what to do with mail while house hunting

[Suedi47]

Evenin' folks,
We'll be closing on the house and moving down to buy at the beginning of next month. Is there any way you can get your mail if you don't have a true address? Again, thanks...........Suedi

[redwitch]

Partly depends where you're staying. If at a local hotel, I'm sure you could have mail delivered to you there. If renting in TV, talk to your homeowner about getting a mailbox key (some are happy to do that, others are not comfortable with the idea and don't want you seeing their mail). Talk to a friend or someone you feel you can trust and have mail delivered to their address. The other alternative is rent a box at one of the Pack N Ship places.

[Suedi47]

Renting a box is a great idea, thank you!

[dizz42]

:agree: Also, the local US Post Office rents boxes.

[k2at]

I rented a box for a short time. It worked very well. U can also change ur address back home to the box and the mail will get to u sooner.

[JMarkle]

The other alternative is rent a box at one of the Pack N Ship places.
We once rented a Mailbox Etc box while we lived in an apartment and then when we bought our home, we were unable to forward our mail from that rented box. We were told it was a regulation that they could not forward our mail, but they would hold our mail and we could stop by occasionally to retrieve it. At first, they had it ready for us, but as time went on, they simply said they didn't have any. Turns out, we missed some really important mail.

Next time, I'm going to use the US Post Office.

[784caroline]

Question::: Can you use General Delivery C/O The Villages Fl 32162 and pick up your mail at the post office???....or has this method of delivery gone by the wayside.

[redwitch]

I really don't recommend forwarding mail to one of the private mail box companies. Instead, have someone get the mail at your home and have them mail it to the TV mail box. Once you have found a place, then put in a change of address. As was said, private companies do not (in fact, cannot) forward mail and they're not responsible for the mail once the box is no longer rented. This is what I recommend to renters who do not have TV mail box access.

While using the USPO for a mailbox is a good idea, the reality is the post office is dang inconvenient. Unless you're staying in the Historic side, there isn't a post office near you and I'm not sure if the smaller post offices have rental boxes. It may be that only Lady Lake does. But it wouldn't hurt to check with the surrounding post offices (Oxford -- past Wal-Mart, right before 301; the TV post office (by Griffin Road, I believe and the only one golf cart accessible; Lady Lake main).

[mokey]

When we came down in 07 without a home, we used General Delivery at the Lady Lake post office. It worked for us. For some reason, and I don't remember why, we were told we could not get a post office box. I think because we had no permanent address.

[dizz42]

As a retired postal employee, I guess I'm a little biased, but I feel that the USPS PO boxes are a more secure way to handle your mail. Wow...I wonder why The Villages doesn't have their own post office?

[logdog]

We moved here in November. The folks at TV Relocation office gave us a General Delivery address at Lady Lake. Worked out very well for us.

[dizz42]

General Delivery to the USPS sounds like a great way to go. Here's the link to what USPS.com says:
http://www.usps.com/receive/choicesfordelivery/receivemailinotherplaces.htm