[Lolabird]

Hello everyone,

My name is Lora. My husband Mark and I are headed to your beautiful community in February for the first time. We have been excited about our home buying / building process, and are planning on getting started when we arrive.

We have never built a home before, and I would appreciate any suggestions from those who know so much more than we do.

We have chosen a model (Anhinga), and will most likely choose a site near Waters Edge.

I would appreciate any suggestions as to what I should ask when we meet with the staff.

Such as:

1) types of finishes (flooring, cabinetry, countertops, roof, etc.)

2) insulation

3) gas vs electric

4) making changes or additions to the model - remove a wall, put washer / dryer in garage'
additional outlets

5) what does it mean exactly to "stretch" a floorplan?

6) location of lot to choose - noise level (I hear many people comment on this)

7) What does it mean when a floorplan has a C or F after its name?

Building vs. purchasing an existing home in other areas of the Villages.

Thank you all so much for your time and expertise. I have been perusing the forums, and you are all such a wealth of information. I look forward to your guidance!

Lora from RI

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

You'll get as many different opinions as there are people who post here. Here's mine:

Don't buy brand new, unless you're buying on an empty lot or tearing down an abandoned foreclosure in an established area. Reason: New areas are unproven. Landscaping isn't mature. I mean if you don't mind looking at nothing but houses and saplings for the next five years, I guess - okay? Zero shade trees for at least five years, because that's how long it takes for saplings to become shade trees.

Most stores aren't built yet. You might have to spend the next couple of years driving out of your area to pick up a quart of milk when you run low between grocery shopping.

Yes I know this is sinkhole country. But there are sinkholes caused by natural ground collapses, and sinkholes caused by overdevelopment, or poor workmanship, or lower standards for pipelaying. There have been more of these in the southern areas of The Villages than there have been in the northern areas. Regardless of what caused it, that's just how it is. The Historic section (east of 441 up north) has had maybe 3 little ones in the past five years. Nothing that closed down the whole street, none that have caused property damage, and none that had to divert traffic to road detours. All of them, to my knowledge, were limestone crumbling around sewer pipes in the road, causing 2-4-foot holes that could be repaired in a day.

Personally, if you want a newISH home, you might be better off closer to 466A. Another upside to that, is that while someone else has been owning the home, they've also been paying the bond. So your responsibility for the balance of the bond will be much lower, than buying a new-construction home in the south. SIGNIFICANTLY lower, since the bond fees have gone up over the years. Paying off a $8,000 bond balance vs. paying a new $25,000 bond is a big deal, and the bond is NOT included in the listing price of the home.

On the Historic side, there is no bond, and never was any bond, because it was originally a trailer park and the county can't impose a bond on a developer for rolling in a mobile home and putting it down on cinderblocks. But MOST of those old mobile homes are gone, replaced by luxury double-wides, and some site-build (constructed) homes. There are also a couple of empty lots for sale. Landscaping is mature, traffic is minimal, one of the pools has a jacuzzi hot tub, there are rolling hills so it's not all flat, we do have "standards" for how our property has to look but mostly it's just "neat and tidy" and well maintained, and you can still give it your own personal touch with lawn ornaments and what not. Ours is a very walkable area, even though there are no MMPs or sidewalks except right in front of the rec centers and at Paradise Park. Every store you need/want is within 5 minutes by golf cart, the hospital is across the street, the fire department is next door to the rec center. Two exec golf courses, 1 country club with a restaurant and an 18 hole golf course, two community pools, one family pool, one country club pool (with a waterfall and a jacuzzi), two rec centers, a dog park, archery range, softball fields - no "kissing lanais" or cookie-cutter houses, that's all my idea of a Florida paradise.

[LuvtheVillages]

5) what does it mean exactly to "stretch" a floorplan?

It means that the standard floorplan has been extended to create more room. Perhaps an additional 2 feet, perhaps 4 feet. It makes the rooms larger, or the garage larger, or the lanai larger. You can extend to the side, to the rear, or (garage) to the front.

Doing this requires a lot that can fit the larger size home.

Our homes are short of storage space because there is no basement. Attic storage is limited because of the extreme heat. So adding square footage in your home or garage is valuable. And not just for storage, also for more living space.

[jimhoward]

I'll give a few suggestions for whatever they are worth. It's all personal preference so discount offered opinions appropriately.

1. If you are building, then pick a floor plan with 2-car plus a golf cart garage. You want the biggest garage you can affordably get. There is little storage besides the garage in villages homes. Plus, if you get a golf cart, which you probably will, it is convenient to store it in its own garage.

2. Pick your lot very carefully.

The houses are right on top of each other in the villages. Designer homes have no walls between so neighbors are pretty much right there. If you are not careful, you can get "kissing lanais" which are neighboring lanais that look right into each other. You have to consider where the other houses around you sit....if that is yet established. Choosing a corner lot, or one that backs to a wall of some sort, minimizes those risks.

Ideally you want a north-facing lanai, that will keep the lanai shaded, although it may make the garage hotter.

If you go for a view lot, that is great, but it is expensive.

3. Take a tour of some spec houses with floor plans similar to yours. As of today they have at least one Anhinga for sale in Moultrie Creek. You can see you houses sit on the lots, and you can see the floor plan and the finishes. That way you can decide on what you want more easily.

[Bay Kid]

Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages

5) what does it mean exactly to "stretch" a floorplan?

It means that the standard floorplan has been extended to create more room. Perhaps an additional 2 feet, perhaps 4 feet. It makes the rooms larger, or the garage larger, or the lanai larger. You can extend to the side, to the rear, or (garage) to the front.

Doing this requires a lot that can fit the larger size home.

Our homes are short of storage space because there is no basement. Attic storage is limited because of the extreme heat. So adding square footage in your home or garage is valuable. And not just for storage, also for more living space.

I remember the agent on my 1st home telling me I have a stretch 2 car garage. I told them that is a stretch to call that a 2 car garage! My home now has a real 2 car garage.

None of my business but I would at least look around at existing homes. Lots of advantages, LOCATION, bonds, value, etc.

[opinionist]

Building a house takes a long time, and the wait is not necessary if a house that meets your needs is available. Decide what you want in a home and ask a realtor what is available. The turnover rate is such that the market of available homes should meet your needs. There are three general grades of homes. Manufactured, stick-built, and block houses increasing in price in that order. I myself, prefer the stick-built, but that is a personal decision based on available funds.
Location is important depending on your needs. I myself, prefer the northern end because of the greenery. Lake frontage or golf course frontage can give a sense of being in nature even if the houses next to you are 15 feet away. I never liked the thought of having my backyard view being someone else's backyard. I prefer to avoid carpet because something like wood laminate is easier to keep clean. If you want garage parking for two full-size cars, make sure your garage is big enough. I have a two-car garage with an adjacent golf cart garage and that assures plenty of room in the garage. A golf cart is optional, but some people like the feel of golf cart travel.
Noise level can be a concern, but some people like to be close to the action in the squares. If you like quiet, then a location away from main roads may be for you. The lanai is important if you like the feel of being outdoors without the bugs. The lanai can be screened in or weather-sealed for year-round use. I prefer weather-sealed with maximum windows and a mini-split thermal control system.

[CrazyTiki]

Hi Lora and Mark,

We are Ed and Keely and are moving to Shady Brook next to the Waters Edge next week. Instead of buying a spec home, we bought a corner lot with no other homes behind us. We did not need tons of living space since for us we prefered to spend our money having a good time rather than having a huge house again. My wife wanted a big kitchen so we decided on a Hidden Cove cottage home.

We stretched the front porch, lanai and patio as much as they would allow since those are the things that you want done while the home is being built. We decided to do upgrades later ourselves. We also decided to buy our own washer and dryer instead of what TV was offering.

Good luck!

[Dusty_Star]

I too would recommend buying an existing home in a newish area. That would be likely north of 44 & south of 466A. If you choose carefully you can get a house with many upgrades you would like to have. It is all personal choice of course, but some upgrades might be granite counter tops, upgraded faucets, a glass enclosed lanai, with a minisplit air conditioner, sun/privacy shades, upgraded flooring, & upgraded ceiling fans. Additionally it is probably painted inside, which is an upgrade from the builder grade paint. You might find a house with lovely landscaping already in place. As others have previously mentioned, you might be able to find a house without a kissing lanai (I did) & if your budget affords it, a golf cart garage is nice to have. If you choose the area I mentioned you will be close to all sorts of amenities, & shopping, entertainment, & medical services. Contrary to popular belief, there are a mix of ages & lots of socializing.

I do disagree with one of the previous posters who suggested getting a northern facing lanai. I would suggest exactly the opposite. The reason being the majority of windows in the house are in the back. If you get a southern exposure front, it will be like living in a cave. The southern/western exposure windows at the back can be ameliorated by: enclosing the lanai with double paned glass, installing sun shades, installing heat blocking curtains on other windows that allow you to regulate the heat & light, installing a mini split & so on.
Yet another poster suggested looking at the bonds - this is important. Ask your real estate agent for the bond on every house/lot you are considering. If you are looking at a preowned house the remaining bond & the payments can be found online & I will be happy to explain how to find them in another post.

Good Luck & welcome to the Villages!

[Spartan86]

Originally Posted by Lolabird

Hello everyone,

My name is Lora. My husband Mark and I are headed to your beautiful community in February for the first time. We have been excited about our home buying / building process, and are planning on getting started when we arrive.

We have never built a home before, and I would appreciate any suggestions from those who know so much more than we do.

We have chosen a model (Anhinga), and will most likely choose a site near Waters Edge.

I would appreciate any suggestions as to what I should ask when we meet with the staff.

Such as:

1) types of finishes (flooring, cabinetry, countertops, roof, etc.)

2) insulation

3) gas vs electric

4) making changes or additions to the model - remove a wall, put washer / dryer in garage'
additional outlets

5) what does it mean exactly to "stretch" a floorplan?

6) location of lot to choose - noise level (I hear many people comment on this)

7) What does it mean when a floorplan has a C or F after its name?

Building vs. purchasing an existing home in other areas of the Villages.

Thank you all so much for your time and expertise. I have been perusing the forums, and you are all such a wealth of information. I look forward to your guidance!

Lora from RI

Welcome Lora and Mark

4) With “tilt wall” construction I do not think you will have much leeway on wall position etc. AFAIK new construction change orders are very limited - my impression chatting with husband/wife Villages realtors.
7) I believe that would be differing facades/elevations. We live in a Zinnia and within a few streets there are two others that look significantly different from the street.

DYODD, I’m just a happy neighbor ������

[Lolabird]

Wow! You are all so helpful!

Keep 'em coming! I'm taking notes.....

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by Lolabird

Wow! You are all so helpful!

Keep 'em coming! I'm taking notes.....

Thank you. Looking forward to meeting you & Mark. Please ask any follow-up questions you like.

[ThirdOfFive]

I will echo post #8. You might want to consider a new(ish) home in an established neighborhood for a couple of reasons:

First, there have been rumors (as well as discussions on this forum if memory serves) from people purchasing new homes, that the finished product is not built to the level of quality of homes built previously. Things like windows leaking in the rain, water coming up around or through the slab the home is built on and leaking under the flooring, cabinets installed improperly, cabinets installed incorrectly leading to cabinet drawers and doors not closing as they should, things like that; as well as using materials inferior to that of previously built homes. I know of only one first-person report (windows leaking), and in fairness new homes, as I understand it, are under warranty so any (?) problems would be corrected.

Second, moving to a home a few years old in an established neighborhood gives you two advantages. First is the assumption (not always correct) that the original bugs have been worked out, so any problems associated with the original build have been corrected. Second is that you'd get to meet and talk with a few of the neighbors about the neighborhood in question, problems they may know of about the house, etc. etc.

Whichever you decide to do...Welcome! I hope you'll find TV as wonderful as we did. Going on five years now and NO regrets.

[Marathon Man]

We are on our third home. It is our first new construction home. We love it. We are in Shady Brook. Every area in The Villages has its advantages and disadvantages. If you want to design a new home, you will be down here. Water's Edge is being built now. Bets of luck.

[Lolabird]

Is it fair to assume that the "newer neighborhoods" are in the southern sections?

We are 60 years old. Can you recommend a neighborhood that fits your description - a bit more established, homes that a few years old, landscaped. etc.

Dusty Star and Orange Blossom Baby mentioned " "north of 44 & south of 466A. "

Could you please offer some village names in that area so that I may look at a map?

Again, many thanks to all!

Lora

[Kelevision]

Originally Posted by jimhoward

I'll give a few suggestions for whatever they are worth. It's all personal preference so discount offered opinions appropriately.

1. If you are building, then pick a floor plan with 2-car plus a golf cart garage. You want the biggest garage you can affordably get. There is little storage besides the garage in villages homes. Plus, if you get a golf cart, which you probably will, it is convenient to store it in its own garage.

2. Pick your lot very carefully.

The houses are right on top of each other in the villages. Designer homes have no walls between so neighbors are pretty much right there. If you are not careful, you can get "kissing lanais" which are neighboring lanais that look right into each other. You have to consider where the other houses around you sit....if that is yet established. Choosing a corner lot, or one that backs to a wall of some sort, minimizes those risks.

Ideally you want a north-facing lanai, that will keep the lanai shaded, although it may make the garage hotter.

If you go for a view lot, that is great, but it is expensive.

3. Take a tour of some spec houses with floor plans similar to yours. As of today they have at least one Anhinga for sale in Moultrie Creek. You can see you houses sit on the lots, and you can see the floor plan and the finishes. That way you can decide on what you want more easily.

In my opinion, this is really the only person to answer your question and they did a good job. It’s all personal preference but all these are good suggestions. I bought new, didn’t build and have had zero issues. None whatsoever. Build what YOU want, not what someone else decided to sell.