On Christmas Day, 2020, my sister informed my parents and my wife and I that she was moving to Florida.
My wife and I have threatened to move to Florida for over a decade, but honestly figured we would wait until our 60's to even think about it.
A few weeks later, my parents called us and stated they were moving to Florida with my sister.
A few hours later, my sister called and said that my parents were definitely not moving in with her in Florida.
A few months later, we went to Disney for 2 weeks. My parents asked that we check out retirement communities in Florida if we had time.
We've been to Disney a dozen times, so we decided to take a look at The Villages. We found several homes that my parents would love. In looking, my wife asked if we could be happy here. During that vacation, we can back up to TV a couple of times and ultimately found a house we like.
We signed a contract a contract on it, got a 60-day close, and came home to Virginia to a cyclone of activity to make it all happen.
By the way, neither of us were retired or 55. My wife works from home and her employer didn't mind she moved. I had to find a place to work. I had extensive interviews with The Villages, but on the last meeting, something happened that I still don't fully understand -- I think it was money. Anyway, I didn't end up working for the Villages and was unemployed for a few months, but we had savings to carry us. I found a good job with a local college.
We are here. We are still not adapted to Florida or TV, but we plan to stay.
By the way, my sister moved to St. Pete and my parents live about 1 mile away from us, South of 44 in The Villages.
If I could go back in time 365 days and ask my 2021 self if I thought I would live in the Villages by the middle of 2021, I would ask me if I had just smoked something.
I don't find Florida or The Villages to be paradise, but I don't hate it either. I'm really just still reeling from everything that happened in 2021 ending in us moving to TV.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael G.
There are retired people from all over the nation that settled down in The Villages, some snowbirds, and some full-time residence.
My question is: "What's your story that brought to TV, and why not other areas in Florida?"
Cheers!
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