Brownwood and the Future?

[Russ_Boston]

After doing a preview visit in April my wife and I have confirmed our decision to move to TV. Unfortunately due to all the normal concerns that I've chronicled before (finishing school, starting my RN career, finishing paying off the mortgage, selling the house etc.) it will be some time, maybe as much as 4-5 years but maybe as short as 3.

This brings up the thought of where in TV we will live. Obviously, TV is almost built out all the way to 466A which rules out anything new north of 466A. If we want new then we are into the new Brownwood area (for lack of a better term).

If you look at TV residents they all say that they love the area that they have moved into whether it be the 1st area known as the historic area or the 2nd area near SS or the area near Lopez etc. etc. Since we liked the new areas in an around LSL and south (Hadley, Duval etc.) it stands to reason that we may even like the newest areas yet to be built even more.

A long question but the basic thing that I'm looking for from the current residents is reasons why the new south of 466A may not work. I've heard about the proximity to Wildwood as you get down to 44 etc. but is there anything else you can think of? The type of land (too flat, floods etc.)? Proximity to undesirable features (power plants, sewerage plants other)? Things you may have heard about the planned facilities, golf courses etc?

Of course a resale isn't out of the question either!

[garsha]

Russ,
Although I am not a full timer, we bought in Bonnybrook--a resale. The location is great. Centrally located, settled. The resale we bought seemed new--hardly lived in. We have friends that live in Duval - about a 15 golf cart ride. But I like all the areas just south of the LSL - Mallory, Caroline, etc. It is really hard to find an area that I couldn't live in. It does seem to be more of a party type atmosphere in the newer areas as everyone is trying to get to know each other while they are moving in. In a resale area, everyone is already there, but our neighbors have still been very friendly. It will be fun to watch Brownwood be built. I heard that the area south of 466A will be mostly shopping, but it seems hard to believe there won't also have houses. Have fun and good luck.

[Indy-Guy]

The Villages at completion will have
47 Golf Courses - 621 Holes
35 Executive Courses - 315 Holes
12 Championship - 306 Holes
91 Recreation Centers
59 Neighborhood R/C
21 Village Centers
9 Regional Centers
61 Postal Facilities
69 Pools
84 Miles of Transportation Trails

56,000 Homes
will cover 25,000 Acres
Disney World has 27,000 Acres

At this time there are 24 Executive courses. There are 3 more to be built North of 466A their names are Tarpon Boil, Red Fish Run, and Amberjack. I have been told that one is underconstruction at this time but I have not been able to see the construction yet.

That leaves 8 Executive Courses and 3 Championship Courses for South of 466A. At this time I don't know how many homes are in The Villages but my guess is around 37,000 (if I am high just wait a couple of days) so that leaves around 19,000 to be built.

Russ my guess is that by the time you are ready there will be new homes still being built and the people that are moving into them will feel they are in the best location in The Villages.

[chelsea24]

Wow, Indy! I have to say I'm more impressed with the developer than ever! Russ I don't think you'll have any problem. It appears that TV just keeps getting better and better. :#1:

[Sidney Lanier]

Russ, if you're looking for new, then you'll have to go where the new construction is taking place; in a way this makes it easier, though I suspect that by the time you're looking the prices for new will be right back up there. If you do consider a resale--and this is something you can spend the next three years looking at, asking questions, gathering information, and learning about--then TV is your oyster, to paraphrase the expression. We personally wanted only a resale, and we agree with garsha who posted earlier about being centrally located. We bought in Belvedere, which is pretty central north to south though over on the western edge of TV. We looked in a five-town area including where we bought plus Bonnybrook, Tall Trees, Lynnhaven, and Ashland, but this is just our personal preference; we wanted to be near the Lifetime Learning College and the library. Since you have the time, you also have the luxury of taking your time. Hope this helps....

[JohnN]

Russ, I don't see any problems anywhere in TV. We just bought a new villa just north of 466a because we like the water of Lake Sumter Landing, but anywhere is nice.

congrats Celtics

[swrinfla]

Russ and others:

Here's a little exercise for you to see how big TV is and will be.

Access GoogleEarth.com

Ask it to locate "Wildwood, FL"

Zoom in enough so that you can see the red dot labelled "Wildwood" as well as the red dot labelled "Fruitland Park." State Road 44 should run more or less along the bottom of your image, and Lady Lake's red dot should be sort of in the upper right hand section of your screen.

You can clearly see what was under construction at the time this image was made (I'm guessing late 2003 to early 2004, as my street is in, but there's nothing else anywhere nearby!) The lighter colored area is mostly Sunset Pointe/Poinciana/Liberty Park etc. The redder colors are Mallory Square/Virginia Trace/Amelia, etc. The abrupt cut-off line along the right hand side is the Sumter-Lake County line.

So far untouched in the image are Districts 7 and 8. District 7 is where most of today's newest houses are: Duval/Hadley/Bonita/Hemingway, etc. Infrastructure construction only is underway in District 8, which will be the Villages of Saint Charles, Saint James, etc. (I think).

The road running westwardly out of Fruitland Park is CR466A.

The angled road running southeasterly from Wildwood and meeting up with SR44 is SR44A.

Brownwood's Paddock Square is supposed to be in the triangle between 44 and 44A, east of the Wildwood label.

As you can see, there's not much in the space between CR466A and SR44, except several bodies of water. And, in fact, there's d*** little there but open land. I've flown over it a number of times with my brother.

There's some roll there, but I hesitate to call them hills, just "high ground" and "not so high ground!" ;D

I know of little industry or strip malls or anything else in the area. Cindy Chevrolet has a sprawl along SR44, but I don't think there's a heck of a lot else. On the other hand, I would expect there to be some reasonably significant development along SR44, just as there has been at Southern Trace along CR466 and Colony Plaza along CR466A.

That's still some time down the road, for sure. The market will undoubtedly rebound, but it'll be a little more cautious, I'm thinking.

Some folks worry about Paddock Square's proximity to the city of Wildwood. I'm afraid I'd echo their thoughts, but perhaps things'll be okay! I only hopeto see it all happen!

SWR

[swrinfla]

Calling all Russes!

bump

[Lil Dancer]

My cousin bought way out near Lopez when he got his home, because that's where the new homes were available some years ago. Now he says he wishes he had waited because he's so far away from things. My suggestion would be to determine what acitivities you think you might want to pursue, or what interests you, then pick your home location to be close to that. For example, if you play softball you might want to be near the practice fields, or if you like to walk around Lake sumter every morning or go to the square at night, plan accordingly. It's just my opinion, but I think more centrally located homes will retain their value or be in demand as far as resales as opposed to homes located on the outskirts.

[jadebox]

When we visited here eight years ago we bought a map and put a circle one mile out from the town square ( there was only SS then :)). We then told the realtor we wanted inside the circle. No new homes there at the time so bought a resale.
We are now in another house but not because of location but size. About one mile further from SS but it is OK. Our other house still was in the perfect or close to perfect place for us.