[sowtime444]

Do you like kayaking? Live near Lake Miona since that is one of the only bodies of water that you can take a kayak out on within the Villages. Buy a house with your own dock for only $2 million.

There is a little park called Live Oaks Park right next to the Haciendas of Mission Hills. Haven't been but it looks nice in photos. Having something like that nearby seems like a nice retreat.

We looked at a house right across the street from Spanish Springs town square once. Luckily we went and looked right at 5pm when the music started in the town square (every day at 5pm-9pm) and you could hear it. That was a little too close to the town square for us.

In some neighborhoods every house is painted a gross orange-brown color (for a "southwest" theme) which hurts my head.

I think choosing something between Spanish Springs and Lake Sumter is a good idea. I talked to a realtor and he said this is where he lives, and he chose it for the proximity to either square.

I personally would also choose a neighborhood that has been around long enough to have mature trees growing. My in-laws have a 30 foot high loquat tree in their private courtyard backyard and we eat loquats with them every winter. You won't find that in a new build.

I would also avoid being too close to power lines (easy to see the big wide line in google maps views) or the turnpike.

I personally would also not want to live east of 441 in the older area. The yards are big and the trees are nice (and the pools are bigger I think) but it seems a bit separated from the rest of the Villages, even if just psychologically. And I'm not sure about the "manufactured home" thing.

If you look at the Villages recreation map, you can see that the density of pools is lower in the older (northern) areas. This might be a slight consideration. Also, in the newest section they built a resort-style zero-entry pool which is nice.