Are The Villages Too Expensive?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
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Jerry and Linda discuss actual Bill's and expenses from their first year in the Villages. Electric, gas, sewer, water, garbage expenses, property taxes, and more are discussed.
We would like to thank everyone for watching our videos.
“See you when you get here!”
Mailing address:
Newcomers
P.O.Box 888
Fruitland Park, FL 34731
All information and opinions in our videos are ours alone and not guaranteed as accurate. We are not endorsed by nor paid by The Villages, Florida. We are just trying to share answers to questions we had when we were trying to decide if moving here was for us.
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My Wife and I move to Florida from Texas. I was born and raised in Texas and had a business career in Texas but Florida has given us a level of happiness we could not have found anywhere else. I'm now a Flatlander and proud of it.
I must say, I really like your videos. I find them both informative and enjoyable. You are such a nice couple and so wonderfully kind and forthcoming with your opinions without being critical. I love that.
Very informative video! Thank you! What a difference an hour drive will make! I’m in Orlando in Hunter’s Creek. Electric is $500+, water averages $66+, taxes around $3,000, $75 monthly for grass maintenance, $90 for pool care. Average food bill $500+ for three people (Publix), approx. $400 for HOA yearly (no pool or anything close to what is offered by TV). TV is a bargain compared to Orlando!
Thank you! So informative. We are preparing to come down next year. We recently came down for a visit and loved it. Hope we run into you when we move there. Thanks again 😊
Great video & thanks for your honest information & even showing your bills was very helpful to hear & see. So happy you said your quality of life is so much better that is very important!! Enjoy you week.
We really appreciate the time you put into these videos, are considering moving there and appreciate what you’re doing. 😊
Florida HOA are very powerful, be careful. If the facilities and common area are new your expenses are less. But as the property ages re-work is necessary. For example, to re-do 40 swimming pools and Clubhouses you would be assessed your proportional cost. 18 Golf courses maintenace is expensive. Roads are private re-paving 1 mile with half inch asphalt. I moved to a gated community was on HOA board Hurricane hit $15,000 in common area cleanup. They have the power to lien property if any assessment is not paid. One board member was taking kickbacks from lawn company. A condo in the 90's Tiara on the beach was destroyed by hurricane. Condo's went for $500,000 up Owners had to pay mortgage and could not inhabit,plus assessed $250,000 each for damage. There are many many residents in the village which for me is another problem. The S.E. coast of Florida has the New York, N.E. crowd, the villages I believe are mostly mid -westerners. Big Big difference. Also,If you are comfortable living with a large amount of people it will be fine. Always activities. I lived in South Florida for 50 years, born in Pa. I retired to rural Georgia and live on 150 acres. No zero lot lines our house sold for $550,000 and we could hear our neighbor flush his toilet. We got burned out on the hustle and high cost of living. Wind damage insurance separate from homeowners cost at around $10,000 a year, car insurance expensive we paid $4,000 a year, $1,500 in Georgia. The Villages are in the middle of state, not near the coast. Lastly, Florida is a hustle state, many foreigners, and people from all over U.S. People segregate themselves into enclaves like the Villages which is more homogeneous. Thanks for listening I'm bored today.
@@kidgreenhorn Thank you for commenting, Robert. I was wondering about escrow accounts at the Villages for maintenance of common areas/services, disaster recovery, etc. Clearly one moves there not for the houses but for the life style, the absence of income taxes and Fla. asset protection laws. A very savvy friend lived in the West Palm area for a few years then moved to GA. He sold to the only qualified buyer to look at his Fla. house. He's happy with the change but I haven't reviewed the specifics with him.
@@wholeNwon I moved to West Palm Beach,from Pa. in 1965 I was 12. I retired to rural West Central Georgia and built a house in the country on some acreage. We wanted peace and quiet, but that's not for everyone. My only advice is to rent or visit for at least 6 weeks. You can't pick your family but you can pick your neighbors.
@@kidgreenhorn Certainly good advice.
@@kidgreenhorn - there are TONS of East Coasters in the Villages! NY, NJ, MA, ME, CT, etc, they're everywhere, you can't get away from those accents! 😆😆
Being single with one income I can't make the math work to move there. But it isn't all bad, currently I have a beautiful home on half an acre with an inground pool. Swimming is my thing and a private pool is a must. The monthly fees charged for recreation at The Villages is very reasonable if you have those hobbies, but I don't so it would be a waste of money for me. I was hoping it would work out so I could gain a few more months of swimming in the warmer climate, but I guess I'll run the pool heater instead. That was a short lived dream, but I love watching you guys anyway.
We live 6 miles from the Villages in a deed restricted community ( not 55 and over) `and we can use all store and entertainment of the Villages. We have a much larger piece of property (3 acres) with low ( homesteaded) taxes`($1300) We do our own lawn and pest control. Much more home compared to “the Villages” proper but i can have a fence yard ( prohibited in villages) and i have more than 2 pets ( max allowed in villages) including 2 mini horses. There are plenty of public golf courses if you go occasionally. If you are a joiner or golfer Villages is a deal, not? Then its not. Move close and avoid the fees and bonds. Florida in general is cheaper in rural towns but Villages restaurants charge more to cover the fees they pay to the Morse family. Go a few miles and haircuts , etc are cheaper ( they gouge the seniors who want to avoid driving far) Great healthcare. I have the best, no or few rules yet close enough.also my mail comes to my home, Villagers have a mail kiosk.
Thank you for sharing
Where do you live. Interested in looking there.
The Brownwood area of the Villages.
I used to live in Florida and I'll tell you that it's not cheap at all. I had a house in Delray Beach and my property taxes were over $7,000 a year, high hoa fees, auto insurance $2,700 a year, groceries are expensive. Even though Florida has no state income tax, they're going to get you in other ways lol
Excellent helpful video!
We have a loving woman who stays here in our home babysitting our golden retriever. She makes treats, walks her several times a day and the dog even sleeps with her. The neighbors now use her too. Whenever I mention her name, my dogs ears perk up. On occasion, my dog will spot her SUV at another home on our street and gets exited. One neighbor goes on several trips every year...cruises , overseas, etc So my suggestion is to get one that stays in your home and get a referral for that (trust is big). Ours is an elderly lady who’s dog passed away and she’s wasn’t ready to go through that again. They swim in the pool together, sometimes her daughter, sister and family to swim in the pool. The dog LOVES the swimming, the attention and she even gets brushed.
It's great to see Linda looking so healthy! You are coming to my favorite time of year in the villages. Autumn is such nice golf cart cruising weather!
Unfortunately Cool autumn weather (high78- low 58) for the Villages is till a good MONTH away to wait..
Thanks for sharing the video! You two are naturals.. Keep them coming.
Hello Jerry and Linda . Try Rover.com for your dog boarding needs. We pay a girl to stay at our home, with our dog for $35 a day. No kennels , no disruptive schedule, for your precious baby . We interviewed about five people and found someone we really liked. Best of luck, take care.
You need to sign up for homestead exemption. The first $50,000 value of your home is exempt from property tax on your primary residence. That's for all Florida homeowners.
You will save a ton on energy costs in the winter, as you are already from Up north. Taxes-you are year round residents so you get a homestead exemption. Consult the state of Florida website or talk to your county tax collector. That will save you a bundle. You have to register for it at your county tax collectors office. License plate fees are lower usually than up north. Publix is a bit more expensive if you blind shop it. Their thing is high quality goods and service. Thursday starts the week in specials. Consult their website or the local paper or the flyers in the store for specials and shop them. Have a plan. Several TV stations and consumer types have compared a full shopping cart of groceries between Sweet Bay , Winn Dixie, Walmart and Publix. It showed about the same on the average with a full cart. Individual items there is a wide variety. You have to sort of work at it. There is usually one week in the month where Publix has super good buys across the board. Do not be afraid of their own brands they are generally very good and guaranteed-they will trade you for the name brand if you don’t like it. Taxes and fees were my biggest expense. You will figure out these are all piggy-back taxes. Then there is the surprise assessment now and then for something major your district has to do. The good news is that my tax guy wrote most of these off on my income taxes. If the fee appeared on my yearly tax bill he claimed it as a deduction. (Not in jail yet). Compared to SoFlo the water/sewer was more expensive. You are paying about average for what I did.
When it comes to taxes , state , federal ,etc I would suggest finding a tax preparer that is an "ENROLLED AGENT "
This CREDENTIAL is not easily obtained nor easily retained. There is a certain amount of continuing education required to retain this CERTIFICATION on an annual basis.
It is not common knowledge of this type of a tax preparer.
They are very educated in tax laws above & beyond ALL tax preparers.
Whether they have a C.P.A., M.B.A., work for a tax preparer company/ corporation or a LAWYER.
It would be in anyones' best interest to find a tax preparer who holds this credential.
Anyone can visit the website
NAEA.ORG
to find an E.A. near you.
Or feel free to email me at
lin21koh@gmail.com
for a personal referral to a Enrolled Agent Tax Preparer.
Wayne Nusbaum “
I thought there was no more itemization with the standard $20,000 deduction?
Another great video! It was awesome seeing you at Mystic Ice Cream last week. We love trivia on Thursdays there. Hope you had a good time! 😊
You two always choose the best colors for yourselves.
A lot of great information. Thank you. I think I have been watching you two since you first got to the Villages. Been watching on my TV via our ROKU streaming device attached to our TV so have not been commenting much (No way to do it on the TV). Just wanted to let you two know you are appreciated. Keep up the great work. As I say at the end of MY videos, "Have a GREAT Day".
👍😃👍
Thanks for the update. Linda you look much better. Keep enjoying that Florida Village lifestyle. Take Care of each other.
appreciate you guys and your commentary ...
glad linda is feelin' a bit better ....
Thank you! I have fallen behind in watching your entertaining and straight forward informative videos. Hope Linda is doing AOK ... Enjoy your wonderful life in The Villages!
First time here. Thank you for sharing this information. Where we are in central PA everything is way more expensive. No gulf courses, pools or club houses to choose from!
Great breakdown for those of us who hope to make the move someday. Regarding the "expensive grocery store," I'm glad to hear someone confirm our thoughts. When we vacation in Florida we usually go there at least once because we don't have one where we live and it feels "vacationy," but those prices--wow! If we lived in Florida I don't think we'd go to that store very often.
Aldi and Save-A-Lot have very reasonable low prices. Just go there.
Thanks very much for this episode and sharing all you have. Let me add that in Portland Maine area we pay $4400 taxes on a modest 1600 sq. ft. home built in 1941! A new home or resale the average is $6000+ in this area. The northeast is outrageous cost of living. Also we state income tax. A beautiful area but costly.
planning to move to the villages in a few years. my best friend just moved there (at my encouragement ) I have heard of The Villeges since the 80's while living in KY. It's been my dream and my plan. Thanks for sharing because my "guy friend" needs to be encouraged and this video did the trick. We currently live in Chicago Il so your budget is funny compared to what we pay. We can't wait to pay so little for everything
Wow, you guys are getting a lot of views and subscribers! A testament to your quality and making unique videos on matters people care about. Thanks!
Thsnks, Tom!
Great video! Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences with so many of us considering a move to The Villages.
I enjoyed hearing about the cost of living down there. It makes me grateful for my low cost of living up here in WV. As long as my knees hold up I continue to do my own yard work. It would be nice to live near the beach though.
I've missed you guys & Gizmo, need more videos!!!!!! :-) That is super helpful by the way. We were encouraged with some of the expenses, we currently pay 120 a month for water. The Amenity fee is worth it when you get to live in a place that well cared for and full of fun things to do. Thanks for the video.
If you base the costs against a typical HOA community on a simple dollar basis The Villages is a relative bargain. The Villages offers so very much more than the Typical HOA community. The clubs, amenities, etc...are unparalleled. And, the HOA fees you pay (or, as The Villages calls them, Amenity Fees) are more than reasonable by comparison. You'll also pay CDD's unless you buy a pre-owned home in an older area.
There are total cost decisions to be made. Your available monthly cash is the ultimate deciding factor. Because, no matter the value proposition the fact remains, is it affordable to you? Ultimately, that's for you to evaluate and decide.
That is sort of what we came up with too, A Closson.
Thank you Jerry andi Linda for your helpful and thorough video. Great Information for those of us considering a move to The Villages.
PS I am writing this while sitting on the lanai of the patio villa I am renting. Wish I could stay here beyond Saturday.😎
Thanks for this info. session and the chance to learn about Indiana State; I had lived in upper Ohio for 5-month long in 1974 (have not seen Indiana yet after 46+ years in USA).
Your YT series has been a good educational one for me to watch on daily basis regardless what got published first. Thank you! 🌞🙂🌻
A blast from the past! Gas at $2.25 per gallon and eggs at $.99? Wow! How things have changed!
Amen!
We moved to Palm Coast, FL in 2017. We moved into a nice development that is still being build out and in its last phase. Our homes are about the size of your home. They are cement block with a stucco finish. Our taxes are significantly higher than your current taxes; although, it sounds like yours will start to catch up to ours. Our water bill, sewage, garbage and reclaimed water for irrigation is again quite a bit higher than yours. Grocery prices were a shock. We live on the east coast and being a vacation spot; the grocery prices are almost 50% higher (we do shop at Publix which is definitely more expensive than Walmart). I can't stand shopping at Walmart; so, we pay the price for not shopping there. The electric is one of the only significant breaks in comparison to what we paid in Pennsylvania. We had only a heat pump for heating in winter and in the north; that is very inefficient for producing heat. We had bills in the winter that ran $250 - $375. That is the only thing cheaper in Florida. We pay much higher car insurance and our health insurance is significantly higher than in PA. So, I agree with you; Florida is significantly more expensive. Great video by the way.
I get it about Walmart. I found that if I order most of the paper goods laundry soap and other predictable items by mail I can save some money without going into the physical store. Free delivery for orders $35 and over. Also you can give them your list and just pick up your order and pay in the front of the store(where I live in PA). Organization helps. I’m not always so great at that but happy when I can make it work!
ty for your time, your insight is invaluable! best wishes to you both:)
My mom has a 3 bedroom 2 bath condo in Tampa. She paid 66k for the place but the HOA fee is $750/mo! They just did the roof so there's an assessment coming there too...
$750.00 monthly wow that's too much. My Condo fees are $225.00 and have been for 15 yrs
thanks very much for the video, thanks for the example bills! Love your commentary! $10 a day for boarding a dog in IN? Crazy!
Hello Linda & Jerry! Sabrina & I live in CA, selling our home here and moving to TV. We have been enjoying your videos and taking notes. Thank You!
See you when you get here!
I retired to Gainesville FL. World class medical, world class 'activities' with the University of Florida in town. Beautiful rolling hills and huge ancient trees in the countryside. All of Florida is beautiful and has a nice climate, but be sure to check out Gainesville if you are nearing retirement.
Aren't property taxes higher in Gainesville than surrounding towns? Of course, you might feel its worth it if its amenities are important ro you.
Not planning to move there but really enjoy your videos.
Thank you, Joan!
Jerry, you are a natural talent!!! Loved listening to you.
Thanks, Rick!
Let me clear up a couple of things. 1. If you live north of 466 you have one water source. In 2005 or so, some nut-case farmer filed a suit seeking to stop more development by TV because of water usage. No homes were built for 6 mos. The settlement resulted in the 2 sources of water, one from the Aquifer and one from below it for watering. 2. The proposed tax increase of 25% only applies to the county portion of your tax bill and should be around $175-200 per year. School taxes, Water Mgt taxes and Municipal law costs will not by increased. Also, the raise is only Sumter Cty, not Marion or Lake county residents.
Born and raised in northern Indiana (Elkhart) and lived in the Detroit area for 40 years. Southern Indiana costs are not quite a good comparison and the absence of an Income Tax destroys any talk of the Villages being expensive in relation to any part of Indiana. The comparison one should make is with other Florida destinations.
Hi....welcome to Florida!
I have been a full-time resident since 1969. Your yard maintenance can’t really be compared when you’re going from an acre to most likely almost a zero lot line. I am really surprised at the cost of your electric. My highest month was August at $109 and slowly goes down to about $60. The best way to handle pet sitting is to make good friends with other pet owners....then you take care if theirs when they are away and they take care of yours. Your maintenance fee is very low compared to here in Tampa. But mine includes water, sewer, amenities, and landscaping so it probably equals out. A big expense here in Florida I did not hear you cover was property insurance....it, is very high in the Tampa Bay & South Florida part of Florida. After hurricane Andrew it was near impossible to even secure and I almost didn’t close on a house because of its unavailability. Enjoyed your video.
Great info... THANK YOU!
Way cheaper for ho e purchase and most of all taxes. Electricity is a fraction of the cost. I’m from Long Island, NY. Taxes alone have not gone up in 15 years...we live I. Summer county.
Do you homestead your property? You had to live in the property on January 1st and apply for homestead. If your property is homesteaded, your accessed property value is reduced $50,000. You have a capped property tax increase of 3% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.
If you homesteaded your property, how is it possible to have s 24% increase in your property taxes?
Homesteaded when eligible, first year..Second year, did not see a reduced property tax...Now, going on third year, I.D.K. what to expect....
jamesinkeys From what I read about the Florida homesteading, you have to live in your home on January 1st. Your accessed property taxable value is reduced by $50,000, and your property tax increases are limited to 3% per year or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. Your property tax might decrease from the reduction of the accessed property value.
However, when you purchase a home, your property taxes could increase significantly at that point in time the home was purchased. But after that point in the, from my understanding, the Florida homestead law significantly caps the future property tax increases.
Hi Linda and Jerry, I LOVE your channel. I feel that you are very helpful in a classy way ! I live in Piedmont Village (by Nancy Lopez golf course and restaurant) in The Villages. I love it here also. I am curious, were you able to get sink hole insurance ? Thanks ... Anne
Thanks, Anne! Yes we did... through the Villages Insurance.
Was a renter in southern Oregon and rents there went up about 95% between 2013 and 2019 so being on a fixed income HAD to get out. I knew Florida some having lived here in the late 90's for a few years, and am a 100% disabled vet so in Florida I am exempt from ad velorum property taxes. At least start of 2021, you have to be a resident on January 1 of the tax year to claim the exemption, that saves me about $3k per year. I looked at HOA deed restricted housing to buy because like I said, I have some experience in Florida, having had neighbors that did exactly as they pleased without thinking of neighbors was less than pleasant.
I remembered that the panhandle can actually get pretty cold in winter, at least briefly, I was in Tallahassee then and one good freeze took out my bananas by the pool and left a terrible dumpster sized mess to clean up, they turn to mush when frozen. So I looked further south but not past the line of I-4. Gets too expensive south of that. I looked seriously at Sugarmill Woods and Black Diamond. Did not look at The Villages because let's face it, they have a bit of a reputation for an elderly far right radicalism and that is not something I want to deal with. Black Diamond is really nice, I mean REALLY nice, but the $192 per month HOA was a deal killer. It was also not very large and selection of housing not great, now it looks to have inflated out of reach anyway, prices there have really gone up. Had I known back then that the HOA covered basic cable and internet as well as being right next door to the Lecanto VA clinic I would have taken a much closer look at it. I did see some reasonably priced houses last year, I thought it must be the high HOA that kept prices down. So, I settled on Sugarmill Woods with an $8 per month HOA for my third acre. With 8,851 (2018) people (about 4,200 homes) it is a lot larger with better selection and for $257k I got a house that is 3,500 sq. ft. under roof, 2,450 under air, with fantastic pool and lanai, all properties in Sugarmill border on either golf course or greenspace land. I have unbuilt lots to my north and across the street with greenspace behind my proprty, I cannot see any other houses from my windows. It is 95 feet elevation so no worry about flood insurance. It would have been $650-700k in Oregon, and now that hundreds of houses have burned in a wildfire back in my Oregon county I bet housing skyrocketed overnight. Thousands of people became homeless in a couple days now looking for shelter.
Anyway, Sugarmill was a cattle ranch long ago (pre 1970's) of 26.6 square miles. Being just a few miles from the Gulf you have the added recreational opportunities, and the Suncoast Parkway currently has its northern terminus about 2.5 miles from my house, gets you into Tampa airport in about 45 minutes. I get to the VA hospital in well under an hour. So, if people are looking to possibly relocate to the area they should consider Black Diamond and Sugarmill as well as The Villages. DO YOUR RESEARCH and find out what you are comfortable with, because quite a few people move here and then cannot adjust so sell and leave within the first year or two. That is part of why houses are as inexpensive as they are compared to other regions of the country.
We could really do a book on what to expect when you move to the area. I pay about $80 per month for bi weekly lawn service with edging and blowing an all that, extra for the hedges a couple times per year. I also pay $100 for weekly pool service because I have taken care of pools before and know I suck at it. I have really messed my pool up a couple times in the past, once half drained it because I forgot when I had the backwash going. I did have to pay $1,650 for a new termite treatment and bond, and the seller did not disclose (hid) a structural problem from them so that is a legal issue, I do not care what you are planning to buy have it inspected completely for wood destroying organisms and do not rely on those inspection stickers on your electric panel. I am looking at $30 to 40k to do repairs.
Another thing to think about is power, depending on where you are moving from it can be a lot higher. In Oregon my monthly power bills ranged from $40 to as high as $110. Here my lowest bill was $199, but then I have 17 foot ceilings too, my high bill in July was $286. Still I calculated my billing in both places and Duke Energy is just a tad over double what I paid in Oregon per kWh. Water is high as well. Citrus County water itself is not that expensive, but the sewer charges are based on water use, so adding to the pool, or watering your lawn the one day per week you are allowed to under permanent watering restrictions can get pricey, my lowest water bill was $101 for 6k gallons, and higher end was $150 for 30k gallons. My grocery bill is not quite double what I was spending in Oregon, but the town I lived in before has access to many discount stores, here it is strictly Winn-Dixie or Publix and both are insanely high, they think they are the Nordstroms of potatoes or something, I mean fresh salmon I saw at $26.99 per pound, any more expensive and they will have to sell it by the carat. Nice, but not cheap. Walmart since Covid here still has a lot of empty shelves and prices have absolutely skyrocketed. Thee is a Sam's Club in Spring Hill and an Aldi, but the nearest Costco is in north Tampa. Gasoline, unfortunately my car requires premium and in Oregon (mandatory full serve at that) that was 20-30 cents per gallon more than regular, here it is 80-90 cents more than regular, as I write Sam's Club at Spring Hill is $1.999 for regular. Here on the coast it is $2.119 and in Ocala yesterday the cheapest I saw was $2.199. So if moving here get rid of the BMW and find something that uses a lower octane, or an electric. Insurance is high, when I lived in Talahassee in the end of the 1990's I paid about a dollar per day, $360 per year, comparable house, now pay $1,600 and was quoted by one company over $3,200 so when it comes to insurance SHOP hard. Car insurance is higher but not as bad as many places. They did just raise rates this month by 12% though and that is just crazy.
Don't know what "BOND" you are talking about, I have no such thing here. Do you mean mortgage insurance? I have a VA home loan so no mortgage insurance. As of January (will do a streamlined VA refi when my loan hits the 210 day seasoning period at about 2.6%) my PITI mortgage payment will drop from $1,522 now to about $1,110 per month. For a house like this that is freaking unbelievable. I paid a lot more than that in Oregon for a rental and it was a HOVEL. House gas is not available here, you can get a propane tank but the cost per gallon is prohibitvely high compared to nat gas. In Las Vegas I had nat gas with stove/oven, dryer, water heater and heat (gas fireplace used maybe 10 days per year) and my bill was about $12 to a high of about $36, here propane would likely run me about $150.
That sounds like a very nice place! You certainly gave a great, detailed account. Glad you love it. As for the "far right radicalism" here, I'd suggest you see the place yourself instead of relying upon something you read or heard.
Hi Jerry & Linda. I live in New Hampshire and we are currently looking at places in the villages. We love watching you guys have learned a lot. We were down there the beginning of September looking at houses and say Linda drive by in her golf cart. Also that Gizmo is so cute. I would watch him for you for cheap. Keep up the good work. And I see you when we get there
Great info. Glad I found your channel. We planning on retiring in the next couple of years and escape from California. Good to know the details on certain cost of living expenses. You both a lovely couple
My taxes in Tennessee are $600 a year with 11 acres and a two story house.
I want to retire in TN.
Property taxes are always higher in states with no state income tax like Florida. I live in Texas so I know what I’m talking about.
Thank you for excellent videos! Great information.
Thanks for the information we have been considering moving to the villages for about four years.
Hi...Im a new viewer. I love your videos. I am very interested in The Villages. Could you do a video about smaller things/rules that you must follow there? Like, are you allowed to park your car on the street, rules on trash cans, etc. Is there "golf cart etiquette"? I know this must sound funny, but I'm interested in these things. Thank you!
Parking? Yes, but it's frowned on. Its unsightly when such care is taken to groom lawns and landscaping. Trash cans... not allowed. Specific bags for trash, recycling, and yard waste are picked up three days a week. Golf cart etiquette: Yes, they have clinics.
Thanks for watching!
Sounds like the local county commissioners and tax assessor aren't doing their jobs well dropping a 24% increase on you. Hillsborough County has amended TRIM notices sent out to all property owners annually showing proposed changes and they usually are not significant changes.
Potable is pronounced with a long "o", fyi, and Publix has several specials weekly; they are always changing. There is BOGO, buy 2 get 1 free, buy 2 get 2 free. Publix coupons which can be used with mfgr coupons. Electronic coupons as well. As well as numerous other sales. Yes, I do work there.
Thanks for the info. Shopping there is difficult. BOGO ("Save up to $8.99) not pricing items clearly is deceptive. And the price when on sale as a BOGO or buy 2 get one free is about the same as everyday prices at other stores. We've never used the coupons.
As for potable, I've seen it on Jeopardy many times... should have remembered.
Great information guys. Your expenses in The Villages look less expensive than what we pay in Michigan. Thank you for sharing!
Jerry must have some on camera experience- his on screen skills are Impressive!
Thanks AH!
Agreed that food is more expensive at one of the "chains" and really miss Kroger. The biggest disappointment, though, is the quality of fresh produce. Not comparable to what we had back home. Property taxes are almost twice what we paid for a much bigger home, but it offsets the absence income tax. (The govt will get their money one way or another!). With so much to do in TV, we haven't gone to WDW yet. Plan to make that a priority in mid-October. Loved meeting you two at Mystic Ice last Thursday. Keep up with the informative videos for everyone who wishes they were living in The Villages!
Yes, nice to meet you Mary... you guys had a great bunch!
The produce at one store almost looks like dumpster diving. We are limited in Crystal River. My fav store is Publix. It rivals Tom Thumb in Texas.
When I lived in a high rise, I did a standing trade with my neighbors for pet sitting. I watched their cat, they watched my two dogs. It worked out well. We would pop in 2 or 3x per day. Granted, it was only an elevator ride away.
Thanks so much for all the info.. very helpful
I live outside of Jacksonville and prices are similar. The $159 amenity fee is about the same but you have so much more. Hope you are enjoying your retirement
I live in Southern Indiana and shop at Jay C. My father in law lived in The Villages when it was first being occupied. He had a home built for $69,000 in 1992. When my step mother in law sold it in 2017, the selling price was $170,000. At least close to that. He loved it there and he lived to golf and his golf cart.
Jerry and Linda - my husband and I love watching your videos, they are so informative! We live in Ohio and are only in our 40s still but plan to move to TV or similar neighborhood as soon as we can 😃
See you when you get here!
Thanks for the information. Great content from great people.
Living in Central Kentucky (Georgetown) sounds more expensive than the Villages. We live in a golf community with a community pool and our dues are $150 a month. Electric bills average $250. Water, sewer and garbage (one bill) averages $100 a month. Taxes on are $2300 a year on a 3800 square foot house on 1/4 of an acre. Insurance is $116 a month. Pest control $300 a year. I take care of our yard but spend approximately $350 a year on fertilizer and gas for mowers. The only ouch in the Villages sounds like that tax bill. That’s gotta hurt. But I envision the ability to be active year around and it sounds wonderful.
Spot on. The property taxes are higher here, but there is no state income tax. Electric here averages about $125/monthly vs $300+ for elec & gas heat before. Pretty much even steven.
Not everybody can plunk down $300,000 plus for a home and then have all the assessments for golf courses and water and on and on. Good luck to you and if you can pull it off and live there--great but it's pricy.
Water, sewage, elec., cable, phone, etc will be Bill's everywhere. And, no state income tax in Florida.
A lot more money per square foot of house/property. $159/month for amenities is fine if you golf each week.
It varies. Get The Villages spp... you can find homes from $150K and up. Designer homes 300K ish and up.
Great video and we live in NYS (we are about 10 minutes from Canada) so we would be in heaven with the Florida taxes. We would save quite a bit on our taxes should we decide to move to the Villages. We pay Land and School taxes here. Linda, I would have been in shock with the hair expense as well, as I pay $41 every 5-6 weeks and my husband only pays $8 for his haircut when needed. We don’t have some of your other expenses currently as we live in the country so have well water and we do our own lawn care and we don’t have a monthly sewage bill. I do have a question though, do you have to carry hurricane and or flood insurance?
The Villages are not for everyone! Enjoy!
still cheaper than PA .... and NO STATE INCOME TAX!!
for sure. my real estate tax here is half of what I paid in PA for the same price house, even with the increase in sumter county
You didn’t mention home owner insurance I’m sure it’s much cheaper back home
Your videos are great source of information keep them coming
I’ll see you when I get there
ooh I was hoping they would mention that as well.
@@shelbyimus6779 my homeowner insurance for a 300,000 home is 636 a year without sinkhole insurance and 858 a year with sinkhole. I got the sinkhole and thought the price was very fair. I used The Villages Insurance (sorry I hit the thumbs down by accident instead of reply oops)
Stephanie Frantz how would you know if you need sinkhole insurance
@@morganz286 we probably don't but my husband is a stickler for having everything covered. depends on your comfort level.
Stephanie Frantz thanks for your reply
Thinking about relocating in 2 years from New York
My property taxes are cheap at $10,000 on Long Island. My gas and electric are over $200 each. We are staying in the Villages December 3-10 and would love to take you guys to dinner one night. I always look forward to seeing your great videos.
Thanks Mike, just email us at villagesnewcomers@gmail.com
Just got a gal. of milk at Walmart for $4.03. North of Pittsburgh, Pa. Our water is $57.00 every 3 months is the min. we use about 11 to 14,000 gals a month, ours is over $100.00. We have a gas bill, electric bill, Comcast cable bill with internet is $155.00 a month. Gar-Bitch bill 65.00 every month. I hate winter. Don't fall for the Scams when you buy a new house there. People come out of the wood work and want to sell you new water heater, water softener attic insulation , Please don't get Ripped off. I would call Tom Grizzard, Inc. of ERA Realtors and ask him if you need this stuff. He's a Friend to New home buyers in Fla.
Thanks, Stanley!
You should move to Duluth Minnesota if you want to spend money. $45 to $65 per day to board my little dog and I have two. Lawn care minimum $30 to &40 per mow on my postage stamp lawn. I could go on and on. We heat our homes 9 to 10 months a year. It’s May 13 and my furnace is still running. Then there’s gas, water, sewer, electric. Heck, my garbage service is about $45 a MONTH. It’s awful. When I lived in the Detroit area I shopped at Kroger and in Indiana Jaycee. I think that’s how you spell it. In Duluth we have a Super One and Cub. Cub has it all but quite expensive. Super One is ok. The others are Walmart Aldi Sams Club. I’m moving to a mining town. Property taxes are minimal compared to anywhere else. You live in a home that is new and substantially more expensive than mine so you probably are in line with what we pay in this county, maybe less. Heck, like you say, it’s worth it to you. Thanks for sharing. My property taxes went up 14.9% this year and there hasn’t been one year in 27 that I lived here that they haven’t increased. They either raise the taxes or increase your property value. Semantics. Pretty soon that’s all I will have to pay. House will be paid in full in 4 or 5 months. YAHOO. Time to move.
Whoa!!! That's steep!
@@JERRYANDLINDA that's what happens now that people have discovered this sleepy town with the big lake.
I so understand about Your Fur Baby . We have a little 9 year old Yorkie Poo . We do not go to many places any more because I can not bear to leave him . Can't believe Your Elec . is so cheap . My electric bill , but that does include water , garbage runs over 300.00 per month . We have a 4 bedroom 3 bath homes . You have a great electric bill .
Thank you for this video! Keep them coming. You got Colorado beat. Question, did you use a villages realtor or someone not associated with the villages?
I would recommend having 2 realtors because the outside agents can't show the Villages properties and The Villages sales people can't show listings that aren't listed with The Villages. I would guess about 30 percent of the homes aren't listed with The Villages sales people.
Live in Palm Beach county we are moving after 30 years here live in high rise condo million dollar view but crime increase made our decision easy . TY for the help insight all the questions were helpful . Not sure which Village we will buy in saw videos that said rent first check out different villages all are different . Greatly appreciate your opinions Jerry and Linda
We moved after 45 years and retired to rural Georgia on 150 acres, no neighbors, peace and quiet. Florida was fun growing up but got New Yorkerized. My wife and I and daughter went to Cardinal Newman. I love to deer hunt.
Thanks for this video. Coming from NY, so the numbers have not scared me off :)
Dawn, See you when you get here!
Since you moved there at the beginning of the year, I assume that you received your homestead exemption on your property taxes. If you moved after 1 April, I believe you don’t get it this year.
I am 68 years old . I Sold my home in St Louis Hills for $579k it was paid for I spent 100k totally remodeled I sold it
We traveled down to Wild Wood Florida
We went to the Villages .
My big grip is that dam that Bond my god it's a add on tax.
If I own the house and land who are these people going to tell me I cant have a Satellite dish attached to my home .
Because some snooty noise residents don't like my dish on my house
Who are they to have device that tells me when I can water my grass . Shit I pay my water bill . On a 440k home I wanted to buy
And when i spend 440k i am not asking permission.
But I loved the Golf courses
And golf cart thing
N
Great video!
In Portland Maine where I was born and raised you pay $4,000 off the top just for the privilege of living in Portland which is the biggest city in Maine. Then your appraised taxes come added on to that along with your sewage and rubbish police fire and paramedic rescue. My mother was paying almost $9,000 a year in taxes for her house. Don't quote me on that it could be more but I believe it was an average of $9,000.
There's not much I miss about Ohio, but #1 on the short list of things I do miss: KROGER'S! Nothing here like it, not even Publix. Unfortunately, the nearest Walmart to me is the one on Maricamp in Ocala, 6 miles. The one down there on 441 is 10 miles. There are things I can only get at Walmart. 😝 I have alot of cats. I get alot of cat stuff from Chewy.
I love watching you guys very honest and you guys are a great couple. Love the dog too.keep it going. Great job Clearwater or Daytona beach. Ball and chain lol
Thanks, Luis!
Yes. It is. 🎉
Walmart will always compete with Aldi on milk and eggs when they are in the same area . Watch the BOGO deals at WD , They are usually not that great of a deal . Publix is always good.
Some of the stores play us for fools. BOGO and charge twice the price for the 1st item. That is a typical practice in one of the stores you mentioned.
I already owned 5 acres in Boss Mo on top of the biggest hill in the county .
I have 1acer lake on the Property plus I have a white Nylon ranch style fense
So I got with a Architect
Had 324K home built all i m
I had a matching Motor home garage constructed
Plus i 1978 Eldarsdo Cat
2011 grand Marque
57 Chevy and 56 Chevy
49 Studebaker
And I have 10 collector cars 4 motorcycles
2 oliver row Crop tractors
The Villages wasn't for me
I play golf
Wasn’t for me either. All the houses are packed tightly together. The place is in the middle of nowhere. The homes are cheaply made using builders grade materials. It’s massive. I went there with the intention of buying, and was so disappointed. It totally wasn’t for me.
My Burning question - what did you think of the summer ! Looks like you didn't melt so must be all good.
Not as bad as we feared... we love the evenings and tolerate the ass afternoons. The afternoon showers give relief very frequently.
We include the BEAUTIFUL landscaping by all the roads and squares, plus the entertainment in our $159 monthly fee! Amazing! We saved $200 semi-annually car insurance from Atlanta, GA (the tailgate capital of the USA).
lived in PA, retired to FL, definitely cheaper in PA & no income tax on retirement funds in PA. The only thing I like about FL is the endless summer. Marion county needs to learn how live with in their budget just like we retirees need to do, all they know is raise taxes every year which is a burden & a hardship on senior citizens, which Marion county cares nothing about. If you want to live in Hurricane Alley, then just put up with it. Hated winters in PA, if they had endless summer there, I would still be there. Nice video !!
Very humid 😓💦
Yes our pup is 13 years old we can't do so many things cause he can't go.. Worse than a kid-o..But we love him and wait until we can do what we want to once again he is our joy for now. :) For real all we have is dang Walmart--yuck but that is what we have to deal with.
Price is important, but so is quality, especially when it comes to food. I would not buy eggs, milk, produce or meat from Walmart. Publix would be better. Aldi's is a different shopping experience as is Sam's Club.
Can you ride your golf cart to all these grocers?
Car insurance and homeowners insurance is much higher in Florida!
Been six years in Myrtlebeach sounds a lot cheaper here. Love it here
Always a wealth of information and really appreciate it. Can you tell us what your cable bill is and if that includes a phone?
No phone...$181. Someextras: HBO, showtime, starz,etc. with 2 dvrs
Disney has a wonderful place to board right on property ! Best Friends Pet Care . Across the street from port Orleans resort .
Totally agree!! Buddy
What do they charge?
I lived in Florida and FPL was the biggest rip-off company I have ever come across! here in Maine my mother had a wonderful gardener who mowed the lawn weeded trimmed the bushes took brush away for $35. She has or had she just passed away a very large property. I have heard some horror stories about the Villages from Realtors of mainly widowed older ladies who want to go back home. Companies that come in and install water heaters when there is an on-demand system already and a new air conditioning system when it just needed a repair for exorbitant prices and things like that.
Thanks for the information, great video! Im from tghe suburbs of NYC and going to the villages when i hit 55 years old is a Score. Question - if my wife and I are 55 but have kids, can the kids live with us in the Villages?
I don’t like Aldi or Walmart for food.
Only use Walmart for paper goods.
I do care where my food comes from, non GMO, etc.
Lily’s Gram I gladly pay more at Publix to avoid Walmart. You get what you pay for in products, shopping experience and customer service
Same here I don't care where I get my food from, I'm on section 8, think I live in the villages?
I love your videos, so informative. I live in Rochester N.Y. and I board my dog at the Pet Smart Hotel. I pay $28 per night for overnight stays. It is about $19 for just a full day stay. So for me it would not be that much different. You had a really good deal at $10 per night.
Everyone tries to get as much as they can, and people usually pay it ... especially here. Then they comment "very reasonable."