Prospective TV' ers with questions!

[pjanik]

Hi all, Some questions, please. Is it hard to get used to the "close quarters" with houses being so close? How hard is it to find an internist in the area. We're not sick, but have a terrific one here in CT. Looking forward to our Lifestyle Preview in Feb,2010. Looking also at Sun City Hilton Head. Any thoughts on that? We were at TV last winter for a short visit and had a ball. Just not sure of the "no privacy" issue. Thanks so much and hope to talk to lots of Villagers when we visit!;)

[jeffy]

Hi all, Some questions, please. Is it hard to get used to the "close quarters" with houses being so close? How hard is it to find an internist in the area. We're not sick, but have a terrific one here in CT. Looking forward to our Lifestyle Preview in Feb,2010. Looking also at Sun City Hilton Head. Any thoughts on that? We were at TV last winter for a short visit and had a ball. Just not sure of the "no privacy" issue. Thanks so much and hope to talk to lots of Villagers when we visit!;)

I know that the homes are close together here, but we have not found it a problem. Most people here are so nice. When my one neighbors were going to plant some tall plants, they asked how we felt about it. When we installed bamboo wind chimes, we told them that if the noise ever annoyed them to just let us know.

I think the only thing that would really bother me is if the neighbors had a barking dog.

If closeness is an issue, buying an oversize lot or something on the golf course is always an option. I have seen many homes over near El Santiago rec center that have huge open spaces.



jeffy

[MSNPA]

Back in Pennsylvania we had a huge lot with trees, birds and wildlife. I do miss it. At first I was shell shocked how close we are to our neighbors here in TV. Now I am use to it and it does not bother me. All of our neighbors are very quiet. Fortunately when we are out on the lanai we face the wall of our neighbor's house and we are not looking directly into their lanai. We may not have the best view, but I love our house and we have a corner lot so we do have extra space on the one side.

As far as finding a doctor - this was my worst fear. While I still miss a few I had in PA some of the ones who I now see I really like and are even better than the ones back home.

[obxgal]

Having lived in Kitty HawK North Carolina on the coast, there is no way I would live in Hilton Head because of hurricanes and tourists. When you have to evacuate you may not be able to get back to your home because of flooding, electrical outages and damage done to the island.

We never left because the most we ever had was a catagory 3 in the 11 years we lived there, but those that did could not get back for 2 weeks due to flooding in surrounding areas when the cat 3 hit. We did loose our electric for 4 days. Plus if you are in a low area you have to worry about additional flood insurance.

Another thing is Hilton Head is a tourist area and during the summer months you really couldn't enjoy the beaches because they were packed and you had to do your grocery shopping either on fridays before the tourist arrived or Tuesdays once the stores restocked there shelves. Late Sundays and Mondays the stores were sold out of bread and milk, and on weekends, I saw people fighting to get a shopping cart. So no more beach resort areas for me, except suring off season.

The Outer Banks, catered to the tourist and when you get an influx of 300,000 coming in each week in the summer months the roads were also packed and I would imagine anything along the coast would be that way, plus prices are higher.

During the winter months, with the ocean breeze, it did get chilly too. Don't think you would get snow, but we did in Kitty Hawk on ocassion much to my surprise, plus those Nor'easterns got nasty at times. Not sure if they get them in Hilton Head though.

[champion6]

Regarding the internist, look in the Medical and Health Discussion section on this forum. You will find this question asked and answered there. You can also search for the term, internist, on this forum.

Welcome and good luck. The best is yet to come!

[sorr1996]

Today the 4 Sale sign went in the window! We just got home two weeks ago after spending 2 months in The Villages and we drove back to Utah in 3 days, got the house cleaned and it now is on the market. We have it priced right we hope and we are determined to Sell this house. We are originally from NJ and NY and want to get back to the east. In the two months we spent there we had made so many friends that we are still calling and e-mailing. I am sure we will have many, many questions as the days go by. Wish us luck!

Barbara and Charlie

[islandgal]

I am in a courtyard villa and have complete privacy with a concrete wall at the back of my yard and 6' ft.
siding fences on each side yard plus a fence with a gate facing the street to the back yard.
There are 2 and 3-bedroom courtyard villas. Sizes of back yards vary.

[Helene2008]

Hi Pjanik, I felt the same way about privacy so I decided I would buy a courtyard villa. We were lucky to find one with the back wall lowered and facing a golf course, but a 6 ft. wall would have worked for me also. I guess it's just what you prefer, everyone has their own opinions, but whatever you decide you will love it here.

[pjanik]

Thanks to all who answered our questions! Appreciate the input and look forward to our Feb visit!

[katezbox]

Hi,

We moved from outside the New Haven area and understand the lure of open spaces - but we also wanted low maintenance. My hubs wanted a house; I wanted a villa. We compromised on a home at the end of a cul de sac with a villa wall behind. It is just perfect!

[islandgal]

Having lived in Kitty HawK North Carolina on the coast, there is no way I would live in Hilton Head because of hurricanes and tourists. When you have to evacuate you may not be able to get back to your home because of flooding, electrical outages and damage done to the island.

We never left because the most we ever had was a catagory 3 in the 11 years we lived there, but those that did could not get back for 2 weeks due to flooding in surrounding areas when the cat 3 hit. We did loose our electric for 4 days. Plus if you are in a low area you have to worry about additional flood insurance.

Another thing is Hilton Head is a tourist area and during the summer months you really couldn't enjoy the beaches because they were packed and you had to do your grocery shopping either on fridays before the tourist arrived or Tuesdays once the stores restocked there shelves. Late Sundays and Mondays the stores were sold out of bread and milk, and on weekends, I saw people fighting to get a shopping cart. So no more beach resort areas for me, except suring off season.

The Outer Banks, catered to the tourist and when you get an influx of 300,000 coming in each week in the summer months the roads were also packed and I would imagine anything along the coast would be that way, plus prices are higher.

During the winter months, with the ocean breeze, it did get chilly too. Don't think you would get snow, but we did in Kitty Hawk on ocassion much to my surprise, plus those Nor'easterns got nasty at times. Not sure if they get them in Hilton Head though.

opbxgal -

I lived in Hilton Head for 17 years and loved it. As far as tourists, if you lived in a gatehouse guarded community (not like the TV ones), you had complete privacy from tourists and in Sea Pines Plantation where I lived, we also had a private beach for property owners only.

Yes, we knew when to go to the grocery store to beat the tourists' arrivals on weekends. During those 17 years, I only had to evacuate twice for hurricanes to return just a few days later to find only a few fallen trees with no loss of water or electricity and sparse flooding.
Hilton Head is protected by Savannah on one side and Charleston on the other and we never had Nor'easterners or snow like NC. Granted, you did have to leave early to evacuate if given notice since there is only one road off of the island but return was easy especially when you knew you still had a beach waiting for you.

[Tweety Bird]

Although we are not in TV YET, we bought a corner house and will have privacy to a degree. I really was considering a courtyard villa. I was quite impressed with their level of privacy. As long as someone doesn't talk LOUD on their phone outside or have a barking dog, I think things might be ok. I have a dog, but if he's outside and has a barking fit...IN he goes. I hate bothering neighbors and try to be respectful :bowdown:

[Jeff Bieberfeld]

we have a ranch in hemingway; homes on the entire side of our street have
6' privacy fences across the back yard and down the side. we have great privacy; eat almost all of our meals on the lanai and never hear or see anyone...maybe no one likes to eat outside? i will do a lot of planting to soften the look of the fence, but unless your lanai faces a busy street you will have plenty of privacy.
:wave: