[OrangeBlossomBaby]

We've found what might possibly become our home. Our "host" from our Lifestyle visit this past year will be getting back to us about it today and if all our ducks are in a row, we'll be making an offer.

One of those ducks is the community standards/deed restrictions. I like a certain amount of conformity, I appreciate things not being so "whimsical" that they're an eyesore to the whole neighborhood, or offensive. But I like at least some amount of creative freedom (such as maybe a 6" ceramic garden gnome in the garden up against the dwelling, or a tasteful-looking birdbath surrounded by greenery and neatly edged, or some pretty potted plant in a colorful hand-glazed ceramic pot on the front stoop).

My question then, is how do I find the restrictions for the exact specific property I want to know more about? I won't put in an offer before I can even see what's allowed and what isn't.

I know I can go to the Deed Restrictions page for Lake County (that's where it is) but all these restrictions are by unit number. I don't have any unit number on the Homefinder listing, just an actual street address. Where do I find what I'm looking for?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

We've found what might possibly become our home. Our "host" from our Lifestyle visit this past year will be getting back to us about it today and if all our ducks are in a row, we'll be making an offer.

One of those ducks is the community standards/deed restrictions. I like a certain amount of conformity, I appreciate things not being so "whimsical" that they're an eyesore to the whole neighborhood, or offensive. But I like at least some amount of creative freedom (such as maybe a 6" ceramic garden gnome in the garden up against the dwelling, or a tasteful-looking birdbath surrounded by greenery and neatly edged, or some pretty potted plant in a colorful hand-glazed ceramic pot on the front stoop).

My question then, is how do I find the restrictions for the exact specific property I want to know more about? I won't put in an offer before I can even see what's allowed and what isn't.

I know I can go to the Deed Restrictions page for Lake County (that's where it is) but all these restrictions are by unit number. I don't have any unit number on the Homefinder listing, just an actual street address. Where do I find what I'm looking for?

call the listing agent and get the unit & lot number.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Wow I found the answer in a different section of the standards website. There are NO restrictions for lawn ornaments in the Lady Lake-Lake County section. This is actually disappointing, I'm one of those who agree that the bent-over bloomer ladies and the tacky plastic pink flamingos are a bit much. But I guess I could live with that, if it meant I could put a garden gnome in the front garden.

It brings me to another question regarding the deed restrictions though. I'm looking into the Orange Blossoms area, up near Schwartz Blvd at the northern end of the Villages. The property is a manufactured, in what appears to be excellent condition. The laundry room is a separate part of the property; you have to leave your house to get through the double doors into what is actually just an attached shack.

The deed restrictions prohibit window air conditioners and requires central air. The central air doesn't hook up to that outdoor, un-insulated shack area. And that shack has a window. Is a window air conditioner permitted in that spot, since it's not really part of the living space? I imagine doing the laundry in there when it's 90° on a rainy day can't be comfortable if you can't open the window and the double doors without getting soaked by the rain.

Where would I find this information, on whether or not the external, uninsulated, "not under heat" laundry room/workshop falls within the prohibited area?

[Bogie Shooter]

VCDD Community Standards

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

Wow I found the answer in a different section of the standards website. There are NO restrictions for lawn ornaments in the Lady Lake-Lake County section. This is actually disappointing, I'm one of those who agree that the bent-over bloomer ladies and the tacky plastic pink flamingos are a bit much. But I guess I could live with that, if it meant I could put a garden gnome in the front garden.

It brings me to another question regarding the deed restrictions though. I'm looking into the Orange Blossoms area, up near Schwartz Blvd at the northern end of the Villages. The property is a manufactured, in what appears to be excellent condition. The laundry room is a separate part of the property; you have to leave your house to get through the double doors into what is actually just an attached shack.

The deed restrictions prohibit window air conditioners and requires central air. The central air doesn't hook up to that outdoor, un-insulated shack area. And that shack has a window. Is a window air conditioner permitted in that spot, since it's not really part of the living space? I imagine doing the laundry in there when it's 90° on a rainy day can't be comfortable if you can't open the window and the double doors without getting soaked by the rain.

Where would I find this information, on whether or not the external, uninsulated, "not under heat" laundry room/workshop falls within the prohibited area?

Orange Blossom Hills, Silver Lake and Country Club Hills all in the original areas have far fewer restrictions but, window air conditioners are not permitted.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

VCDD Community Standards

Very good, you followed what I was saying that I already found. Now if you could kindly show me where on that website I can find out about that "external laundry area" I was asking about, that'd be spiffy. And helpful. It might even help other people besides myself, who are wondering the same thing, but hadn't asked yet.

[anothersteve]

If you really need AC there you could get a stand alone AC unit and duct it outside.
Steve

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

Very good, you followed what I was saying that I already found. Now if you could kindly show me where on that website I can find out about that "external laundry area" I was asking about, that'd be spiffy. And helpful. It might even help other people besides myself, who are wondering the same thing, but hadn't asked yet.

Community Standards
Phone: 352-751-3912
You will have to make the call yourself.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by anothersteve

If you really need AC there you could get a stand alone AC unit and duct it outside.
Steve

Hm, we have a portable one on wheels we could stick under the window. We have that for our current home, which was built in 1958 and has no central air conditioning. We had to board up the window and put a hole in the board so that the duct would fit through it. Incredibly unattractive and I never would have considered doing that to a home in the Villages.

But sure I suppose I could. Maybe paint the board so it's not so unattractive. The window is in the back of the shack so at least the neighbors wouldn't have to look at it.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

Hm, we have a portable one on wheels we could stick under the window. We have that for our current home, which was built in 1958 and has no central air conditioning. We had to board up the window and put a hole in the board so that the duct would fit through it. Incredibly unattractive and I never would have considered doing that to a home in the Villages.

But sure I suppose I could. Maybe paint the board so it's not so unattractive. The window is in the back of the shack so at least the neighbors wouldn't have to look at it.

You aren't allowed to modify your home like that without permission from the Architectural Review Committee.

You have mentioned that you don't want to move here but your husband does. I think we are not the cause of a lot of your frustration.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

Hm, we have a portable one on wheels we could stick under the window. We have that for our current home, which was built in 1958 and has no central air conditioning. We had to board up the window and put a hole in the board so that the duct would fit through it. Incredibly unattractive and I never would have considered doing that to a home in the Villages.

But sure I suppose I could. Maybe paint the board so it's not so unattractive. The window is in the back of the shack so at least the neighbors wouldn't have to look at it.

There are no shacks on the Historical Side of TV.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

There are no shacks on the Historical Side of TV.

I don't know what this attached structure is called. As I mentioned in two other posts, I'm calling it a shack. Or an attached shack. Or a laundry area. Or a room with 3 walls, double doors, and a window. An exterior room with no access from the actual house. A structure that shares one wall with the house, that you have to leave the house in order to enter. The place where trailer park homeowners do their laundry. A workshop with its own entrance.

Whatever you want to call it, it's that thing. If you want to nitpick over a word, then provide the correct word. I don't know what that thing is called.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

This is the "room" I refer to (though this isn't the home we're looking at): Homefinder - The Villages(R) Homes and Villas for Sale - opposite that window is a door that leads out to the car port. There are two steps in the carport to the actual manufactured house, but the room itself is not insulated, is not a finished room, has no ductwork leading to the main house, and has no way of getting into it, beyond that door leading directly to the carport.

[queasy27]

Many of the manufactured homes have a shed attached to and at the end of the carport. Residents need to exit their houses in order to access it. The door has a lock. There is no air conditioning in the shed but it's no different than having a washer/dryer in a garage as far as the temperature is concerned. I don't know everyone on the historic side, but none of my neighbors or I when I lived there considered air conditioning the laundry shed. The dryer is vented to the outside so it doesn't get any hotter than it usually is. There's usually a louvered window for some outside air circulation.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by queasy27

Many of the manufactured homes have a shed attached to and at the end of the carport. Residents need to exit their houses in order to access it. The door has a lock. There is no air conditioning in the shed but it's no different than having a washer/dryer in a garage as far as the temperature is concerned. I don't know everyone on the historic side, but none of my neighbors or I when I lived there considered air conditioning the laundry shed. The dryer is vented to the outside so it doesn't get any hotter than it usually is. There's usually a louvered window for some outside air circulation.

Thank you - that is exactly what I'm talking about! I've seen some people use this shed/shack/room/whatever not just for laundry, but also as a workshed for things like woodworking projects. Do you know if these sheds can be "finished?' By that I mean insulated and some sort of vent leading from the house to the shed to allow for air conditioning to get in there?

I'd actually wondered about the garages in the designer home and the CYV and Patio Villa we've stayed in, in the past - some of them were spacious enough to have workshops in them, but they were horrendously hot. I'd wondered if they had AC and it just wasn't used, or if they didn't have them at all.