[BlueStarAirlines]

We wound up doing two lifestyle visits just because TV was so big with so many options. Most other 55+ communities could easily be done in a stay, but TV is unique because of its size.

Our first stay was just understanding the scale of TV, the differences between the three main sections (North, Center, and current South), the differences in housing and how the models have changed over the years (ie the Bridgewater model from a few years ago and the current are very different from a kitchen perspective), never had a golf cart before so could you really get around with that? We visited various clubs at different recreation centers, went to different pools, ate at places all over TV, and just focused on things "inside the bubble".

Our second visit we did some of the same things, but focused more on the housing and neighborhoods we liked and decided on general location. We also went outside the bubble and looked at what surrounds the TV boundaries, the stores we liked to shop at and how far away they were and evaluated healthcare. Toured lots of homes, model homes, and looked at the (then) new developments. We also timed our visits between high and low season to gauge if the crowds were too much as well if the summer heat was a deal breaker.

We followed all the Youtube posters (there are 12-14 different channels now). We also took into folks realtor and sales agent recommendations, but quickly realized that they were opinions and wound up doing our own research. We read the sales agents bio's on the website and contacted a few just to see how we would mesh. Did the same for MLS. Be open to opinions and advice, but do your own research!

My advice is to be open on both the type of house you think you want and the general location you think you are interested in. We found our assumptions that we arrived with for our first visit were completely wrong.