The Villages Golf & Country Club is a unique market, and it is highly recommended that you work with an agent with extensive knowledge in this market, such as Jill Curry. Jill’s office is right outside the Villages gate, so it is easy to meet her there.
The Villages has rules that you must follow when buying or selling a home. Jill knows what is required, and will make sure the appropriate steps are taken to ensure no delays or issues arise.
Jill also, in many cases, has information on homes coming up for sale and can use that information to alert you that these properties are coming available and to plan accordingly.
The Villages does not have a selling season as much as on the outside since the people living in the Villages do not have school-age children because it is a senior community. Therefore, most any time of year is a good time to buy or sell, although the warm weather does draw more activity.
The Villages is a gated community, and guards are posted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You cannot enter the Villages without either knowing someone who lives there or being accompanied by a realtor. There are no open houses in the Villages so the only way for you to see a property is a realtor. Jill, who knows the Villages inside and out, can give you a complimentary tour to familiarize yourself with the homes and amenities, as well as show you homes for sale. You can also visit the Villages Golf & Country Club website by clicking on the link in the Resources section of Jill’s website.
Cash Offers
You may have already sold your home and are renting in the meantime, or you have sufficient assets to purchase your home in the Villages without selling your home. This is the best scenario because you won’t have the sale of your home as a contingency for purchasing a home, and can submit a cash offer to the seller.
Another way to make a cash offer is to obtain a Home Equity Line of Credit on your current home. You can use the cash from that to purchase a home in the Villages, then when you sell your present home, that lien will be paid off.
Financing Contingent Offers
You can also get a loan to purchase your home, and get the down payment either from your assets or from the sale of your home. In this last instance, the purchase would be contingent on the successful close of your home.
If you do have to make your purchase contingent on the successful close of your home, then it’s best to list your home and find a buyer before writing an offer. That way the seller knows that you have a close of escrow date and will feel confident that you will be able to complete the purchase of their house.
If you feel uncomfortable about getting into contract on your home before having somewhere to go, then one option is to tell the buyer of your home that you need up to 60 days to rent back your home while you find and purchase your replacement property. That can be written in the contract, and many buyers will go along with that. If the 60 days go by and you have not found a home, then either the buyer can continue to wait, or you will have to find another buyer.
The hardest contract to get accepted by a seller is one where you have not yet listed your home, and you need to sell your home to purchase their home. In this scenario, you would give yourselves a certain amount of time, say 30 days, to get your home listed and in escrow with a buyer, then 30 days after that to close. If a seller is motivated to sell due to an extended period of time there home has been on the market, or they need to find a buyer quickly, they might go along with that.
Inspections
Most sellers in the Villages will not have done inspections ahead of time, so your offer will always be contingent on inspections. Jill recommends getting a property and a termite inspection, and in the case of single family homes, a roof and possibly a chimney inspection. You can negotiate any repairs with the seller during the inspection period.
The First Step
The first step is to see some homes for sale in the Villages. Jill can answer all your questions about the Villages, and work with you for as long as it takes to find your home. Call Jill today!