[Spectreron]

Just read on the "Home Order Stay" thread to expect the Life Style visit program to end soon....Gave me that sinking feeling! What happens then...No more television ads to us northerners, no growth, no new blood....What happens to a town when all growth stops? My house is listed and we were going to move to TV as soon as it sells but I become more nervous about the move every day. The IRS problem is looming (the billionaire won't take the hit...why do you think he's a billionaire?). Will home values fall as TV becomes a sleepy, aging, unadvertised golf town in central Florida. Retailer development will end when the population stops growing. Will the excitement wane? I know I'm going to get hammered by the loyalists but this is a serious question that should be thought about because build out is a reality. Just Sayin' !

[buggyone]

A sleepy golfing town of over 100,000 people with well over 100 restaurants, 540 holes of golf, people from every state, active community centers, and nightly entertainment?

Yep, this place is drying up and going to blow away.

You are going to be so busy having fun here and meeting new friends that you will not believe it.

The developer is a billionaire because he is a fore thinking genius.

I hope this was not too much of a "hammering".

[graciegirl]

Had you ever thought that there is PLENTY of interest and no need to advertise? Why pay for something when it is not needed? We are a very shakin' place to be. The sales office doesn't have to subsidize visits in order to sell this place and there is no need to advertise. We are a popular and well known place.

Advertising is to sell something, if it is already beautiful and sought after, there is no need to peddle it further.

We are a hometown, NOT a vacation destination.

[Bogie Shooter]

Most of your assumptions are wrong. Maybe thought up in a nervous state!

[dalecrenshaw]

If you assumptions are correct, wouldn't that be true for any other retirement community; i.e.Del Web, Sun City, Spruce Creek, Planation, Stonecrest, etc.
Most of these communities don't even offer most of what the Villages has to offer...maybe you'll find 1 restaurant and 1 golf course and a clubhouse.

[ilovetv]

The lifestyle preview program ending sometime soon isn't a big indicator. With the thousands of rental homes available for long or short stays, and with residents selling their friends and relatives on the idea of buying not "a house", but a lifestyle where there are endless things to do for free or low, low cost, there's little need to advertise on t.v. etc.

And the grown kids and grandkids of residents love it here and would gladly move here when the time is right. No need to be retired, either. Many people moved here to continue working, and anybody over age 19 can live here as long as the under-55 population doesn't exceed 20% according to federal law that allows for an "adult community" over 55.

And as for the billionaire, he certainly built this place beautifully AND solvently--better than this mess we're all in and can't do a thing about:

U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

Do you consider moving out of the U.S. because of THAT mess Washington has created and keeps on building?

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by Spectreron

Just read on the "Home Order Stay" thread to expect the Life Style visit program to end soon....Gave me that sinking feeling! What happens then...No more television ads to us northerners, no growth, no new blood....What happens to a town when all growth stops? My house is listed and we were going to move to TV as soon as it sells but I become more nervous about the move every day. The IRS problem is looming (the billionaire won't take the hit...why do you think he's a billionaire?). Will home values fall as TV becomes a sleepy, aging, unadvertised golf town in central Florida. Retailer development will end when the population stops growing. Will the excitement wane? I know I'm going to get hammered by the loyalists but this is a serious question that should be thought about because build out is a reality. Just Sayin' !

Not to worry.

In our small state, one of the lowest populated states in the nation, we have been hearing about TV for years and years from those who've visited there and returned to our small town to rave about it............

Some places don't need to be formally advertised.......but they also did a wonderful job at that with the videos and street maps, etc.........

[mrsyarbie]

Growth continues for now and will be replaced by resales, rentals, vacationers and this place will continue to thrive, there is just too much going on here that it would not. The most wonderful people live here..The family will still be around this place is a part of them and they are wonderful. My 6 year old grandson told me when he was here last week he is moving to The Villages when he is old enough. I said what about Mom and Dad ? what if they dont live here.He said that is ok Nana, Michael said he is going to move here and I will live with him. ( Michael is his 9 year old brother) So The Villages will continue on with our children and maybe even our Grandchildren when we are gone.Take a chance you will never ever be sorry..

[jblum315]

Let me ask you, Spectreron, If you decided you wanted to move to, say, Montclair NJ, which is a lovely town: Would you decide against it because they're not building any new houses there, or new golf courses or swimming pools? I don't think so.

There's no need to advertise The Villages. I lived up north and I never saw an ad on TV or anywhere else. I heard about it from people like me, who raved about it. I came and saw what they were raving about. I bought and happily here I am.

[dotti105]

Yes, the Villages is approaching the planned build out. But it is my understanding that the Morse family has been looking at adjacent properties to purchase for future growth.

Nevertheless, if what is on the map now is IT, done, finished. There will still be a huge resale market here.

Whether we like it or not, none of us will live forever. Our homes will be re sold or passed on to heirs. The "growth" of the villages will go on.

There are large numbers of new retirees every day who are looking for such a place and there will always be newcomers and the friendly attitude here which is generated from the fact that we all come HERE from all over the country to begin our adventure!
The Villages becoming stale is the least of my concerns!!

I think a build out will just drive up the prices, that's why we want to get in NOW!!

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Spectreron

Just read on the "Home Order Stay" thread to expect the Life Style visit program to end soon....Gave me that sinking feeling! What happens then...No more television ads to us northerners, no growth, no new blood....What happens to a town when all growth stops? My house is listed and we were going to move to TV as soon as it sells but I become more nervous about the move every day. The IRS problem is looming (the billionaire won't take the hit...why do you think he's a billionaire?). Will home values fall as TV becomes a sleepy, aging, unadvertised golf town in central Florida. Retailer development will end when the population stops growing. Will the excitement wane? I know I'm going to get hammered by the loyalists but this is a serious question that should be thought about because build out is a reality. Just Sayin' !

getting the willies is just not something you started...I'd invest here again in a heartbeat. the Villages developer owns the newspaper, radio, percentage of retailers, banks...if TV goes down it will be completely the opposite of the brilliance they have shown. they are not just here to sell new houses.

[eweissenbach]

I will attempt to give you a serious reply, and I don't think I qualify as a "loyalist" as you would likely define it, athough Iam very positive about the community and its future. The advertising in our area, Kansas City, Mo., has been almost non-existent for the last three years or so anyway. I originally learned of TV because it was advertised on a few golf tournaments, and it got my interest. I soon signed up for TOTV and subsequently got all the information I needed here. I have noticed that there is little advertising for TV outside of TV itself, no billboards along the interstate for example, unlike On Top of the World, and Del Webb. I am an AARP member and take three golf magazines, and I can't recall seeing an ad for TV in any of them. The only logical explanation for that from this former marketing executive's mind is that word-of-mouth must be providing sufficient exposure, and it has been deemed that other forms of advertising are either unnecessary or cost ineffective. The lifestyle preview program may be disappearing, if it really is, for the same reason, or it just may be that build-out is near enough that it doesn't make sense to continue beyond a
given date. As far as worrying about the possible effect of build-out to existing property owners, I would argue that it will be a net positive. Without new homes to compete against, the market for existing homes should become stronger, if not skyrocket. Given the kind of people that populate TV, fairly affluent, educated, and active, I would expect no real issues with residents taking over most management functions from the developer. This is all SPECULATION on my part but I think it is pretty realistic, and I for one, would not hesitate for one minute investing in the community. Good luck. Ed

[rubicon]

Well The Villages is not like Montclair, New Jersey or Kansas city MO, etc because it is not an incorporation. Its genesis is a clone of Disneyworld, except instead of visitors we have residents who financed this development and then allowed the developer to buy our assets.

In that same vein irrespective if a city or The Villages one of the main components that determine rests with its leadership. The IRS issue aside The Villages government seems to make very good economic decisions. I mean look at Detroit, Chicago, etc. As for the IRS who knows....perhaps the shadow know""

[jimbo2012]

R U looking for some sort of guarantee of future values?

I believe when the building stops values will increase.

What other choices would u or have u considered?

How do they compare?

[Harry Gilbert]

Spectreron You are not alone.

Personally I am much younger than the majority of members here and the residents in general. I am not concerned with a fall off of amenities or infrastructure over the next 10 years. Its 25 years on down the road I worry about.

But without being disrespectful or morbid TV is the home of FROGS and eventually TV will reach the apex of incoming and outgoing residents. And when that happens who knows what the outcome will be.