[Byte1]

My neighbor's home in the Northern part of the Villages was on the market for over seven months and just sold after reducing the price four times, and then still got low balled by the only buyer interested. He sold it for about $70-80K less than he could have gotten for it a year ago. Just saying. The Villages listings is higher than it has been in over 30 years, I was told. It's a buyers market and I have been told that the home values may never go back up to the point they were peaked at a year ago.
The insurance prices are higher than just about any state. They are starting to remove gate guards from some villages, which will remove all ideas that this is a gated community. It is no longer a real seniors' community when just about every village has at least one air b&b allowing college kids and families with children to rent for a weekend or more. The utilities are a scam. An empty home might have the highest utility bill ever had while occupied, and the answer from the utility company is that "you must have a leak on your end" even though the next month it's back to normal.
If you are looking to purchase a new home, make sure you add $30k-50K to the price for the bond.
On the other hand, if you like golf you can play every day.....if you can get a T time. And there are plenty of restaurants in the area, IF/IF you don't mind eating at 3pm unless you are willing to stand in lines that go out to the parking lot. Grocery shopping? Good luck. They are always packed.
But, there is so much to do.....
Love it here.....