[Lolabird]

Originally Posted by psjordan

Apparently I posted my reponse below to the wrong thread! Here's a cut and paste:

I’ve done a lot of woodworking in my life and the question most often posed to me is “what type or specific equipment should I buy”? And I have found throughout the years that by far the best answer is “it depends on who you are and what you’re up to”.

Same applies here. All the responses so far (and most responses on any forum) are sincere and done in the context of what that particular person is “up to”. Your current station in life may (probably) differs from some/many posting here. Just sift through the responses and take whatever nuggets you can, then do your due diligence in researching those topics.

And while I hate to answer questions with more questions, I think if you answer the items below your situation will be clearer:

Is a large bond frightening to you? I don’t know, but I’d urge you to do the research into what it is, how it might affect your budget and how much or little it matters to you in the long run.

Do you care if you drive 2 minutes, 7 minutes or 12 minutes to the grocery store? If that difference will drive you batty, look for something close.

Do you want to be a five-minute golf cart* ride to the closest square? Do you want to be “golf cart distance*” to your favorite restaurant?

Will it bother you to hear the noise from a square? Traffic? Pickleball? The High School? Etc.

If you golf, you are likely going to load up the cart at home and drive the cart to/on/home from the course. Do you care if the courses you like to play are 8 minutes away, 38 minutes away or 45 minutes away?

If you end up being a “one car, one cart” couple, can your conflicting activities be met with one taking the car and one taking the cart? If you are a “two car, one cart” couple, plan your garage situation accordingly.

Is the average age of the residents in your neighborhood important to you? This one is always hard to discern beforehand, but if it’s important to you, gather any and all information you can about prospective locations/sites. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut about “what the typical age may be in this neighborhood”. Some people care about neighborhood “average age”, some do not. Your call on how you feel about it.

Are you buying so that you can be “comfortable and mostly satisfied” immediately upon move-in? Or would you sacrifice “growing pains” (like a dusty, partially built neighborhood and minimal landscaping) to have your ultimate setup when everything around (your new build) is established in 2+ years, including mature landscaping?

Do you want to know exactly what type of houses are in your neighborhood - next door and across the street for instance, or can you live in a new-build while other houses (who knows what models) start to be built around you?

After looking over all floor plans that might fit your needs, are there any design “pet peeves” within certain designs that you wish to avoid?

Is budget (both initial and ongoing) an overriding concern, or do you have a lot of flexibility?

If you bought and then decided say after a year that you wanted to move, would it be fantastically devastating to you to potentially lose money when you sell?

My experience says you can find 90% or more of whatever you are looking for in pretty much any area of TV. Unless you are dead set on new construction, then the area choices are more limited. It all depends on who you are and what you’re up to.

* My note about golf carts - they are not all the same. If you are planning on a newer cart with plush(er) seats, a 45+ minute ride likely will not be that big of a deal (if you don’t mind that kind of thing). If you are planning on an older cart with the stock hard(er) seats and suspension, a 25 minute ride might be torture.

Thank you for giving me perspective! This was great!