has anyone seriously investigated

[sdgolfer]

Sun City Center? From the various TOTV forums I have learned a lot about TV, and now I will be renting for April, to experience things first hand. But being the analytical type that I am, I'm curious about SCC. Not as much info on their website, so it's difficult to compare. They have about 17,000 residents and fewer golf courses, but the proportions seem OK, and they claim better tee time access in-season. Actual costs for golf are a wash, after a nominal membership fee.
I think the homes there are all CBS, and you seem to get more home for the buck, but their monthly fees are higher. Things like groceries, shopping and medical are also golf-cart accessible, and there are lots of clubs and activities, like TV.
If anyone has spent any amount of time there, and can provide feedback, or just has thoughts on this subject, I will be very appreciative. Thanks

Knowledge is power.

sdgolfer :confused:

[OpusX1]

Never been. We did have some friends that spent a week there last March. Then they came here for a week on the way home. Their exact words were "People go to Sun City to die and people come to The Villages to live".

[LvmyPug2]

We visited Sun City Center in January and were not that impressed. Sure, the newer homes are nice but what they tout as "golf cart accessible" really means you must share the roads with cars. We didn't see cart trails like in TV. It also had some older areas that, quite frankly seemed pretty shabby. They don't have the town squares and the shopping/dining seemed pretty minimal and a bit dreary. I was really attracted to being closer to a city the size of Tampa and the gulf but we will not be considering Sun City Center.

[Gary S]

Although I will not disagree with the previous posts, we used to own a house in The Villages and we are now residents of Sun City Center.
I will admit that the major reason for living in Sun City is some of our family are close by, BUT now that we live here we have found some definite advantages.

We owned a 2 bedroom 2 bath 1350 sq. ft. house in The Villages and we loved it. We rented it for a few years before we both retired. During that time we purchased a lower cost house in Sun City for my wifes parents. My wifes father passed away last year and her mother and aunt currently live in the house.

Due to a number of visits to Sun City to vist, we became fairly familiar with the place.

When we finally both retired (last year), we started looking in The Villages for a larger house than we currently owned. We have a number of grand children and the 1350 sq. ft. just wasn't going to work in the long run. We spent quite a bit of time trying to find a 2000 sq. ft. house that we felt we could afford. Just couldn't find quite what we wanted for the price we were willing to pay.

We deceided to check out Sun City and see what we could find. We were able to find a 2,000 sq. ft. house on a small lake for under 200K. We have two very close friends that live in The Villages that purchased houses in the same time frame, both of them are almost the same size (ours is a little bigger) and the villages houses are on golf courses (not lakes). They both paid 350,00K for the same size house we purchased for $150K less.

Now that we live here we have found that our ammentiy fees are less ($250 a quarter) and include lawn maintenance and basic cable. We agree that the golf cart paths are on the roads, but there is very little traffic, so it doesn't make any difference.

We don't have a town center, but we still have the opportunity to go to dances most every week. There is a movie theater. The Gym facilities are newly remodeled and FREE. My wife plays pickleball, womens softball, trains at the gym, bridge, pinocle and I work at the free computer center.

The communities are not gaurd gated, but there is a security patrol that covers the area on a regular basis. If you leave your garage door open at night they will be sure and tell you.

There is a significant average age difference. I would estimate the average age in The Villages is 60 and in Sun City at least 70. You will notice it.

We miss the nightly dances in the town square, but we have a Publix, Winn Dixie and Super Wallmart close by, also a Home depot and other business's within golf cart range (think NO TRAFFIC). Major stores and a major mall are about 15 miles away in Brandon. We are 20 miles from Tampa and 25 miles from Tampa airport. Not really too bad.

Hope that lets you know the differences we see. The Villages is a lovely community and the housing and roads are newer. Sun City in about 1/4 the size and the traffic shows it, but we have waht we need and are enjoying retirement in lovely Florida.

[Dirigo]

We've been to both. We preferred The Villages. In fact, there was no contest. TV has a spirit that we didn't sense in SCC.

In defense of SCC, my father's cousins and their husbands lived there for a quarter of a centruy after they retired and loved the place. But, TV is not your father's Oldsmobile, if you remember that old car commercial.

Go visit SCC yourself, but keep your road map handy, because you'll probably be headed north to TV shortly.

Dirigo

[sdgolfer]

Thanks to those that replied. These are the kind of specifics I was looking for. I, too, am attracted to Sun City Center's close proximity to Tampa and the gulf, but if there is such a difference in the average age of residents (10 years), I see that as a negative. TV certainly seems to be young at heart, and very much alive.

Gary S, do you play golf? Since I plan to be, at least initially, a seasonal resident wherever I settle in FL, course conditions, accessibility, etc are very important considerations, and I was hoping to be able to compare TV with SCC in this regard. Special thanks to you for your very detailed post.

While I'm visiting TV next month, I plan to spend a little time at SCC as well.

sdgolfer :2excited:

[KathieI]

My Dad lives in Sun City in an independent living facility so I am there quite often to visit him. I did take a quick tour of SCC at the sales office and have a great deal of literature from them. There was a time that I thought I would want to move there to be closer to Dad, but I just didn't feel that SCC had the ambience that TV has. There is a definite difference in the distinction of character and environment and to me, personally, I wasn't terribly impressed with SCC.

Actually my father's home is right next door to the Winn Dixie and it is not of the same caliber as the supermarkets here. The atmosphere just outside of the community really leaves a lot to be desired. Golf carts share the road with cars and traffic lights. Its just not the "planned community" that TV is.

I feel the general population is not as exciting or fun loving of TV but of course, I haven't lived there so its hard to tell. I'm going strictly by what I see from the outside in. And, I'm not impressed.

[Bonny]

We visited there. They are definitely a much older crowd !!!
We all know you can get more house for your money other places. But, look what we have here. Most places have 1 or maybe 2 golf courses. No town square or music every night. Restaurants, Katie Belles, activities galore every day, not just once a week like a lot of places.
It just doesn't get any better than this !! :bowdown:

[Dirigo]

Has anyone ever been to Sun City Center Hilton Head?

[coach]

I've been to Hilton Head Sun City twice. IMHO, a visit there will make you appreciate TV even more. Home prices were as much as TV, ammenity fees were about the same, no where near the golf, activities, shopping etc. And finally, it's really not Hilton Head. Hilton Head is at least 30 - 45 minutes away.

Needless to say, we are happy we chose TV

[Dirigo]

I've been to Hilton Head Sun City twice. IMHO, a visit there will make you appreciate TV even more. Home prices were as much as TV, ammenity fees were about the same, no where near the golf, activities, shopping etc. And finally, it's really not Hilton Head. Hilton Head is at least 30 - 45 minutes away.

Needless to say, we are happy we chose TV

Thanks Coach...We were going to visit SCC HH as we know someone who lives there and likes it, but he's one of those folks who turns their noses skyward whenever anyone mentions Florida.

SSC HH is in Bluffton, as I recall...like you say, not really HH.

Dirigo

[Bob S]

We visited the Sun City Hilton Head. It is located on the main highway just before you cross onto the actual island. It seemed very nice but had lots and lots of traffic in season. Everyone heading to Hilton Head island passes right by. We thought the homes were more expensive than TV. I think that the championship golf course was also more expensive to play. They were talking about adding an executive course soon. I don't know if they followed through. We were nervous about the hurricane threats and cost of insurance.

I believe there is a newer second Sun City about a half hour away in Blufton.

The few things that we did like about all Sun Cities:
1. Yard maintenance is included in the monthly fee.
2. Nice gyms and an indoor pool are include in the monthly fee.

[Indy-Guy]

I talked to friends in St. Petersburg over the weekend and they told me that the company that either owns or runs the golf courses at Sun City Center just filed for bankruptcy.

I don't know any facts perhaps someone can add some light to this or confirm this.

[sdgolfer]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed their thoughts and opinions. Sounds like TV is way more fun, with a younger-at-heart population, and age wise as well.

I think WCI Communities is operating the golf courses at SCC. Is that the company you are referring to? Their web site lists many other retirement communities, mostly in Florida. BK for them would be big news.

[Indy-Guy]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed their thoughts and opinions. Sounds like TV is way more fun, with a younger-at-heart population, and age wise as well.

I think WCI Communities is operating the golf courses at SCC. Is that the company you are referring to? Their web site lists many other retirement communities, mostly in Florida. BK for them would be big news.

Yes WCI was mentioned as the company that claimed bankruptcy. Again I would like to know the details as the people that were talking about it did not know most of the details but were told this by people who live at Sun City Center.

Anyone out there that can add the details would be great.

[Indy-Guy]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed their thoughts and opinions. Sounds like TV is way more fun, with a younger-at-heart population, and age wise as well.

I think WCI Communities is operating the golf courses at SCC. Is that the company you are referring to? Their web site lists many other retirement communities, mostly in Florida. BK for them would be big news.

I did a google search and found this article it is vey interesting as to this topic.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/aging/lifetimes/article973303.ece

[Russ_Boston]

Great find Indy!

Is this TV's future 6-10 years out after the last new homes have been built? In TV's case I think the CC courses are privately owned so maybe less chance but golf participation has been declining across the country for about 4 years. I guess you'd never know it by TV's tough tee-time problems in the winter but it has happened.

It won't stop me from coming to TV but maybe I'll scale down that mansion I was hoping to buy:laugh:

[Indy-Guy]

I could be wrong but I feel that golf in The Villages will continue to be great. The Villages is building a reputation as the premier golf community in the country. With a build out around 50,000 homes the turnover of homes as people in their 80's-90's move and pass on the people that purchase will be late 50's and early 60's. So with the natural turn of homes to the younger folks because of the size of The Villages this will continue to be a very active community.

This is now happening on the Historic side of The Villages as many of the people who are purchasing there are late 50's and early 60's. I have talked to many people who are visiting parents and in-laws here and say they can't wait till they retire and move here for the activities. I have heard this from people in their 30's.

[Dirigo]

Great find Indy!

Is this TV's future 6-10 years out after the last new homes have been built? In TV's case I think the CC courses are privately owned so maybe less chance but golf participation has been declining across the country for about 4 years. I guess you'd never know it by TV's tough tee-time problems in the winter but it has happened.

It won't stop me from coming to TV but maybe I'll scale down that mansion I was hoping to buy:laugh:

If the population in TV hits one hundred thousand, and the population of the USA is three hundred million, that means one person in three thousand will live in TV. As we are on the leading edge of the baby boomer generation, I think TV will remain as it is now for another 30 years, and property values at build out are going to soar as demand exceeds supply.

After we boomers pass on, I suspect TV will become a regular non-retirement neighborhood as there will probably not be enough affluent seniors to keep it running as it is now.

Change is the one constant, as they say.

[Russ_Boston]

After we boomers pass on, I suspect TV will become a regular non-retirement neighborhood

This could not happen based on Florida law (to my knowledge).

But I do agree with your other assessments.

[The Great Fumar]

WE CHECKED OUT MANY COMMUNITIES BEFORE WE BOUGHT HERE IN THE VILLAGES AND ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS WAS THAT IF THEY HAD A MORTICIAN ON STAFF , WE WEREN'T INTERESTED.........

JUST A THOUGHT !!

" never look over your shoulder , something might be gaining on you. " (S.Page)

:crap2:

[Dirigo]

This could not happen based on Florida law (to my knowledge).

But I do agree with your other assessments.

Hey, Obama won the election. Laws and contracts are subject to change at a moments notice. Oops...wrong discussion.

Dirigo