[Bhighley]

Welcome! We moved from Southlake part time last year and love it.

As you can see, everyone seems to have an opinion here. I lived here 9 months and still didn’t know the best place to be. I believe the stat is the most in the Villages wind up with three homes. What does that tell you? A month or even two months before you buy isn’t going to get you into the right home...

Good luck. I’d suggest starting south, most of the grumpy opinionated folks seem to live up north. Check out Edna’s and the area surrounding it. Edna’s is a little beer garden with food trucks and live music every day. Great place to meet people and see the type of folks you’ll be living around.


Best of luck!

[Hape2Bhr]

The Villages sold 800 homes last month. Don't know the mix but probably 50/50 new/used. Don't know how many are sold by MLS but I expect quite a few.

Well...that means MLS sold 3200 homes last month according to one of the above posters! Yikes!!!

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

The Villages agents make the same percentage selling new or used. Our Village agent, Jim McLaughlin, showed us resales when we decided we needed a bigger home. We ended up building. It was cheaper to build.

I am so tired of people saying mean stuff about the newest areas. Someone is always trying to bash the developer and someone is always trying to sell up MLS. No one has to push The Villages.... I love the way The Villages does business. Apparently so do a lot of people. Folks are lined up to buy here. P.S. I don't sell houses and I have never sold houses, but I love watching the market on homes.

I’m tired of people thinking the developers are the second coming. Cheaper to build. LOL.

[yanksansky]

Originally Posted by Tmarkwald

They can only sell the resales they have.

They cannot access nor sell any MLS listings.

Have a REAL agent in addition to the Villages agents. That will give you access to a LOT of additional and varied postings.

And NEW home can cost a LOT more than resales. Starting with the $30,000 bond, landscaping, etc. No squares to go to down there, etc etc.

To correct the statement about NO SQUARE, Sawgrass Grove is being built in Hawkins as we speak. Its expected to open in the fall of this year. We love living south of 44. Especially now that the bridges are open for easy access up to Brownwood square.

[Amohernyikes]

Originally Posted by LarryRCTexas

Hi Everyone!

I'm considering retiring and moving to The Villages. I currently live in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. I'm coming to The Villages May 20th - May 23rd.
I'm looking at homes - both new and used. Since I'm single, I don't need a large place to live. I like the floor plans of Colony, Austin, Corpus Christi, Cabot Cove, Ruby and Pearl.
I have a Villages Real Estate Agent who will be taking me around while I'm there.
Hopefully, I will be able to meet some of you while I'm in town.

Larry

Larry, I sent you private message.

[airstreamingypsy]

My observations, after 7 years. If you like trees, and don't like paying high fees, buy in one of the older areas, north of 466. The older sections are beautiful, the houses have shade and old granddaddy oaks. The new sections have been razed down to dirt, and palm trees sprinkled around. They have all the charm of Levittown.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by LarryRCTexas

Hi Everyone!

I'm considering retiring and moving to The Villages. I currently live in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. I'm coming to The Villages May 20th - May 23rd.
I'm looking at homes - both new and used. Since I'm single, I don't need a large place to live. I like the floor plans of Colony, Austin, Corpus Christi, Cabot Cove, Ruby and Pearl.
I have a Villages Real Estate Agent who will be taking me around while I'm there.
Hopefully, I will be able to meet some of you while I'm in town.

Larry

I'm not sure what you are expecting in reply. We do not know you. Your look around for three days? Imagine, if, I was to post, I'm thinking about retiring to Dallas and I have set aside three days.

I've been to Dallas two or three times. I am an ex-New Yorker. Wat do I remember?
I do not ever remember seeing so many pretty ladies in one place.

My view, you can be happy or miserable any where.

We came to the villages four times. Before buying. All went well. We have been here for 8-9 years. We are happy.

[Tmarkwald]

Originally Posted by airstreamingypsy

My observations, after 7 years. If you like trees, and don't like paying high fees, buy in one of the older areas, north of 466. The older sections are beautiful, the houses have shade and old granddaddy oaks. The new sections have been razed down to dirt, and palm trees sprinkled around. They have all the charm of Levittown.

Looking like a 'factory town' from the 50's

[jamorela]

I live in Virginia Trace and love it!

[ron32162]

It will take just a hour or so and the village sales person will say o by the way I have a brand new home same floor plan thats cost a little less want hurt anything to take a look. Then ask the sales person how much is the bond on the new ones.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by airstreamingypsy

My observations, after 7 years. If you like trees, and don't like paying high fees, buy in one of the older areas, north of 466. The older sections are beautiful, the houses have shade and old granddaddy oaks. The new sections have been razed down to dirt, and palm trees sprinkled around. They have all the charm of Levittown.

Awwww but just wait eighteen months. This is Florida. A small bush grows faster than lightning. Soon the owners of the newer homes will be thinking about removing trees and shrubs.

I have heard people afraid to leave their garbage on the curb, afraid it will take root. ; )

[txyaya]

Don't neglect looking at courtyard villas as well as houses. Get an MLS realtor too for greatest options. Once you are here, join us in the Texas Club and Dallas Cowboy Fans in TV. Good luck!

[lindaelane]

I bought through a Village Agent (Pete Laufersky). He helped me greatly when The Villages refused to trim a tree behind my home on Village land, which obscured the view of the lake behind my home - I bought, rented out for a year while finishing my job up north, then moved here and the tree overgrew. The view would not be there without Pete and his talking to people he know in village administration since they normally have a policy against trimming. (They let it through as long as I paid for it - I had offered to pay but they did not accept until Pete stepped in to negotiate on my behalf.)

So I found that buying from a Village Agent helped me because my relationship with the agent continued and he helps me at times when I need it in ways an MLS agent could not. He has also become a friend and advisor, though I do not contact him often so as to not take advantage.

[Gerrys]

Three days is not enough. Come and rent for a month or two. You won’t be sorry. Good luck.

[lonestar4ever@outlook.com]

We lived in Colleyville. .