looking to buy vacation home in Davenport ??(biargrove) what is it like? (apartment)

[wpooh]

I am looking to buy a villa and Davenport has some that look really nice (Briargove for example) but I just read up about that neighborhood and it doesn´t seem like the best area. We vacation all the time on Hotel Blvd and would like something close to Disney yet quiet. I´ve been living in a big city for 19 years now and I´m tired of it. Can anyone adivise on good areas?(I don´t want a condo as I´m living in an apartment)

Thanks

[annerk]

Just be careful, a lot of the short-term communities are dealing with massive foreclosure rates. This will lead to higher HOA fees as the still ahve a budget to meet, even if only half of the homes are contributing. Also the less people around, the easier it is for homes to be broken into and vandalized.

Also keep in mind all the other things you'll have to pay for over and above the mortgage, HOA, insurance, and taxes. Pool upkeep, lawn service, irrigation water, alarm monitoring, and a property management company to be your local contact if you don't have a local friend to leave a key with in case of emergency. You need to keep the a/c running even when the house is vacant or you run the risk of mold. You need to keep the pool filter running and pool serviced or it will become a swamp. You need to get the lawn treated for weeds and house treated for bugs. Those items can add up to many hundreds of dollars a month, even if you aren't in the home.

[wpooh]

Thanks!

[GloryB]

If I was thinking about buying a villa in the 'magical' area right now, I would consider going to a site like
VRBO® is Vacation Rentals By Owner (http://www.vrbo.com/ - broken link)
and sending out a few emails to current owners in the area to find out how rentals are going, what the costs are (as outlined by the above poster) and also find out what are the best deals around. There are also out of state and out of country owners who you can communicate with.

I think it's a great time to buy if you have the resources available. Even with the less desirable areas....most of the resort type areas are safe, gated and are just beautiful residences. I wouldn't go into it with fear and trepidation....but I would do some research so you can find the deal that is perfect for you at this time. Good luck to you and your family!!!! I LOVE this area!