Hoping to Move to The Villages

[Hankg42]

Hi all! My name is Hank, my wife's name is Jackie. We're native New Yorkers, currently living in New Jersey. I will be retiring at the end of the year, and we're starting to look for our new home, and we think The Villages may be it. We will be coming down to The Villages in July to stay for 5 days, sample the lifestyle, and look at homes. I hope to learn a lot about "TV" on this forum. Looking forward to meeting folks in July. See you then!

[hansel]

Welcome Hank and Jackie I am sure you will enjoy your visit in July and love the lifestyle. We are also New York born and raised moving here from Manalapan NJ 2 years ago.

[2BNTV]

Another New Yorker here!!!!!

There aren't eonugh words to describe, how beautiful this place is.

Be prepared to be blown away. :smiley:

BTW - Bring your checkbook. :D

[tippyclubb]

I agree with 2BNTV you will be blown away. When you meet people in TV make sure to tell them your on lifestyle visit. You will find many friendly people willing to answer any questions you have while on your visit. You are going to love it.

[Hankg42]

Thanks for the info and friendly replies!

[Bonanza]

Stop "hoping" and do it!
You won't be sorry.
And the best news is . . . no snow!

[obxgal]

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp239/obxgal/Welcome/Welcome5FTY5FPinkButterflyBalmoralcolorMEnicole622 .jpg

[DougB]

Do you own a dog?

[Hankg42]

Do you own a dog?

I do. An 11 year old bulldog. He is beginning to go downhill, however. Not sure how much longer he will be with us.

[Hankg42]

Forgot to mention... our preview visit is scheduled for the week of 7/14. Can't wait!

[BuckeyeMom]

A few weeks ago, my husband and I came to The Villages for our third visit and bought a home. We're presently getting ready for the big move to take place in a couple of weeks. We both can't wait to begin this next adventure in our lives. I am looking forward to meeting quite a few people I've contacted through this site. It's a wonderful resource for any information you'd like to know about The Villages. As has been mentioned previously, let people know you're on the Lifestyle Preview Plan and you will find so many friendly people willing to answer any questions you might have. I hope you and your wife have a wonderful visit in July!

[Hankg42]

A few weeks ago, my husband and I came to The Villages for our third visit and bought a home. We're presently getting ready for the big move to take place in a couple of weeks. We both can't wait to begin this next adventure in our lives. I am looking forward to meeting quite a few people I've contacted through this site. It's a wonderful resource for any information you'd like to know about The Villages. As has been mentioned previously, let people know you're on the Lifestyle Preview Plan and you will find so many friendly people willing to answer any questions you might have. I hope you and your wife have a wonderful visit in July!

Thank you! We are really looking forward to our visit!

[lovsthosebigdogs]

Hankg42, welcome to the forum. I am sure you will love your visit. We came down a few years ago just to check it out and unexpectedly bought a house! Just couldn't help ourselves even though our retirement was several years away. Now we are moving down to be frogs (full timers) in 2 weeks. You will be blown away by how friendly it is, how pretty it is and how much there is to do like we were. When people advise you to bring your checkbook on your visit we laughed until we found we needed ours! I hope you have a wonderful time. And, by the way, your dog is adorable. I'm sorry he isn't well.

[CFrance]

Do you own a dog?
DON'T START, Dougbee!

[Briand]

Welcome Hank - you will love it here. I started Golf when I arrived 5 years ago and am in the better-than-bogie group now, play Pickle Ball, table-tennis and tennis, sail an R/V sailboat, attend two Art Groups and the Gems and Minerals Society. I'm about average age here 73 - Join us ! Brian

[KathieI]

Forgot to mention... our preview visit is scheduled for the week of 7/14. Can't wait!

Welcome Hank & Jackie,,, Love your dawg... another NY'er here, by way of Los Angeles.

Your preview timing is perfect. Our monthly gathering at Crispers is the 3rd Friday of every month where you can meet a lot of newbies and oldies to ask all the questions you want and to see what a fun group we are. In July it will be July 18. That's 3pm at Crispers on CR 466 and 101 in the Southern Trace Shopping Center. Hope you can make it.

Let us know if you need better directions or more information.

[Blessed2BNTV]

Hank and Jackie,

Welcome to TV! You are in for such a wonderful ride!

Our first visit was December 2011 for 3 days. We were several years for retiring - both in our early to mid 50's. Next visit was July 2012 - had NO plan on buying....walked out of a perviously owned home and fell in love with it.

We are owners of a lovely home and the folks we bought from are our home watchers and true and loving friends!

While we are still a year or two away from our forever home, we look forward to our visits in our forever home!

The folks are genuine and kind and we are so very blessed to have found this place.

Please promise to let us know how your visit was.

Sign me.....Blessed2BNTV

[DougB]

DON'T START, Dougbee!

Moi?

[Blessed2BNTV]

Moi?

Yes I believe she is talking about you :D

[Hankg42]

Thank you, all.

Looks like I have to learn a few "inside stories" as well. :)

[Glinds8451]

Oh, that's great! I envy all the people who have had the chance to visit the Villages or will be soon! We hope to move to the Villages too!

I am also a native New Yorker (but living in Buffalo NY......on the other side of the state from you)! I can't wait to do the preview plan in October 2014. We have booked our flights and I am just waiting for the "window" to open so that I can make my reservations to visit there Oct 10th. I guess you can't reserve a spot until 3 months ahead.

I am probably the OLDEST LIVING "WANNABE VILLAGER" alive today! I started reading about the "Concept" of a place they wanted to build up in Florida and envisioned it to be a great retirement/golf community some day! It would be called The Villages! (It was an article in some magazine........like LIFE, or one of those). That was back in 1985 when I was in my 20's! By 1990 or thereafter, the first town was built.......and people started moving down there.

I loved the concept of what they hoped this community would be someday; I came home from work that day in 1985, and told my husband that I KNEW where I wanted to retire someday! He laughed at me and thought I was nuts (since I was only 25 years old), but I loved their "vision" and what they planned on building down there..........and I have followed it since then in magazines, write-ups, VHS tapes, brochures and DVDs! After almost 29 years, I am finally going to get to SEE it for the first time in OCTOBER of this year! Woohoo!

Hubby is retiring in December and I am retiring next May.........so 11 months and counting....YAY!

I hope everyone logs on after their trips to let all of us know what they thought of TV! I can't wait to see it in October! :a040:

[DigitalGranny]

Come on down! You simply can not comprehend how great it is here from reading about it. You must experience it for yourself. Our kids laugh at us for talking about how much fun we have just going places in our golf cars. It's fun --and there are so many reasons to get out, and places to go! We have planned to move here for years and finally just did it! Welcome!

[Hankg42]

Funny thing is, I can't exactly remember where I first heard of The Villages. It was in the last 6 to 8 months, I know that. We were in Florida on a short vacation in January, and took a ride over. It was pouring rain, so we didn't see much. We visited the information center, and started doing research. So far, everything is positive. In July, we'll narrow down our housing search to a "few" different models, so when the time comes, it will be easier to select from just those. We'll experience some of the activities that interest us, and talk with some residents. We are SO looking forward to it!