[coleprice]

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?

Golfers shopping for homes in The Villages should NOT purchase a New Home in the Southern Areas, which lack enough Executive Golf Courses. Rather, they should buy a pre-owned home in the Middle or Northern areas which have plenty of Executive golf courses nearby. Also, the Bond is usually paid off and you are MUCH CLOSER to shopping & restaurants.