Or even shopping for more than groceries. MAJOR MEDICAL episodes, one will find themselves in the midst of FL non-bubble as T V hospital can't handle ER open heart surgeries. What can one come up with that is "FL lifestyle"??

"Ya'll come back now" ??

Politics??

FL is a GREAT state, albeit a hot and humid cest pool at times. If one is fleeing CA to live cheaper, what happens in CA needs to STAY in CA. Florida doesn't need the CA lifestlye.

The Bubble IS FL and is for now free from lunacy.

2022? Was an especially great year in CA if I remember correctly. /s

Really? You musn't get out much. Plenty of lunacy around here.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by SoCalGal

How much is the monthly amenities fee?

When add all the attachments $230 plus, big grass lawn goes up amount of water you use. Yes it filled with amenities fees. Which good deal so far. In future? Who knows?

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by mraines

I lived in CA for 22 years but retired here in The Villages. I could not have afforded to stay in CA on my retirement and SS. I also had family nearby and have macular degeneration so I can get around by golf cart to any place I need to go. The drawback for me is the politics but if you are a Republican, it may not be a problem for you. Not sure if I can say that on here. There is also plenty to do here.

In my retirement age I don’t care about pol—— (that word can get time out here). Just love it how some people escape and then want turn it into where they left. IMO when retired pol—- last thing I’m worried about. But pol—— do’t weight on my mind 24-7.

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by Switter

I'm from Minnesota (a high tax state) and I feel property taxes here are a lot higher than I was expecting. I paid just over 300K for my house in The villages and my taxes will be about $5200 once I homestead. My place in Minnesota was worth about 450K and I paid about $5600. Gas is a lot cheaper but there are toll roads that you have to account for if you go to Orlando a lot.

My 2023 ad valorem taxes were less than $2300 for a $300,000 homesteaded house South of 466A. Are you paying Wildwood or Fruitland Park taxes too?

[shaw8700@outlook.com]

The HOA dues at my last home was about $5,300 a year, and they go up by 3% every year. That was with NOTHING to do unless you play golf. I’ll take $2,340, with everything to do thank you!

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by mraines

I lived in CA for 22 years but retired here in The Villages. I could not have afforded to stay in CA on my retirement and SS. I also had family nearby and have macular degeneration so I can get around by golf cart to any place I need to go. The drawback for me is the politics but if you are a Republican, it may not be a problem for you. Not sure if I can say that on here. There is also plenty to do here.

You must have missed this notice, which is on the top of every page on this forum...

"NO POLITICAL REFERENCES ARE ALLOWED ON THE WEBSITE."

Originally Posted by mraines

Really? You musn't get out much. Plenty of lunacy around here.

In the "FL lifestyle"?

If FL were to be so full of lunancy why would anyone stay in the state? People hating on the "FL lifestyle" are always FREE to - move about which includes leaving.

Some states seek to charge people to leave the state's lifestyle. Talk about lunacy. I bet a lot of people fled from that lifestyle in 2022 to come to the FL lifestyle.

Blessed to live in a lifestyle choice free state.

One day the BUBBLE is going to be so big it would seem it will encompass the state ( /s). Probably will be full of anti-Floridian lifestylers. That's when the lunacy in FL lifestyle would truly come in.

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

The HOA dues at my last home was about $5,300 a year, and they go up by 3% every year. That was with NOTHING to do unless you play golf. I’ll take $2,340, with everything to do thank you!

The HOA in TV is quite excellent... there ISN'T one.

Why would anyone live where there isn't anything to do?

There is a "lifestyle" fee. Yes, TV is quite reasonable too. People complain but they can find a better lifestyle somewhere else then.

[margaretmattson]

OP, your post stated you are newly retired. Maybe, you do not know the Villages has a website that includes available homes for sale with pictures and descriptions, info on cost of monthly expense, lifestyle visit information and more.

the villages.com

[OhioBuckeye]

Your taxes are $5,200., I paid $281,000. for our home & my taxes are $6,100. a yr. I live in Argyle, TX. Plus we get a senior discount! But in TV they were $4,400. a yr. $2,000. of that will disappear in 15 yrs. (I think)

[lorilorilori]

I sold my Bixby Hills (Long Beach) and Toluca Lake homes years ago to move to FL. So very glad I did. By the way, is California still part of the United States ???

Originally Posted by Danenew20242

Hello,
I am in California and just retired. I have found this unique place called "The Villages", so it sounds and looks very interesting, but I need your knowledge!

Is it really cheaper to live in The Villages or Fl in general? From the little I have been able to glean, there seems to be really no great monetary advantage, so why move there?

Thank you so very much for your time/efforts/comments and advice!!!!!

[MrFlorida]

You may not like the heat and humidity here, it's quite a bit different than California.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by MrFlorida

You may not like the heat and humidity here, it's quite a bit different than California.

Change ($$$$$$) in my pocket allows me to crank A/C down some.

[Kelevision]

Originally Posted by lorilorilori

I sold my Bixby Hills (Long Beach) and Toluca Lake homes years ago to move to FL. So very glad I did. By the way, is California still part of the United States ???

I was in Valley Village for about 30 years. The Trader Joe’s in Toluca Lake was my regular go to but I always dreaded that parking lot.

[Packer Fan]

Originally Posted by Switter

I'm from Minnesota (a high tax state) and I feel property taxes here are a lot higher than I was expecting. I paid just over 300K for my house in The villages and my taxes will be about $5200 once I homestead. My place in Minnesota was worth about 450K and I paid about $5600. Gas is a lot cheaper but there are toll roads that you have to account for if you go to Orlando a lot.

The bond on the house I bought was already paid and it had a new roof put on, so that made a big difference. If you're buying a pre-existing house, make sure to check the age of the roof. Your insurance company could force you to replace the roof once it reaches 15 to 20 years old.

I think the amenity fees are very reasonable. Less than $200 a month and I get access to golf, swimming, and hundreds of miles multimodal paths for riding bike. The cost of owning and maintaining a private swimming pool is probably about $100 a month or more if you have someone service it. The pools here are great, especially the sports pools.

You'll want to read the deed restrictions in the area(s) that you're looking at. They are available at Village Community Development Districts. It might not hurt to look at the deed restrictions for all the districts to get a general idea of what they contain. You can even check the cost of utilities for a property on this web site. All you need is an address, no login or anything. You can look at anyone's utilities.

If you find a pre-existing home, make sure there's nothing on the property that is in violation of the deed restrictions. You'll be responsible for bringing it into compliance, regardless of who own the house before you.

There is a guy named Rusty who has a YouTube channel about the villages that talks about a lot of this stuff. He's very helpful.

Good luck in your decision.

Nice post but something does not make sense to me. I have 2 rentals (designer homes) in TV, so no homestead and my taxes are WAY lower. One is worth about $450 and my taxes were $4100 last year (total including everything, bond is paid off), and the other is worth about $375 and I paid $3600 (not including the bond payment). Can I guess that you are in Lake or Marion county since your taxes are so high?

To the OP - buy in Sumter if you care about property taxes, and stay out of Wildwood or Fruitland park too if you can.

Either way, the taxes are WAY lower than in Wisconsin where I pay almost $5000 for a $275K condo a year....