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Choosing Your Home: How Much Square Footage Do You Really Need?

The Westchester Floor Plan

The Westchester Floor Plan

Deciding exactly how big you want your new home to be here at the Villages of Citrus Hills is one of the first steps that every new home buyer struggles with. And while it can often be hard to imagine the difference between 2,200 square feet and 2,800 square feet, the difference in size is a very real factor that must be given a serious amount of attention.

Whether you are planning to downsize from a larger home, upgrading from a smaller condo, or looking for something right in the sweet spot for a perfect retirement lifestyle, there are more than a few options to be had here in our community. In order to get to the heart of your needs, all you have to do is ask yourself the right questions.

How Much Home Can You Afford?

The first factor that comes into play when deciding how much square footage someone needs in their new home is how much they can actually afford. Understanding what your new home is going to cost is a great way to come around to a starting point on how much space you can actually afford.

Once you have a rough estimate of what your new home is going to cost, you can quickly figure out a reasonable range of home sizes you have to choose from.

Do You Plan on Staying Here Forever?

How long you plan to call this new house your home is another critical factor that you are going to want to spend some time thinking about. If you are only planning to spend a few years in this house, you have less to worry about.

However, if the goal is for this new house to be your “forever home,” then you are going to want to nail down each and every detail to make sure that you enjoy your lifestyle here for years to come.

What Does Your In-Home Lifestyle Look Like?

Another way to look at the same question is to examine what your lifestyle will look like once you are moved into your new home. Are you the type of family where everyone needs their own separate space? Or are you comfortable with everyone sharing the same open living spaces?

There are no right or wrong answers here, so the trick is to be completely honest with yourself on how you and your family will ultimately occupy the space you are building.

Do You Need Your Own Personal Space?

With so many of our floor plans offering extra bedrooms and flex rooms that can be converted into different kinds of spaces, this is also a time to be honest with yourself about how much personal space you are going to want to have in your new home.

If there is any chance that you are going to be taking up a hobby like scrapbooking or crafting that will need a dedicated space, this is the time to make sure that you are going to have the square footage to accommodate those activities.

How Often Do You Expect Visitors?

How often you plan on hosting visiting friends and family is another factor that can increase the amount of square footage you will need in your new home. Just as you are going to want to know whether you need dedicated personal space, having a spare room ready for visitors will require extra square footage that you need to account for.

Once again, there are no right or wrong answers to any of these questions. It is also important to remember that today’s open floorplan designs maximize square footage in a way that older homes simply can’t compete with, so the same amount of square footage is going to feel much bigger in a modern home.

Regardless of how much square footage you ultimately decide on, you are going to love everything about your new lifestyle here at the Villages of Citrus Hills.

Let’s get started talking about your new home in our community!

7 Benefits of Building a New Home

The Westchester

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

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.

5 Fun Things to Do in Dunnellon

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Known for its prime location along the Rainbow and Withlacoochee Rivers, as well as its historic downtown district, Dunnellon is one of the many hidden gems residents will find located all around the Villages of Citrus Hills.

Because of its location just over 20 minutes north of our community, Dunnellon is one of the popular day trip destinations for our residents. And with everything from river tubing and horseback riding to airboat tours and shopping, there is never a dull moment in this nearby town.

Let’s take a closer look at five of the most fun things you can do while spending a day up in Dunnellon.

Tubing Down the Rainbow River

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One of the most popular things to do in Dunnellon is break out a tube or kayak and spend the day floating down the Rainbow River. This is a great way to take in the beauty of the area without having to do a whole lot of work.

The best places to start any tubing or kayaking adventure here are Rainbow River State Park and the KP Hole County Park. There are companies available to rent tubes or kayaks near both locations, so the only thing you have to bring is a swimsuit.

Rainbow Springs State Park

While Rainbow Springs State Park is best known for being a perfect launch point for a day out on the Rainbow River, the park offers so many additional amenities that it actually deserves a place of its own on this list.

In addition to river access, Rainbow Springs State Park offers some of the best hiking and camping areas you will find this close to the Villages of Citrus Hills. So whether you are looking for a wilderness weekend or just a picnic outside, this is the type of location you definitely want to experience.

Happy Acres Ranch

If horses are your passion, then Happy Acres Ranch is going to be the type of place you want to visit over and over again.

This working ranch specializes in trail rides, lessons, and boarding. They have over 50 miles of trails to explore on horseback, so there is always a new path to explore while you are out riding.

In addition to being a great place for horseback riding, Happy Acres Ranch also offers campers and cottages for rent if you want to turn Dunnellon into your home for the weekend.

Airboat Tours

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While exploring the Rainbow and Withlacoochee Rivers by kayak can be quite relaxing, airboat tours offer visitors a much more exciting version of that same experience. These flat-bottom boats are powered by massive fans attached to the back of them.

Local companies like Captain Bob’s Airboat Tours offer regularly scheduled tours that will get you up close and personal with all kinds of local plants and native wildlife. Plus there is the fun of actually getting to experience riding on an airboat.

Historic Shopping District

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Most of the small towns throughout the state have some interesting boutique stores for shoppers to explore, but Dunnellon has the Historic Village Shops of Dunnellon, which is a collection of those types of stores that work together to create an amazing shopping experience.

The Historic Village Shops of Dunnellon also hosts a market of local crafters and artists on the first Saturday of each month. So if you are planning on shopping in town, that is the best time to visit.

With everything from tubing down the Rainbow River to exploring the Historic Villages Shops of Dunnellon, this quaint little town is packed with fun and adventure for anyone who wants to visit. And since it is located just a short drive from the Villages of Citrus Hills, there is no reason you can’t plan to head up to Dunnellon on a regular basis.

September Activities and Events at the Villages of Citrus Hills

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As the hot summer days slowly fade away and we head into another fall season here at the Villages of Citrus Hills, the activities and events calendar is loaded with more fun things to do than ever before.

With standard events like Tasty Trivia Tuesday and a Labor Day Golf Outing to fresh and interesting options like the Victory Casino Cruise and the new Autumn Faire Menu at Skyview Restaurant, there isn’t a single week in September that isn’t packed with excitement.

Social Events

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The first big social event of the month will be the Victory Casino Cruise trip on Wednesday, September 11. The cost of this adventure is $58 for members and $63 for guests, and that includes roundtrip transportation to Port Canaveral, a buffet dinner on the ship, $20 in free play, and plenty of entertainment.

Things will be heating up in the Hampton Room on Thursday, September 12 for the Great Bowls of Fire Chili Cook-Off and Dance. Whether you are cooking chili or eating it, everyone is going to have a blast at this event with DJ Al Brady from Rocky and the Rollers.

Tasty Trivia Tuesday will be back in the Hampton Room for another contest on September 17. This month's trivia theme is “animals,” and the dinner will feature Broiled Atlantic Salmon with a Lemon Dill Sauce and Chicken Parmesan.

The Citrus Hills Vacationers Club has one more trip to Tampa planned before the Rays finish up their season. On Friday, September 20, there will be a group heading down to the Trop to watch our Rays host the Boston Red Sox for one last time this season.

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And if you are still looking for something to do at the end of the month, don’t miss out on the fun when the Activity Center Auditorium welcomes Battle of the Brits: Beatles vs. Stones as part of the Sizzlin’ Summer Show Series.

Tickets for this one are $26 for members and $31 for guests.

Art & Education

The AARP will be sponsoring a Smart Driver Course at the Activity Center on Saturday, September 14. The course will cover everything from defensive driving techniques to tips on dealing with aggressive drivers, and it might even save you a bunch of money on your car insurance!

On Wednesday, September 18 at 2 pm there will be representatives from Visiting Angels leading this month’s Seminar Series. They will be covering the pros and cons of hiring a private caregiver instead of a home care agency.

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The Activity Center Auditorium will also be hosting a Piano Workshop for Hopelessly Busy People this month.

On Saturday, September 28 at 2 pm Stan Soehlman will be leading a unique style of

group piano lessons that anyone who loves music won’t want to miss.

Golf & Tennis

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September can be a little slower month on the greens, but The Oaks course is hosting a Labor Day Open on Saturday, September 7 at 8:30 am.

This event is open to members and guests, and there will be lunch and beverages provided after the round.

Anyone looking to improve their game before the competition starts to heat up in October should make a point to check out one of the Free Golf Clinics with PGA Pro Mary Slinkard this month. She will be working with beginners on September 2, 3, and 4. Then she will be back to work with intermediate golfers on September 10, 17, and 24.

September is also a great month to get involved with our local tennis community, and the best place to start is the Free Beginner Tennis Clinic at the Skyview Tennis Center on Tuesday, September 10 at 11:30 am.

Dinner Specials

Skyview Restaurant is leading us into the fall season the right way with a brand-new Autumn Faire Menu available every Friday in September. With entrees like Anaheim Shrimp Scampi, Cornish Hen, Lamb Shank Jardiniere, and Bourbon Salmon, this is the type of menu you can come back for each and every Friday all month long.

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In addition to the new Friday menu, Skyview Restaurant is going to be featuring specials like an Asian Night Buffet on September 12, a Surf & Turf Night on September 14, and a Clambake on September 28.

There will also be plenty of great options to choose from at the Tiki Bar throughout the month of September. They will be serving a different special every Thursday evening that will include choices like Fried Chicken, a Shrimp Boil, Barbecue Ribs, and Steak Frites.

BellaVita

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With all of these events and activities to choose from, you might have a hard time finding any time to relax this month. But if you are able to block off some quiet time, make sure that you check out the specials like the Pure Fiji Spa Mani-Pedi Combo and the BellaVita Express Facial available this month at BellaVita Spa.

No matter which types of events and activities get you most excited, you are definitely going to want to attend some of the amazing ones planned for this month. Make sure that you mark your calendar so that you don’t miss out on any of the fun.

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