Does The Villages Lie to potential buyers?

[blueash]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..
The Villages is protected by the local and county law enforcement offices.

The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.

The Villages is a 55+ active retirement community.

Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?
The Villages is approximately 45 miles northwest of Orlando, via Florida’s Turnpike.

Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

[DeanFL]

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...OK That Does it for us!!!! The Developer LIES!!! We KNEW IT!

Thanks for this. With this understanding we plan to list our TV home we built in 2013 - and get the HEXX out of this city...I mean town...'privately held corporation that sets the rules'. All this time we thought the TV Police were protecting us - NO. And all this time we thought our car's odometer was 'off' when driving to Orlando.

We do not want to live in a city...town...'privately held corporation that sets the rules' that weasels in their communication to potential buyers. We've had enough of this. Anyone want a TV house?...
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In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

[Stu from NYC]

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...OK That Does it for us!!!! The Developer LIES!!! We KNEW IT!

Thanks for this. With this understanding we plan to list our TV home we built in 2013 - and get the HEXX out of this city...I mean town...'privately held corporation that sets the rules'. All this time we thought the TV Police were protecting us - NO. And all this time we thought our car's odometer was 'off' when driving to Orlando.

We do not want to live in a city...town...'privately held corporation that sets the rules' that weasels in their communication to potential buyers. We've had enough of this. Anyone want a TV house?...
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Funny

[Stu from NYC]

Some people have way too much time to come up with something to complain about. Not one response was a lie.

Try to enjoy life and lose the need to criticize.

Can we call it a spin?

While we are all or supposed to be all socially distancing we have too much time on our hands and happy to look at all posts and feel free to skip past ones of no interest.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Oh My God they told me 45 miles to Orlando and now I find its 61.3, I don’t know where I’ll find the time or gas money to go there

[graciegirl]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

I don't see any lies.

When you are selling an item you present it in it's best light. Selling things is what a lot of people do for a living. There is no shame to it. I really get annoyed at certain folks and groups always thinking they are superior to people who work for big companies like The Villages. Maybe that is not what this post is about but it seems that the developer is no different than the local grocer. He doesn't say good morning Mrs. Jones. "You need to buy our banana's they are about to go bad." And the pediatrician...he doesn't say "Karen Kay is way too fat and it's all your fault".

It is how you say stuff, and it is how you are raised to be skeptical and question things. There is a poster who will post a query that deliberately misleads in order to make his point. Not nice. Not fair. I can tell you with authority we aren't born with the same level of intelligence, but I believe most of us are still valuable. Tricking people is not what I think the developer is doing. He is presenting something for sale. Caveat Emptor.

[Homer49]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside.

That person simply didn't do their homework re: deed restrictions before buying if they thought that no-one under 55 could live here...

[manaboutown]

This is my favorite FAQ.

"While The Villages is a 55+ active adult community we welcome children and grandchildren. In fact we offer (year round) intergenerational activities called “Camp Villages”, allowing grandparents and grandchildren to experience together all the lifestyle The Villages has to offer. There is a 30 consecutive day limit for visitors under the age of 18."

Note: "There is a 30 day consecutive day time limit for visitors under the age of 18." which I interpret as 17 and under. It is certainly not 19 and under. Also if the visitor leaves for a day and returns does he get another 30 days to stay? Can he keep doing this?

[EastCoastDawg]

In the local rag a couple of weeks ago, the developer was quoted as describing TV as "a collection of quaint villages".

I guess quaintness is in the eye of the beholder.

[SFSkol]

I remember reading somewhere that as early America expanded to the West the Post Office, (Pony Express?) considered an official Town requirement of needing a House of Worship and a Tavern/Hotel that served alcohol.

[Finchs]

Oh My God they told me 45 miles to Orlando and now I find its 61.3, I don’t know where I’ll find the time or gas money to go there
Hey, I've got the answer! Move to Fenney and the distance to Orlando:a040: will be correct!!!

[eremite06]

A certain amount of "puffing" is acceptable in advertising real estate.

[EastCoastDawg]

I remember reading somewhere that as early America expanded to the West the Post Office, (Pony Express?) considered an official Town requirement of needing a House of Worship and a Tavern/Hotel that served alcohol.

I suspect a brothel was quite high on the list, too

[Stu from NYC]

In 40 years or so might be able to walk to Orlando

[Velvet]

Also about sinkholes, no agent mentioned it. It did not occur for me to ask because my parents who had a home here for decades and my uncle who lived and died in TV never mentioned them. But when I looked at a foreclosure sale the document said the house is in a sinkhole hazard area. From that point on I always asked about sinkholes. The answer was invariably; “What sinkholes? I don’t know of any.” From that point on I knew exactly how much to trust my agents.

[Two Bills]

My brother has been selling many things, very successfully, for over 50 year.
The mantra of a top top salesman.
Enhance the positive, never mention a negative, and never bad mouth the opposition.
Caveat Emptor.

[GoodLife]

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Everyone lies and gives weasel answers at times.

For example: Doctors

Lies in the Doctor-Patient Relationship (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2736034/#:~:text=Lies%20in%20the%20doctor-patient%20relationship%20are%20common.%20Physician s,of%20bad%20news%20and%20the%20admission%20of%20e rrors).

Is it ever OK for doctors to lie to their patients? (https://www.statnews.com/2018/04/17/doctors-lying-patients/)

Patient: So Doc, how's it look?

Doctor (weasel answer) You could have many years of life to enjoy

Doctor (pure truth) You have severe cardiomyopathy and may drop dead any second.

[Gpsma]

The esteemed Developer never lies and is always looking out for our best interests.

[EdFNJ]

It's called "puffing" in the law. Ask Judge Judy, she'll agree. It's done all the time. Car sellers say "used car has been driven by a little old lady no more than 10mph on Sundays only to go to church" or "these golf clubs are definitely going to let you stroke less" (or whatever the term is, I don't play golf), or this couch I am selling you "has barely ever been sat on."

puffing

n. the exaggeration of the good points of a product, a business, real property, and the prospects for future rise in value, profits and growth. Since a certain amount of "puffing" can be expected of any salesman, it cannot be the basis of a lawsuit for fraud or breach of contract unless the exaggeration exceeds the reality. However, if the puffery includes outright lies or has no basis in fact ("Sears Roebuck is building next door to your store site") a legal action for rescission of the contract or for fraud against the seller is possible.

Puffing legal definition of Puffing (https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Puffing)

[Stu from NYC]

It's called "puffing" in the law. Ask Judge Judy, she'll agree. It's done all the time. Car sellers say "used car has been driven by a little old lady no more than 10mph on Sundays only to go to church" or "these golf clubs are definitely going to let you stroke less" (or whatever the term is, I don't play golf), or this couch I am selling you "has barely ever been sat on."

puffing

n. the exaggeration of the good points of a product, a business, real property, and the prospects for future rise in value, profits and growth. Since a certain amount of "puffing" can be expected of any salesman, it cannot be the basis of a lawsuit for fraud or breach of contract unless the exaggeration exceeds the reality. However, if the puffery includes outright lies or has no basis in fact ("Sears Roebuck is building next door to your store site") a legal action for rescission of the contract or for fraud against the seller is possible.

Puffing legal definition of Puffing (https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Puffing)

Puffing and spinning seem to have a lot in common.

In any most salesman make their money by selling so remember how they are motivated.

[Number 10 GI]

It's like all the ads you see on the internet, television and the ones you hear on the radio, CBD oil, the miracle drug that cures everything from PMS to brain cancer and diseases we don't know about yet.

[thelegges]

OP must really think once you retire you have become unable to use google and search for answers before you make any major purchase

[Ladygolfer93]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

So interesting to read your post ! A real eye opener. Almost none of the questions are actually answered. Does the Villages have a police department people ask ? What kind of answer is "the Villages are protected by local police" ? Why not say "NO, the Villages has no police department, no mayor, no city councilmen, etc. EXPLAIN to people ! Why go to all the trouble to "appear" to answer something while NOT answering. Yes, it is just another example dis honestly that seems to go on everywhere, at the bank, the real estate office, the insurance company.... if you read the Q&A's of these others, you quickly see it's not just the development company that owns the Villages, it's everywhere ! :ohdear:

[vintageogauge]

They have two homes listed for sale with a water and golf course view, the golf course is the putt putt course and the water view is the water that runs around it. Not a lie but a little bit not what you would expect to see with a golf course view.

[graciegirl]

Also about sinkholes, no agent mentioned it. It did not occur for me to ask because my parents who had a home here for decades and my uncle who lived and died in TV never mentioned them. But when I looked at a foreclosure sale the document said the house is in a sinkhole hazard area. From that point on I always asked about sinkholes. The answer was invariably; “What sinkholes? I don’t know of any.” From that point on I knew exactly how much to trust my agents.

All of Central West Florida is in a sinkhole Hazard area. The most are over by Tampa. Type in the words. "Map of sinkholes in Florida".

[davem4616]

no realtor is ever going to introduce anything negative that could impact the sale....if you ask a direct question they will not lie (assuming they have integrity and are professional). You need to ask explicit questions, not an implicit indirect questions....if you ask an indirect question, it increases the chances that they'll wiggle around and spin a negative into a positive.

I've done 7 real estate deals, my father-in-law owned a Toyota dealership, so pretty familiar with both scenarios... dealing with a real estate salesperson isn't that much different than dealing with a car salesperson

you need to be on your toes, do you homework, know what you're looking for, be willing to walk away and know what you are willing to pay. Remember they go to a lot of classes to learn how to sell....chances are you've never had any formal training on how to buy

IMHO, shopping at the end of the month gives you an advantage...walking away gives you an advantage...knowing what you are looking for gives you an advantage.....don't believe everything that you hear...you're often listening for what you want to hear and aren't asking the right clarifying questions

[CoachKandSportsguy]

My brother has been selling many things, very successfully, for over 50 year.
The mantra of a top top salesman.
Enhance the positive, never mention a negative, and never bad mouth the opposition.
Caveat Emptor.

"Remember Billy,
its not a lie if you believe it."

from what movie?

[shut the front door]

"Build out is in 2 years. You better buy now."
How many thousands fell for that BS?

[CoachKandSportsguy]

“It's not a lie... if you believe it.”
— George Costanza, Seinfeld, Season 6: The Beard
ANNOTATION
George tells Jerry how to beat a polygraph test.

Having worked with sales reps, many practice the "lies" over and over again until the facial tics which identify a lie disappear. . .

its also called marketing, as every product and every company is a market leader in something. . .

sportsguy

[njbchbum]

Perhaps you could write what you believe to be the proper/correct answers and provide them to Administration for their publishing/website updating?


In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

[Number 10 GI]

It's called "due diligence", in plain talk you check it out thoroughly before you take the leap. The wife and I made 3 trips to the villages before purchasing our home here. It helped that we had friends that had been living in TV for years that we mercilessly questioned about how, what, when and where concerning home ownership in TV. We met with a loan officer before we even decided to buy and gained valuable information on taxes and the other expenses of living here.
The description of water views and golf course views you take with a grain, or maybe a pound, of salt and see it personally to determine if the description is factual. If it isn't then nobody is putting a gun to your head forcing you to buy the house.
It never entered my mind that TV would have a police force, I knew that it wasn't a city and therefore unable to have police officers. TV could hire private security but they have no police powers so what good would they be?
As far as the distance to Orlando, where in Orlando was the end point? Usually the online map/driving aps measure to city center unless you specify a specific street address. Maybe it was measured to the closest city limit location. Again, due diligence on your part to check exactly how far it is to the location you want to go to. I just checked google maps and from my house in McClure to Orlando city center is 47 miles.

[Leadbone1]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

The three examples you gave are inconsequential and don’t amount to a hill of beans. If you’re looking for something to be upset about you certainly will always find it!

[J1ceasar]

When you go supermarket shopping you read the labels right? Buy a car and you read reviews? So you buy a $300,000 home and don't do any research yourself? Not to denigrate real estate sales people but they are right at the bottom with used car sales people . and yes I know some are great ethical realtors.

[JimJohnson]

Anyone Selling Anything will lie if it will help them get a sale. Cars, furniture and REAL-ESTATE have the most prolific liars.

[DecaturFargo]

Point missed

[J1ceasar]

They would never forget to tell you your lot is next to the highway or power lines or that community center will take two years to build. That you can't put a gnome in your yard .

[hardwick2112@yahoo.com]

You are correct, many of the Morse Family statements while not lies, are misleading. In regard to the 55+, they do not sell as many homes each year without the 20 and 30-somethings. You ought to come south of the turnpike to see it in the flesh.

Hacienda County Club is another example, the Morse Family decided to knock it down and re purpose it. Did they have a open forum to discuss, the answer is no.

Talk about socialism and take it or leave it, welcome to the Morse Family Villages.

[Girlcopper]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?
I dont actually see where the “lies” are. “Protected by local and county police.” No where does that suggest its their own police dept nor would I think that by that response.
I have registered 45 miles to the villages from Orlando on my car speedometer, not using a google on line search.
Anyone can make their own interpretation of statements made by anyone. How about just doing your own research and figure it out for yourself? But I dont see any lies here. Its just a matter of how YOU interpret it

[Girlcopper]

So interesting to read your post ! A real eye opener. Almost none of the questions are actually answered. Does the Villages have a police department people ask ? What kind of answer is "the Villages are protected by local police" ? Why not say "NO, the Villages has no police department, no mayor, no city councilmen, etc. EXPLAIN to people ! Why go to all the trouble to "appear" to answer something while NOT answering. Yes, it is just another example dis honestly that seems to go on everywhere, at the bank, the real estate office, the insurance company.... if you read the Q&A's of these others, you quickly see it's not just the development company that owns the Villages, it's everywhere ! :ohdear:
I still dont see how you feel their replies are lies. It says protected by local police. It doesnt insinuate it has its own police dept at all. And why do you feel they need to answer a question with a 12 page story. Would you prefer they said .....nope....no police dept. That would just lead to.......ok, who does the policing? So you got all your questions answered in one simple response. “Local police”. Not everyone is a scammer, liar or con man. And its your responsibility to check things out for yourself instead of sitting home behind a keyboard typing a question. Get out and check it out yourself

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

As far as I can tell, they come no where close to lying. They simply give positive answers to questions. I don't see any of these answers as "weasel answers." They are truthful.

And what happened to the original subject of this OP where "The Villages" supposedly lied about people under age 55 living here?

If a salesman did indeed lie, does that mean that "The Villages" lied? Because one person who is employed by a company may have told a lie, that doesn't mean the company lies.

[Jayhawk]

Hacienda County Club is another example, the Morse Family decided to knock it down and re purpose it. Did they have a open forum to discuss, the answer is no.

Talk about socialism and take it or leave it, welcome to the Morse Family Villages.

Do you invite friends and neighbiors over to discuss how you will spend your money? What gives you or anyone the right to an "open forum" on how the developer's family spends and invests theirs? What an entitled perspective.

[Dilligas]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?
I guess they are lies if you expect them to be. Otherwise they are the truth with out having to go into a long explanation. City or town.....vs CDD. Many have lived here decades and still don’t understand CDDs. Mileage to Orlando, is probably to the northern city limits (just like on most highways). MCO is in southern Orlando. Police....TV is covered by 3 county sheriff and 3 town police forces.....try explaining that one. This is a 55 age restricted community, but fed or state law requires some accepted under 55. So if believe all these are lies....stay where you are....you will only be looking for more lies and not enjoying our “friendliest hometown”.

[Annie66]

In 40 years or so might be able to walk to Orlando

Maybe, but in 10-15 years Orlando will be a suburb of TVs.

[phansen2246]

Maybe, as the crow fly's?

[Dgizzi]

That person simply didn't do their homework re: deed restrictions before buying if they thought that no-one under 55 could live here...
Well I did ask my TV realtor if they sell to anyone under 55 and she NO! And it is true. why bother having TV as 55 and older. I am hearing more stories of younger people living here. TV is so large no way to keep track anyhow.

[biker1]

They can track ages via the Villages ID cards.

Well I did ask my TV realtor if they sell to anyone under 55 and she NO! And it is true. why bother having TV as 55 and older. I am hearing more stories of younger people living here. TV is so large no way to keep track anyhow.

[MandoMan]

In the local rag a couple of weeks ago, the developer was quoted as describing TV as "a collection of quaint villages".

I guess quaintness is in the eye of the beholder.

Well, there are some people in The Villages who are somewhat “quaint,” to be kind about it. I’ll bet there would be a lot more “quaint” decorations if it weren’t for the “quaintness patrol” people reporting on deviations from normality. (Laughing)

[Donb0975]

Answers were honest even though not what you wanted.

[Heyitsrick]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..



The Villages is protected by the local and county law enforcement offices.

The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.

What would the practical difference be were The Villages to have its own police force? Residents would have to pay for it, of course, but what would the advantage be? Is there a crime issue that's not being addressed by the area police forces now? What if a "Villages Police Force" amounted to three people? The FAQ could then say "Yes" to that question, and most people would find that much more misleading, in my view. I don't see the issue with the way they answered this question. They clearly state that policing is handled on the local/county level. I read "local" as the towns in the counties involved.



Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.


The Villages is a 55+ active retirement community.


Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Again, I don't see what the issue with this is. When the question is posed whether TV is a city or town, the answer is that it's a 55+ active retirement community. What difference would it make as to whether TV existed in a city or town? Do The Villages rules/regulations/restrictions supersede federal/state/county/town laws? Are you or any prospective buyer unaware of HOAs and how they impact community life? They exist all over the place. Due diligence is key.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


The Villages is approximately 45 miles northwest of Orlando, via Florida’s Turnpike.

Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

On this, I agree. The way they chose to answer this question is misleading. I don't know if that was an intentional motive, of course. Here's the thing: they are absolutely correct about the point-to-point mileage between TV and Orlando. Where they skew the answer is by adding "via Florida's Turnpike".

Many people are not aware that you can do "point-to-point" mileage calculations in Google Maps. You do so (on a desktop/laptop, at least) by opening Google Maps and find your starting point. Then, right-click on that starting-point location. A context menu will come up on screen. You'll see "Measure Distance" as one of the options in that menu. Left-click on Measure Distance. Now, find your end-point that you want to find the direct point-to-point mileage for and left-click on that. You'll see a straight-line appear between those two points, and the mileage will be shown at the bottom of the map. Of course, roads don't usually go on straight lines. There's water, communities, etc., that the roads circumvent. But were you able to fly, this would be the distance between the two points.

What I did was find an easier way. I opened up Google Maps, and then did the "Directions" routine. I entered "The Villages, FL 32162" as the starting point, and "Orlando, FL" as the end point. Then I did the "Measure Distance" routine. Google Maps chose the intersection of Buena Vista Blvd and 466 as The Villages starting point. (I know this because I zoomed in on the map to see close up where Google Maps was selecting its location balloons.)

Google Maps chose downtown Orlando - essentially the center of town - as the end point. The direct point-to-point mileage between these points? ~46 miles. However, the Florida Turnpike directions (and Route 301) between these two points was ~62 miles. That's not insignificant.

See image below. I put a red rectangle on the image of the map where the Measure distance is stated. You'll also see the Florida Turnpike calculations:

https://i.imgur.com/wgAvY4R.jpg

[Barryb46]

As my father use to say, "they didn't lie just toyed with the truth!"

[Joe C.]

When it comes to material things......Believe in nothing, until you can prove it factually.

[KRM0614]

.
.
.
...OK That Does it for us!!!! The Developer LIES!!! We KNEW IT!

Thanks for this. With this understanding we plan to list our TV home we built in 2013 - and get the HEXX out of this city...I mean town...'privately held corporation that sets the rules'. All this time we thought the TV Police were protecting us - NO. And all this time we thought our car's odometer was 'off' when driving to Orlando.

We do not want to live in a city...town...'privately held corporation that sets the rules' that weasels in their communication to potential buyers. We've had enough of this. Anyone want a TV house?...
.
.
.
Thanks for honesty. I want to Sell my house.

[Stu from NYC]

As my father use to say, "they didn't lie just toyed with the truth!"

Thanks have to remember this one

[17362]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

Product advertising and the news does the same thing.
I, myself saw this starting years ago in everything... Years ago in my life it started with buying a new car/ car salesman. (Step Grandfather was one)
Some see it as a spin, some believe these people who answer this way to the letter. It’s just a generality.
For me, I don’t believe anything anymore, “just the facts ma’am.”
Yes, it means I have to spend hours sometimes finding out the truth or facts as I call it.
I find those type of answers despicable, always have always will.
Weasels are not great mascots for human kind. I aspired to be better than that in my life. We grew up with weasels being depicted in cartoons as having those traits, so for our generation, at least we understand what that truly means, and I agree.

[graciegirl]

Thanks have to remember this one

No one needs to "toy with the truth here to sell homes".

For 14 years I have watched them sell. (I am not a realtor . My husband and I had built 10 homes over time in Ohio and Indiana.) I have not ever seen a phenomena like The Villages. In our Village when the view lots went up for sale at Bridgeport at Laurel Valley, they all sold within several hours. We missed out. We are satisfied with our lot and have watched several homes sell here in the last nine years for over 100K more than was paid for them.

In Hadley where we bought our first house here the homes that went for sale sold quickly and at a greater price than was paid for them.

No one needs to lie about The Villages. Jealous people will quickly tell you any minuses and the common Joe and Karen on the street are going to lavish you with wonderful stuff if you engage them.

Only if you are new here do you think that people have to fib to sell houses in The Villages.

I am not a realtor. I was a pre-school teacher for decades. I really am not crazy about most realtors.

[Topgun 1776]

Yes sir! I would like to buy your home! What Village are you in and what price would you sell it for? This is a serious inquiry. Thanks so much!

[theruizs]

Oh My God they told me 45 miles to Orlando and now I find its 61.3, I don’t know where I’ll find the time or gas money to go there

I think the point is that if they will lie about these little simple things, how can you trust anything else they say or promise about bigger things. I think many of the buyers south of 44 have experienced that. Would they have bought there if the developers had been honest about the timing of amenities, access, etc.? And now if they want to move north it will not be easy or inexpensive. These people are billionaires, so why do they need to lie about anything any more?

[theruizs]

No one needs to "toy with the truth here to sell homes".

For 14 years I have watched them sell. (I am not a realtor . My husband and I had built 10 homes over time in Ohio and Indiana.) I have not ever seen a phenomena like The Villages. In our Village when the view lots went up for sale at Bridgeport at Laurel Valley, they all sold within several hours. We missed out. We are satisfied with our lot and have watched several homes sell here in the last nine years for over 100K more than was paid for them.

In Hadley where we bought our first house here the homes that went for sale sold quickly and at a greater price than was paid for them.

No one needs to lie about The Villages. Jealous people will quickly tell you any minuses and the common Joe and Karen on the street are going to lavish you with wonderful stuff if you engage them.

Only if you are new here do you think that people have to fib to sell houses in The Villages.

I am not a realtor. I was a pre-school teacher for decades. I really am not crazy about most realtors.

I have been here for 8 years, so not new. We were lied to our faces. Now maybe the TV rep only told us what they were told, or maybe they made up their own lies, I don’t know. But given the premium you pay for homes here we had valid questions about build-out and the easement and it’s use and were lied to about both. Regarding the latter, I don’t think we would have bought this property if we had known the truth. And if I had known there will never be build out, I am not sure I would have bought here at all. Given the premium we paid for a home here I felt that the value would be locked in after build out. Now, I am not so sure.

[hal195z]

If you would do your diligence before buying in TV you would know that people over 55 can buy a home here, our police protection is provided for the most part by Sumter County (also Marion, Lake, Lady Lake City, Fruitland Park City and Wildwood City), there are sinkholes all over this area, the mileage to Orlando is not to the airport, there is a large industrial park bordering a southern portion of TV and there is also a federal prison. CSX operates a large rail switching yard in Wildwood and operates trains during the day and night. We pay our property taxes as determined by our county commissioners, to the respective counties we reside in, not the developer and the roads are maintained by those counties. The country clubs, the town squares and most, if not all commercial property is owned and maintained by the developer or those that lease the property. The executive golf courses, and the flowers and shrubbery along our roadways are maintained by our ammenities fees we pay monthly.
I may not have covered all of the issues I have seen on this thread but the cry babies on this site need to get their facts straight. This is the best place I could live in and I am so thankfull I chose to live in The Villages.

[dadoiron]

We were told in 2014 TV would not build beyond 44.

Should have said they would not build beyond Miami.

[airstreamingypsy]

In the local rag a couple of weeks ago, the developer was quoted as describing TV as "a collection of quaint villages".

I guess quaintness is in the eye of the beholder.

They also call it the "friendliest hometown" It is nobodies home town. As for the "friendliest" maybe once upon a time, a long time ago.

[Larry Poling]

We are ruled by a CDD that is elected by the residents of that district. It may not be a city but they are your elected officials. Once an area is sold out the developers create a CDD and move on. As far as the police look around. The county sheriff has multiple offices throughout The Villages to protect and they seem to do a decent job. If you want to move because the developer lied about how far it is to Orlando go ahead if those extra 10 miles are significant. If you want a reason look at the greed the developers show by continuing to build long after they were suppose to build this community out. Now they are putting in apartments and going to create an area by Finney that is not age restricted and will have apartments and low cost housing for people who work in the Villages. Should be interesting how that works out.

[Indydealmaker]

Also about sinkholes, no agent mentioned it. It did not occur for me to ask because my parents who had a home here for decades and my uncle who lived and died in TV never mentioned them. But when I looked at a foreclosure sale the document said the house is in a sinkhole hazard area. From that point on I always asked about sinkholes. The answer was invariably; “What sinkholes? I don’t know of any.” From that point on I knew exactly how much to trust my agents.

The entire state of Florida is a sinkhole zone.

[Stu from NYC]

We were told in 2014 TV would not build beyond 44.

Should have said they would not build beyond Miami.

Things change companies want to grow.

[graciegirl]

We are ruled by a CDD that is elected by the residents of that district. It may not be a city but they are your elected officials. Once an area is sold out the developers create a CDD and move on. As far as the police look around. The county sheriff has multiple offices throughout The Villages to protect and they seem to do a decent job. If you want to move because the developer lied about how far it is to Orlando go ahead if those extra 10 miles are significant. If you want a reason look at the greed the developers show by continuing to build long after they were suppose to build this community out. Now they are putting in apartments and going to create an area by Finney that is not age restricted and will have apartments and low cost housing for people who work in the Villages. Should be interesting how that works out.

There are and always have been areas for people to live who work for and in The Villages and the developer has built them. They are not part of The Villages and do not have use of our amenities. I wouldn't call them "low cost housing". They are the same prices as many ranches and designers and premier homes.

The apartments are new and I bet they too will be a success. Many of us are thinking about our future with less space and stuff to take care of as we age and not ready for the "home".

The latest video from The Morse family explained that the three of them did pause and think to stop building but they decided to go on. It isn't just the three of them you know. Their business keeps literally thousands of people employed around here. I like how they do things. I am glad they will be here for awhile to keep things nice.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Well I did ask my TV realtor if they sell to anyone under 55 and she NO! And it is true. why bother having TV as 55 and older. I am hearing more stories of younger people living here. TV is so large no way to keep track anyhow.

You might be forgetting that The Villages (the developer) aren't the only homesellers in the Villages. Most homes in the Villages are already owned by people living in them, or renting them out to other people.

When THOSE homeowners choose to sell their properties, the Villages (the Developer) has no input into who ends up buying them. Those are private sales.

They could choose the Villages official realtors to do the selling/buying on the private persons' behalf. But it is still a private sale. And many sellers go through NON-Villages listing service realtors to do the selling. Others don't use any realtors at all, but opt for a "for sale by owner" situation.

The Villages (the Developer) can't dictate who buys those properties sold by individual owners, because the Villages has no ownership in those properties anymore.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

You might be forgetting that The Villages (the developer) aren't the only homesellers in the Villages. Most homes in the Villages are already owned by people living in them, or renting them out to other people.

When THOSE homeowners choose to sell their properties, the Villages (the Developer) has no input into who ends up buying them. Those are private sales.

They could choose the Villages official realtors to do the selling/buying on the private persons' behalf. But it is still a private sale. And many sellers go through NON-Villages listing service realtors to do the selling. Others don't use any realtors at all, but opt for a "for sale by owner" situation.

The Villages (the Developer) can't dictate who buys those properties sold by individual owners, because the Villages has no ownership in those properties anymore.

They CAN (meaning - it's in the deed restrictions so they are allowed) enforce the rule after the fact - but they have demonstrated on several occasions that they are preferring a hands-off approach to these types of violations.

[Hans53]

anyone else see a constant turn over of young people in houses that are on air B&B. some people also want to rent rooms like a b&B in our neighborhood.

[Dilligas]

Well I did ask my TV realtor if they sell to anyone under 55 and she NO! And it is true. why bother having TV as 55 and older. I am hearing more stories of younger people living here. TV is so large no way to keep track anyhow.
This law states that it is legal for communities to market themselves as "55+"or "age-restricted" provided they maintain that 80 percent of the occupied units are occupied by at least one person who is 55 years of age or older. ... Most 55+ age-restricted active adult communities will place an age-minimum on the residents. Also, if someone in the home is 55 or over and others are under 55 (but not under 19), it also complies with the law. That's why you see somepeople in their 30's, living with mama and/or a 55 year old married to a 45 year old.

[rmd2]

2 points:
1) You can bet all of the "weasel" answers have been reviewed, and possibly written, by a lawyer who will make sure they are legally acceptable.
2) With reference to the under 55 age living here by law it is permissible (but not required) to have UP TO 20% under 55 and still be considered a retirement community. By law the developer must keep records to make sure they do not go over 20%. HOWEVER, there are many retirement communities (some right around here) that DO NOT allow anyone under 55 years of age to live there. There is NO law that we must allow persons under 55 to live here - the developer made the decision to allow it.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

There are and always have been areas for people to live who work for and in The Villages and the developer has built them. They are not part of The Villages and do not have use of our amenities. I wouldn't call them "low cost housing". They are the same prices as many ranches and designers and premier homes.

The apartments are new and I bet they too will be a success. Many of us are thinking about our future with less space and stuff to take care of as we age and not ready for the "home".

The latest video from The Morse family explained that the three of them did pause and think to stop building but they decided to go on. It isn't just the three of them you know. Their business keeps literally thousands of people employed around here. I like how they do things. I am glad they will be here for awhile to keep things nice.

Regarding the apartments @ Hacienda:

At the time Hacienda was built (or being built) there were only two rec centers. That, and Paradise. Paradise was "built out" and the point of buying at the Villages was to be near recreation activities, amenities, that were being paid for monthly.

The rec center for that entire area of the Villages has been eliminated, and will not be replaced. In fact - not only will it not be replaced, but up to 300 more couples will be moving in and using up whatever is left of the recreational facilities in the area. They will have access to ALL the same amenities as people living in the houses next to it have. All, being more limited because the rec center no longer exists.

So you'll have to squeeze more people into other rec centers. You'll have to squeeze all the EXISTING residents into the other rec centers, plus an additional 300+ people who will occupy those apartments (most of them won't be moving in as singles, they'll be in as couples).

And of course the clubhouse restaurants that have already been getting the Hacienda patronage, will have to squeeze another 300+ customers into them.

That's fine in the summer when the snowbirds are up north. But imagine the traffic at the roundabout right next to the property there - when the snowbirds are down here for the winter.

Many of us chose the Villages over any other community to escape the "business" of cities and nearby suburbs. We wanted to get away from rush hour, to find that little "bubble" where we were isolated from those mundane inconveniences of life. That was what was sold to us, it's what we bought and in the case of Hacienda, it's what they paid extra for. It has been eliminated. What they paid extra for no longer exists, AND they're being told that they'll now have to share what little was left for them, with another 300+ people.

And they get zero say in the matter.

[Jayhawk]

Regarding the apartments @ Hacienda:

At the time Hacienda was built (or being built) there were only two rec centers. That, and Paradise. Paradise was "built out" and the point of buying at the Villages was to be near recreation activities, amenities, that were being paid for monthly.

The rec center for that entire area of the Villages has been eliminated, and will not be replaced. In fact - not only will it not be replaced, but up to 300 more couples will be moving in and using up whatever is left of the recreational facilities in the area. They will have access to ALL the same amenities as people living in the houses next to it have. All, being more limited because the rec center no longer exists.

So you'll have to squeeze more people into other rec centers. You'll have to squeeze all the EXISTING residents into the other rec centers, plus an additional 300+ people who will occupy those apartments (most of them won't be moving in as singles, they'll be in as couples).

And of course the clubhouse restaurants that have already been getting the Hacienda patronage, will have to squeeze another 300+ customers into them.

That's fine in the summer when the snowbirds are up north. But imagine the traffic at the roundabout right next to the property there - when the snowbirds are down here for the winter.

Many of us chose the Villages over any other community to escape the "business" of cities and nearby suburbs. We wanted to get away from rush hour, to find that little "bubble" where we were isolated from those mundane inconveniences of life. That was what was sold to us, it's what we bought and in the case of Hacienda, it's what they paid extra for. It has been eliminated. What they paid extra for no longer exists, AND they're being told that they'll now have to share what little was left for them, with another 300+ people.

And they get zero say in the matter.

If you find a better place that meets your concerns, be sure to write now and then.

:ho:

[Stu from NYC]

Regarding the apartments @ Hacienda:

At the time Hacienda was built (or being built) there were only two rec centers. That, and Paradise. Paradise was "built out" and the point of buying at the Villages was to be near recreation activities, amenities, that were being paid for monthly.

The rec center for that entire area of the Villages has been eliminated, and will not be replaced. In fact - not only will it not be replaced, but up to 300 more couples will be moving in and using up whatever is left of the recreational facilities in the area. They will have access to ALL the same amenities as people living in the houses next to it have. All, being more limited because the rec center no longer exists.

So you'll have to squeeze more people into other rec centers. You'll have to squeeze all the EXISTING residents into the other rec centers, plus an additional 300+ people who will occupy those apartments (most of them won't be moving in as singles, they'll be in as couples).

And of course the clubhouse restaurants that have already been getting the Hacienda patronage, will have to squeeze another 300+ customers into them.

That's fine in the summer when the snowbirds are up north. But imagine the traffic at the roundabout right next to the property there - when the snowbirds are down here for the winter.

Many of us chose the Villages over any other community to escape the "business" of cities and nearby suburbs. We wanted to get away from rush hour, to find that little "bubble" where we were isolated from those mundane inconveniences of life. That was what was sold to us, it's what we bought and in the case of Hacienda, it's what they paid extra for. It has been eliminated. What they paid extra for no longer exists, AND they're being told that they'll now have to share what little was left for them, with another 300+ people.

And they get zero say in the matter.

Very interesting

[Bjeanj]

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

Blueash, you’ve been here for looks like 12 years, and you’re just now checking this out?

This is Marketing, pure and simple. They aren’t “weasel” answers. Have you ever been house hunting and had a realtor refer to a house as “a cute little starter home”?

Same thing.

[MandoMan]

Well I did ask my TV realtor if they sell to anyone under 55 and she NO! And it is true. why bother having TV as 55 and older. I am hearing more stories of younger people living here. TV is so large no way to keep track anyhow.

I’m not certain about the percentage, but I think I’ve read that in Florida, for a community to be registered as 55 or older. At least one buyer in 85% of the NEW homes sold has to be 55 or older. I’ve read that this doesn’t apply to USED homes. Any light on that?

[tvbound]

"Caveat emptor" will always apply. I personally go into every transaction with the attitude that even if the seller isn't overtly lying (even though so many do) about their product or services, they are almost always definitely not voluntarily offering the negatives (lying by omission) about what they're selling. Which is why, when it comes to buying something anyway, this is such a great time to be alive given that it is so easy to research and find out more about the seller, goods or services.

[kendi]

In another thread a person suggested they were lied to about whether people under 55 could reside. That got me looking at the FAQ on Developer's website

FAQ | The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/faq/)

While they don't exactly lie, they certainly get right up to the edge of lying. It makes me wonder why they bothered to post a FAQ if they didn't want to give a truly honest answer. The only possible reason is to mislead with a misleading answer. You think you've learned something about TV, but you've not had your question answered the way I believe it should be answered. Maybe I'm wrong about that...

Examples:
Does TV have their own Police Department? We all know the honest answer is NO. Is that the answer the FAQ gives? It is not. It gives a weasel answer that strongly suggests that the answer is yes..


The average person would very likely believe the word LOCAL means TV has a local force.


Is The Villages a city or a town?

The honest answer is NO. There is no citizen elected government in control. For good or for bad we are residents of a privately held corporation that sets the rules.



Again true, but they did not answer the question they posed. Misleading. We could well be a 55+ community in a city or in a town.

Even a simple question which is easily fact checked

How far is TV from Orlando?


Perhaps from the closest tip of Orlando to the closest part of TV it is 45 miles, but that is certainly misleading.

From Brownwood to MCO is 60 miles, to the Premium Outlet which you see from the Turnpike exit is 51 miles.

From Lake Sumter Landing add 6 miles, from Fenney Grill it is 49 miles to the Outlet.

I don't know why TV chose 45 miles as the distance from TV to Orlando for the FAQ, but it is a less than honest answer. If you just use Google and enter distance from The Villages to Orlando it gives 61.3 miles. That would have been an honest answer, or even round down to 60.

Weasel answers do not make The Villages look honest and trustworthy in their approach to potential buyers. How about giving a forthright answer rather than one which is as close to a lie as you can get without crossing the line?

These are not lies at all. I certainly do not interpret their wording as you do. Keep in mind you said "answered the way I think it should be answered." Did you take a poll to find out what the average person would think? I'm not so sure your your interpretation would be the same as the "average" person's.

[Number 10 GI]

The entire state of Florida is a sinkhole zone.

And where we lived in middle Tennessee it is the same thing, many, many sinkholes.

[JohnN]

is the Pope a Catholic? Does a bear... well, you get it by now. Sure they lie.

[cegallup]

All PLUSSES and MINUSES of TV aside, the point of the original comment was . . . . seeking an Affirmative or Negative answer. All the rationalization and "SALES-TALK" does is to avoid the general nature of QUESTIONS. Yes or No. If a Buyer accepts fuzzy or misleading answers is something most of us have encountered. But it doesn't make the "answer" any more "honest".

[Carla B]

Regarding the apartments @ Hacienda:

At the time Hacienda was built (or being built) there were only two rec centers. That, and Paradise. Paradise was "built out" and the point of buying at the Villages was to be near recreation activities, amenities, that were being paid for monthly.

The rec center for that entire area of the Villages has been eliminated, and will not be replaced. In fact - not only will it not be replaced, but up to 300 more couples will be moving in and using up whatever is left of the recreational facilities in the area. They will have access to ALL the same amenities as people living in the houses next to it have. All, being more limited because the rec center no longer exists.

So you'll have to squeeze more people into other rec centers. You'll have to squeeze all the EXISTING residents into the other rec centers, plus an additional 300+ people who will occupy those apartments (most of them won't be moving in as singles, they'll be in as couples).

And of course the clubhouse restaurants that have already been getting the Hacienda patronage, will have to squeeze another 300+ customers into them.

That's fine in the summer when the snowbirds are up north. But imagine the traffic at the roundabout right next to the property there - when the snowbirds are down here for the winter.

Many of us chose the Villages over any other community to escape the "business" of cities and nearby suburbs. We wanted to get away from rush hour, to find that little "bubble" where we were isolated from those mundane inconveniences of life. That was what was sold to us, it's what we bought and in the case of Hacienda, it's what they paid extra for. It has been eliminated. What they paid extra for no longer exists, AND they're being told that they'll now have to share what little was left for them, with another 300+ people.

And they get zero say in the matter.

I understand your feelings completely, however, I think you may be confusing La Hacienda Regional rec center with Hacienda Country Club. This discussion is about the developer-owned country club, not the rec center. As far as I know, La Hacienda Regional Rec Center located closer to Spanish Springs remains intact.

[Indydealmaker]

"Build out is in 2 years. You better buy now."
How many thousands fell for that BS?

Exactly ZERO contracts contained such a claim.