[gcrisp]

During our last visit, we put down the required amount to hold a building site for one year. Even though a year is a long time, the anxiety of our house being on the market and not selling, is great. I know that spring and summer are better months for activity. The thought of losing the deposit is always in the back of our minds. Is anyone in the same "boat" so to speak?

[lincap]

Originally Posted by gcrisp

During our last visit, we put down the required amount to hold a building site for one year. Even though a year is a long time, the anxiety of our house being on the market and not selling, is great. I know that spring and summer are better months for activity. The thought of losing the deposit is always in the back of our minds. Is anyone in the same "boat" so to speak?

We also have put down a deposit and are in the process of deciding when to put our home on the market. It is scary to think that we could own two houses and be paying expenses for both. Losing a deposit is not what we want to do either. We are coming down in May to make selections. I have been told we make those selections with the realtor(???) I read somewhere that you were assigned a design person to help with selections, but the realtor has made no mention of that. We have a list of upgrades that we would like to get prices for. Does anyone know if your realtor can give you amounts on those upgrades? We have built 10 homes and always worked with a designer for selections, not the realtor. I realize I will be limited on choice but I am unsure on how this will work. Can anyone who has recently been thru the process shed some light.

[gcrisp]

Originally Posted by lincap

We also have put down a deposit and are in the process of deciding when to put our home on the market. It is scary to think that we could own two houses and be paying expenses for both. Losing a deposit is not what we want to do either. We are coming down in May to make selections. I have been told we make those selections with the realtor(???) I read somewhere that you were assigned a design person to help with selections, but the realtor has made no mention of that. We have a list of upgrades that we would like to get prices for. Does anyone know if your realtor can give you amounts on those upgrades? We have built 10 homes and always worked with a designer for selections, not the realtor. I realize I will be limited on choice but I am unsure on how this will work. Can anyone who has recently been thru the process shed some light.

We are building a cottage home (Seabreeze) and our Villages rep. told us the following;
* select the design that will fit on your lot with or without golf cart garage
* select cabinets, countertops, flooring, ouside exterior color, appliances, window treatments, ceiling fans, etc.

All options are computerized so you can select/deselect and the price will be altered accordingly. You can visit model centers to see all the selections in person. Each home design has a base price plus the lot which may have a premium added. Our lot did not have a premium such as corner, back-up to designer homes, cul-de-sac or golf course view. You have 12 months to decide to build on your lot, move to another lot or select another style home. Monies will be applied to all except pre-owned porperities. Hope this helps.

[pzjay]

Hi gcrisp & lincap, We will be in the same boat shortly - as soon as Sanibel lots are released. We will buy our lot remotely, if you can believe that. We looked at lots there before we left at the end of march and found several we're interested in. Our home will go on the market in May. I am optimistic now, but come 6 or 7 months and I'm sure our mood will change.

We have been to TV 3 times and have worked with the same agent. It is also my understanding that he will also be responsible for helping make choices for your home. Never talked about a separate designer. I know the Gardenia in the model center in the Beecher Path area has boards with samples of all your choices. You can then view these samples on a regular scale in various newly constructed homes. It's rather a limited way of doing things, but they can do it considering the homes they sell. The method obviously works for them and the customer has to adjust. These homes are customizable in the Villages way and not as we usually think of customizing a home.

Good luck to you both!

[pzjay]

We have to all think positively and look forward to our new life in TV!!!!

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by gcrisp

The thought of losing the deposit is always in the back of our minds. Is anyone in the same "boat" so to speak?

As mentioned, you can move the deposit at the end of the year time to a new lot. This can be done one time. But you don't need to pick the new lot right away. As long as you commit to build by the time TV closes out (4 years?).

[swimdawg]

Originally Posted by lincap

We also have put down a deposit and are in the process of deciding when to put our home on the market. It is scary to think that we could own two houses and be paying expenses for both. Losing a deposit is not what we want to do either. We are coming down in May to make selections. I have been told we make those selections with the realtor(???) I read somewhere that you were assigned a design person to help with selections, but the realtor has made no mention of that. We have a list of upgrades that we would like to get prices for. Does anyone know if your realtor can give you amounts on those upgrades? We have built 10 homes and always worked with a designer for selections, not the realtor. I realize I will be limited on choice but I am unsure on how this will work. Can anyone who has recently been thru the process shed some light.

-------------------------
My salesperson gave me print-out of my upgrade options. I keep on changing & adding upgrades $$$. She said when I come down to put my 20% down, I'll have an appointment with a Designer. Then the fun will begin. I have to hand it to TV owners....they are a well-oiled machine. I have friends who built in North Port and it took a year and a half to complete. Three months in TV and voila!....move in. Great!

[BookBarb]

My husband and i are planning to move to TV in early November. We are scheduled to meet with the design team in July. Can they really get homes built in 90 days? When we built before it was at least 6 months. We are so anxious to move to TV. Please say they can complete our home in 90 days!

[elevatorman]

We purchased in 09 and had the north house on sale for 9 months at the time. 7 days later CONTRACT. The rest is history, 2 years in TV this June.

[Jhooman]

We purchased a lot in Buttonwood last July. We retired in January, put our home on the market Jan. 15th and we are still waiting patiently for a wonderful buyer. We have until July to begin building in Buttonwood or return the lot and bank our deposit with The Villages. We love our lot, but if we don't sell, at least we have a choice for another lot. Saying all that, we are in a place called a "Holding Pattern". This holding pattern is very uncomfortable because we want to play with the big kids in The Villages. We want to be frogs, NOW.

However, I know all you folks have gone through this and you made it to Dizzyland. With this knowledge I can be a bit more patient, plus TV gives us so many options, because they understand the market.

Hang in there, keep visiting TOTV, it has a wealth of information and you will make wonderful pre-friends. We our taking this journey one day at a time, at least trying to be in the day.

Watch out folks here we come.

[Pturner]

Hi soon-to-be frogs,

I'm not familiar with the process as we purchased a resale in TV. But I'm responding to offer moral support. How many times have we all worried about something that didn't end up happening? Yep, we worried for naught. And we hate worrying, right? And worrying never got the job done, right?

On the other hand, say worse comes to worse and your house isn't sold in 12 months. Well, then you can start worrying-- although even then you have options besides loosing your deposit!

In the meantime there are plenty of productive and exciting things you can do to reduce the chances of not selling your house within a year. Price it to sell! (That's cheaper than losing your deposit, right?) Spruce it up. Use a highly recommended Realtor who has expertise in staging. Hold open houses.

And instead of worry, worry, worry-- dream, dream, dream! Sure, that's easier said than done. But it's more productive and makes more sense when you think about it.

So... dream on. Dream on. Dream until your dreams come true.


You've got the entire active membership of TOTV rooting for you!

Love and best wishes,
P

[billnterri]

We went through the process of selecting our home and options April 3 and 4. There is no design center. All selections are made by viewing several models with your realtor and selecting tile, cabinets, inside and outside lights, faucets, appliances, counter tops, etc.. Your exterior color will determine your outside lighting. We put our 20% down April 9 and our Lot was surveyed yesterday. Our closing date is June 23.
It is also my understanding that you can change your Lot once but that does not extend your one year committment to build.

[champion6]

We are sorta in the same boat, but one major step closer.

We put a deposit on a lot in Tamarind Grove in August 2010. We put our house on the market FSBO in late January and sold it in a week. We are sooo blessed!!!

I'm still working until October, so we are renting a 2BR 1BA duplex now. I call it our patio villa up north.

We will be down in June to select our options on a Sun Kissed, but we will have our rep hold the paperwork until August - unless TV offers some type of promotional discount before that. In October we will be FROGS!

Keep the faith. The cliche is true... it only takes one!

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by billnterri

It is also my understanding that you can change your Lot once but that does not extend your one year committment to build.

That would be a change in the policy. As I stated earlier you can put your deposit towards another lot as long as there are lots available.

BUT

once you pick another lot THEN you are committed to that new time frame and can not switch again.

That was the policy about 9 months ago when we did it. But things do change. Please verify with your agent.

[VillagesFlorida]

Originally Posted by BookBarb

My husband and i are planning to move to TV in early November. We are scheduled to meet with the design team in July. Can they really get homes built in 90 days? When we built before it was at least 6 months. We are so anxious to move to TV. Please say they can complete our home in 90 days!

I don't know how fast they can construct a home these days, but in 1998 when we had our courtyard villa built, it took 45 days to go from slab to completed home and closing. Back in those days we could choose a lot and order a customized villa, much as you can some of the higher-priced homes today. So, I would say that 90 days is not out of the question for your home to be completed. You have some exciting months ahead of you and the best years of your life are waiting for you here.