The best retirement villages in America

[LI SNOWBIRD]

The best retirement villages in America (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/the-best-retirement-villages-in-america/ss-AAAnDKf?li=BBnbfcN#image=26)

The Villages is on the list BUT behind Solavita!!

[jebartle]

Been there, not even close to "the Villages"!!!!!

[Taltarzac725]

I lived in Scottsdale between getting my Masters Degree at the U of Denver Graduate School of Librarianship and Information Management and starting work at Information Access Company in the late Summer of 1984. They did Magazine Index, National Newspaper Index, Legal Resource Index, etc. Newspaper Indexes - Newspaper Research - Research Guides at University at Buffalo (http://research.lib.buffalo.edu/c.php?g=540390&p=3701625)

Nice place to live but so hot in the summer. And the traffic at certain times of the year.

[patfla06]

Solavita should be LAST on any list.
We did a lifestyle visit just for the fun of it.
Being in POLK County should have been my first warning.

Inside the “compound” is okay.
Once you leave you notice how bad the town is.
We had 2 choices for dinner outside, McD’s or Taco Bell.

Not a safe area at all.

[Taltarzac725]

Solavita should be LAST on any list.
We did a lifestyle visit just for the fun of it.
Being in POLK County should have been my first warning.

Inside the “compound” is okay.
Once you leave you notice how bad the town is.
We had 2 choices for dinner outside, McD’s or Taco Bell.

Not a safe area at all.

POLK County does seem to get a lot of tornado and hurricane warnings. Tornado History Project: Polk County, Florida (http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/Florida/Polk/map)

[manaboutown]

One of my cousins and her husband back in the day lived in Auburndale in Polk County near the Donald Duck orange juice plant which had what looked like a water tower painted to look like a can of frozen Donald Duck Orange juice. One day a tornado took out the water tower which was a landmark. I don't think they ever rebuilt it.

[eweissenbach]

The best retirement villages in America (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/the-best-retirement-villages-in-america/ss-AAAnDKf?li=BBnbfcN#image=26)

The Villages is on the list BUT behind Solavita!!

If I am not mistaken this is a listing of the best retirement villages in no particular order.

[My Post]

What makes something a village and when is it no longer a village?

[MSchad]

If I am not mistaken this is a listing of the best retirement villages in no particular order.

That is the way I understood it also.

[eweissenbach]

What makes something a village and when is it no longer a village?

The Chicago high rise would not fit my definition of a village for sure.

[2BNTV]

When a list includes Milford and Bridgeport CT, I have to discount the survey.

Having moved from CT, (Bridgeport), all I can say it is a good state to be from. Taxes in CT are outrageous. At one time, it was the murder capital of the USA.

TV is far superior. IMHO

[eweissenbach]

When a list includes Milford and Bridgeport CT, I have to discount the survey.

Having moved from CT, (Bridgeport), all I can say it is a good state to be from. Taxes in CT are outrageous. At one time, it was the murder capital of the USA.

TV is far superior. IMHO

TV is a better place with you here, and Bridgeport went down when you left Joe. :clap2:

[2BNTV]

TV is a better place with you here, and Bridgeport went down when you left Joe. :clap2:

Thanks Ed. Bridgeport was the "armpit:" of the country.

Like night and day compared to TV. IMHO

[kathyspear]

The article says that homes in TV are available in a range of price points but the home they show in the pics is over $400k. That would lead many people to believe that 400k is the median home price which, of course, is not the case at all.

And who would want to retire in Chicago unless you had to live near your kids or something. I doubt anyone who is NOT from Chicago would retire there. Most retirees want warm weather and low taxes.

kathy

[bbbbbb]

The best retirement villages in America (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/the-best-retirement-villages-in-america/ss-AAAnDKf?li=BBnbfcN#image=26)

The Villages is on the list BUT behind Solavita!!

Solivita is very nice, has a real gated entry, not a button to push as here. Also well managed, speed controls and not a spot of a bar and heavy drinking on every corner. Insde Pool and running track.

Also,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, strict controls on children, only allowed in pools certain hours and this is ENFORCED.
Del Webb near Orlando is nice too.

:clap2:

[patfla06]

Solivita is very nice, has a real gated entry, not a button to push as here. Also well managed, speed controls and not a spot of a bar and heavy drinking on every corner. Insde Pool and running track.

Also,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, strict controls on children, only allowed in pools certain hours and this is ENFORCED.
Del Webb near Orlando is nice too.

:clap2:

It is what’s OUTSIDE that makes Solavita ao awful.

[Chi-Town]

The article says that homes in TV are available in a range of price points but the home they show in the pics is over $400k. That would lead many people to believe that 400k is the median home price which, of course, is not the case at all.

And who would want to retire in Chicago unless you had to live near your kids or something. I doubt anyone who is NOT from Chicago would retire there. Most retirees want warm weather and low taxes.

kathy

The article says that homes in TV are available in a range of price points but the home they show in the pics is over $400k. That would lead many people to believe that 400k is the median home price which, of course, is not the case at all.

And who would want to retire in Chicago unless you had to live near your kids or something. I doubt anyone who is NOT from Chicago would retire there. Most retirees want warm weather and low taxes.

kathy

While in Chicago last month I decided to visit the Loyola University Water Tower campus and where the student union used to be stood The Clare. I cannot begin to imagine what it costs to live there. But having spent many winters going to school there with the wind ripping through the highrises off Lake Michigan all I can say is: The Villages is the place to be. Easy livin' is the life for me.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[Schaumburger]

The article says that homes in TV are available in a range of price points but the home they show in the pics is over $400k. That would lead many people to believe that 400k is the median home price which, of course, is not the case at all.

And who would want to retire in Chicago unless you had to live near your kids or something. I doubt anyone who is NOT from Chicago would retire there. Most retirees want warm weather and low taxes.

kathy

I have lived in the Chicago area for 38 years; I have never heard of anyone retiring to Chicago from somewhere else unless it was to be closer to their children or another relative. And this is one pre-retiree who wants warmer weather and lower taxes. That's not happening in Chicago. I have considered the Phoenix area, but I don't know if I could deal with Arizona summers. Some of these "best retirement locations lists" are less than believable.

[NatureBoy]

Solivita is very nice, has a real gated entry, not a button to push as here. Also well managed, speed controls and not a spot of a bar and heavy drinking on every corner. Insde Pool and running track.

New here. The wife and I are just starting our search for where to go once we are empty nesters.

Of all the places we've researched (and I can't say that is very many or very extensive yet) TV has the best online presence. The main TV site is full of information about the LIFESTYLE & COMMUNITY, and they have the Daily Sun. Then there is this forum, and the guys doing YouTube videos. I haven't found anywhere else even close.

Solivita is another place that's caught my eye, but their website is terrible, and their HOA site is all locked up behind logins. It's very hard to inform prospective buyers about your activities & lifestyle when all the info is locked away. And Solivita's main site makes it clear it is one of many developments by the builder. That doesn't speak of a big commitment to Solivita to me.

The wife & I are not looking for a nice house - there are millions of those available (we live in one). We're looking for an active social community & amenities that many other places seem to offer lip-service to, but TV seems to really focus on and have.

[Marathon Man]

Solivita is very nice, has a real gated entry, not a button to push as here. Also well managed, speed controls and not a spot of a bar and heavy drinking on every corner. Insde Pool and running track.

Also,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, strict controls on children, only allowed in pools certain hours and this is ENFORCED.
Del Webb near Orlando is nice too.

:clap2:

Sounds like the place to be for those that have the listed items high on their list.

[graciegirl]

The best retirement villages in America (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/the-best-retirement-villages-in-america/ss-AAAnDKf?li=BBnbfcN#image=26)

The Villages is on the list BUT behind Solavita!!

That ain't right!

[UpNorth]

Thanks Ed. Bridgeport was the "armpit:" of the country.

Like night and day compared to TV. IMHO

It was pretty strange to see that some of the nicest, most upscale housing in The Villages was in the Village of Bridgeport. Can't get over the negative imagery. If you ever lived in Connecticut, you would know what I mean.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

These types of articles should be viewed with a bit of suspicion. First of all, they are "clickbait". Secondly, the authors are uninformed. I have two relatives who are paid travel bloggers and rarely leave home. They get all their content to include photos and restaurant/hotel/cruise line recommendations off the internet. One of them wrote a piece of clickbait about the best sandwich in each state but has never traveled West of the Mississippi.

[NatureBoy]

That ain't right!
The slide show didn't seem to be in any ranking order. Each place got four slides. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were paid for.

P.S. Based on the slide show I went and checked out Sun City HHI's web site. Not terrible. Their calendar was mostly vendors coming to sell stuff - medicare info, financial advisors, etc. There was a room reservation schedule that looked pretty full of clubs & activities, though.

[perrjojo]

What makes something a village and when is it no longer a village?

The name of our community is The VILLAGES. Please note the S at the end of villages. The concept is to have many villages grouped together in order to keep a village feel. Personally I think this concept works.

[graciegirl]

New here. The wife and I are just starting our search for where to go once we are empty nesters.

Of all the places we've researched (and I can't say that is very many or very extensive yet) TV has the best online presence. The main TV site is full of information about the LIFESTYLE & COMMUNITY, and they have the Daily Sun. Then there is this forum, and the guys doing YouTube videos. I haven't found anywhere else even close.

Solivita is another place that's caught my eye, but their website is terrible, and their HOA site is all locked up behind logins. It's very hard to inform prospective buyers about your activities & lifestyle when all the info is locked away. And Solivita's main site makes it clear it is one of many developments by the builder. That doesn't speak of a big commitment to Solivita to me.

The wife & I are not looking for a nice house - there are millions of those available (we live in one). We're looking for an active social community & amenities that many other places seem to offer lip-service to, but TV seems to really focus on and have.


I think it is time for you and the wife to come and visit. It is very hard to understand how smoothly this place happens and how nice it is by reading a Forum on line.

When you visit you should attend the class about the CDD and how this place works.

You also need to realize that rec centers and recreation facilities and golf courses are added as The Village grows. And potential volunteers move in with each new batch of newbies. Perhaps you have a skill to share?