[justjim]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

I agree that no one pressured us either. We were so exhausted after beginning our trip at 3 a.m. in the morning....

Sitting through getting the planes wings de iced, prior to flying to Orlando's airport.....which is HUGE....getting the rental car, getting lost on the roundabouts.......finally finding that GORGEOUS hotel where the sales office is, in Lake Sumter Landing..........being taken to our first house........again, gorgeous..........we opted not to look at the models but decided to just browse around on our own........after we relaxed.

No one pressured us the next month of November either......we wanted to get our bearings on our own........and we did.

However, we know from experience in other places that we "relocated to" in Florida, even after doing said research for many years.......and finding things that were perfect about our chosen town, such as being a "Florida Main Street" community.....with beautiful boulevards and esplanades, smack right on the Gulf of Mexico's totally refurbished beach......jetties for fishing, docks for fishing, etc.......all the services one would need, again a self contained town that was wonderfully laid out..........

The things we did not know, or were not told........was the fact that the RED TIDE BACTERIA was a frequent visitor. It will never go away.
Perhaps if we had bought a house a little ways away from the beach, we'd have not suffered from the results of that bacteria.........but on the beach, everyone could feel it.......it was like pepper in your throat.
This is why our realtor wore a surgical mask.

Back in 1993 and 1994 and prior..........we had basic computers but no internet. Now, I would definitely do more thorough research.......

Some things you find out after you move in..........

As far as being an active lifestyle community........which I get....
what if one has more quiet hobbies or past times?

What exactly does active lifestyle mean to most of you?
Golf, yes.....tennis, yes......? Dancing? Cycling? Our son loved seeing the senior cyclists all over TV......and the Dragon Boat crews........both of which he does out west...........

What if a couple is older and slowing down.........?

We saw plenty of them.......not everyone is 45 to 55, correct?????

Again, we met great folks and had a great experience..........
and agree that doing one's research is important...........
P.S.

Just a comment and a thankyou to all the wonderful posters who have instant messaged me privately.
Apparently, not everything I've said is bad. Truth is better than illusion.
I'd hate to live in a place where people have to be afraid to speak their minds and have to explain everything.
I guess we've just been free thinking Yankees for too long........and that's what I mean by not wanting to pretend
or tow the party line...........at our age, who really wants to be a high school cheerleader? We have no illusions.

Good Post----well done.