[Papa_lecki]

Originally Posted by Normal

New appearance and emotional attachment to a home only lasts so long, but the house needs little maintenance if you buy new. My question is why even buy? Rent for a while, house prices are almost at their implosion point in the market. Pick something up for 20% less in six months?

Or, in january, interest rates drop and prices don’t drop

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by daldredge

Go to the area where you enjoy your surroundings, the “atmosphere.” We don’t own there but have been renting for years. We always rent in the Lake Sumter area bc we love the beauty of the mature trees and other vegetation. Spanish Springs is lovely too. Last year we took a tour south of Brownwood and it was like a different world. I’m sure you have or will see what I am talking about.You will make friends wherever you settle.

Not necessarily. I know of two people who have been run out of their neighborhood in The Villages, one was in the historic area and she moved to the very north part. The other one, actually a couple, was in the north west area of the Villages and that family moved to Mallory. I think it was how they treated their dogs because we saw it at Mallory too. But ours is a different neighborhood and after months of “gentle nudging” by neighbors they started to fit in. Everyone’s back to being content again. They are now invited to all the socials etc.

[sdeikenberry]

North of 466, and to some extent north of 466A, there is no bond to worry about on the property. Def south of 44 all homes have bonds to pay also, plus you'll either be in Wildwood or Lady Lake jurisdiction and have to pay city tax in addition to county tax. Amenities like shopping, grocery, and restaurants will be slow to come way south because entities wait until there is sufficient population to support them investing themselves. The amenities like golf, rec centers, etc., will be in place when they start selling homes. If you want mature landscaping and areas with good growth of community landscaping you'll want to consider north of 44. South you'll have far less large mature landscaping and a lot of new homes will have very basic landscaping, which will be an additional cost to you if you want to upgrade. I live near Spanish Springs and have every shopping entity I need within a 10 minute golf cart ride, with grocery, pharmacy, and restaurants within 3-4 mins by golf cart. You'll find the majority of golf courses north of 44 also if golf is a strong interest of yours. Same for entertainment venues. The reason to move south is because you just want a new home...otherwise consider looking in the more mature areas north of 466A. As far as meeting people and gaining friends, I think anywhere you move in The Villages you'll find people you can associate with...we're all very friendly here for the most part.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

Or, in january, interest rates drop and prices don’t drop

For sure drops can happen either way. Home price drops could be gradual in a month or two. An interest rate cut by the Fed could be immediate or next Spring.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Wow that is some crystal ball you must have. Can you also predict the weather?

Moodys housing market analytics, integration of FRED stats, inventory and the compressed aggregation of US Treasury bills vs Fed lending rates with broader payroll data all help model pricing moves.

Anyone that tells you the market is going to be better in six months is a liar. Note Tampa and the Miami Lauderdale market problems. Other negative impacts on our Florida market are the condo and insurance issues.

It ain’t gettin any sweeter anytime soon.

Maybe you should buy right now? I’ll bet almost all say ,”NO”

In fact EVERYONE’S crystal ball should say,”Now is not the time to sell or buy..”

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Tommyboy9, I doubt anyone can answer your question, however think what is important to you and what type of house you are interested in. Then contact both Villages sales agents and MLS agents and see what they have to offer. If you find a home you like go for it. As for meeting people, there are so many activities that you can easily be overwhelmed, so pick a few that you really like and see what develops.

Totally agree with this post. Others can only offer suggestions, but bottom line, only you can really decide. Existing homes have many advantages (just had dinner with a real estate agent friend last week who related the enormous cost of bonds on the new homes, but to many this is of no concern). We found a new home had a long list of expenditures that are not always considered, just small things like additional shelving, knee walls or enclosed lanai's, driveway additions, landscaping over and above the minimum of a new model, and much more. Some will advise a new home in a new village for neighbor's of similar age; but that is often misleading too. Many existing homes in older neighborhoods have changed metrics, plus, NEVER buy a home due to the neighbors/neighborhood, can change totally in a matter of months. Go with the "when I see it I'll know it's the one for me". So many groups and activities for socializing, I'd advise you not rely on that as a major variable, go more on your interests: travel, golf, scuba, tennis, photography, ballroom dance, or softball to name a TINY few. Changes are your social life will revolve around your interests not your address, but by posting you will certainly get enough replies to confuse you...LOL !

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

Totally agree with this post. Others can only offer suggestions, but bottom line, only you can really decide. Existing homes have many advantages (just had dinner with a real estate agent friend last week who related the enormous cost of bonds on the new homes, but to many this is of no concern). We found a new home had a long list of expenditures that are not always considered, just small things like additional shelving, knee walls or enclosed lanai's, driveway additions, landscaping over and above the minimum of a new model, and much more. Some will advise a new home in a new village for neighbor's of similar age; but that is often misleading too. Many existing homes in older neighborhoods have changed metrics, plus, NEVER buy a home due to the neighbors/neighborhood, can change totally in a matter of months. Go with the "when I see it I'll know it's the one for me". So many groups and activities for socializing, I'd advise you not rely on that as a major variable, go more on your interests: travel, golf, scuba, tennis, photography, ballroom dance, or softball to name a TINY few. Changes are your social life will revolve around your interests not your address, but by posting you will certainly get enough replies to confuse you...LOL !

You know that I disagree. The person who will give you a ride if you need it to the bus depot is not going to be the guy you played water volleyball with. It’s going to be the lady next door. The person who lends you a part to your AC in an emergency is not going to be your pickle ball buddy, but the guy across the street. The person who brings you the AED should something happen, my husband needed it at age 62 when he had never had any health issues to that day, is going to be the closest neighbor who has one. And so on. A few neighbors may change but not your whole street in your life time.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Normal

Moodys housing market analytics, integration of FRED stats, inventory and the compressed aggregation of US Treasury bills vs Fed lending rates with broader payroll data all help model pricing moves.

Anyone that tells you the market is going to be better in six months is a liar. Note Tampa and the Miami Lauderdale market problems. Other negative impacts on our Florida market are the condo and insurance issues.

It ain’t gettin any sweeter anytime soon.

Maybe you should buy right now? I’ll bet almost all say ,”NO”

In fact EVERYONE’S crystal ball should say,”Now is not the time to sell or buy..”

I can see housing prices drop some more but not as much as your prediction. Happy in house and see no reason to buy another one

[END OTT]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Good Luck with some of the following posts.

I noticed that no one mention location of Orlando or the Orlando airport. probably 20-25 miles closer south of 44 or Warm Springs

[Oneiric]

You will easily make numerous friends in The Villages wherever you live. More important that you like your house and its location, the older areas being closer to businesses which you will use. Since you are in your 50's, you may be able to wait the 10+ years for major stores below the turnpike. It took 5 years just to get a gas station at Magnolia Plaza.

[Altavia]

Plenty of good, fun people here. Everybody has an interesting life story.

Suggest to be careful building your social circle around neighbors.

I've seen several instances where the entire neighborhood were good buddies, then some start getting too much in your business, feelings get hurt, things get nasty and people have to move.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

First rent for a month or more and decide what is best for you as you explore this place.

Conventional wisdom is buy new and your neighbors are your friends as all are looking to make friends.

Buy a resale and not so easy to make friends but do what we did and join lots of clubs and now we go out more evenings than we have ever done before.

I'll be your friend, Stu...

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

Not our experience. We bought re-sale, are youngest in the neighboorhood by 10 to 15 years, and made great friends with our neighbors.

While not the same age difference, we also had no problems making friends in our (re-sale) home...

Of course, it's my wife who is the social director, so she meets our new neighbors first (probably a good thing...)

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by huge-pigeons

Just the opposite, so much better living south of 44 for many many reasons. Since you are in your 50’s, you will find more people in your age range south of 44 than the other areas combined. Somebody did some statistics on this over a year ago.
Why would you want to move to the north where the houses are old, outdated, no natural gas, horrendous traffic, just to move to shopping? How often are you going to Best Buy or target? Once every 6 months? 441 has been a terrible area to drive thru for years now.
I know people that have moved to an established area and were treated like outcasts because of existing clicks that have been established. They moved to a brand new area where everybody else was looking for friends and had no existing groups.
Where we live, we have around 50-60 pickleball courts in a couple mile radius, where we play 95% of the time. We belong to many different pb groups, card groups, and other sport groups down south of 44. Now with Bexley bridge open and golf cart paths open to go to any of the southern golf courses in a few minutes, along with TV building 5 or 6 more golf courses down there, the need to go up north is waning

So much incorrect information in that post...

But let the North/South bashing begin!

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

You make good points. However, I know several still-working couples who have purchased in new developments, where everyone is new, and there is definitely a tendency for all these new people to make new neighborhood friends and throw get-togethers in a way I haven’t seen elsewhere. They may have twenty or thirty people show up. They borrow tools from each other and help each other with repairs. I’m shy, single, and divorced, and I have no neighborhood friends at all. Even in new neighborhoods, some couples are leery of single guy neighbors. I have lots of acquaintances I see at rec centers, but we don’t get together elsewhere. It’s nice to have some human contact, though.

We have those same block parties monthly in my village just north of 44... My neighbor across the street and another down the street have loaned me tools and offered to help with my DYI projects...

People are people where ever you go...