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Post by annamaria on Feb 10, 2023 7:00:04 GMT -5
I am really doing some research now. I thought we had our plan but this assessment at the condo has me jittery. How do you plan and pay for unexpected assessments when you are managing on a fixed budget? The only way would be to hit your principle and reduce your future annual cash flows. So, Really looking at The Villages in FL. Just over an hour from Disney. 3 Championship golf courses (tough to get tee times) and from what I understand about 30 other courses (Regular and executive) available for no additional charge than your monthyly $185 fee. What I am unsure about is the bond debt on the houses and other expenses and also is an hour to far to accomplish our drop in desire for Disney. The 750 points we have now are nice and give us a month. I would not need all those if we bought a house. Between my existing home and the Condo I probably have over $300K in free equity and that is before selling any DVC points so likely could find a home debt free. I can tell you everything you need to know about the Villages. We have been looking into it for over 10 yrs LOL. A good couple to watch on you tube is Jerry and Linda’s Newcomers. They are a wealth of info and have about 4 years worth of YouTubes. Here is their latest; henrycpa We just ran into a very good acquaintance/neighbor. He was just telling us he got hit with a $16,000 assessment fee for his condo (just bought a few years ago) in Ft. Meyers and another now due to the hurricane. Really put a dent in his "budget". He said one really needs "extra play/unplanned money" for a second home/condo. He does not rent it out. Not sure if we will ever have the freedom to "snowbird" for a month or more. We might a few years down the road - just hope we are still healthy enough to do it - but we have started to use our points and stay 2 - 2 1/2 weeks combining Disney and Vero beach. We are taking 11 days in March and trying to decide if taking 3 weeks is too much for Italy in September. (might have to cut trim it down a bit). |
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Post by annamaria on Feb 10, 2023 7:01:21 GMT -5
I don't think I did the previous post/quote right  - was not supposed to have two posts.......... |
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Post by henrycpa on Feb 10, 2023 7:23:31 GMT -5
I struggle with the "Quote" model on this new site as well. Same issue.
I think the only option is to go BELOW the quoted info. I prefer to type above.
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Post by brp on Feb 10, 2023 9:57:28 GMT -5
I struggle with the "Quote" model on this new site as well. Same issue. I think the only option is to go BELOW the quoted info. I prefer to type above. If you click "BBCode" below the post, it shows the content in old school format (test between quote and /quote tags) and it can be easier to manipulate. Then "Preview" shows what it will look like in new school formatting. Cheers. |
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Feb 10, 2023 22:55:37 GMT -5
I found for me, "BBCode" is my easiest way to snip out all the layers of quotes so I am just including the last thing the person said, then I sometimes click the "preview" to double-check I did it right.
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Post by jnoel on Feb 22, 2023 14:27:01 GMT -5
I'm sure you can find much cheaper extended rental options close to WDW. Yes - but I like the bubble. When we were looking at homes we were looking in Celebration. |
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Post by captjacksfamily on Feb 25, 2023 4:33:42 GMT -5
I'm sure you can find much cheaper extended rental options close to WDW. Yes - but I like the bubble. When we were looking at homes we were looking in Celebration. Yup, it's a different life in the bubble. For an example my wife likes the fufu drinks from SB so we'll pick one up for her then do what we call the Disney cruise which is to enter property on the GF side drive down to the the U turn to head back towards the MK and exit property on the Tron side. While on the cruise we count monorails, boats crossing the water bridge and trains, you get extra points when you get stopped to let the Disney train cross the road. We can also jump down to catch an act in Epcot or a drink at Disney Springs and still get home in time for a nap (ok we are retired....). If anyone has question about living close to the parks feel free to DM me. |
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Post by pooh bears mom on Feb 25, 2023 12:02:48 GMT -5
Same boat as you. We are close to 900 points now. Thought about selling some, especially BCV - but the kids were an adamant NO. Also, BCV was my mother's favorite resort and I have so many wonderful memories of her there, that I doubt I will ever be able to sell. Even when she was dying, she wanted to go there. My biggest regret is not being able to get her there one last time.
Sorry to drift - but yes, our plan is to stay two months there when we retire. We have a condo on Amelia Island which we purchased quite a while back. I do regret not buying in orlando back when the market was down. Oh well live and learn
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Post by tessa on Feb 26, 2023 19:15:35 GMT -5
Concerning the special assessments on Condominiums, it has caused us to decide against buying at this point. The incredibly tragic Surfside building collapse was a condo building that had just approved a $15 million special assessment. It feels like there is less control over these costs for a condo compared to a single family home. "Owners would have to pay assessments ranging from $80,190 for one-bedroom units to $336,135 for the owner of the building’s four-bedroom penthouse, a document sent to the building’s residents said. The deadline to pay upfront or choose paying a monthly fee lasting 15 years was July 1" www.cnn.com/2021/06/28/us/surfside-condo-owners-assessments-invs/index.html |
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Post by FessParker1 on Feb 27, 2023 7:36:10 GMT -5
We have enough points for about 6 weeks in DVC and any extra time we will look at what's available on Interval rentals. I've gotten my sister 2 bedrooms for 6 nights at just over $500 which included resort fees. We get to hold our cash and not be locked in to a peticular place. We bought lake house 8 years ago and did a full fixer upper to it making it our full time home. We're close to the kids/grand kids and DW is no going to want to be away from them for long periods of time. Buying just doesn't make sense for us but using the full options dvc gives us does
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Post by bakerworld on Feb 27, 2023 9:19:13 GMT -5
 we purchased DVC on a whim/fly basis, as in when DH agreed I near had to search the floor for my eyeballs. The guide was amused. However, DH had been wanting a vacation/2nd residence for a while and I'd been dragging my feet because of liability concerns. DVC was a great compromise. Originally we had discussed math regarding snowbirding at DVC and we have just enough to stay 6 weeks in studios (I can do slogging to the laundry facilities for a short time). However the home situation has morphed to twice annual 5 night stays. The freeing part of that is we can chew up points enjoying the room of having a 1B villa or 2B villa. We're going to try for a Treehouse in 2024 and maybe a Cabin in 2025. Selecting new physicians are a pain but a pain we'll have even staying put as all our attendings are our age. My GI guy has already changed/retired so when I return next year I'll get to see what that group will provide. Our GP is waiting to pay his last child's College bill and he's gone. Our Dentist has been actively looking for a buyer for his practice. DH's answer is to not go anywhere even though he's not problem free and we're only going to worsen with age. My one experience, as a bystander, with Urgent Care was less than impressive. Eh... so if relocating is a goal IMO finding new docs shouldn't be a negative. |
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Post by BWV Dreamin on Feb 27, 2023 21:13:26 GMT -5
 we purchased DVC on a whim/fly basis, as in when DH agreed I near had to search the floor for my eyeballs. The guide was amused. However, DH had been wanting a vacation/2nd residence for a while and I'd been dragging my feet because of liability concerns. DVC was a great compromise. Originally we had discussed math regarding snowbirding at DVC and we have just enough to stay 6 weeks in studios (I can do slogging to the laundry facilities for a short time). However the home situation has morphed to twice annual 5 night stays. The freeing part of that is we can chew up points enjoying the room of having a 1B villa or 2B villa. We're going to try for a Treehouse in 2024 and maybe a Cabin in 2025. Selecting new physicians are a pain but a pain we'll have even staying put as all our attendings are our age. My GI guy has already changed/retired so when I return next year I'll get to see what that group will provide. Our GP is waiting to pay his last child's College bill and he's gone. Our Dentist has been actively looking for a buyer for his practice. DH's answer is to not go anywhere even though he's not problem free and we're only going to worsen with age. My one experience, as a bystander, with Urgent Care was less than impressive. Eh... so if relocating is a goal IMO finding new docs shouldn't be a negative. We went through this about 5 years ago. The doctors that are left to choose from were not taking on new patients. The dentists were out about 9 months to get in as a new patient for cleanings. Some dentists were not even taking insurance( you pay them in full then submit to your insurance company for reimbursement). Even now, there is an influx of new practices coming into the area with new, young doctors. Experience is at a premium in my town. |
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- was not supposed to have two posts..........
we purchased DVC on a whim/fly basis, as in when DH agreed I near had to search the floor for my eyeballs. The guide was amused. However, DH had been wanting a vacation/2nd residence for a while and I'd been dragging my feet because of liability concerns. DVC was a great compromise. Originally we had discussed math regarding snowbirding at DVC and we have just enough to stay 6 weeks in studios (I can do slogging to the laundry facilities for a short time). However the home situation has morphed to twice annual 5 night stays. The freeing part of that is we can chew up points enjoying the room of having a 1B villa or 2B villa. We're going to try for a Treehouse in 2024 and maybe a Cabin in 2025.
we purchased DVC on a whim/fly basis, as in when DH agreed I near had to search the floor for my eyeballs. The guide was amused. However, DH had been wanting a vacation/2nd residence for a while and I'd been dragging my feet because of liability concerns. DVC was a great compromise. Originally we had discussed math regarding snowbirding at DVC and we have just enough to stay 6 weeks in studios (I can do slogging to the laundry facilities for a short time). However the home situation has morphed to twice annual 5 night stays. The freeing part of that is we can chew up points enjoying the room of having a 1B villa or 2B villa. We're going to try for a Treehouse in 2024 and maybe a Cabin in 2025.