The short version: the purchase price is the part people research and the part that surprises them least. What catches out-of-state buyers is the monthly carrying cost — amenity fee, CDD maintenance, the bond if the lot still carries one, Florida property tax and Florida insurance. Get those five numbers for a specific address before you fall in love with it.
The second thing: which part of The Villages you choose matters more than the house. You can change a kitchen. You cannot move a house closer to the square you actually like.
What it really costs each month
Beyond your mortgage or your cash purchase, these are the recurring costs. None of them are optional, and none of them show up in the listing price.
| Cost | Typical | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Amenity fee | $204/mo | 2026 prevailing rate for a new buyer. Indexed to CPI, so budget for it rising each year. |
| CDD maintenance | Varies | Set annually by your district. Differs between neighborhoods, so check the one you are buying in. |
| Bond assessment | $0–$3k/yr | Only if the lot still carries a balance. Older sections are often paid off. Full explanation here. |
| Property tax | Varies | Florida has no state income tax, which people know. Property tax is where the money is collected instead. |
| Insurance | The wildcard | The line most out-of-state buyers get wrong. Florida pricing bears no relation to what you pay now, and roof age drives it hard. |
Work out your monthly number →
Five things that catch people out
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Assuming the bond is the amenity fee
They are different charges and you can owe both. Two identical homes on one street can carry bond balances $25,000 apart, and nothing in the asking price tells you that.
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Underestimating insurance
Get a real quote on the specific address before your inspection period ends, not a rough figure afterwards. Roof age matters more than almost anything else. A twelve-year-old roof can change the number substantially.
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Buying the house instead of the location
Cart accessibility, distance to the square you actually like, and which recreation centers you can reach easily shape daily life here far more than a floor plan does. It also affects resale.
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Not visiting in summer
Everyone visits in February and falls in love. August is a different experience. If you plan to be here full-time, you should know what you are signing up for.
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Rushing because something "won't last"
Sometimes true, usually not. Inventory moves, and another one comes. The expensive mistake is not missing a house — it is buying in the wrong area because someone put a clock on you.
Buying without flying down first
It works, and I have done it more than once. What makes it work is boring and procedural rather than clever.
I walk the home on video, slowly, and point the camera at what is wrong with it — the fence, the water stain, the neighbour's boat — not just the kitchen. You keep a proper inspection contingency. We do the inspection, and I attend it so someone who is on your side is standing in the house. Closings here are routinely handled remotely, so the paperwork is rarely the hard part.
What it should never mean is buying blind off listing photos because someone told you to hurry.
One client sold with me from five states away.
Betrain had already relocated. He never came back to Florida. Showings, the inspection, the repair negotiation and the final walkthrough were all handled here on the ground, with a phone call after every one so nothing was a surprise.
Another client, Donna, moved down from New York and had not bought a house since the 1970s. Bond, CDD, amenity fees, deed restrictions — none of that existed the last time she did this. We slowed the whole thing down and went through every line before looking at a single home.
Snowbird or full-time?
Worth deciding early, because it changes what you should buy.
If you are here part of the year, lock-and-leave matters. Lower maintenance, a smaller lot, and something you are comfortable leaving empty for months. Ask about who checks on it while you are away.
If you are here full-time, the summer question is real, indoor space matters more than you think, and being genuinely close to the things you will do every day beats an extra bedroom you will use twice a year.
If you are not sure, rent for a season first. I have never had a client regret renting before buying. I have had plenty tell me they wish they had.
Common questions
Can I buy without flying down first?
Yes, and people do it regularly. It needs an agent who will show you what is wrong with a home on video rather than only what is right, and a proper inspection contingency kept intact. Remote closing is routine in Florida.
New construction or resale?
Resale in an older section often means the bond is paid off or nearly so, mature landscaping, and proximity to established squares. New construction gives you a current floor plan and a warranty but usually a full bond balance. Neither is automatically better.
Do I really need a golf cart?
Most residents use one daily. More importantly, cart accessibility varies by location and affects both how much you enjoy living here and what the home is worth later. Treat it as a real criterion.
How long does the process take?
Around 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to closing, quicker with cash. Choosing the right area usually takes longer than the transaction does.
Should I rent first?
If you can, yes. A season here teaches you more about which part of The Villages suits you than any amount of online research.
What about age restrictions?
The Villages is an age-restricted community and the rules differ by area and by household. Ask about the specific requirements for the specific home before you get attached to it, because it is not uniform across every section.
Send me an address, I’ll send you the real numbers
Bond balance, amenity fee, maintenance assessment, taxes, and what similar homes on that street actually closed for. No cost, no obligation to work with me, and no being added to a drip campaign you did not ask for.