Soon to be a Villager!!!! WOOHOO!

[Glinds8451]

We are starting to get excited about our future as a villager........finally!

We just bought a house in The Village of Hillsborough a week ago! I am so excited! I am finishing out the last 10 weeks of work up here in icy cold Buffalo NY, and will be heading down to The Villages to our new home the day after I retire! I am probably the oldest "WANNA-BE-VILLAGER" alive today that is still not a villages resident!!!!!!

I have been following the growth of the villages since I read an article in a magazine back in the 1980s (when I was in my 20's). There was an article about an interview with Mr. Schwartz regarding a vision he had about a mega retirement community he hoped to build with rec centers, and activities, etc...., and I knew THEN that if this place ever turned out to be anything like the vision he had, I wanted to live there someday when I retired. I came home from work that day and told my husband that I knew where I wanted to retire to someday. He said, "but honey......we are only 20 years old right now". I told him, "I know.......but THAT's where I want to live someday!"

I continued to watch this community grow through the 90's with the building of Spanish Springs, and then the 2000's with the building of Lake Sumter Landing, and so on. I requested all the brochures, the VHS tapes and the DVDs over the decades as VCRs and DVD players were invented, and finally LAST OCTOBER, we finally came down for the preview plan for the first time in my life! I fell in love the minute we drove through the gate welcoming us to the Villages.

We have been searching the Homes for Sale for YEARS, and one popped up 10 days ago; we drove 20 hours straight through to get there, see the house in person, did a walkthrough, and knew this one was the one!

We plan to pull into our new driveway down there on May 17th! Can't wait to join all of you!!!!!! :a040::a040::a040:

[2BNTV]

Congrats. Best wishes as you start living the dream. :smiley:

[graciegirl]

Congrats. Best wishes as you start living the dream. :smiley:


Lovely sound to that phrase.

I second it.

Welcome to lower Paradise. You are gonna love it here.

[bagboy]

Congrats!!! You'll love living here, but you already know that.

[onslowe]

What a great post! Your enthusiasm is wonderful and it will be seen to be well based when you do pull into the driveway. Look forward to reading more from you, and all of my very best wishes, fellow Villagers!

[kittygilchrist]

Welcome!

[dbussone]

WOO HOO! I live in The Villages and have loved every day. You will also. We are just so fortunate to be here.

[Cisco Kid]

🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴

[dbussone]

🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴

You are just jealous right now. Another storm coming?

[Cisco Kid]

Actually we have a warm-up. Supposedly we will see 60° Soon.

[tedquick]

Love these fun, upbeat posts!! Congrats and welcome.

[theorem painter]

Welcome. After the horrible winter you had in Buffalo you deserve this. Being a fellow western New Yorker (Rochester) I get it. The next 10 weeks will seem like the longest of your life but once you get here all will be forgotten.

[dbussone]

Actually we have a warm-up. Supposedly we will see 60° Soon.


Excellent!

[obxgal]

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp239/obxgal/Welcome/Welcomefrog.gif

[joldnol]

Welcome!

[lanemb]

We visited TV a little over 10 years ago meeting a friend of ours there who was also taking a look. We had such positive experience the idea of being there never left my mind. Two years ago my good friend and his twin brother both bought places across the street from one another. About the same time I told my neighbor and good friend about TV. He visited and bought as well. I had planned on waiting a couple of years more myself and just couldn't wait any longer. After vacationing there last year with my neighbor in his new house we searched for a long time and finally closed on our place in January. The plan was to vacation there for four years and then retire. After just a week vacationing in the new house I came home and am doing everything to reduce the 4 years to very much less. It is time to start living. I look forward to meeting many of you in the very near future. The extra cold and snow in Virginia has also pushed us over the hill.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Welcome! The place in "infreakingcredible". I'm still having to go back and forth to KC, but as of last Sunday, my bride is retired and a frogger. I've really enjoyed it here this week.

[bkcunningham1]

We are starting to get excited about our future as a villager........finally!

We just bought a house in The Village of Hillsborough a week ago! I am so excited! I am finishing out the last 10 weeks of work up here in icy cold Buffalo NY, and will be heading down to The Villages to our new home the day after I retire! I am probably the oldest "WANNA-BE-VILLAGER" alive today that is still not a villages resident!!!!!!

I have been following the growth of the villages since I read an article in a magazine back in the 1980s (when I was in my 20's). There was an article about an interview with Mr. Schwartz regarding a vision he had about a mega retirement community he hoped to build with rec centers, and activities, etc...., and I knew THEN that if this place ever turned out to be anything like the vision he had, I wanted to live there someday when I retired. I came home from work that day and told my husband that I knew where I wanted to retire to someday. He said, "but honey......we are only 20 years old right now". I told him, "I know.......but THAT's where I want to live someday!"

I continued to watch this community grow through the 90's with the building of Spanish Springs, and then the 2000's with the building of Lake Sumter Landing, and so on. I requested all the brochures, the VHS tapes and the DVDs over the decades as VCRs and DVD players were invented, and finally LAST OCTOBER, we finally came down for the preview plan for the first time in my life! I fell in love the minute we drove through the gate welcoming us to the Villages.

We have been searching the Homes for Sale for YEARS, and one popped up 10 days ago; we drove 20 hours straight through to get there, see the house in person, did a walkthrough, and knew this one was the one!

We plan to pull into our new driveway down there on May 17th! Can't wait to join all of you!!!!!! :a040::a040::a040:

That is a great story. Congratulations. Safe travels. God bless and keep you safe, healthy and happy in your new home.

I have this vision of reading your story in the Daily Sun a year from now and you are telling about all the clubs and activities you are participating in and how you are loving TV.

[Glinds8451]

Thank you so much everyone; you are all so nice and so friendly! I cannot wait to meet all of you villagers in our adventures down there. I will be the one with the BIGGEST SMILE on her face.........ha ha!

Hubby and I are so excited; we cannot wait to get there and start enjoying the good life, and the wonderful lifestyle! Till then, I hope you all have a great time down there, and I look forward to joining you!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!

[graciegirl]

Thank you so much everyone; you are all so nice and so friendly! I cannot wait to meet all of you villagers in our adventures down there. I will be the one with the BIGGEST SMILE on her face.........ha ha!

Hubby and I are so excited; we cannot wait to get there and start enjoying the good life, and the wonderful lifestyle! Till then, I hope you all have a great time down there, and I look forward to joining you!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!


When you move here year 'round you will be a Frog.

I am a Frog tool Here 'til we croak.

Living here often feels like the wonderful time of our childhood. Driving home from Laurel Manor after a class last night, and feeling the warm air on my face and seeing the pretty flowers and the perfectly kept golf cart paths, I had to think that heaven could not be better than this.

I wish you a thousand years of this joy.

[DigitalGranny]

Welcome! This is our first winter here and I can hardly believe our good fortune to live here! It's so breathtakingly beautiful! The people are mostly so sweet!

[judebarsto]

Hello Buffalo! Husband and I live in Amherst, and just spent February in The Villages. And, we just bought a new cottage in La Belle, not too far from your new home! Closing next week by mail. Unfortunately for us, we can't retire for about 2 more years and will rent out our home. But it'll go fast! I figure if I loved it this past February, (the worst weather month in a long time), I'll love it even more when it warms up!

[Glinds8451]

Hi Amherst! We are in West Seneca......but only for another 10 weeks! Can't wait; we bought a beautiful Designer Lantana with an oversized lanai and in-ground pool in Hillsborough, and we cannot wait to close as well! We plan to fly down for the closing which should happen on or around April 1st! Then we will come back so I can finish out my last month or so of work; then pack up and leave! What a tough winter this has been! Mother Nature sure blasted us for our last winter here! It started with the 82 inches of snow that fell in a day and a half leaving us stranded in our homes and neighborhoods for almost two weeks....and THAT was back in November! And It's been bad ever since then!

We are SOOOOOOO ready!!!!!! We hope to meet you down there someday!!!!

[sesack1]

You will be living pretty close to our village. Keep in mind that you do not just live here in the Villages, you change your life and thrive. If you get bored, either you want to be or it is just your own darned fault. Welcome Home.

[dotti105]

Welcome!

You will love your new home! It is all you dreamed of and more! We wake up every day amazed that we are blessed to live in such a beautiful place. It is like living in a resort.

You will find lots of comments about The Villages getting too big, too many new homes built etc. Don't let that get to you. This place is well planned, and has room enough for us all.

You will love your Village, your neighbors, the squares, the activities and living in paradise. Again, Welcome!!

[Glinds8451]

Thank you! We are so excited; we cannot wait to get down there and start enjoying the wonderful lifestyle. I have watched that community grow for the last 25 years, just waiting till I was old enough and able to retire to finally move there. We plan to enjoy every bit of it, and cannot wait to wake up that first morning in our new home and realize we are really there. I feel like a little kid at Christmastime waiting for that day to arrive!!!!!!

[Fraugoofy]

Congratulations!

[looneycat]

a new frog in the pond!

[Blessed2BNTV]

Glinds love your post and enthusiasm! We bought 3 years ago and just recently made TV our forever home. Retired 5 months ago. We planned on working 2 more years but could wait that long.

Wake up EVERYDAY with the biggest grin. Just convinced my 84 year old mom to move to TV as well.

PM when you arrive. Hubby and I would love to meet you and your DH.

[Glinds8451]

Thanks so much everyone! We look so forward to joining all of you! That day can't get here quick enough!!!!

[paulascorpio]

Congratulations on your move. It is so exciting!!

[studylady]

Welcome to Hillsborough Glinds8451! You picked a great village! Lots of friendly people and the neighborhood groups are really helpful to meet people. Hope to meet you soon!

[golfing eagles]

As the newest "newbie" to TOTV (post #1), I'd like to join everyone in welcoming you to the Villages. Like so many others, my wife and I never thought we would live in Florida. I researched retirement property in AZ, CO,AR,NC, SC and other places in FL. I generally found that most golfing communities had 1 course and 1 clubhouse that accounted for all the activities. Shopping/groceries/banks, even gas could be miles away by car. I was aware of TV; my brother bought a place on Mallory Hill but passed before we could get a chance to see it.
We came last March on a lifestyle preview and were amazed at just about everything, especially the people. It took 3 days to buy our new home in Lake Deaton, after driving the real estate agent nuts (Thanks, Marty) Our new neighbors are wonderful, I can't say enough good things about them. We've only spent 3 weeks there since closing last April, but with only a bed, TV and kitchen table we didn't want to leave 2 weeks ago. I moved my retirement plans up from 3 years to 3 months, will sell our house in the frozen tundra this summer, and then-----Frogdom!
So once again, Glinds, welcome. And to all those from Central and Western NY that posted on this thread, it is still snowing here this AM. YUK.

[deestatham]

CONGRATULATIONS! I applaud you! And my husband and I will be right behind you. Our house goes on the market in 2 weeks and if all goes as planned, we'll be in TV in September. I'm coming down May 10 to find a rental which we plan to do for a year until we can find a house. We're in Maryland and, like you, this has been a horrible winter. I wish you and your husband many years of BLISS in TV. Who knows, maybe we'll meet!!

[villages07]

CONGRATULATIONS! I applaud you! And my husband and I will be right behind you. Our house goes on the market in 2 weeks and if all goes as planned, we'll be in TV in September. I'm coming down May 10 to find a rental which we plan to do for a year until we can find a house. We're in Maryland and, like you, this has been a horrible winter. I wish you and your husband many years of BLISS in TV. Who knows, maybe we'll meet!!


Dee....suggestion...if you do find a long term rental....Consider the possibility that you will find the "perfect" house to purchase in the first couple of months. You don't want to be stuck with the balance of the rental or the chance of losing the perfect house. So, see if you can negotiate an escape clause in the rental in case you buy sooner than later. Not speaking from personal experience, just stories I have heard from others too many times over.

[deestatham]

Dee....suggestion...if you do find a long term rental....Consider the possibility that you will find the "perfect" house to purchase in the first couple of months. You don't want to be stuck with the balance of the rental or the chance of losing the perfect house. So, see if you can negotiate an escape clause in the rental in case you buy sooner than later. Not speaking from personal experience, just stories I have heard from others too many times over.

Thanks so much for the advice. Friends of ours found their house in a month! Sure hope we are that lucky. Can't wait to see Maryland in my rear view mirror! :wave:

[deestatham]

And please let me add my two cents worth and say I wish you the very, very best in TV. My husband and I are putting our house on the market in 2 weeks and hoping to be TV by September if all goes as planned.

[CassieInVa]

Dee, the above is true. We came down and had a two month rental and found a home and settled inside of three weeks. Big waste of money for the rental, especially during high season. Keep that in mind.