What if "The Villages" never happened?

[DeanFL]

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Looking thru the Sun paper this morning, and the photos of continuing expansion of the Industrial Park, 'What If'?

Sometimes I ponder things in my mind (no comments please). Along with 'does the Universe end', I have thoughts 'What if Harold Schwartz did not start The Villages'

Like 'Back to the Future', WHAT IF? The impact he had is nothing but tremendous. What if? We all probably would not be enjoying our lives here. The employment that resulted and continues. The growth of the surrounding towns and areas. And on and on...

Founding of The Villages
In the early 1970s, Schwartz turned his focus from mail-order land sales to land development. Schwartz, along with business partner Al Tarrson, founded Orange Blossom Gardens, a mobile home park in Central Florida located off of US Highway 27-441. Using land leftover from his mail-order land sales business, Schwartz began selling homes to retirees. Initially, sales were slow, with only about 400 homes being built in the original development.[2]

In 1983, Schwartz, unsatisfied with the progress, bought out Tarrson's interest in the business and brought in his son, advertising executive, H. Gary Morse as a business partner. Together, Schwartz and Morse increased sales at Orange Blossom Gardens exponentially and created interest in the growing community.[3]

In 1992, the name of the development was changed from Orange Blossom Gardens to The Villages.
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Perhaps we should have a celebratory day each year "Founder's Day".
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[Stu from NYC]

Very interesting please tell us more

[Nucky]

I'd be in Arizona which is not my first choice. I love it here. Even with the lumps and bumps it really is nice. We are fortunate. Thankfully the entire family is into keeping the operation growing. I don't begrudge them anything they work hard to give us what is available here. Can you imagine the sleepless nights they have had in the past when big decisions were coming up or big checks needed to be signed? Thank God for Mr. Schwartz. Some of the original people who are still here that knew him said he was a peach.

[davem4616]

Thank you, your post brought to mind my favorite poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

Schwartz had both courage and a vision....if he hadn't I certainly would not have chosen central Florida as my retirement location

I'd be living on a lake somewhere in the northeast, heading out early in the mornings in a small boat to catch some trout or salmon

[EdFNJ]

There are many other retirement communities. T.V. is/was certainly "special" but if it wasn't "invented" I'm sure there would have been another place just as good and before you jump on the "just as good" comment I say that because if T.V. never existed we'd have never known what we missed and had nothing to compare it to! :)

[graciegirl]

I would have stayed in Ohio, the heart of it all. We had been to Florida many, many, times to visit, almost yearly to see the mouse when our kids were little and our grandkids too. Husband had business dealings frequently in Florida. We had vacationed and stayed on all the famous beaches and driven through a lot of residential areas and I never wanted to LIVE here until a friend bought a place here and raved about it like a maniac. We were planning to visit some school friends in Fort Meyers and our friends INSISTED we stop by and see their new home in The Villages.

We stayed overnight and I had long quenching drags of the Kool-aid.

Both of us couldn't get it out of our minds and here we are second house here in fourteen years.

We STILL just love it and thank all of the Morse family for their wise decisions and amazing ideas.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

We'd probably be with spouse's sister in South Carolina. That was our other option when we had to sell our home in Connecticut. It was also a consideration prior to that, when she told us she'd bought property on a creekside and was thinking of building a family compound.

[Marvic 1]

We would all have more money in our pockets.... :boxing2:

:jester:

[champion6]

We wouldn't have "THAT SONG" running through our heads ...
The Villages, Florida's Friendliest Home Town, The Villages.

[JoMar]

We have friends in various areas of Florida so most likely would have ended up where they are. I know I would not have stayed in PA but maybe a snowbird? I really hate cold and snow :) Something would have been here, some Developer would have built, maybe several, but the consistency wouldn't exist. The fact that the Morses have also developed great relationships with the commissioners of all three counties has helped keep the consistency across three politically diverse governments. I don't see any development anywhere that has the same consistency for the size of the communities.

[2newyorkers]

I never would of learned how to twirl a baton, continue Girl Scouts, and meet so many wonderful friends.

[DeanFL]

I never would of learned how to twirl a baton, continue Girl Scouts, and meet so many wonderful friends.
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yep, and I would never have learned new swearwords, and used them freely & often, on golf courses.
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[baustgen]

Dead frim shoveling snow.j

[JGVillages]

This website would be: talkofwildwood.com

[Toymeister]

I'd be in Alabama, 49th lowest property taxes, retirement and SS not taxable. You could have four seasons or ocean front property depending how north you were. Home the the countries second largest industrial park, NASA, Toyota, Huyndai and Mercedes-Benz manufacturing. A thriving, very consecutive, state.

[champion6]

This website would be: talkofwildwood.com
:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:

[thelegges]

We would be at the beach

[vintageogauge]

After several years of traveling around Florida we had two finals, The Villages and Vero Beach and the only thing they have in common is that they are both in Florida. If there were no Villages we would have settled in Vero.

[Northwoods]

We would be in AZ. I never thought I'd retire to FL. To much humidity!!! We decided to look at The Villages and we couldn't believe that such an amazing community even existed. I had NEVER heard of The Villages!!!
I love this place. We continue to pinch ourselves because we can't believe we're "living; the dream."

[kcrazorbackfan]

I'd be in Arizona which is not my first choice. I love it here. Even with the lumps and bumps it really is nice. We are fortunate. Thankfully the entire family is into keeping the operation growing. I don't begrudge them anything they work hard to give us what is available here. Can you imagine the sleepless nights they have had in the past when big decisions were coming up or big checks needed to be signed? Thank God for Mr. Schwartz. Some of the original people who are still here that knew him said he was a peach.

We would have been in AZ. also, probably the Surprise area; visited there numerous times.

[MandoMan]

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Looking thru the Sun paper this morning, and the photos of continuing expansion of the Industrial Park, 'What If'?

Sometimes I ponder things in my mind (no comments please). Along with 'does the Universe end', I have thoughts 'What if Harold Schwartz did not start The Villages'

Like 'Back to the Future', WHAT IF? The impact he had is nothing but tremendous. What if? We all probably would not be enjoying our lives here. The employment that resulted and continues. The growth of the surrounding towns and areas. And on and on...

Founding of The Villages
In the early 1970s, Schwartz turned his focus from mail-order land sales to land development. Schwartz, along with business partner Al Tarrson, founded Orange Blossom Gardens, a mobile home park in Central Florida located off of US Highway 27-441. Using land leftover from his mail-order land sales business, Schwartz began selling homes to retirees. Initially, sales were slow, with only about 400 homes being built in the original development.[2]

In 1983, Schwartz, unsatisfied with the progress, bought out Tarrson's interest in the business and brought in his son, advertising executive, H. Gary Morse as a business partner. Together, Schwartz and Morse increased sales at Orange Blossom Gardens exponentially and created interest in the growing community.[3]

In 1992, the name of the development was changed from Orange Blossom Gardens to The Villages.
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Perhaps we should have a celebratory day each year "Founder's Day".
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Anyone who wonders what The Villages COULD have become or MIGHT have been if it were like a great many attempted real estate developments all over Florida should read the wonderful novels of Carl Hiassen. They are satirical, funny, and sometimes wild, but they always reveal Florida as it is.

I used to teach a class in college I called “Comic Crime Capers.” It was entirely novels by Floridians and set in Florida about idiotic or nefarious criminals of many sorts trying to take advantage of people like you and me. No state can match Florida in this sort of novel and author. Perhaps I should start a book club to read these books.

I think The Villages is remarkable in avoiding the corruption, hucksterism, and broken promises that have been so much a part of those who prey on the Florida Dream and take advantage of those who want peace, pleasure, and prosperity for a decade or two before they shuffle off.

[Dilligas]

My parents retired to Sun City Center, FL (south of Tampa) in 1974. It was a very early Del Webb community, play golf, tennis, etc and drive around in golf carts. They loved it and my family loved it, and I always wanted to retire to a place like that. When he built out Del Webb left and turned the community over to the residents (about 20-25 years ago) and it went down hill from there. The Villages is Sun City on steroids, Mitch better amenities and more well thought out. Thankfully the family has enhanced and furthered our founders’ vision.

[rjn5656]

Would still be in Florida, probably south of Tampa.

[Mohawksin]

Couuld yo drive your golf cart in your pocket?

[La lamy]

I'd be in Clearwater area. But so nice to have a thread that has a positive spin about TV. Thanks!!!

[Bay Kid]

I would just be cold sitting along side the beautiful Chesapeake Bay in the winter, dreaming of a place to go called The Villages.

[kendi]

I would have stayed in Ohio, the heart of it all. We had been to Florida many, many, times to visit, almost yearly to see the mouse when our kids were little and our grandkids too. Husband had business dealings frequently in Florida. We had vacationed and stayed on all the famous beaches and driven through a lot of residential areas and I never wanted to LIVE here until a friend bought a place here and raved about it like a maniac. We were planning to visit some school friends in Fort Meyers and our friends INSISTED we stop by and see their new home in The Villages.

We stayed overnight and I had long quenching drags of the Kool-aid.

Both of us couldn't get it out of our minds and here we are second house here in fourteen years.

We STILL just love it and thank all of the Morse family for their wise decisions and amazing ideas.

We also would still be in Ohio. We are here for TV, not because we had a desire to live in Florida

[DeanFL]

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I retired from MA in 2004. Newly divorced, and not wanting to live in the NE, I considered San Diego, Las Vegas, AZ, or FL.

After a lot of thought, decided FL as I know it best and thought cost of living etc is better. Wanted a 55+ community. Did a lot of online research and decided Orlando area for various reasons. Saw that the N<>S corridor between Ocala & Orlando had tons of 55+. Narrowed my search down to 6, and flew down for 10 days. Visited each for a full day - liked TV, but being single thought it was hugely married folk - and was concerned about the building quality (unfounded now) and house prices seemed higher (the TV experience surcharge).

So bought a lot in a 55+ community very near TV (1,000 homes) and had my home built. Moved down, and the locale was fine - but then the economy dropped (2008), and new commercial building around stopped. We (new GF in 2008) always came up to TV -30 min drive- to eat or movie, or plays, etc.

LOVED TV. So in 2013 we bought a lot in TV, had our home built, sold our individual homes and here we are - thoroughly HAPPY.

I often wonder, "what if", I moved directly to TV back in 2005. oh well, that's life. Happy ending tho,
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[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I probably would either be living in Miami Beach or Hawaii , I still alternate most winters between the two from Jan through Feb and home to Boston for large part of summer , but who knows when now?

[coconutmama]

Would still be in Florida, probably south of Tampa.

Us too. Lots to do in St Pete area or Venice. Still thinking about downsizing our home here & getting a condo on the beach in an artsy, fun location

[EviesGP]

I would definitely have moved to beach area(s)! Either FL, or Carolinas, where golfing is aplenty. But, after learning about the golf cart life, the abundant activities, etc. I made a brief visit here in 2016, then again in 2017(still working). Uncle/aunt are in Hadley, and I had a few friends, whose parents lived here. After the 2nd visit, we were hooked. Such nice friendly people. I also realized that living on/near the beach wasn't worth all the traffic and mess. We can always drive to the beach(es). Hence, I was offered an early retirement in 2018, sold, and moved here, and the rest is history.

[Stu from NYC]

Would have probably stayed in Va and done more traveling especially in the winter months.

[dennisgavin]

Came here in November of 2015 to visit friends for 3 days, part of a 6 day trip. Went home and put house on the market and moved here in May of 2016. Don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found TV. Had no plans to retire but when we found this place everything just fell into place. Have no regrets and in fact feel very lucky to have found out about TV!

[sallybowron]

If it was that great ther,
why did you come here Toymeister
?

[6Chloe4myamae]

Hello. I don’t know if this is appropriate, but we are considering the Villages. We don’t play golf and it seems the main reason people are there. We’ve looked at other areas gated and 55 plus communities and it just seems the price of a home there is by far inflated for sq. foot. Am I correct or not?

[6Chloe4myamae]

Hello. We live in St Pete. also. Thinking of downsizing as well. It just seems to get a descent size house 2,700 or preferably larger is very overpriced. Don’t really want the new areas Brownwood or Finney as it seems it will take forever to build out. Not sure if the better areas in the north part of Villages. We don’t play golf and wondering if golf cart community is worth the cost of the houses, bonds, etc. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
Please no comments like, well just stay where you are. Truly looking for information from folks maybe like ourselves. Have a great day and good health to all.

[valuemkt]

What if Eve hadnt seduced Adam into eating that damn appleh

[Taltarzac725]

Would probably be in the Tampa Bay area still. We moved to the Villages in 2005 from Palm Harbor, Florida after my older brother and my parents had toured the Villages in 2004 and my parents had later spent a week in the northwest corner of the Villages back then in late 2004. We had moved from Rohnert Park, CA in the Summer of 1996 to Palm Harbor, FL.

And I would probably not be having so much fun watching movies and various TV shows because of Talk of the Villages, Facebook, and a lot of help from many many friends whom I have communicated with in many different ways starting with snail mail in the Summer of 1991 from the Dinkytown area by the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. I came on Talk of the Villages in July of 2007. Facebook maybe around 2009 but am not sure about that.

[Stu from NYC]

Hello. I don’t know if this is appropriate, but we are considering the Villages. We don’t play golf and it seems the main reason people are there. We’ve looked at other areas gated and 55 plus communities and it just seems the price of a home there is by far inflated for sq. foot. Am I correct or not?

We also do not play golf and so far no golf cart for us. So far most of the places we go to are not cart accessible.

We moved here in Feb for lifestyle and the things we could do here. Of course the virus is preventing a lot of it.

For us the extra cost of a house was worth it. This is something you will need to decide for yourself.

[Joorn59]

We wouldn't have "THAT SONG" running through our heads ...
The Villages, Florida's Friendliest Home Town, The Villages.

Thanks for sharing :mad:you KNEW that would happen......

[Joorn59]

Hello. I don’t know if this is appropriate, but we are considering the Villages. We don’t play golf and it seems the main reason people are there. We’ve looked at other areas gated and 55 plus communities and it just seems the price of a home there is by far inflated for sq. foot. Am I correct or not?

If you'd like to stimulate your brain we have so many different clubs and classes covering every skill or subject. Painting/woodwork/civil discourse/philosophy/many more. And of course pickleball/tennis/bocce/etc.
Even if you never golf you could do something different every day of the year.
And I think it really is the friendliest place.

[DeanFL]

We wouldn't have "THAT SONG" running through our heads ...
The Villages, Florida's Friendliest Home Town, The Villages.

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One of my most fav songs is NY NY by Frank Sinatra (I'm not from NY, but what a great song).

Another favorite is THAT SONG.

I have a lot of favorites. That Song is way down on the list.

Thanks, it's stuck now. the villages.......the villages....the villag.......
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[Stu from NYC]

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One of my most fav songs is NY NY by Frank Sinatra (I'm not from NY, but what a great song).

Another favorite is THAT SONG.

I have a lot of favorites. That Song is way down on the list.

Thanks, it's stuck now. the villages.......the villages....the villag.......
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Ok guess I have to bite. What is that song?

[NoMoSno]

Ok guess I have to bite. What is that song?
The Villages Song - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL8gYPEawTY)

[Bogie Shooter]

Hello. I don’t know if this is appropriate, but we are considering the Villages. We don’t play golf and it seems the main reason people are there. We’ve looked at other areas gated and 55 plus communities and it just seems the price of a home there is by far inflated for sq. foot. Am I correct or not?

Hello. We live in St Pete. also. Thinking of downsizing as well. It just seems to get a descent size house 2,700 or preferably larger is very overpriced. Don’t really want the new areas Brownwood or Finney as it seems it will take forever to build out. Not sure if the better areas in the north part of Villages. We don’t play golf and wondering if golf cart community is worth the cost of the houses, bonds, etc. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
Please no comments like, well just stay where you are. Truly looking for information from folks maybe like ourselves. Have a great day and good health to all.

You need to come and stay for awhile and see for yourself what TV has to offer. Responses on here can sometimes be very misleading.

[DeanFL]

Ok guess I have to bite. What is that song?

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from the previous post>

Originally Posted by champion6 View Post
We wouldn't have "THAT SONG" running through our heads ...
The Villages, Florida's Friendliest Home Town, The Villages..
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[Stu from NYC]

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from the previous post>

Originally Posted by champion6 View Post
We wouldn't have "THAT SONG" running through our heads ...
The Villages, Florida's Friendliest Home Town, The Villages..
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Ok but what is "That Song"?

[DeanFL]

Ok but what is "That Song"?
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see Post #45, play it - you will no doubt recognize it. Don't blame us if you're humming it the rest of the day. you=warned.
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[tvbound]

We would be looking somewhere in Arizona, for the area that had the most golf courses and other activities, like those that The Villages have done so well.

[tophcfa]

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see Post #45, play it - you will no doubt recognize it. Don't blame us if you're humming it the rest of the day. you=warned.
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The video shows lots of people golfing and dancing, but no apartment complexes?

[tophcfa]

We would be looking somewhere in Arizona, for the area that had the most golf courses and other activities, like those that The Villages have done so well.

We have good friends from the northeast who bought a place in Arizona a couple years ago. They love mountains and Florida is just too flat for them. To each his own I guess, but now with Covid they are seriously regretting their decision. With air travel way too risky for the foreseeable future, they wish they bought in Florida where the drive, although long, is still a reasonable distance.

We are planning our third drive to the Villages next month since this dam pandemic started.

[GoPacers]

Hello. We live in St Pete. also. Thinking of downsizing as well. It just seems to get a descent size house 2,700 or preferably larger is very overpriced. Don’t really want the new areas Brownwood or Finney as it seems it will take forever to build out. Not sure if the better areas in the north part of Villages. We don’t play golf and wondering if golf cart community is worth the cost of the houses, bonds, etc. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
Please no comments like, well just stay where you are. Truly looking for information from folks maybe like ourselves. Have a great day and good health to all.

As others have said - come visit and see if it works for you. If getting the most house measured by $ per sq ft is what matters most then honestly there are plenty of other/better options. That's just not one of the upsides to The Villages.

We've been in The Villages for 4+ years and I play golf but I don't have time to play much golf in The Villages. There is a LOT to do here and there are a LOT of really great people. If you are an active person The Villages is a wonderful place. So much to do and so many people to do it with. We love it here and enjoy every day. We wake up every morning excited to get to the days activities. Hopefully you'll find the same thing.

[zmarkp]

I would still be in NC living in a very liberal college town catering to students. That gets old. I had a place on the Outer Banks but when family and friends moved or passed away that lost its charm, too.

Now I have more activities to fill my day than I ever imagined, and I haven't even started playing golf yet. Now I have more friends and acquaintances than ever who share my values and want to fill their days with joy. Like me.

I thought my life in NC was pretty decent -- but I was soooo very very wrong!

[ONTAP15]

I wouldn't know what "birdie juice" is..

[gregcharlesnelson@gmail]

maybe a Del Webb

[gregcharlesnelson@gmail]

del webb

[Gulfcoast]

Hello. We live in St Pete. also. Thinking of downsizing as well. It just seems to get a descent size house 2,700 or preferably larger is very overpriced. Don’t really want the new areas Brownwood or Finney as it seems it will take forever to build out. Not sure if the better areas in the north part of Villages. We don’t play golf and wondering if golf cart community is worth the cost of the houses, bonds, etc. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
Please no comments like, well just stay where you are. Truly looking for information from folks maybe like ourselves. Have a great day and good health to all.

We're not golfers, either, although it would be fun to learn how to play. I hope to find a place within a fairly easy walk to one of the town squares, so that we could walk to/from the restaurants/bars for some good food and tasty adult beverages. I love the look of Brownwood Paddock and Lake Sumter Landing. The live entertainment (when it happens again) is a big draw for us. I also like the idea of living around people going through a similar life stage.

I like the walking trails and the huge variety of clubs available in TV. We will be downsizing significantly and I will be looking for ease of upkeep - I want to put my energy into having fun, keeping fit, meeting new friends and enjoying active leisure time with my husband (not yard work and housework!). We have dogs and we enjoy the privacy of a fenced yard so we'll probably want a CYV or perhaps one of the newer villa models with a double (or triple) garage and fenced yard. I anticipate that our young adult kids will come for visits, so we'll need to consider parking for them.

Given the amount of amenities and conveniences available in TV, I think the prices of the homes are quite reasonable.

I can also see how TV might not be worth it for the folks who prefer to spend most of their time at home and aren't inclined to go to the pool, exercise class, pickle ball, card games, live entertainment, etc.

[patfla06]

I would have stayed in Tampa but probably downsized to a different house.