Latest / Florida Homebuyer Weekly / Living in Lakewood Ranch: What Buyers Need to Know | Florida Homebuyer Weekly Ep. 2

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Living in Lakewood Ranch: What Buyers Need to Know | Florida Homebuyer Weekly Ep. 2 · Florida Homebuyer Weekly

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Joel Benson.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: Each week I'm joined by local realtors and Florida professionals to talk about what you really need to know when buying a home or making a move to Florida.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: Today I'm joined by Josephina Wells with Keller Williams Coastal Living 2 in Lakewood Ranch.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Josephina has been a Lakewood Ranch resident for I think just over 20 years in the area of Sarasota Bradenton for almost 30 years.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: So she's kind of seen that area grow uh firsthand.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Josephina, thanks for being here.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much, Joe, for having me.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: I'm really excited to be here and one of the first ones that you would interview.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: A little bit more about me, a little background.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: I um I'm here in the area, as you mentioned already, for over almost 30 years.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I came to the States in 1998.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_01: Here, that was my stop, and that was that became my permanent home.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm here literally for more than half of my life.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: Don't guess the age.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_01: So I am obviously realtors, uh realtor, a global real estate advisor, and I help buyers understand not only the homes, but also the communities, the costs, the lifestyle choices that they have to make in this area because they are so unique.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: So I will I love the opportunity to share all I know.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's great.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: We're we're happy to have you.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I know way better than to ask your age, so don't worry about that.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, okay, so I I've I've mentioned this before, um, but I'm in the process of relocating my family and my business to the Bradenton, Sarasota, you know, specifically Lakewood Ranch area.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why I thought um, you know, early on I wanted to get into some information about Lakewood Ranch.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's one of, if not the fastest growing master plan community in the United States.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um we initially were looking elsewhere.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I had some friends, shout out Brian and Laura, that that moved down last summer.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: And my wife and I earlier this year, when I first started making trips down to Florida, had dinner with them in Lakewood Ranch.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: And as we drove around, we literally that night decided this is where we're moving.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, and and so I wanted to kind of talk about the first of all, and and when you and I first met, you gave so much great information that I thought it would be great to share with our listeners here.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: So uh, you know, for when you first kind of started out in Lakewood Ranch, I know it's was just getting started.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think um the I don't know, maybe you you can answer this question, but like when did Lakewood Ranch start?
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: And kind of talk to me a little bit about how it's changed and the way you've seen it grown over the years.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, yes.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh when I first moved here, uh it was already one community only built, which was a uh Greenbrook community.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_01: And uh the school, the first school started being built.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_01: So there was a one road, uh one lane one way, and the other one was going west towards Bradenton Beach, and uh there was absolutely nothing on the other side of I-75 east.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_01: So it was really amazing to see.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it was very quiet, though, very tranquil, uh, very uh interesting to find out that there was not really a lot here.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: But if you wanted to be around surrounded by nature and quietness, I said, okay, let's try, let's see how that is gonna be.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, there was no internet connection, very low, if not at all, uh cell phone reception.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_01: So it was a very interesting uh part of my life to be able to see that.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: And then and now going back, uh, and every day I'm discovering new streets, new community, new area, new development.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_01: It's been absolutely mind-blowing for me to see how exponentially this community has grown.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_01: It became its own city with three other zip codes, not only one, but three other zip codes.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, about 10 years ago was the first initial zip code added, uh, S34202, and then the others came up on.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: But now we are expanding so much more, and it's not over yet.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's not over yet.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_01: We are about, I would say, 70%, 60 to 70 percent built.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_01: There's so much more than needed to be done, but of course, the infrastructure and everything, the school, the restaurants, there was nothing really here.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I had to go to Walmart and Publix to shop about 20 to 30 minutes west.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it was very quiet, it was very different, and people don't realize that.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you know what's interesting, you you said something um you referred, you talked about development, and you also used the word community.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: So this is kind of a uh when I first started, you know, kind of exploring the area, I I learned that there's I think there's like something like 55 or 60 different individual communities.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Some people call them villages.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Do you do you say village or do you say villages is correct?
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: Pair the guidelines of Lakewood Ranch, they are villages because it's multi-generational master plan community.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: And for those yeah, so for those that aren't you know, sort of familiar, because like coming from the market I'm in in Minnesota, we don't have, I mean, very few communities similar to anything in Lakewood Ranch, but most of the the villages or communities are you know a master plan community where they you know many of them are gated.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: They've got you know uh clubhouses and amenity senators, resort pools, pickleball and tennis.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's like they're like each individual village is like its own community, and it's just really exciting for me as I I dry around.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I've been down, I think this year seven, seven trips so far.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I I mean I haven't even hit them all.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I, you know, I I dry, I try to drive through because I want to get a sense for where I want to live.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: And honestly, there's only been a handful of communities that I've driven through and just said, no, I'm not living in this one.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: And then usually it was because you know, the location more than anything, because they're all all very nice.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_01: They are absolutely amazing.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I have to say that.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: Choosing the community is that is what I usually you know encourage everybody to come here to drive around to get the feel of it.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, searching internet for buying a home is not the best choice.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: You have to feel it.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what what are the main things that you think drive, or like say you have a client, and you know, what sort of questions do you ask, or what sort of things that do you think are the most important to sort of uncover as we sort of try to determine what part of Lakewood Ranch is going to be right for you and what how does it differentiate from one part to the next?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: I understand.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, this is a great question.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: And it's very important for all the viewers to listen to that because when uh you contact me and we wanted to talk about you want to buy a house, I would ask you, what lifestyle do you want to have?
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_01: That would determine the areas, the communities, uh, the amenities, uh, not simply everybody's asking you how many bedrooms, how many bathrooms?
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_01: Every home has bedrooms and every home has bathrooms.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: But where the location, what you want to do while you're there in this community is gonna make a huge role, how you're gonna determine what you is gonna be a perfect fit for you.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: That's how I actually um it's an I understand by asking that question.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's how um I understand once I get this answer, knowing the routines, what the family or the bio priorities are, the budget, uh uh, how can I narrow down this search to make it even more fitted for their needs financially and lifestyle-wise?
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, schools, uh restaurants.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I mean, a lot of people just wanted to be in a community where they can have their golf, have their pickleball, they're gonna go to the community or the village restaurant, because many of them come with restaurants, with uh you know, with coffee shops, uh, and they just stay within.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: They don't even have to leave their community to go out to dinner.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_01: That's right, that's the best part of Lake O Trench.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and once I know that and I narrow those uh get get those answers, I will be able to narrow and give you suggestion potentially which community and what will be best fit for what you wanted to have your lifestyle to be with, and of course, your budget.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: And just one thing this is a great guide.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe you're not gonna be able to see it, but it is a Lakewood range booklet and guide.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: I email usually all my buyers.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_01: There is a plenty of information inside for them to kind of figure out then this is not coming and we're gonna tour three homes, new homes, and we're gonna make a decision.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna take a lot more than that.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, I actually have seen that guide, so it's it's a really valuable piece.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, when I was first looking at different communities down there, I I thought, okay, I want I want to be the idea, I guess, of you know, getting my golf cart and going to dinner is really great.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, the community pools and the the you know, the athletic centers and all that stuff.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and the thing that I quickly found out was that you know all of it comes at a cost, right?
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: So and that's where the HOA fees and the CDD fees come into play.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: And um that's certainly a consideration.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I think you know, again, and I talk about this all the time with my clients, but the purchase price isn't the only consideration.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: You know, all of these different amenities, the location, all those things, you know, play exactly.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: They play into the you know that that monthly carrying cost um and the lifestyle.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: The key there is the lifestyle.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: If you know, if the type of lifestyle you want, you have to then also consider the type of lifestyle you're you're willing to pay for.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um talk to me just a little bit about about schools.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when we move down, my daughter will be going into eighth grade.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: So we're we're doing a lot with with the schools, and I've I see all kinds of things online about different, you know, in different community Facebook pages and things that I'm in that some of the schools are A-rated, some of the schools are B rated.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Overall, what what's your sort of take on on the schools in the area?
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: So the schools, and you can always check that to the school board of Sarasota and Manatee County, because for our viewers, again, Lakewood Rent is not only one county, it actually splits.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: It goes to Sarasota and Manatee County.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: So I would say Manatee County, and it's statistically the Manatee County, which is the original first part of Lakewood Rent when it started building uh, you know, what 25 years ago, 30 years ago, that is the part with A plus graded schools for Sarasota County, because the whole county itself has a different school, it's a bit bigger than Amenatee County.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: I don't have exact number for that, but I know there were some A schools, not A plus, A schools, and there were some B schools.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: But just let don't forget there's a lot of different private academies, private schools, uh um additional um uh clubs and uh uh and uh Catholic church uh excuse me schools that they are really really advanced and it's uh very well accepted here in Lakewood Rench community because of the growth.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: As we mentioned in the beginning, um uh obviously Lake Trench is still growing, it's still developing with the development.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_01: That's why it's multi-generational master plan community based on how many um residents in the pro in uh in the area, then they make a you know stop and say, okay, if we reach this level of residency, then we're gonna build another school and another school and another school.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: That's how the plan for this community is made, and the schools are absolutely outstanding.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: Well, good, that's great.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_01: Very high end, yes.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, and I did also through my research, I I found there was uh uh a lot of different charter schools too that that's you know, yes, you're not necessarily uh you know required to go to the school that you're you know based on district lines and things like that.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: So but I mean I've got homeschooling, a lot of homeschooling I see lately.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: Lots of homeschooling of uh of the families.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm definitely not homeschooling.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's an option.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: I want I want my kid to learn.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's not gonna happen for me.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: All right, so the next the next thing I wanted to kind of move into is is um kind of focusing on relocation buyers and the things that they sometimes overlook or you know, as like I said, you know, like I coming from out of state, I until I started exploring the area, I'd never heard of a CDD.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I didn't I didn't even know that something like this existed.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: So when you talk to buyers that are coming from out of state, you know, other than the CDD, or maybe maybe it is the number one thing, what sort of things do you find that they need the most, you know, education on, or what things are really different from other parts of the country?
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_01: Well, the perception, it's number one for sure, because saying I want to live in Lakewood Ranch, the relocating buyers don't understand, then it's gonna take them days to go and look around and find whatever, as we mentioned, best community will be.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: So this is not one city stop that says multiple cities because one village can be up to five, six thousand homes.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: So that's quite a big uh you know, place to do.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: So two uh two homes can be both in Lakewood trend address, but often in a very different location, very different price point, very different uh keep up fees and different CDDs.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_01: So we have obviously, you know, we have a very well-known national uh new home builders that they built in Sarasota and Manatee County.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_01: Well, from Manatee County north in Lakewood Tranch to the Sarasota Lakewood Tranch south is about an hour drive.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_01: So if you were to compare those two, um and we have one builder that is having a home in Manatee County in a borderline in which is Parish, Palmetto Ellington, now North River Ranch community.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: They are building this home there for a lot of affordable pricing because the lots, the land is a little bit less expensive for the builders.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_01: So one home then it's 2,000 square feet by the same builder in one area, it could be$400,000, and the other area would be$1.2 million.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: So that's that's the first thing then the buyers out of state don't realize because they don't have the visibility and knowledge, they haven't grew with that, how expensive it can be and how different it can be.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, the same applies for each community.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: You will be facing different, as we mentioned, CDD fees, which is a stewardship fees.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_01: Those are the fees that actually are paid by the homeowner, each homeowner, and they are paid to keep up with all the common areas of the communities.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: If they have a gate, the lights, all that stuff, they don't understand that.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_01: And then you have HOA.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, go ahead.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_01: You're welcome.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I'm just gonna say the the CDD, you know, in Minnesota, we have HOAs and the you know, condos and townhomes and things like that, but typically single-family homes in Minnesota don't have association fees, right?
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: So the first thing I always like to point out to people is that in Florida, I mean, particularly in like Lakewood Ranch, HOAs, almost every property is gonna have an HOA.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then the CDD, which stands for community development district, um, and I know it's broken up into two parts, and I'm not gonna get too far into the weeds, but just in case somebody isn't familiar with the CDD, it's essentially uh funding for it's a basically bonds.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: There's a bond taken out for the the developer essentially to build the infrastructure when the community starts, whether it's you know, water, sewer, roads, all that stuff.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: Uh a portion of that does go away eventually, but as you're buying a home, it's gotta be a consideration because you're likely gonna have an HOA and a CDD fee.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, most likely you would.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, the difference only would be that your uh CDD fee will be actually added into your taxes as the amount.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh the HOA fee will be paid separate monthly.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_01: So you're gonna have those, you know, two bills that they will be differentiated from taxes, supposedly, included with the CDD and then HOA separate additional expense for the homeowners.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think the point that you made there that that sort of rings true the most to me is I like I said, I've been down like seven times already this year, and I have not seen every community.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: So it, you know, as you're and that that's where I sometimes I wonder, and I know a lot of a lot of agents do this, but you know, a client comes down, they spend, you know, even if it's a week, you know, they might not have landed on a home or they might not have seen all the ones they want to see.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: How often do you have buyers that you're you're FaceTiming and walking through homes so they can see them?
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_01: Uh almost weekly.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_01: And I have buyers then they've been here already multiple times that have not made a choice yet.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: And we've done a lot of showings.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: I have buyers when they come, that's why it's so important to have that conversation in the beginning to narrow down and see what is gonna be the best fit for them so I can guide them to the area or community that potentially they might like.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, the financial part is gonna be critical as well.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_01: So everything combined is a pre-conversation, narrowing down the options, laying down the conversation and all the questions that I have, then I send to potential buyers to pre-qualify for potential property option.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_01: And then once we are ready and they come, and I have several for the for this year.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_01: I probably have, I don't know, 10, 15 buyers coming out of state that they don't purchase.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: They look, they stay here for three, four, five days, but it's still not enough.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_01: They even choose to come the next year, or the ones came second time this year to see the property, to see how far the community has grown, would that be something then they would like?
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_01: So it's very critical to accept that fact that coming down here and being, you know, in a community and wanted to see property and want to buy a house for three days, that's not the case, really, unless you really know a lot about this area.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: One thing, and this is sort of a transition to another topic that sort of surprised me.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: I have built two homes in my life, and I swore after the end of the last one that I would never do it again.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and the reason was specifically, I mean, I'm in a unique position that I have a job where if I want to get into my car today and go check on the pro progress of my build, I can do it.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: And that was the only reason that my build, the last build, was able to happen, you know, on time.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I show up in the wrong windows around one side of the house, the paint colors are the, I mean, just so many things.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_00: And and granted, it's probably just I chose, you know, the wrong builder.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but the one thing I've noticed is that there's so much new construction going on because of the growth and the expansion down there.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: It's something I'd never considered.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: But and maybe that's the same for a lot of people, but when you first have contact with a client that's looking to move to Lakewood Ranch, is it typically new construction first, resale second?
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: Or what's how how does that process look for your most of your clients?
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_01: For my clients, you you I cannot say then it's first or second.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: There is always, I would like to make sure then I provide both options because they have to compare the complete experience and uh complete cost then is gonna really be involved, not just simply the advertisement price on the property that you see, even for resale or new construction.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: The best, obviously, the best choice would depend on the buyer's timeline.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_01: If they, you know, they have the budget, they like the location, this is what they want to be and where they want to be, and how much customization they can do in a new home if they want to, and would that be fitted in the do into a budget?
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_01: So it's good to have to see the two options, but if somebody is set specifically in a new construction, they have to really understand that there is so much more than is going to be added to the price.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_01: Because once you go there, yes, there's some incentives.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_01: And uh I hope you go with me because the sales wraps they work for the builders, they work for you.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_00: That that was one of the points I was gonna make.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Because, you know, I I it's funny because I, you know, because I'm in the industry and I know these things, I walk into communities and first thing is I get in, you know, into these gated communities because they have sales centers, and I I walk in, the first thing that the the sales rep says to me is, Hey, can you fill out, you know, this information card, or you know, can hey, you know, well they always try to tell you it's like for a drawing or something too.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_00: And it's it's they just want your information.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_00: And that's a really important piece of information because, like you said, that salesperson works for the builder.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now that doesn't mean that there's anything, you know, they're not shady or trying to, but but the real the reality is they represent the builder's interest.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really important that you have somebody representing you.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: And that that point I was making there is that once you walk into one of these new construction homes, depending on the builder, some of them are are are really good to work with and they're gonna be understanding.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but you put your name down on their little sheet and you don't mention your real estate agent or who you're who's representing you, you no longer have the opportunity with that builder, anyways, to have representation, or at least representation that is going to be compensated.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: Correct.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, and most likely no one will be able to represent you for the best interest because at that point you have a conflict of interest and you can't, so I am neutral, and if I don't have that communication with the potential buyer, and they did not acknowledge me to be with them at that point, my contract is done.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_01: I have no rights pretty much to do an ask or do anything.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_01: But if I am, then there is the lot of different you know privileges that the buyer has and negotiation power, agreements, documentation.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: We have obviously, you know, in industry, we have great resources.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, give me this contract or give me what are you offering?
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_01: They've said we're gonna pay this, we're gonna pay that, but then they don't say how much the lot is gonna cost, how much they're gonna charge you for it, how much they're gonna give you.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we're gonna buy down rate, but the buy down goes on to under your mortgage, right?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not paying it.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_01: So the as a builder, they don't pay that.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_01: They they tell you all this big picture, but then at the end of the day, you know well, when you draw the line, it's not really there, right?
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_01: Advantages and disadvantages, yeah.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody needs to see that well.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, with new builders, that's no don't get me wrong, but no, right.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: But I think it's important that you you just have to be represented because you know both sides have an interest.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the thing that's probably sort of like I said, I I was against building.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: There's there's really two main things that have had me considering that it might be an option for me.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_00: Number one is there's just so much building going on there, it opens up your up, you know, your options.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, number two is you mentioned the incentives.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I've gotten, you know, I I work with builders as well, so I kind of know the inner workings of of how all that works.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um, there's a ton of incentives working with builders.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: You know, a lot of times, like you said, they'll do you know rate buy downs that they they'll fund.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they'll discount your price, pay close, or actually they I shouldn't say that, they'd rarely discount prices.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um rather than discount a price, they'll pay closing costs simply because they want to maintain the the you know the uh the integrity of their purchase prices for their previous buyers and future buyers alike.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um but but the it's it's a I I guess the bottom line is it's it's an option that I hadn't initially considered, but there's enough of an advantage that it it would likely be an option for me.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I think other people should should consider it too.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: I I think it's really important though, again, I'll just reiterate one last time, just make sure that you have somebody representing you.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: And if you have an agent when you when you visit a model, make sure to make you know write their name down next to yours so that they know you you have somebody you're working with.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_01: And always, even if uh, you know, they decide not to choose me, but whoever agents you're working with, make sure they're legit.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_01: Have them give you some business cards so you don't be in a position like I don't want to sign or feel uncomfortable.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: And again, I want I don't I don't think that the the builder salespeople are in any way unethical or anything like that.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: It's just the fact is they work for the builder.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_00: So you no matter how hard they try, they aren't gonna have your best interest number one.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: It might be a close second, but it's definitely not number one.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: So that's why it's good to have representation.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the last thing I wanted to kind of touch on here today is you know what it's really like to live in Lakewood Ranch.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_00: And and I'll tell you, you know, like I said, we had planned, we were actually looking, my my uh stepdaughter graduated from South Florida, so she lives in Tampa.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_00: So we were initially thinking Tampa area.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: I literally went to dinner with friends at Osteria 500, by the way, where we also met up.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um and that's at Waterside, and I just love the area, but just driving around and seeing there's so many really great restaurants, there's you know, there's all kinds of entertainment.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, just anything you want to do, it's just you know, maybe it's a 15-minute drive or maybe it's a 20-wood-minute drive, but within Lakewood Ranch, just about everything.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I so initially I thought my Florida lifestyle was gonna consist of just getting on a golf cart and driving to the clubhouse.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I just that is that almost isn't even important to me anymore because I I feel like if I if I spend too much time in my community, I'm missing out on all this other stuff in the area.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_00: So just from your perspective, being a longtime resident, what's it what is it really like to live in Lakewood Ranch?
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_01: Well, a lot of people, you know, the ideal to come to Lakewood Ranch is because they're gonna have a very nice home, brand new, and they're gonna have, you know, Florida sunshine 340 days a year.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_01: But everybody that I have talked to and met and going, you know, different events, areas, uh in the restaurants, sitting and enjoying lunch or whatever, and I meet other people, they are here for the lifestyle, the lifestyle.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_01: There is no joke.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_01: This is something that you know, a lot of people see that on TV.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm sorry, Minnesota, New York.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_01: I know I love those cities.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: I love come, you know, I love every every piece of the United States, and I visit many places outside the states as well.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_01: But the lifestyle here is unparalleled.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's just so much to do, and like you said, and sense of a community.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you go, even talking to you now.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_01: I'm feeling like you know, goosebumps.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_01: Going outside, going to the mall.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_01: I see like people there going to the coffee shop, going to the restaurants.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yesterday we went for pizza in you know, 3:30 in the afternoon, and I see some people enjoying uh the bartender know us, the waiter, no, it's just the community, it becomes a true community.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_01: The events, Joel, there's so many events here, you cannot even keep up with it.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_01: I hope you have an app.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_01: I hope you're registered so much.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_01: You guys transition come here, and for everybody, have the app, become part of the community.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_01: You're not gonna be bored, no matter what age you are, no matter what your interest is, you will find your home here, and it's gonna be a home of a you know and lifestyle forever.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_01: That's how I say to my husband, this is my forever home.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not going nowhere.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_00: Right, that's awesome.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, this is something that I just can't explain how to feel to be here and drive around.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: Wow, that that is that is an outstanding endorsement.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm I'm happy to I'm happy to hear it.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and like you know, you know, I've been looking at this uh my plan here for for quite some time, and I I've only gotten you know sort of more and more excited about the the prospect.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, we've started you know selling stuff at our because you know we want to move down with like as little as possible.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_00: And last week I had a momentous uh sort of occasion, I sold my snowblower and it felt so good.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I, you know, I know I'm gonna probably still have to shovel this this winter, but I felt like I'd have a hard time selling a snowblower in the spring.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I got rid of it.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_00: So okay, so kind of in closing, if we have someone watching us today, and I think you gave just an outstanding endorsement just now, but if there was just one piece of advice you could give them before they start their their sort of search moving to Lakewood Ranch, what's that one piece of advice you'd give them?
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_01: As I mentioned earlier, I'll repeat it again: choose the lifestyle first and then choose the home.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_01: Don't ever go first for the home and try to figure out how you're gonna live there.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_01: Spend time in the area, explore the different communities here, understand the complete cost of ownership, not just the price tag that you're gonna be paying for the home.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_01: And work with someone here I am, like me, who knows Lake, who is passionate about it, who saw the growth, and who see what is more to come in this community.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm a great resource.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_01: I will be available for anyone that wants to, you know, have a question, so whatever might is on their mind.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_01: But the most important is choose the lifestyle, what you want to live, and then go and look for the home that will give you that lifestyle.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_00: That's right, that's great.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_00: And that's exactly what I'm doing.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_00: I'm choosing the lifestyle, and that's also exactly what we're trying to accomplish here with Florida Home Buyer Week.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_00: We want to give buyers local knowledge that they need to know before making the move.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I think you've given us a whole bunch of great information.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_00: Josefina, thanks so much for joining me today.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_00: I really appreciate it.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for having me.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_01: Have a wonderful day.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_00: All right, take care.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_00: All right, if anybody out there, if you've found any of this useful or valuable information, please make sure to follow Florida Home Buyer Weekly on YouTube and make sure to catch us next week.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see you next Tuesday.