Help Me Understand The Real Estate Marketing Of The Villages (Ocala: HOA, how much)

[Raisinet]

I've been trying to review real estate listings for The Villages for a potential purchase, but I find it complicated at best. It almost seems like there's two sets of books on the available real estate. On one hand, there's the standard listings from Zillow and Realtor dot com, but then there's listings on another site TheVillages dot com. It's my understand that TheVillages dot com belongs to The Villages.


Now here's where things get weird. There's listings on TheVillages dot com that don't show up on Zillow or Realtor dot com. The listings on TheVillages dot com also give you very little information about the homes such as age and price history etc. It's frustrating to keep flipping back and forth to try and dig up the details on these homes. Weirder yet, the new construction homes listed on TheVillages dot com in many cases appear to be cheaper than the existing homes. These new construction homes also don't show up in Zillow or Realtor dot com.


All of this makes it really hard to get a handle on home valuations and how much flipping is going on in The Villages. I'm seeing lots of homes that were bought in the past year or two and have the price now jacked up $50k. Is this flipping? Has there really been that much appreciation? Are these homes actually valued more now than they were at the height of the bubble in 2006? Or are these just people bailing who are caught up in expenses like selling commissions?



Can anyone shed some light on this situation?

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by Raisinet

I've been trying to review real estate listings for The Villages for a potential purchase, but I find it complicated at best. It almost seems like there's two sets of books on the available real estate. On one hand, there's the standard listings from Zillow and Realtor dot com, but then there's listings on another site TheVillages dot com. It's my understand that TheVillages dot com belongs to The Villages.


Now here's where things get weird. There's listings on TheVillages dot com that don't show up on Zillow or Realtor dot com. The listings on TheVillages dot com also give you very little information about the homes such as age and price history etc. It's frustrating to keep flipping back and forth to try and dig up the details on these homes. Weirder yet, the new construction homes listed on TheVillages dot com in many cases appear to be cheaper than the existing homes. These new construction homes also don't show up in Zillow or Realtor dot com.


All of this makes it really hard to get a handle on home valuations and how much flipping is going on in The Villages. I'm seeing lots of homes that were bought in the past year or two and have the price now jacked up $50k. Is this flipping? Has there really been that much appreciation? Are these homes actually valued more now than they were at the height of the bubble in 2006? Or are these just people bailing who are caught up in expenses like selling commissions?



Can anyone shed some light on this situation?

Your best place to have these questions answered is here: https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/

[kmarc]

Since we moved here in the fall, I've watched housing prices go up dramatically in the retirement communities. I don't follow The Villages, but have seen some prices for homes there in the course of my research and I about coughed up a hairball. Ridiculous, in most cases. Especially since retirees, whether they realize it or not, are on very shaky ground unless they have a source of income that is independent of a pension or social security. And even then. The last few days there have been published reports of when the Social Security Trust Fund and the Medicare funds are going to run out. Not far off, and even that is probably optimistic.

One thing I've seen here that really bothers me is the lack of modest, concrete block homes at affordable prices for retirees that they have in other parts of the state. I'm talking block homes built in the 1960s and 70s. Yes, there are homes like that in Marion County. Just not in the retirement communities. If you're a retiree and want to purchase a modest home, your choices are mobile, modular or frame and siding/frame and stucco. I have to laugh when I see the asking prices for some of the frame and siding homes in one of the communities over by the Villages. And people are actually paying those prices! And I wonder if people would buy them if they could see what's between the drywall and the siding.

[logybogy]

The developers in the retirement communities have never been very concerned with quality homes and resale as much as building, building, building as fast as you can sell them.

If you look at the homes offered at the villages, design, materials, it's very poor value IMO. People pay the premium to live there because of the amenities and social aspect of the community with all the club's and organizations.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by logybogy

The developers in the retirement communities have never been very concerned with quality homes and resale as much as building, building, building as fast as you can sell them.

If you look at the homes offered at the villages, design, materials, it's very poor value IMO. People pay the premium to live there because of the amenities and social aspect of the community with all the club's and organizations.

Very true, at least in this area. There's one community off 200 that does have somewhat affordable, well built older concrete block homes, but I think they're affordable for a reason and that's because the developer retains an interest in the community and controls the common areas and the fees are rather high and can go up any time at whim.

My best advice to anyone choosing a retirement community and has to watch their pennies is to be very careful of those "amenity fees" where the developer is in control. From my perspective, the best situation is where owners control the HOA and the fees and are careful with the money. There are a few communities here that seem to have that situation, like Del Webb Spruce Creek, Marion Landing and Palm Cay. Reserves are important, too.

You are definitely right that in some of these places, you're paying for the community, and that makes for a higher price on the residence.

[wildcherry]

to shead some light on it for you. first you buy a house for say 250k then add 25k for a bond [ streets/water lines cart path ] now you add some things to your house , landscaping ,close in your porch say 10k add that to that to mix your at 285k .some people in the villages buy and sell 3 or 4 times.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by wildcherry

to shead some light on it for you. first you buy a house for say 250k then add 25k for a bond [ streets/water lines cart path ] now you add some things to your house , landscaping ,close in your porch say 10k add that to that to mix your at 285k .some people in the villages buy and sell 3 or 4 times.

Wow, selling three and four times. I presume making a profit each time and trading up? Or just changing villages?

[OpinionInOcala]

The Villages marketing is simple: It's Disney for geriatrics.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by OpinionInOcala

The Villages marketing is simple: It's Disney for geriatrics.

LOL! The impression I had of The Villages is that it's like a party college for older folks only without the classes.

[logybogy]

There were stories and national jokes years ago about how randy men were running wild because of all the single widowers at the villages causing a big problem with STD's.

Adult Disneyland is pretty on point!