The Villages home prices and market speed
The typical The Villages home is worth about $392,100, down 1.1% on a year ago. Across the The Villages metro, for-sale inventory is 10.7% lower than a year earlier. Prices are flat to slightly down and most homes sell below list price, so buyers have room to negotiate. Sellers do best pricing from recent closed sales rather than from older list prices.
| ZIP code | Typical home value | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|
| 32163 | $477,900 | +0.0% |
| 32162 | $367,400 | −1.5% |
| 34762 | $334,400 | −2.8% |
| 33585 | $296,500 | +0.8% |
| 34785 | $274,900 | −0.8% |
Sources: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, all homes, August 2026); Zillow metro market data (days to pending, inventory and price cuts, August 2026; sale-to-list ratio, July 2026). Metro figures cover the wider region, not the city alone.
What a local agent helps you decide in The Villages
The Villages is a single master-planned community of more than 150,000 residents across about 57 square miles, according to the developer, spread over Sumter, Lake and Marion counties. It is run in part by more than 25 special purpose districts that handle utilities, recreation, golf and public safety. That structure means two homes at the same price can cost very different amounts each month.
A good local agent helps you pin down which county and district a home sits in, what the fixed monthly charges are, and whether your household meets the published age rule, before you fall for a floor plan.
For the numbers behind those charges, see the cost of living in The Villages. For price trends, see The Villages housing market.
Buying a home in The Villages: the checks that matter
Decide between new from the developer and resale
The developer sells new homes through its own sales team, and its Homefinder and sales pages sit at the top of search results for this area. Its current price guide runs from Patio Villas "from the low $200s" to Designer and Premier homes at more than $1 million. Resale homes come through any licensed brokerage, including the developer's. If you use your own buyer's agent for a new home, confirm in writing before your first visit whether the developer will work with that agent and who pays them.
Confirm the age rule applies the way you expect
The developer's FAQ states that at least one member of your household must be 55 and that no full-time resident may be younger than 19. Visitors under 18 are limited to 30 days in a calendar year. Read the deed restrictions for the specific home, because they, not a listing description, govern who may live there.
Work out the full monthly cost, not just the payment
At the Freddie Mac average rate of 7.03% (week of September 24, 2026), principal and interest on the typical $392,083 home is about $2,355 a month with 10% down or $2,093 with 20% down. The developer's November 2024 cost sheet put its average district assessment for bond, maintenance and fire at $215 to $385 a month, on top of the amenity fee. Ask for the exact figures on the parcel before you offer.
Check the bond balance on the unit
The Village Community Development Districts publish a bond amortization schedule for every county, residential district and unit. The unit number is on the Villages ID card. An agent can pull the schedule so you know how many years of bond payments are left and whether a seller has paid it off.
Use the slower pace to negotiate
In August 2026, 27.4% of listings across The Villages metro had a price cut, and homes sold for about 96.9% of list price in July. That leaves room to ask for repairs, a price reduction or closing cost help, especially on homes that have sat for longer than the metro average of about 69 days.
Selling a home in The Villages
Price against competing listings, not the 2022 peak
Zillow's typical value peaked at $432,062 in August 2022 and was $392,083 in August 2026, about 9.3% lower. Buyers can also compare your home with new homes the developer is still building, so price it against both recent resales and current new-home prices in the same series.
Plan for a longer run
Metro homes took about 69 days on average to go under contract in August 2026, down from 80 a year earlier. Closing adds several weeks. Budget for about three months of amenity fees, assessments, utilities and insurance while the home is listed.
Estimate your net before you list
Florida documentary stamp tax, title charges, any agent commission you agree to pay and the prorated taxes and assessments all come out of the price. Run your numbers through our seller net proceeds calculator and read Florida closing costs.
The Villages areas at a glance
The developer lists four ZIP codes for the community: 32159, 32162, 32163 and 34762. Zillow's August 2026 typical values vary by more than $200,000 between the ZIPs it tracks for The Villages.
ZIP 32163: highest typical value
Zillow's typical value in 32163 was $477,873 in August 2026, unchanged on the year. It is the most expensive ZIP in Zillow's data for The Villages, so expect higher prices per square foot and newer homes than in the older sections.
ZIP 32162: close to the community's typical value
32162 had a typical value of $367,433, down 1.5% on the year, a little below the community-wide figure. Check which county the parcel is in: Sumter County Villages parcels paid 10.0315 mills in 2025, the lowest total of the three counties.
ZIP 34762: the biggest one-year fall
34762 had a typical value of $334,358, down 2.8%, the largest one-year fall among the ZIPs in Zillow's data. Falling ZIPs are where buyers usually have the most room to negotiate.
The Lake County section (Lady Lake, 32159)
Part of the community is in Lake County, where 2025 total millage in Lady Lake ran from 16.1235 to 16.6035. The same taxable value costs more there than in Sumter. See Lake County property tax.
The Marion County section
A smaller section is in Marion County, where the Villages tax district (6701) paid 15.3493 mills in 2025. See Marion County property tax. For the wider area, compare with Ocala to the north.
Local property checks before you commit
Homeowners insurance
The developer's November 2024 cost sheet estimated average insurance at $120 to $155 a month depending on the home series. Get a quote on the specific address before your inspection period ends, and order a 4-point and wind mitigation inspection so insurers can price the roof and systems. See Florida homeowners insurance.
Storm and flood history
Hurricane Milton dropped 8.78 inches of rain at a gauge southeast of The Villages in Sumter County and 11.71 inches near Lady Lake in October 2024, according to the National Hurricane Center. Inland does not mean flood-free. Look up the flood zone on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask the seller about any water intrusion.
Property tax after you buy
Florida resets a home's assessed value when it sells, so the seller's bill is not your bill. File for homestead by March 1 of the year after you buy if it will be your permanent residence. See the Florida homestead exemption.
How to choose a real estate agent in The Villages
Questions to ask before you sign
- How many resales in The Villages have you closed in the last year, and in which ZIPs?
- Can you pull the bond schedule and assessment history for a unit before I offer?
- Do you work with the developer's sales team on new homes, and on what terms?
- What is your fee, and what does it cover?
Check any agent's license on the Florida DBPR license search before you sign.
Buyer agreements and commission since August 2024
Since August 2024, the National Association of Realtors requires members to sign a written agreement with a buyer before touring homes. The agreement must state the fee or how it is worked out. No law sets commission; it is negotiable.
How much does an agent make on a $300,000 house?
Each 1% of $300,000 is $3,000, so a 3% fee would be $9,000 in total. Under Florida law that fee is paid to the brokerage, not the agent directly, and the agent keeps only their agreed share after the brokerage's cut and their own costs.
The Villages market questions answered
Why are so many people leaving The Villages?
Official data do not show an exodus. Census estimates put Sumter County at 157,772 people in July 2025, up 21.6% since 2020, with 5,633 more people moving in from elsewhere in the US than moving out in the latest year. Listings across the metro fell to 798 in August 2026 from 894 a year earlier. Why individual owners sell is not tracked in any official dataset.
What is the 80/20 rule in The Villages?
It is the federal rule for housing for older persons: at least 80% of occupied homes must have at least one resident aged 55 or older, and the community must publish its policies and verify ages at least every two years under HUD regulations. The developer's published household rule, described above, sits on top of that federal test.
Common questions
Do I need my own agent to buy a new home in The Villages?+
No, you can buy directly from the developer's sales team. If you want your own buyer's agent, ask the developer at your first visit whether it will work with outside agents and on what terms, and put the fee in a written buyer agreement. Your own agent can compare the new home with resales in the same series and check the district charges.
What is the age requirement to live in The Villages?+
The developer's FAQ states that at least one member of your household must be 55 and that no full-time resident may be younger than 19. Visitors under 18 are limited to 30 days in a calendar year. The community operates as housing for older persons under federal rules, which require at least 80% of occupied homes to have a resident aged 55 or older.
How long does it take to sell a house in The Villages?+
Across The Villages metro, homes took about 69 days on average to go under contract in August 2026, down from 80 a year earlier, according to Zillow. Closing usually adds several weeks. Homes priced against current resales and new homes in the same series tend to go under contract faster.
Are house prices dropping in The Villages?+
A little. Zillow's typical home value in The Villages was $392,083 in August 2026, down 1.1% on the year and about 9.3% below the August 2022 peak of $432,062. In the metro, 27.4% of listings had a price cut in August, fewer than a year earlier.
What is the amenity fee in The Villages?+
The developer's cost-of-living page lists a $204 monthly amenity fee in the primary community and $189 at The Lofts at Brownwood rentals. It covers executive golf, recreation and activities. The fee on a resale home can differ, so ask the seller for their current amenity bill.
Is Bright Florida Homes a real estate brokerage?+
No. Bright Florida Homes is an information and referral service, not a brokerage, and it does not list or sell homes. We publish guides to Florida communities and can introduce you to a licensed local agent in The Villages. Check any agent's license on the Florida DBPR license search before you sign anything.
Sources
- Zillow Research: ZHVI, ZORI and market data (days to pending, sale-to-list, price cuts, inventory), August 2026
- Freddie Mac: Primary Mortgage Market Survey (30-year fixed 7.03%, week of September 24, 2026)
- The Villages: Frequently asked questions
- The Villages: Cost of living
- The Villages: Current homes and villas pricing and cost of living (November 2024)
- Village Community Development Districts: About the districts
- Village Community Development Districts: Finance and bonds (amortization schedules)
- Sumter County Property Appraiser: 2025 certified millage
- Lake County Property Appraiser: 2025 millage sheet
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2025 Marion County taxing authority codes
- US Census Bureau: County population estimates and components of change, Vintage 2025
- eCFR: 24 CFR 100.305, 80 percent occupancy
- eCFR: 24 CFR 100.307, verification of occupancy
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Milton (AL142024)
- FEMA: Flood Map Service Center
- Florida Statutes: Section 190.048, CDD sales contract disclosure
- Florida Statutes: Section 475.42, sales associate compensation through employer
- NAR: Consumer guide to written buyer agreements
- Florida DBPR: License search