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Originally Posted by Ray&Pat
Hi! We are new to posting here so please bear with us until learn. Thank you.
We recently spent six weeks living (renting) in TV. We decided that we had to live there to be sure it was everything that everyone said it was. It was everything people said and more. We spent quite a bit of time looking at both new and pre-owned real estate. We have pretty much decided that we want to buy north of 466. TV sits in three counties north of 466. This is the question. What are the differences between Marion, Sumter and Lake counties. This is what I think I know about the three. Lake County has no bond and the CDD can’t levy improvements on residents. Marion and Lake Counties have a higher tax base than Sumter. Sumter’s tax base is lower and has gone down the last couple of years. Can anyone offer any additional information about the counties such as restrictions, police and fire protection, etc. Thanks.
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When we bought we didn't really pay much attention to the county we were going to be in. We chose to be away from the high traffic areas and yet easy in and easy out for our travels. We are in Marion County and honestly don't see a big difference. Our evaluation seems to change each year for our tax bill. The market is down and our assessment goes down. The market picks up and our evaluation goes up. I'm not sure that happens in the other two counties. I believe our taxes to be very reasonable. I don't know if counties have anything to do with it, but we have natural gas through TECO and electric through SECO. Some areas don't have natural gas available to them. I've found that dealing with Marion County has been quite pleasant. Originally we got our drivers licenses in Wildwood and it wasn't a nice experience. On another occasion, I think it was for Passports, we used the Sumter County Annex office on Rt. 466 and it was just as pleasant as can be. We have excellent access to shopping at our north end and it's a quick ride by car down Rt. 301 or Rt. 27/441 to where the action is in the lower parts of The Villages. We often head north from here for some of our shopping in the Markets of Marion (Flea Market) and Ocala. The sales tax in Marion County is 1/2 percent lower than Lake and Sumter Counties. Our Police and Fire Departments are within a mile of our home. We actually see patrols by the Marion County Citizen's Patrol both in a car and in a golf cart.
One thing is for sure - you are gonna love it no matter where you are in The Villages.
Xavier