National Realtor organization sees cooling demand for homes in The Villages –
The Villages’ population is nearing 200,000 which likely would have seemed unfathomable decades ago to the first settlers in Harold Schwartz’s Orange Blossom Gardens mobile home park.
Houses are still selling and there seems to be no end in sight to the Developer’s desire for construction.
However, Realtor.com recently poured through the sales data and concluded that demand appears to be cooling for homes in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown. A Realtor.com article quoted a real estate agent who said a couple looking for a retirement home had concluded The Villages “‘wasn’t for them’ as far as the lifestyle, all the fees, size of community and not using all of the amenities that you are paying for as part of living there.”
Realtor.com also noted that in December the median listing price for a home in The Villages was $365,000. That compares to $447,000 in May 2022, when The Villages was experiencing a pandemic-era boost.
What’s changing in The Villages?
The Realtor.com article cited some of the urban legends which have long-dogged The Villages, including the debunked story about the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and the loofahs supposedly signaling sexual promiscuity.
However, plenty of stories about wild behavior have been verified through police reports, including the sentencing this past week of a Villager who had behaved badly in a bar.
One point that the article failed to probe was the recent changes taking place at the very top of The Villages’ command structure. It was announced earlier this month that the first non-family member has been named CEO of The Villages. Last year, The Villages sold off The Villages Health and Citizens First Bank.
Will the boom continue in The Villages or is it leveling off? Share your thoughts at [email protected]