[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

omi

Here's one take, just my personal one. Analyze the replies you get on this and any social media site. It will almost always be a variety. You seem very much like we are, especially careful and analytical; others will deal with whatever comes if and when it comes. The same goes with careful research on sink holes in this area. How a person approaches such a situation depends on their upbringing, educational level, personality, past experiences and how much emotional distress past situations may have caused, etc. so many variables. I person who has purchased a home that a "home inspection expert" has pronounced solid, with a good roof, only to move in and 6 mos. later find the roof has multiple problems, will be especially careful the "next time".
If you watch social medial sites carefully, you will "catch on" to those who consistently tell you to relax, or that they have "never" heard of any problems, again experience, personality, educational level, and always keep in mind there are those few who will get defensive and insist every negative about the Villages is false. All have their reasons to defend even the indefensible (they made the decision to live here and don't want to admit to any negatives which all communities have), some want to defend their property value (folks with a sink hole opening under or beside homes here have been unable to sell their property and/or had a VERY expensive repair and even then had to take a loss.

We have been satisfied for many years now, built to our own specifications when one could do that, but had friends who built on Churchill g.c. who greatly regretted not doing what you are doing, careful research. In their case it was failing to locate major rail lines and the length and times trains pass. Others have been attracted to homes and lots just steps from a rec center, only to find they ARE bothered by the early morning sounds of tennis & pickle-balls, or early morning sounds of swimmers getting in some laps.
Keep up your research, can't imagine a real estate agents routinely bringing up such things unless YOU do (or unless you are dealing with someone who is a personal friend apart from business), so you have to depend on YOU and make sure you understand these types of things might be more irritating, or have more FINANCIAL impact on you than they possibly would have on others who might express themselves on this site. Be care, be VERY CAREFUL as you are doing. It's a nice community, no better or worse than a plethora of them in this area and in Florida in general. There are many many choices, choose carefully to do your best to have no regrets. We have told all our friends who come to visit over the years, if it is financially possible at all, to rent in the area you are thinking of buying in so you can experience the day to day events, distances from the things YOU do, etc.

Also, most of the villages have individual Facebook groups you can join and also individual villages Next-door groups where you can get answers from people that have actually purchased homes in the various villages that you might be interested in moving to, not just south of 44 but the older villages also, that is unless you are planning on building a home then you will have to go south of 44 as that is where 99% of the new homes are located..