Staring at a listing in The Villages and wondering what all those fees really mean? You’re not alone. Between amenity charges, CDD assessments, utilities, and golf options, it’s easy to miss how each line affects your monthly budget. This guide breaks down what you pay, what you get, and how to verify the exact numbers for any home you’re considering. Let’s dive in.
The Villages fee structure at a glance
The Villages uses two main systems to fund amenities and infrastructure you enjoy every day.
- Monthly amenity fee. This is a contractual charge that shows up on your combined utility statement. It supports recreation, executive golf operations, pools, Community Watch, and more. The amount can adjust by CPI per your deed covenant, and the developer sets prevailing rates for certain sales periods. Always confirm which covenant applies to the parcel you’re buying. DistrictGov rate information explains the billing framework.
- Annual CDD assessments. These appear on your county property tax bill as non-ad valorem charges and include a bond repayment portion and a maintenance assessment. You can usually pay off the bond, while the maintenance assessment continues annually. You can look up exact bond schedules by unit/lot on the DistrictGov finance page.
Amenity fee explained
The amenity fee funds neighborhood pools, recreation centers, executive golf walking access, Community Watch, gates and postal stations, and other Recreation Amenity Division functions. Oversight north of CR 466 involves the Amenity Authority Committee. You can learn more about oversight on the Amenity Authority Committee page.
You’ll see the amenity fee as a monthly line on your combined utility bill. The amount can vary by parcel because it ties to deed covenants and prevailing rate cohorts. Official examples on The Villages’ cost-of-living pages have shown prevailing figures in the roughly 189 to 204 dollar range in recent timeframes, with local reporting of a developer-set prevailing rate near 199.99 dollars for certain sales in 2025. Treat those as starting points and confirm the specific amount for the lot you’re evaluating using the seller’s recent bill and deed documents. You can review example budgets on The Villages’ cost-of-living page.
CDD assessments on your tax bill
CDD assessments fund core neighborhood infrastructure and its upkeep.
- Bond assessment. This repays the construction bonds for roads, utilities, stormwater, multimodal paths, and similar infrastructure. It is amortized over time and appears on your tax bill as a non-ad valorem line such as Bond Debt Assessment. Many owners choose to pay off the remaining balance. Look up schedules and payoff procedures through DistrictGov finance.
- Maintenance assessment. This recurring annual charge covers ongoing operations such as mowing, ponds, lighting, utilities operations, and repairs. It continues even after any bond is paid. See the DistrictGov FAQs for how these appear on your bill.
Amounts vary by district, unit, age of development, and bond status. A University of Florida analysis and local property reviews show combined annual CDD assessments commonly ranging from about 1,600 to over 6,000 dollars per year across The Villages. Newer areas often carry higher bond installments. For a parcel-specific view, use the Unit/Lot number to check amortization details on DistrictGov finance and pull the current tax bill via the Sumter County Property Appraiser. You can read the UF perspective on these charges in this Warrington College article.
Monthly utilities and sanitation
Your combined District statement typically shows water, wastewater, irrigation, sanitation, and the amenity fee. A sample of what that bill looks like is available on the DistrictGov bill payment page.
- Water and sewer. Rates vary by service area and include base capacity charges plus tiered usage rates. The Village Center Service Area schedule lists example base charges for a typical residential meter and use tiers. Review the VCSA rate schedule PDF when modeling costs.
- Sanitation. District documents show a representative residential sanitation fee around 22.97 dollars per month in Districts 1 to 11. See the DistrictGov FAQs for details for your area.
- Electricity, internet, and insurance. These are private bills. The Villages’ example budgets use typical electricity ranges and note that power use rises in summer. You can scan sample estimates on The Villages’ cost-of-living page.
Golf and recreation costs
Executive golf walking is included in your amenity fee. If you want to use a personal golf cart on executive courses, you need an Executive Golf Trail Pass. Published options include monthly, semiannual, and annual choices, with examples such as a monthly pass around 21.77 dollars and an annual pass around 143.70 dollars, plus tax. Check current options on the DistrictGov trail fees page.
Championship golf is operated separately by the developer with resident rates and optional enhancements. Those are outside the amenity fee and are priced separately.
Insurance, carts, and other lifestyle costs
Homeowner’s insurance is a major Florida expense. Recent consumer reporting suggests 3,000 to 6,000 dollars per year is a realistic range for many homes, depending on construction, coverage, wind risk, and other factors. It is smart to get quotes early. See context in this Kiplinger overview of living in The Villages.
Golf cart ownership is common. New mid-range carts near The Villages often list in the mid-teens to around 20,000 dollars, and used carts can be available from roughly 3,000 to 8,000 dollars. Browse example pricing at a local dealer such as Carts and Clubs. Budget battery replacements every 4 to 6 years for lead-acid systems or consider lithium options.
Golf cart insurance is typically a few hundred dollars or less per year for many non-street-legal uses, with quotes that can start in the low hundreds depending on coverage. A basic planning range of 75 to 300 dollars per year is common. See example guidance from Progressive.
The Villages hosts thousands of clubs and nightly entertainment at the town squares. Many social activities are included in the amenity fee. Classes, special events, tournament entries, championship golf, and restaurants are paid separately. The community’s cost-of-living examples can help you frame a starting point for lifestyle choices.
How to verify fees for a specific home
Use this checklist when you review a listing or prepare an offer:
- Get the parcel’s Unit/Lot number and district. Use it to pull the amortization schedule and any bond payoff details on the DistrictGov finance page.
- Pull the latest county tax bill. You will see ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem lines for Bond Debt Assessment and Maintenance Assessment. Use the Sumter County Property Appraiser to access the record.
- Ask for the last 12 months of the combined District utility statement. This confirms the current amenity fee, water and sewer usage, and sanitation charge. Learn about the combined bill on DistrictGov’s billing page.
- Review the deed covenant or declaration of restrictions for the lot. This shows CPI adjustment terms for the amenity fee. See DistrictGov rate information for how adjustments work.
- Ask if the bond is paid. If not, request the current annual bond amount and the exact payoff figure as of your intended closing date. Procedures are posted on DistrictGov finance.
- Confirm which amenity fee covenant or prevailing rate applies and when the next CPI adjustment occurs by date. This can differ even between similar floor plans.
- Clarify guest and renter IDs and gate cards. Policies affect how guests access facilities and reservations. Details are on DistrictGov Resident ID Cards.
- Check for pending budget changes, special assessments, or capital projects by skimming recent agendas and minutes for the AAC or related boards. View meeting agendas and minutes.
- Gather receipts for optional recurring items you care about, such as lawn or pest service, pool care, private club dues, or golf enhancements. These are not always shown in community cost tables.
Build a realistic monthly budget
Once you have parcel documents and seller bills, convert each annual charge to a monthly estimate, then add your lifestyle choices. Here is a simple framework you can follow:
- Mortgage principal and interest, if financing.
- Property taxes divided by 12 from the county bill. Adjust if you will not qualify for the seller’s exemptions in year one.
- CDD bond and maintenance divided by 12 from the tax bill, or use the amortization schedule from DistrictGov finance.
- Amenity fee from the latest utility bill. See DistrictGov rate information.
- Homeowner’s insurance divided by 12. Get quotes early. Reference ranges are discussed in Kiplinger’s Villages guide.
- Utilities: electricity plus water, sewer, irrigation, sanitation, and internet. Use the seller’s bills and the VCSA rate schedule to model water and sewer.
- Golf cart insurance and maintenance if you plan to own a cart. See example info from Progressive.
Official community cost tables show lower-end monthly totals by home series in the general 900 to 1,500 dollar range, but your real number can be higher after adding insurance, championship golf, and lifestyle extras. Use The Villages’ cost-of-living page as a benchmark, then refine with parcel data and your plans.
When you’re ready to compare two homes, plug both sets of parcel-specific numbers into the same worksheet and keep discretionary choices the same. That way, you see the true difference created by CDD, amenity, and tax lines.
If you want personalized help building a clear apples-to-apples budget for a specific property in The Villages, reach out to Amanda Fincher, LLC for local guidance and a friendly, data-backed review of your options.
FAQs
What is the amenity fee in The Villages and how does it change?
- The amenity fee is a monthly charge on your combined District utility bill that funds recreation, executive golf walking access, pools, and more. Amounts are set by deed covenants and prevailing rate cohorts and may adjust by CPI on the home’s sale anniversary. Verify the exact parcel amount using recent bills and see DistrictGov rate info.
How do CDD assessments appear and are they tied to home value?
- CDD assessments show on your county tax bill as non-ad valorem lines for bond and maintenance, which means they are not based on market value. Pull the current bill through the Sumter County Property Appraiser and review bond schedules on DistrictGov finance.
How can I tell if a home’s bond is paid, and what is the payoff?
- Ask the seller or your agent for confirmation, then verify using the Unit/Lot amortization schedule on DistrictGov finance. If unpaid, request the current annual bond amount and the payoff figure for your expected closing date.
What does the amenity fee cover for golf, and what costs extra?
- Walking access on executive courses is included in the amenity fee. Using a personal cart on executive courses requires an Executive Golf Trail Pass with monthly and annual options. See current examples on the DistrictGov trail fees page. Championship golf and optional enhancements are separate and priced by the developer.
How much should I budget for utilities and trash each month?
- Your combined District bill includes water, wastewater, irrigation, sanitation, and the amenity fee. District FAQs list a representative sanitation fee around 22.97 dollars per month in many districts, and water/sewer rates follow published schedules like the VCSA rate PDF. Review the billing page and seller statements for accuracy.
What is a realistic homeowner’s insurance range for The Villages?
- Many owners see 3,000 to 6,000 dollars per year depending on home age, construction, coverage, and wind risk. Get quotes early and compare deductibles. See context in Kiplinger’s Villages article.
Does “Bond Paid” mean there are no more CDD charges?
- No. “Bond Paid” removes the capital bond repayment, but the maintenance assessment remains as a recurring annual non-ad valorem charge on your tax bill. Confirm actual amounts on the county bill and the DistrictGov finance tools.
