Using Your Equity to Build Your Dream Home in Citrus Hills

Many of us work our entire lives to have that one dream home in the perfect place.

You don’t have to settle for less, when there are plenty of ways to get exactly what you want, with the equity you already have!

Pictured Above: The Dali Pool Area

What is a Home Equity Loan?

A home equity loan can be one of the most cost-effective ways to borrow money.

Interest rates are lower on mortgages than on almost any other type of loan right now.

Taking out a home equity loan is also known as a “second mortgage.”

This loan uses your home as collateral and lets you borrow against your existing equity!

How Much Equity is Enough?

Most lenders want you to have 15% to 20% in equity in order to pull some of the money out.

Some lenders prefer a little more equity, in order to keep your total mortgage commitments to 80% or less of your home’s value.

Income & Debt Factors

Some lenders will look at your income against your debt as well, to ensure you can afford the new loan.

Typically, for a home equity loan, lenders like to see your debt-to-income ratio at less than 43%.

Some will allow your debts to make up a larger portion, depending on outside credit factors.

Credit Factors

Your payment history and credit score will also make up a large portion of qualifying for a home equity loan.

If your score is above 620, the better your chances will be, and the lower your interest-rate will be!

All in all, it’s a small price to pay to live the life you’ve always wanted, and in the home of your dreams!

Pictured Above: The Tiki Bar in Citrus Hills

Wild Florida Peacocks - Unique Florida

When Florida comes to mind, you may think of beautiful white-sand beaches, or sunshine every day!

One thing that may not come to mind is our unsuspecting neighbor, coexisting with us here in the sunshine state, the peacock!

“Peacock” is a general term used to describe all species, but the specific peacock species we see in Florida is actually called “Peafowl,” and females are called “Peahens.”

In numerous counties across Florida, it is not uncommon to see wild peacocks on the side of the road as you’re driving to/from work, or even in your front yard sometimes!

For many Floridians this is an exciting occurrence that we look forward to.

Neighborly or Nuisance?

Most communities in Florida seem divided on whether peacocks are a nuisance, or a bit of natural beauty for the community.

That being said, there’s no question of the appeal the peacock brings to the human eye.

Between the unique contrast of black and white lines marking their faces, to the hypnotizing feather patterns of their tail feathers, it’s hard to resist the exotic beauty they bring to your neighborhood.

Many people say they’re good to have around when small children are playing outside, as residents tend to drive slower to avoid hitting them in the streets.

On the other hand, many neighbors do not like waking up every morning to a new friend in their front yard.

Especially during mating season, when their loud squawks can be heard from blocks away.

If you’re trying to sleep at night, and a 13-pound bird is walking on your roof, scratching on the ceiling, I’d imagine it would be frustrating.

Dangers

Being 160 miles across, at its widest points, Florida has many natural critters crossing the roads at different times of the year.

We see everything from turtles coming inland to lay their eggs, sand-hill cranes, wild turkeys, flamingos, pelicans, and as you now know, wild peacocks!

Many of these creatures are trying to either reach the two substantial surrounding bodies of water, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Others are trying to follow their natural instinct to travel in certain directions for migration, or scourging for food.

Floridians do try their best to protect the native creatures that cross the roads as much as possible, but that doesn’t mean they are always successful.

Traffic is a big threat to the wild peacocks roaming the streets, but it’s definitely not the biggest.

There are only few natural predators to these beautiful birds in the Florida area, such as coyotes or bobcats.

These threats don’t seem to hinder the population much at all, as there are no signs of these neighborly peafowl diminishing in numbers.

Reproduction

Peacocks in Florida usually mate between the February and July months, and lay an average of 6 eggs per season.

Peahens can not lay eggs until they are usually around 2 years old.

Peacock hatch-lings can usually be seen around this time as well, as it only takes 1 month on average for these hatch-lings to emerge from their eggs!

It’s an endearing sight to see the hatch-lings running around the community with their mothers watching close by.

Children love to go to local parks to feed baby peacocks treats like fruit, peanuts, or green vegetables, all of which directly contribute to a well-balanced peacock diet.

All in all, getting to choose where we want to live is easy when such unique wildlife surrounds our area.

Florida is already known for its wondrous beauty and amazing weather year-round.

The beautiful wildlife is JUST a perk!

7 Benefits of Building a New Home

The Westchester

One of the biggest questions faced by many people who are relocating to Florida is whether they are better off to build a new home or buy an existing one.  

While there are advantages to both options, building a new home has certain key benefits that just can’t be matched when buying an existing one.  

Here are the seven top benefits of building a new home instead of buying a resale: 

Choose the Exact Look and Floor Plan 

When you choose to build your new home from scratch, you get to build it the way you want it. You will have the option to choose the ideal floor plan you want and you will also be able to choose the materials and color schemes that fit your personality.  

Personalize Each and Every Detail 

Another big selling point for new home construction is that you will have the ability to personalize many aspects of your home. Adding features like a pot filler above the stove or a particular type of recessed lighting in a certain spot are easy to integrate when they are added before the walls go up.  

New Homes Have Warranties 

Should anything go wrong with your new construction home in the first few years, it will almost certainly be covered under your warranty. The same cannot be said with a resale home, where what you see is often what you get and you could be opening yourself up to tremendous risk if something goes wrong down the road.  

Save Energy With New Technologies 

Whether you are selflessly concerned about protecting the environment or more interested in protecting your bank account from high energy costs, the modern green technologies that will be included in your new home will actually be able to do both!  

Your new home is sure to have energy efficient appliances, and it may also feature energy saving technologies in its roofing materials, windows, and ventilation system.  

Modern Style and Design 

Building a new home instead of buying a resale also guarantees that you are on the cutting edge of the most modern style and design in the industry. At Citrus Hills you will have all of the design features that are popular today like granite countertops, open concept kitchens, elegant master suites, and covered lanais. 

Lower Maintenance Costs 

Simply put, new homes will require less maintenance. Your home will already have a fresh coat of paint and a brand new roof, air-conditioner and appliances, so those types of maintenance projects and replacements will not be necessary until years down the road. You will also be able to design your landscaping in a way that can help you save on maintenance there as well.  

You’re the Only One 

The Westchester

Another advantage of purchasing a new home is the feeling of knowing that you are the only person who has ever lived there. You won’t have to ever consider what might have happened in the home before you lived there. Everything will be brand new and built just for you.  

Building a new home from the ground up gives you the ability to create the home of your dreams where every detail matches your expectations.  

While there are pros and cons to both building a new home and buying a resale, for most people the benefits of building a new home far outweigh any potential drawbacks.

Bayfront Health Seven Rivers to open FSED

For those of you that haven’t already heard, the following is the announcement of the new medical facility that will be right across the street from the Villages of Citrus Hills.

BAYFRONT HEALTH SEVEN RIVERS PLANS FREESTANDING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IN CENTRAL CITRUS COUNTY 

Crystal River, FL (May 28, 2019) — Bayfront Health Seven Rivers will open the first freestanding emergency department (FSED) in central Citrus County, giving residents in the Citrus Hills area access to nearby emergency services.   Bayfront Health Seven Rivers FSED will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to serve patients who experience medical emergencies. 

Bayfront Health Seven Rivers Chief Executive Officer Linda Stockton said, “Bayfront Health Seven Rivers FSED will provide faster access to emergency care and is another example of our commitment to expand healthcare throughout Citrus County.”

An artist's rendering shows the freestanding emergency department planned for Citrus Hills.

Like any hospital emergency department, the new Bayfront Health Seven Rivers FSED will be equipped to treat patients with illnesses and injuries that require a higher level of care than urgent care facilities offer. The freestanding emergency department will have 12 treatment areas with radiology and lab services on-site. Many emergency services can be effectively managed at freestanding emergency departments without the need for transfer to a traditional hospital setting.

Board-certified emergency physicians, registered nurses and other patient care providers will staff the center. Dr. Roderick Bennett, medical director of the Emergency Department at Bayfront Health Seven Rivers, said, “Our team of emergency physicians is looking forward to being part of this exciting new venture.  This facility will be a first in Citrus County and we are pleased to be able to offer high quality emergency care at another convenient location.”

Bayfront Health Seven Rivers is investing $12.3 million in the new facility.  More than 30 new jobs will be created to serve patients at the new center, including registered nurses, lab, imaging, admitting and environmental services staff.

“We congratulate Bayfront Health Seven Rivers on this expansion.  Strong healthcare is a key focus area for economic development in the region and we are thrilled to see Bayfront Health expand their footprint in Citrus County,” said Steve Tamposi, the developer of Citrus Hills.  

Bayfront Health Seven Rivers FSED will be located 795 W. Norvell Bryant Hwy. in Citrus Hills.  Construction is scheduled to begin later this summer and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020.

Bayfront Health Seven Rivers currently offers primary care, cardiology, orthopedic and surgical services, outpatient therapy, cardiac rehab and wound care in Citrus County.   



New Year, New Home

The new year has finally arrived, and what better way to celebrate it than with a brand-new home! If you are the type of person who is ready to make a dramatic change in a hurry, one of the move-in ready showcase homes available at the Villages of Citrus Hills might be the perfect fit for you.

Before we take a look at the details of what types of floor plans and neighborhoods are currently available, let's first take a few minutes to review some of the reasons that opting for a move-in ready home might be a better fit than building your Citrus Hills home from scratch.

Advantages of Move-In Ready Homes

The most significant advantage to choosing to purchase a move-in ready showcase home here at the Village of Citrus Hills is that you won't have to waste any time waiting for your new home to be built. With everything already finished, there simply aren't any construction delays or unforeseen complications to worry about.

Another advantage to choosing a move-in ready showcase home is that you won't have to bother with making any decisions about what features you want in your home. In many cases, some of the best features that we offer here at the Villages of Citrus Hills will already be included in those homes.

Available Move-In Ready Homes

There are currently two Amherst floor plan homes available in the Brentwood neighborhood. These two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes have a total of 2,420 square feet with 1,666 square feet of living feet. They offer a large great room with an attached kitchen and breakfast nook area, as well as a great master suite.

Amherst

The Brentwood neighborhood also has three move-in ready showcase homes modeling The Cromwell floor plan. This layout is actually quite similar to the Amherst floor plan, but with 2,620 total square feet and 1,798 square feet of living space, everything here is just a little bit bigger than it is in the Amherst and has a dining room.

Cromwell

If you have a bigger budget and are looking for a deal on a slightly bigger home, you might want to check out some of the move-in ready showcase homes in the Terra Vista neighborhood. Here you will find three Fairmont floor plans, which are also two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes, but everything is just a little bit more spacious.

There is also a special floor plan in the Citrus Hills neighborhood that is an absolute must-see. Whether you have the budget for this one or not, you have to check it out just to appreciate the amazing possibilities here at the Villages of Citrus Hills.

2018 is sure to bring a host of exciting possibilities to anyone who is willing to pursue them. If you have always dreamed of moving to Florida, these move-in ready showcase homes can be the perfect opportunity to make that dream a reality before we get too far into the new year!

Click on the link below to view details and pricing on our Showcase Homes.

https://www.citrushills.com/showcase-homes