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JB Ranch

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JB Ranch Entry Sign

JB Ranch is a new 55+ community located just off SR 200 here in SW Ocala. JB Ranch was started just before the great real estate crash of 2008. There are a mix of 3 builders. Armstrong Homes, a local builder, built a few homes around 08. Lenar built a couple of dozen homes on lots they still owned in 2018 but have finished. The remaining homes are being built by DR Horton. These are really nice homes that are priced to compete with much older resales. Prices are in the high $100’s to low to mid $200’s.

The clubhouse is brand new. There is a meeting room, kitchen and a fitness room with really nice high end equipment. There is 1 outdoor beach entry type pool. Once built out there are expected to be approximately 380 homes.

HOA fees will include trash pick up and lawn mowing and trimming. Unlike other communities that include lawn mowing in the HOA fee JB allows fences. Once the clubhouse is open HOA fees will be $141- month. That is a lot of value for $141 a month.

Information and statistics are deemed to be accurate at the time this blog was written but are not guaranteed. All information is time sensitive and subject to change without notice

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I am moving to a 55+ community

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When my wife and I first moved to Ocala in 2004 we were only 49. Coming from a log cabin on 12 acres in Maine we made a pretty radical transition and bought a pool home on a 1/2 acre in SW Ocala. We loved the concept of a pool under a big screen cage right off the Lanai.

Fast forward 15 years. We are tired of maintaining our yard and pool. The pool really isn’t that hard but the maintaining the yard which was a sort of gardening hobby is getting old.

Time for a change. I have taken my wife on tours of 55+ communities in the past but we always thought the lots were small, didn’t want to pay HOA fees and weren’t interested in social activities. We decided a home with a view in back was really nice despite homes close on either side. We think the HOA fees are worth it because the curb appeal of the community beats any Not 55+ we can afford and we will utilize some amenities like the dog park and fitness center.

We have never had a new home and that’s a big factor in our move too. We are building a new home in Del Webb Stone Creek. I plan to blog about my new home building experience so people can follow the process in the very near future.

Ocala 55+ Community HOA Fees Chart

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Ocala 55+ Community HOA Fee Chart

COMMUNITY HOA FEES GATED POOL Golf Construction
Marco Polo 55+ $18 month No None No CBS
Quail Meadow $33 month No Outdoor No CBS/Frame
Spruce Creek Golf and Country Club $150 month Yes Outdoor (2)

Indoor (1)

 Yes CBS/Frame
Spruce Creek N. $95 month No Outdoor No Frame
Palm Cay $98 month Yes Outdoor No Frame
Spruce Creek Preserve $133 month Yes Outdoor Yes Frame
Oak Run $119-$150

With lawn care…..

$240-$260

 Yes Outdoor 6

Indoor 1

 Yes CBS/Frame
Marion Landing $127 month No Outdoor No CBS/Frame
Summerglen $252 month Yes Outdoor Yes CBS
Indigo East $174 month Yes Outdoor (2) No CBS
Ocala Palms $217 month Yes Outdoor

Indoor

 Yes CBS
Stone Creek $204 Classic

$321 Garden

$437 Villa

 Yes Outdoor

Indoor

 Yes CBS
Cherry Wood $238 month No Outdoor No CBS
Candler Hills $289 month Yes Outdoor (2) Yes CBS
On Top of the World $355-375 Yes Outdoor (1)

Indoor (2)

 Yes CBS

Sometimes I think buyers want to shop for a 55+ homes here in Ocala by looking for the lowest HOA fees that they can find. Although I think that the wrong approach, I did create this HOA fees chart. Buyers have to look at what you get for your HOA fees and not just the fees themselves.

What do HOA fees cover? Maintaining the common areas such as the club house and pool. Mowing the drainage areas and along any roadways. Any buildings would need to be insured. Trash pick up is almost always included. Basic, and by that I mean very basic, cable TV is often included. Most communities have a management company to over see daily operations. Communities that are gated would need to pay the guard at the gate. Utilities for the clubhouse and entry. I’m sure that you can see that things can add up quickly in these types of communities.

The 55+ retirement communities are not condo’s. You maintain the home like any single family home. Lawn care is not included in HOA fees but every 55+ community has several lawn care companies and prices are cheap do to their volume. Exceptions are On Top of the World which offers total outside maintenance. Summerglen includes lawn mowing in their HOA fee. Oak Run has homes on maintained lots.

The quality of the amenities will vary from one community to another. Newer communities like Stone Creek boast an almost resort style pool, clubhouse and fitness center. While other communities might have more modest amenities do to the communities age or price point.

UPDATE   HOA fees above as of 3/2/2020. HOA fees are approximate and not guaranteed

Updated 1/23/19 * Summerglen fees went up because they added internet and cable tv along with lawn care

Update 3/2/2020 On Top of the World Villa fees have gone down because the fee no longer includes water and sewer they are now additional utility costs

Update 3/4/2021 HOA Chart is updated one time per year. Fees are believed to be accurate but not guaranteed.

Indigo East Ocala FL

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Indigo East entrance sign

Indigo East

Indigo East is a newer part of On Top of the World communities. It is located just north of SR 200 and is close to shopping restaurants and health care.  Homes in Indigo East are all of concrete block and stucco construction and range in size from around 1200 sq ft of living area to a little over 2,000.  Prices are in the $100-200,000- range with most in the middle. Indigo East has an electronic gate that works on a bar code but not a person in a guard house at the gate. There is a nice clubhouse and pool. HOA fees include maintenance of the common areas, clubhouse, curbside trash pickup. For an additional $750- year per household you can use all the amenities at On Top of the World such as the indoor pool, fitness center and clubs.

Indigo East also has Community Development District bonds that add $483- per year to the taxes and an additional common area maintenance fee that adds an additional $296- year to the taxes. Bonds are for 30 years and the maintenance fee is forever and can go up or down. Great homes for the money despite the CDD bonds and resulting taxes.

Update 3/15 HOA fees are $133- month. Price remain stable. Great prices on newer CBS homes.

Update 3/16 HOA fees are now $136- month. There is also new construction and there is a current promotion where the builder is selling new homes with no CDD bonds. Prices start at only $150 K.

Update 1/18/2017 HOA fees went up to $150.47 month. They are renovating and expanding the clubhouse but I am told that there is still no exercise room.

Update 1/9/2018 They are building a lot of new homes and are adding a new clubhouse with a pool and fitness area. HOA fees went up to $159.87 month.

Update 10/29/18 The new fitness center and 2nd pool are now open. Pictures below.

Up date 1/23/19  HOA fees are now $161.47 month. New homes are selling like crazy in Indigo East. They are about 85% sold out. I have also seen a couple of almost new resales already.

Update 1/07/2020 HOA fees have gone up to $166.31. Indigo is almost built out.

Update 3/4/2021 HOA fees have gone up to $174.07 per month

If you would like a list of homes for sale in Indigo East fill out my Ocala Dream Home Finder , call me or send me an email. I will set you up a Listing Cart on the Ocala MLS for homes in Indigo East.

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3 Fla. towns in top 5 for ‘affordable retirement’

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SEBRING, Fla. – Sept. 7, 2018 – With 74 million members, baby boomers are the largest generation on record to retire. And if they follow previous generations, retirement will prompt them to move.

Many will head to warmer climates, but they’re also – unlike previous generations – in search of more active lifestyles too, looking for social and recreational opportunities, nearby restaurants and shopping.

“It’s going to be a tsunami when [all] the baby boomers retire,” Ken Gronbauch, a demographer at KGC Direct in Bonita Springs, Fla., told realtor.com. “The Southern states are going to get hit so hard. Florida’s population is going to explode.”

Realtor.com evaluated the 500 largest U.S. metros to find where at least a quarter of the population is 60 years or older and where members of this age group generally relocated to between 2011 and 2015. The areas were then ranked by the total cost to pay down a 15-year mortgage on a median-priced home to identify the most affordable retirement havens.

The five most affordable retirement towns for 2018 include three in the Sunshine State:

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The Listing Portal is a Custom Ocala MLS Search

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A Listing Portal is a custom search on the Ocala/Marion County MLS that creates an account with an ID and password. A buyer will use my Dream Home Finder to provide the information that I need to set up a search. I sometimes use the Dream Home Finder AS IS and I sometimes need to email the buyer to clarify some issue or to make a recommendation. Once the search is set buyers will get an automatic email when ever a new home, that conforms to their search criteria, gets listed. After setting up the Listing Cart I don’t contact my buyers unless they contact me for more info, want to change their search or are ready to see a home. I once had a Listing Cart set up for a buyer from Chicago and it took him 3 years to close down his business and sell his house. I’m very patient.

I can’t help buyers who don’t give me enough information. Too many people will use my Dream Home Finder and just fill in Single Family and a price range. A search like that will get 1,000 hits, no kidding. I need to your your price range. The sq ft of living area, not including the garage or Lanai. The type of home, single family, 55+, pool home ect. There is also a comment section. This is where you tell me that you want to only want a 55+ community with lower HOA fees. Don’t say low fees give me a number.

Below is a screen shot showing what the Listing Portal looks like. On the top there are 5 Tabs. The first is the List View. Next is the Detail View which shows the home size, age, current taxes, HOA fees everything about the home. Photos are next and there can be as many as 50. Drone shots are becoming popular. The Map tab not only shows the location but there is also a Satellite view that zooms in and out. You can email your listing to someone and you can add other email accounts by contacting me. You can rate a listing and make a comment or a note. You can print a listing. There will be some homes that you just don’t like so there is a delete button. The Portal is a direct link to the Ocala MLS. Everything is up to date. All listing on Realtor.com Zillow or where ever originate here.

Listing Portal

Buying an Ocala retirement home for cash

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Most of my buyers are looking for a retirement home and quite a few use money from the sale of an existing home in a more expensive part of the country to buy a home for cash here in Ocala. A lot of people don’t like the idea of not having a mortgage hanging over their heads in their retirement years. What some buyers don’t realize is that there are very few closing costs associated with a cash sale.

All of the big money for closing costs come from getting a loan. It is up to the bank to estimate closing costs associated with their loans. From what I have seen closing costs run between $5-$7K on most loans. The funny thing is closing costs can be crazy high on small loans. I saw a buyer get a $50K loan to suppliment cash he had and the closing costs were 5,000 ! I said that’s 10% !

Title and closing. The seller here pays for title insurance and doc stamps (tax on sale). A title company researches the title and delivers a full warranty deed. The title company handles everything to do with the closing.

HOA fees are pro rated to the day of closing. Some HOA’s have a set up fee and a couple have an HOA contribution fee. Some HOA’s want a month or 2 in advance to get started.

Inspections. Everyone needs a professional home inspection which includes a termite inspection. Many get a wind mitigation certificate for their insurance company which lowers the rate a little. An inspection will run in the $350 +/- range depending on what you inspect.

Survey. Being cash there is no bank that requires a survey. 55+ communities are planned communities. However is you don’t get a survey there will be an exclusion on your title insurance saying that you didn’t provide a survey. Most buyers get a survey but not all do. A survey even on a small lot like in 55+ will be $300 +/-.

 

Just sold a new home in JB Ranch

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JB Ranch entry sign

JB Ranch is a new 55+ community here in Ocala. It is located off SR 200 and couldn’t be in a better location. I haven’t done a blog profile yet because the community is so new the clubhouse is under construction. There are 2 national builders there DR Horton and Lennar Homes. Both are offering new homes for very close to the price per square foot of a resale.

I just sold a new home by Lennar. I was impressed by the standard features. The kitchen has 42″ upper cabinets, quartz counter tops and really nice GE appliances standard.. A washer and dryer are also standard something you never see in new homes. . The master bath has a walk in tiled Roman shower. It is a smart home with all sorts of new smart features that I’m just getting up to speed on. All at the prices of a nice resale around $100- to $115 sqft of living area.

See a few pictures below

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A good reason to buy a 55+ resale is the lot

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After seeing homes in 55+ retirement communities buyers realize that even though the homes may be on smaller lots close together a private view out the back from the Lanai makes all the difference. Private lots sell for a big premium new and are hard to find. There are resale homes with private lots some with a really nice view in many price ranges.

On Top of the World Ocala FL

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On Top of the World entry sign

On Top of the World Ocala Florida

On Top of the World is a huge 55 plus retirement community located in SW Ocala Florida.  Sidney Colen, a visionary Florida builder, purchased the 12,872 acre Circle Square Ranch in 1975 and began to develop On Top of the World in 1982. His son is still building new homes here today.

On Top of the World is unique in Ocala real estate for a couple of reasons. This is a leasehold property which is unusual for our area. This means that you own the house but the lot is leased for 99 years from the time of the first sale.  A buyer also can’t finance more than 80% of the purchase price of their home. Unlike most Ocala 55+ communities all outside maintenance is part of the HOA fees.

In addition to new homes there are quite a few resales here.  Older homes are often attached in groups of 4 to 6 and of concrete block and stucco construction. The newer homes are single detached and also CBS. Sizes range from 1,000 to about 2400 sq ft of living area.

HOA fees for attached Villas and detached single family at On Top of the World include all outside maintenance including lawns, painting and roof repair but not replacement as well as property insurance on the building but not the contents or interior.

Amenities include the Arbor Club with indoor and outdoor pools and tennis, the Health and Rec Center with a fitness center, racketball, steam room ect. and a craft building with a complete woodworking shop, The Spa Ranch and Fitness Center, a library, a dog park, a bus service for shopping  and the Circle Square Cultural Center. There are 2 golf courses, the Tortoise and Hare and The Links.  Golf, the Ranch Spa and Fitness and the Cultural Center all have fees above and beyond your HOA fee. There is also great adult education and cultural opportunities at Master The Possibilities which is also open to the public.

On Top of the World is also a golf cart community which means you can drive your cart down the street. You can even access a Publix grocery store, small shops and a few restaurants with your golf cart.

Update March 2015. If you are interested in OTOTW the resales are selling for a significant discount over new homes.

Update 3/16 HOA fees for single family homes are $324- to $332- month. The Villas are $404- month.

Update 3/18 HOA fees on single family homes are from $332 to $353 per month. Villas are now $417 month.

Update 2/25/18 HOA fees on single detached homes are from $337 to $358 per month depending on the neighborhood. Villas are now $424 month.

Update 3/2/2020 HOA fees on Villas have gone down since they no longer include water and sewer. HOA fees vary by the neighborhood and range from $350-$362 a month for both Villas and single family homes.

Update 3/4/2021 HOA fees have gone up. They vary by the neighborhood and range from $355- to $375- per month.

If you would like a list of homes for sale in On Top of the World fill out my Dream Home Finder, call me or send me an email.

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