Solvita 55+ community? (Tampa, Orlando, Plantation: sales, 2013, rental)

[Troyfan]

We looked around Tampa but it looks like the Orlando area is going to be it. Does anyone have any information about Solvita? HOA fees, property taxes (say on a $220,000 home), what it's like living there.

It looks very pretty, the houses and settings, the activities seem varied, like a good place overall and it's near the theme parks.

Are there any forums that residents use? Is it possible to rent there?

[BrokerHarry]

Yes, it is possible to find a rental in Solivita, although most homes are owner occupied.

We rented a nice cottage in Solivita for 4 months in 2013 while we had AV build our waterfront home in nearby Bellalago.

Solivita is especially nice for active retirees who like golf. My wife & I are more into biking, swimming, & boating...so we chose Bellalago, which is a sister community to Solivita.

The HOA fees are similar in both communities, & we feel they're well worth the price, considering all the amenities included, & the beautiful setting.

Property taxes run approx 1.5% of the sales price, & if it's your primary residence, there's a $50K homestead exemption for couples.

You'll find that homeowner's insurance is also substantially more reasonable than what it might cost in the Tampa area, due to wind mitigation discounts, being farther from the coast.

[annerk]

So what are the HOA fees and what do they include? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Troyfan]

Thank you, Broker! I did not know Bellalago was a sister community so I'll take at look there, too.

[Charlie&Rose]

Solivita still at the top of our list.....worried about sinkholes though. Love to hear from those living there. Still like it? Any sinkholes?

[eric51]

Originally Posted by marcandme

Solivita still at the top of our list.....worried about sinkholes though. Love to hear from those living there. Still like it? Any sinkholes?

No sinkholes in Solivita. Speaking with some residents who have been here for 10 years, there have been none.

We have been here for almost a year now. For us, we made the right choice to buy in Solivita. We did our homework before we purchased - both online and in person. Our journey started in 2013 and ended last year. DUring that time period, we visited The Villages, Arlington Ridge and Legacy and The Plantations of Leesburg in Leesburg. We also saw Dell Webb Orlando ( which is in Davenport) and Heritage Hills in Clermont. We even checked out Tennessee.

Solivita had the best floorplans to meet our needs. We also like the styles and construction. And the price was right! There is a village center along with two amenities centers with pools and another 12 pools within the community. Like most 55+ communities, Solivita is golf cart friendly. The HOA fees and maintenance fees are reasonable. We also have 3 restaurants that are pretty darn good and offer a wide variety of specials such as tapas night, steakhouse night, prime rib night every Saturday and others.

Solivita also has the lifestyle we were looking for. Each of the 3 times we visited, there were people out and about doing stuff. That was not the case with many other communities we visited. There are over 200 clubs to join. In addition the activities sponsored and put on by Lifestyles is amazing. We've done New Year's Eve in the village along with Cinco De Mayo and Mardi Gras. We have been to 4 concerts ( yes you have to purchase tickets), movie nights (with popcorn) and a few dances.

We have a neighborhood block party (the street we live on) two to three times a year. These are great fun and we got to know our new neighbors.

My advice - know what you are looking for/ want. Do you want a 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom or 4 bedroom house? Two car or three car (golf cart) garage? I highly recommend the 3 car! Are you going to want to put in a pool or extend the lanai will you have enough land space? If you golf, does the community have a golf course or courses with a pro shop and pros on staff? What is available outside of the community in terms of restaurants, entertainment, shopping. And obviously how much do you want to pay.

Understand, if you are interested in a community that is still building homes, you will get the sales pitch on how great everything and wonderful everything is. That's their job. Get a local realtor who knows the communities you are interested in to go with you. See resale homes in those communities. You can get more bang for your buck with a resale. That's what we did. Many communities offer a 3 day - 2 night package to stay in the community and get a feel for what its like to live there. Take advantage of it.

And finally, no community is perfect. Solivita was not in our top 3 communities originally. The reason was things like restaurants, shopping and entertainment were not right outside the door. But staying at different communities and seeing them with a realtor changed our view.

So go out there and enjoy the journey you are embarking on!