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Cozy, Affordable Florida Rental Cottages Offer an Alternative to Buying Retirement Real Estate in a Master-Planned Community Cost-of-Living:  Below the National Average For those who do not want to live in a master-planned community or buy real estate when it comes to retirement time, the Village of La Casa del Sol in Davenport, Florida (population 2,200) offers a nice alternative to the spiffy, new retirement communities popping up everywhere by providing small, cozy rental cottages on a yearly lease.   This affordable community is age-restricted, but not all residents live here year-round.  Many residents are snowbirds and only reside in La Casa del Sol during the winter months.
	Once used as housing by employees of Walt Disney World, the more than 300 cottages are now nestled in orange groves and next to Lake Saint Charles, forty-five miles southwest of Orlando.   All of the cottages are leased, so no long term-commitment is required, and the management company takes care of all maintenance issues, a definite plus for those who like to do some traveling throughout the year.  The grounds are also completely maintained by the management staff.  The community has a casual feel and is well-kept, although the grounds are a little bedraggled, but it does not have the manicured look or ambiance of many higher-end, master-planned retirement developments.
Each private cottage comes semi-furnished and has a standard bedroom (with a Queen size bed), a bathroom, a living room with a Murphy bed and a kitchen (with a dishwasher, stove, refrigerator, microwave, table, dishes and small appliances).  The yearly lease is $4,600 and includes unlimited use of the resort clubhouse, pool and exercise room.  There is also a $30 a month lot lease fee.   Additional options include a screen room and air conditioning (add $1,000 per year) and a cottage with a view of the lake (add $300 per year).  Utilities are paid by each cottage resident.  All cottages are non-smoking.   La Casa del Sol prides itself on its sense of community and has a number of regularly scheduled activities, including bingo, bridge games, dance lessons and movie night, as well as occasional ice cream socials, theme dinners, barbeques, pancake breakfasts and holiday events.  The community also has a putting green, a horseshoe pit, a shuffleboard facility and a clubhouse with large pool, a hot tub, billiards, a meeting room, an exercise room and a small library.   This area is a popular tourist destination so there are many nearby attractions   In addition to Walt Disney World, Cypress Gardens, Sea World and Busch Gardens are within an hour's drive.    For the best selection of cottages, late winter and early spring (now) is the ideal time to put in a reservation for a standard June 1st to May 31st lease.  Visit www.villageflorida.com for more information. Of the 2,200 people live in Davenport, and nearly half of the them are age 45 or better.  This area is popular with British tourists who come to visit Disney World, which is just 10 miles away.  Summer temperatures are usually in the 90s, with lots of humidity, and winters are mild, with temperatures in the 50s and 60s.