What if I don't live in my house in The Villages all year?

Many houses in The Villages are owned by people who don't live in them year round. For some, the house in The Villages acts as a second home. In this video, I will answer the questions: How long do I have to live in my house every year to get a break on my property taxes? What are the resources out there to help me rent my house when I'm not living in it? And, who will watch over my house when I'm a thousand miles away? There are many advantages to becoming a Florida resident. One is the Homestead Exemption. If you obtain a Florida driver's license and live in your house for at least six months, you are eligible for a Homestead Exemption. This exemption reduces your property taxes significantly, starting on January 1st, the year after you move to The Villages. Check out my Homestead Exemption blog post for more details on what it is and how to apply for it.

Want to rent your house when you're not living in it? The highest demand and therefore the highest rent is January through April. But those may be the months that you want to be here in The Villages. Can you find renters for the other months? Maybe. Websites you can list your house for rent on include villagershomes4rent.com and RentFromAVillager.com. Weekly rentals can be listed on AirBnB or VRBO. Also, there are management companies that, for a fee and percentage of the rent, will manage the entire rental process. Find out which management companies Villagers use by perusing the discussion boards on talkofthevillages.com. Some things to consider about renting out your home: You will owe 7% sales tax for any rent collected under six months. Also, home insurance policies are more expensive if you rent out your home.

So who will keep an eye on my house when I'm not living there? For a fee, The Village's Community Watch has a house check program. Community Watch will check the perimeter of the house several times a week. There are other home watch companies. You can see what your fellow Villagers are saying about those companies on talkofthevillages.com. Also, be sure to befriend your neighbors who live next door or across the street. Nothing beats someone who sees your house and yard every day! Can you turn off all your utilities when you aren't living in your home? No. Electricity, gas, water, and trash continue even if you aren't using them. However, most cable/internet companies have programs that will let you pause your service when you aren't living here.

While we live in our Villages home all year, we purchased the house next door and use it as a rental property. As of this date, we manage our own rental. There is certainly a learning curve to both being a landlord, short- and long-term, and navigating the rental advertisement platforms. We have had great success renting Jan-April and some success Oct-Dec. Shorter-term rentals such as by the day or week may be a better option if you want to rent your home off-season.