[NotGolfer]

Originally Posted by MplsPete

I'm planning on moving to TV in 3-12 months. We did a Lifestyle Visit last December for 3-4 days, in Newell.
There are two bits of advice I frequently see touted here, which I wonder about . . .

1. Many, many times I see advice from people on TOTV, you must rent in TV for a week, a month, 3 months, 6 months, a year, multiple years! to see if it's really what you want. Seriously? I figure another visit for two weeks in July, to see if I can live with the heat. That's it. The rest: you deal with.

2. The Village you choose is really important. Seriously? I think I have the idea: up NORTH: more golf, more businesses. some areas may have road noise, or electrical lines nearby, NEW homes are pretty much only south of Newell, or W of the turnpike, in a dusty area of new construction, with quarries, prisons, and noisy high schools nearby. Otherwise it's preowned. Then there's this wisdom that the people are fundamentally different in, say, Santiago versus Fernandina, I guess some Villages don't live up to the "friendliest hometown" standard.
I lean toward the north myself: I don't like the bond costs, and up N they are likely lower.
My Wife is only 60; she's thinking retire at 62, then draw her SS (a pittance) Don't tell her but I want to see her keep working until 65 (Medicare) and I hope she could find suitable employment as a non-professional in a big healthcare facility, those are usually good jobs and benefits, and benevolent employers, else it will likely be Publix. I think I saw some big healthcare facilities in TV near the middle and in the NE areas. A - - - LONG - - - drive from where the NEW houses are, which is what my wife thinks she needs. Well, what did Mick Jagger say about that? (You can't always get what you want.) TLDR: Is all this hype about village X vs Y mostly BS?

On social media you'll get a plethora of "advice". Some folks over-think before moving ahead. I'd say work with what you observe and know already. We didn't rent first before buying and we're still in the same house 15 yrs later. I'd come through to check out T.V. early in 2008 as we had friends who'd purchased a place here. We didn't stay over-night but visited the sales office to ask a few questions. Later that year we did a "Life-styles" visit. Then in Feb. of 2009....we came to buy a house. We'd done a lot of lurking online before that. When we came down---we booked app'ts with both an MLS agent as well as a Villages salesperson. We did a "blitz" looking at homes and almost bought a used one but 1st wanted to see some new ones. Ended up purchasing a new home and haven't looked back. Yes, do some homework 1st---taxes, how the local "gov't" works....and location too, maybe. From our experience, we didn't rent first and never looked back. Best wishes in your search.
As for the jobs here....don't expect wages to compare to where you're from.