[redwitch]

I don't think there is a "best" neighborhood. They each have their pluses. If you buy north of 466, the landscaping is more mature but the neighborhoods are more established and, thus, a little harder (not much but a little) to feel part of, at least at first. If you buy in Lake County, no bond. If you buy in the 466/Buena Vista area, you're really close to grocery stores, etc., which can be a big plus when you're ill. If you go further south, especially to Pennecamp, Buttonwood, Tamarind Grove, they're all new homes with people who are younger and more likely to want to do things with their neighbors, at least for the first year or two.

Ranch homes are small designers (easiest way to describe them) -- they usually have "kissing" lanais. The villas are either courtyard or patio. If courtyard, the streets are usually narrower and every house has a private yard and private lanai. Patio villas are usually smaller and more of a "shotgun" effect. The lanais are all in the front.

Honestly, the best thing you can do is find the house that meets your criteria and go from there. It really is hard to go wrong in TV.