Move from TV to OTOW?

[kmspla1952]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.

[Toymeister]

On the positive side:

The homes are more energy efficient than TV homes. I know that this will drive some members to defend TV construction. Without going into comparison you'll just have to take my word for it.

[Heartnsoul]

We are staying but we know some villagers who moved up there

[Mortal1]

On the positive side:

The homes are more energy efficient than TV homes. I know that this will drive some members to defend TV construction. Without going into comparison you'll just have to take my word for it.

should I take your word for it? Unfortunately there are many "opinion" posts here that are not based on fact, but word of mouth.

[under55]

Have been in The Villages over 13 years. Built 2 new homes here. But some things you just can't put a finger on just a feeling it's time for a change. Went last weekend to check out Latitudes Margaritiville Daytona Beach. Nice small development everything is new. There is now a range of preowned homes to buy so you don't have to wait to build. We purchased a preowned and moving next month. On to our next adventure. We also thought about OTW and Trilogy but the monthly fees seemed high. Our villa fees will be about 270 per month but that includes all outside landscaping upkeep and irrigation and any new exterior painting and roof replacement as needed. They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up. But no Bond and no yearly maintenance fee.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)

[New Englander]

Have been in The Villages over 13 years. Built 2 new homes here. But some things you just can't put a finger on just a feeling it's time for a change. Went last weekend to check out Latitudes Margaritiville Daytona Beach. Nice small development everything is new. There is now a range of preowned homes to buy so you don't have to wait to build. We purchased a preowned and moving next month. On to our next adventure. We also thought about OTW and Trilogy but the monthly fees seemed high. Our villa fees will be about 270 per month but that includes all outside landscaping upkeep and irrigation and any new exterior painting and roof replacement as needed. They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up. But no Bond and no yearly maintenance fee.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)

It looks very nice. Wondering what it would be like during storms.

[Bjeanj]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills.

Where did you see that Section 8 apartments will be included?

[dewilson58]

I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood".



468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills.



TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs


.



The Developer develops. They are in the business to build and sell homes. The "priority" has continued South from the Historical Section for the last 30 years.


468 apartments out of 75,000 houses. The sky is not falling.


Closures???..............look at the rest of the country.......food industry is in sad shape.


The glass is not 1/2 empty, the glass is +90% full.


:ho:

[spk7951]

Have been in The Villages over 13 years. Built 2 new homes here. But some things you just can't put a finger on just a feeling it's time for a change. Went last weekend to check out Latitudes Margaritiville Daytona Beach. Nice small development everything is new. There is now a range of preowned homes to buy so you don't have to wait to build. We purchased a preowned and moving next month. On to our next adventure. We also thought about OTW and Trilogy but the monthly fees seemed high. Our villa fees will be about 270 per month but that includes all outside landscaping upkeep and irrigation and any new exterior painting and roof replacement as needed. They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up. But no Bond and no yearly maintenance fee.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)


Sounds like the path we recently set out on. Liked Latitudes but not the 6-8 month build time frame. Trilogy is nice but somewhat isolated. We had been to OTOW previously and liked it and the area but did not commit. However this time we saw a spec home in the closeout of a neighborhood and fell in love with it. So now will be moving there in two weeks.
Amenity fee is about $100 more per month and with basic internet included so when compared to TV the difference is not that much. Looking forward to a new adventure.

[kmspla1952]

In the April 30th on-line News:

One bedroom units will run between $804 to $1,099 per month; two bedroom units will run between $956 and $1,169; three bedroom units will cost $1,097 to $1,369 per month; and four bedroom apartments will cost between $1,210 and $1,544.

The Lake Sumter Apartment Homes are “non age restricted with income limitations.”

Lake Sumter Living will be “age restricted where one person in the household is 62+. Income limitations.”

And a third entity under construction, Lake Sumter Reserve, will have, “No age or income limitations.”

[mamamia54]

Section 8? I doubt that. If true, everyone in the Villages should be concerned whether it’s in their backyard or not.

[HIgolfers]

Have been in The Villages over 13 years. Built 2 new homes here. But some things you just can't put a finger on just a feeling it's time for a change. Went last weekend to check out Latitudes Margaritiville Daytona Beach. Nice small development everything is new. There is now a range of preowned homes to buy so you don't have to wait to build. We purchased a preowned and moving next month. On to our next adventure. We also thought about OTW and Trilogy but the monthly fees seemed high. Our villa fees will be about 270 per month but that includes all outside landscaping upkeep and irrigation and any new exterior painting and roof replacement as needed. They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up. But no Bond and no yearly maintenance fee.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)

Latitude may be good for Beach lovers as that is a drawback of living in TV. But for golfers Latitude is a poor choice. Golf course (36 holes at LPGA Intl) is across the street but not golf cart accessible and when we asked last year were told no affiliation with Latitude so no discount or special membership. And obviously all the other activities in TV will be missing (softball, archery, WVB, exec golf) etc.

[under55]

Whoa Whoa I didnt day it was better or anything like that just a change for us.

[davem4616]

We took a look at Latitudes a little over a year ago just out of curiosity. Way smaller scale than TV and it will stay that way. It is a 'golf cart' community...but there are no courses within the community. A little surprised that their private beach area hasn't opened yet, that was all the talk when we visited. They planned on having a shuttle bus running between the beach and the community. Had homes actually been under construction when we were last moving we would have given it serious thought, as neither of us golf and my wife is a beach person. Now we're tired of all the hassle that goes with packing and moving.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Section 8? I doubt that. If true, everyone in the Villages should be concerned whether it’s in their backyard or not. th de are mostly working people or retired who have a lower income then the area there in . It is of great help in lowering the cost that people have to pay for housing . It is a benefit for business because many of these people are spending a great deal of there money to keep a roof over there head freeing up money to spend , It benefits us because these are the people who do all the jobs that we take for granted. It’s nice to see that the people who do much of the work here will be able to live in a nicer place then what they were paying for substandard housing

[under55]

We took a look at Latitudes a little over a year ago just out of curiosity. Way smaller scale than TV and it will stay that way. It is a 'golf cart' community...but there are no courses within the community. A little surprised that their private beach area hasn't opened yet, that was all the talk when we visited. They planned on having a shuttle bus running between the beach and the community. Had homes actually been under construction when we were last moving we would have given it serious thought, as neither of us golf and my wife is a beach person. Now we're tired of all the hassle that goes with packing and moving.

Understand that. We are lucky we don't accumulate stuff. If we don't use it or look at in a year we get rid of it. We can be packed and ready to move just about anytime in 4 hours. We are about half packed now and only have 4 boxes full. Oh I have to clean out the attic. We have a Christmas tree up there. Yep that is it. We had a 2600 sq. ft. basement in Illinois and that is all we kept down there was the Christmas tree.

[coffeebean]

It looks very nice. Wondering what it would be like during storms.

I will never live near the coast. Much prefer inland where the storms peter out a good degree by the time they reach us here in TV.

[billethkid]

The Developer develops. They are in the business to build and sell homes. The "priority" has continued South from the Historical Section for the last 30 years.


468 apartments out of 75,000 houses. The sky is not falling.


Closures???..............look at the rest of the country.......food industry is in sad shape.


The glass is not 1/2 empty, the glass is +90% full.


:ho:

Nail on the head!!!!

[dewilson58]

I will never live near the coast. Much prefer inland where the storms peter out a good degree by the time they reach us here in TV.




Always :pray: for the peter out. Hope it continues.

[blueash]

In the April 30th on-line News:

One bedroom units will run between $804 to $1,099 per month; two bedroom units will run between $956 and $1,169; three bedroom units will cost $1,097 to $1,369 per month; and four bedroom apartments will cost between $1,210 and $1,544.

The Lake Sumter Apartment Homes are “non age restricted with income limitations.”

Lake Sumter Living will be “age restricted where one person in the household is 62+. Income limitations.”

And a third entity under construction, Lake Sumter Reserve, will have, “No age or income limitations.”

I take it that is a reply to where did you read there will be section 8 housing in the Villages? Your reference is to apartments that are NOT being built in the villages but in nearby areas.

[justjim]

On top Of The World is a very nice community. We took a look at it and was our second choice at that time. If your unhappy with TV and have the energy and resources to move, I say go for it. When we reach our age there are really only about two questions to answer. Approximately how long have I got and second, what do I want to do with the time I have left. Good luck to you.

[JerryLBell]

That was one of the places we toured when considering retirement communities. For us, it had some advantages and disadvantages but overall came up short compared to The Villages

The community is truly gated, which some people prefer. The houses (at least the newer ones) are very energy efficient and many come with solar panels for electricity so your energy bills are likely to be lower than elsewhere. If I recall, there were a lot of mature trees there and so the community is attractive. The pace of life is very much slower than in The Villages so if you're finding living here to be too hectic, it might be more what you're looking for. We didn't find there to be much there in terms of social groups and activities, something that nobody can come close to The Villages on. Still, if you find that the activities they do offer match your interests, that can be fine.

We found the layouts of the houses we toured to be, frankly, weird. There seemed to be a lot of wasted space and strange choices made, design-wise. Allegedly, you could dine at the one rec center on certain days and hours, but any other dining out meant leaving the reservation. There was a single rec center with a nice outdoor pool but we saw almost nobody using the facilities. There were 3 guys playing pool on the one pool table and one guy on a golf simulator and perhaps one guy at the pool. The place struck us as dead, dead, dead.

Friends of ours had actually picked out a lot and house there, took one final tour of the place before signing the paperwork and realized it was just too inactive for them. Seeing one guy sleeping in a lounge chair at the pool, she told her husband, "The only action we're ever going to see here is when we give that guy CPR someday." They backed out of the deal and bought here.

Your mileage may vary.

[vintageogauge]

In the April 30th on-line News:

One bedroom units will run between $804 to $1,099 per month; two bedroom units will run between $956 and $1,169; three bedroom units will cost $1,097 to $1,369 per month; and four bedroom apartments will cost between $1,210 and $1,544.

The Lake Sumter Apartment Homes are “non age restricted with income limitations.”

Lake Sumter Living will be “age restricted where one person in the household is 62+. Income limitations.”

And a third entity under construction, Lake Sumter Reserve, will have, “No age or income limitations.”

You forgot to mention that these are not in The Villages. There is housing like this everywhere you go, Daytona, Ocala, Naples, Vero, Melbourne, etc, etc., Those with limited or no income need a place to live just like you do.

[Toymeister]

should I take your word for it? Unfortunately there are many "opinion" posts here that are not based on fact, but word of mouth.

Since I monitor my energy consumption 10,000 times a second and it's unlikely that you do. I am all with you on facts, and on this matter I have got them.
One simple comparison in the polystyrene insulation in stucco walls is twice as thick as those in TV.

[sunny56]

Where did you see that Section 8 apartments will be included?

If you dig, I found on apartments.com that this has income restricted apartments. That means they are subsidized apartments. If you search for "income restricted apartments" it will explain that they are subsidized and developments. "Income Based" is the description for subsidized apartments owned by individual landlords.

[dadspet]

We looked at TOTW way back in 2007 before we bought here and there were several reasons then we didn't consider it further. Here are some that I remember.

1. Not owning the land was a major consideration. It seemed like with a 99 yr lease it would depreciate 1% a year.

2. You couldn't take your Golf cart from one area to another because they were separate Villages without any connection to the others. This came up when we looked at one House and found we couldn't take our Golf cart to the lone rec center (which was very nice). Perhaps some of the villages/developments were connected in some way but not all so if getting to the Rec Center or someplace else by golf cart is important to you > ask this question. Actually this might have been one of the developments you did own the land but I really can't be sure. BTW in full disclosure I have trouble remembering the PB score and who served, but thankful for people that have their names on their hat large enought to read.
3. Put my fingers in the pool and found it was very cold, when we asked the agent they told me it was winter they didn't heat the pools. If you of course plan to put in your own pool this wouldn't be a consideration.
4.The town square had no activity going on and at that time they didn't have entertainment every night. Actually I think entertainment was very limited. This was a real negative for us.
5. I think you had to pay for golf and tennis with some membership but can't honestly remember if thats a fact.

On the plus side we thought the houses were nice and you got a little more house for your money then TheVillages. But without owning the land and other other negatives we didn't think they would hold their value as much as a house in The Villages.

[2newyorkers]

My sister owns a home in Candler Hills of TOTW. She does own her home and her land. Much like TV one family owns the community. You can get a much bigger home for your $$$ than TV. Each "village" ,including the condos, have different fees and whether you buy or lease the property. Some villages are not allowed to use the other villages facilities. Just like TV it is not a plus to live close to the waste management facility. Prior to Covid they did have music, shows and fairs in the public area but not everyday or even every week. The use of the gym is included in your fees. They do have free dog parks. They do have some activities but most are neighbor to neighbor activities in each others homes. If you wish to go to the stores, restaurants, etc you have to go to 200th Street which is outside TOTW. A little scary in your golf cart. My sister has lived there 6 years and the build in TOTW and 200th street is just like TV, constant. You are also further from Orlando airport but Gainesville is a nice small airport.

[Carla B]

Since I monitor my energy consumption 10,000 times a second and it's unlikely that you do. I am all with you on facts, and on this matter I have got them.
One simple comparison in the polystyrene insulation in stucco walls is twice as thick as those in TV.

To Mortal1: Yes, I would take Toy's word for it. If you've ever read his posts, he can monitor his stuff here from far, far away.

[JimJohnson]

I miss a friend that moved there to get away from the politics of TV. I love TV so I have learned to turn the other cheek and avoid the attitudes. Most folks here don’t talk politics nor religion.

[kathyspear]

should I take your word for it? Unfortunately there are many "opinion" posts here that are not based on fact, but word of mouth.

After reading these forums for a few years most people will realize that if Toymeister says something you can take it to the bank.

kathy

[JohnN]

In 2007, my wife and I took a long time touring central Florida. Plantation, Legacy of Leesburg, Arlington Ridge, King's Ridge, Royal Highlands and others south of the turnpike on highway 27.

We visited Del Webb and OTOW in Ocala and thought both were nice communities. I asked the sales rep "who is your biggest competitor?" and he said "without a doubt, The Villages, and people either love it or don't." So, we visited here, loved it, and bought, now on our second home, moving from seasonal to full-time in 2012.

OTOW. What was the deciding factor for us wasn't the housing, which we thought was comparable. It was the community. Highway 200 is always congested, it seems to me, and I don't want to drive it every time I leave the community. Also, OTOW is substantially smaller than TV, and I prefer driving around and feeling like I'm in a resort, not just in a small community. But that's just me.

I don't much care for some of the changes in TV (ie: apartments), then again I don't care for coronavirus. The world is a tough place. TV is home now. It's safe, affordable, clean, (mostly) friendly. I don't really see much to be gained by a move.

However, sometimes you get an itch to move on, and life is short, go for it. I wish you the best.

[rjm1cc]

Make sure you understand what is and is not included in the HOA fees. If you are on leased property (I know, do not want a lease) your fee includes outside maintenance except replacing roof. In Candler the fee covers all amenities in Candler and the OTOW leased land communities. Indigo fee is a lot less and only covers amenities in Indigo. Point is dig into the numbers and you may find they are not as expensive. For example Candler includes 35mb internet.

[kathyspear]

They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)

Any ETA on the Beach Club?

Thx.

kathy

[La lamy]

Have been in The Villages over 13 years. Built 2 new homes here. But some things you just can't put a finger on just a feeling it's time for a change. Went last weekend to check out Latitudes Margaritiville Daytona Beach. Nice small development everything is new. There is now a range of preowned homes to buy so you don't have to wait to build. We purchased a preowned and moving next month. On to our next adventure. We also thought about OTW and Trilogy but the monthly fees seemed high. Our villa fees will be about 270 per month but that includes all outside landscaping upkeep and irrigation and any new exterior painting and roof replacement as needed. They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up. But no Bond and no yearly maintenance fee.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)
They call it The Villages East yet there's no pickleball?!! That's just not right!

[under55]

Any ETA on the Beach Club?

Thx.

kathy

November

[under55]

They call it The Villages East yet there's no pickleball?!! That's just not right!
Yes they have Pickleball you must have missed that in the information.

[beachgirl]

We have owned a villa in TV for 11 years. Our primary home was in Myrtle Beach, SC. We sold that this summer as we bought a cottage in western SC on a lake. We owned the house at the beach for 20 years. Some considerations about buying near the coast are that you must pay for hurricane insurance if you have a mortgage, and the deductibles are really high, and we always needed to be around, particularly in September, when usually a hurricane might come through the area.
We love Florida. That being said, we have looked at other retirement communities, and they just don’t offer the activities the Villages has (before Covid). Also, we were told that home insurance is less if you live north of I-4, west of I-95, and east of I-75, as this is not considered a hurricane-prone zone.

[Stu from NYC]

I needed a place with all the amenities that we enjoyed the first month we were here.

Hoping they are back by early next year

[UseYourBrain]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.

1. Why do you care if the focus is south of Brownwood if you are happy with where you are?

2. Who cares about property values at our age?

[J1ceasar]

Gold heart . thanks .

[MandoMan]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.

I considered OTOW before buying in The Villages this year. There are nice houses. However, Talk of the Villages has a list here of around 2,000 clubs or activities of various sorts. I went through that and found a hundred I’d like to at least try once. That’s what drew me to The Villages. (Of course, most of those aren’t functioning during the pandemic, but someday they will.)

By contrast, I didn’t see that OTOW had much of anything of that sort. As soon as I figured that out, I lost interest.

[J1ceasar]

Do u use everything? 90% don't even swim!! Sometimes less is more .

[westernrider75]

We recently looked at OTOW, but honestly the cost of golf changed our minds. When you compare apples to apples if you are a golfer OTOW is significantly more expensive even considering the bond.

[westernrider75]

When we visited OTOW there was nobody outside doing anything, literally saw 4 women walking separately and that was it.

[HoosierPa]

We have been to Latitudes Margaritaville several times in both Daytona Beach and South Carolina. The grass is not always greener elsewhere. No comparison to TV.
NO GOLF
1 POOL FOR 6000 homes
1 PUBLIX
NO SHOPPING IN DEVELOPMENT

ITS BASICALLY A SUBDIVISION FOR RETIREES.

IM SURE SOCIALIZING IS FINE BUT THATS ALL THEY OFFER.

NOWHERE IN THE WORLD EVEN CLOSE TO THE GREAT AMENITIES IN THE VILLAGES.

NO COMPARISON

[RosemarySoso]

In the April 30th on-line News:

One bedroom units will run between $804 to $1,099 per month; two bedroom units will run between $956 and $1,169; three bedroom units will cost $1,097 to $1,369 per month; and four bedroom apartments will cost between $1,210 and $1,544.

The Lake Sumter Apartment Homes are “non age restricted with income limitations.”

Lake Sumter Living will be “age restricted where one person in the household is 62+. Income limitations.”

And a third entity under construction, Lake Sumter Reserve, will have, “No age or income limitations.”
Where are Lake Sumpter Apartments located??

[Buckeye Bleau]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.

My wife and I were ready to sign for OTOW, but last moment considerations stopped it and we bought in the Villages.
We went there three times. It is nice, it is smaller and very quiet. There is far less to do but there is more peace. You get a LOT more house for your money and they do a lot of the maintenance for you.
The HOA fees were 2-3 times more per month than here which was a big downfall. Less now and more payed out over time is not good.
The property ownership is not a big deal, you get a 99 year lease.
The big thing and the straw that broke the deal was the golf costs. In the end, if my wife and I want to join all three courses, it would cost us almost $10,000 per year.
Then think about how there are really only about five places to eat with golf cart access, it is a different lifestyle.

[JSR22]

Where are Lake Sumpter Apartments located??

There are not any apt in Lake Sumter. There is a new apt complex opening on 466 past Haciendas of Mission Hills. They are not owned or developed by TV.

[B-flat]

My two pennies worth. We have been coming to Central Florida/Ocala since 1994 when my wife's parents moved to Oak Run off SR200 Ocala, a year later an aunt and uncle moved to OTOW. We are a small family so eventually when all the family passed we inherited a home in Oak Run and one in OTOW. We lived in both homes at different times but for a number reasons we sold both. In 2018 we rented in TV drank the kook aid then bought a CYV and enjoyed it. We are now selling the CYV and this week moved to OTOW. We are not golfers so that did not play into any decision, nor were we involved in a lot of clubs or outside activities. If we were golfers may have stayed at TV because golfing here in OTOW is more money. From the years we were coming to Ocala both my wife and I made a number of friends in Ocala so that played into a decision to move to OTOW. Our dollar for dollar purchase of a home went further in OTOW. Lease hold? It's a 100 year lease from the time the home was built in our case 2017 so at our age that would make us 165 years old. We have no children so leaving it to them isn't a factor.

For our monthly HOA we get 30 Mbs internet, lawn maintenance/bush trimming, exterior home painting every 5 years, repairs to roof damage and the exterior of the home being insured ( we have HO6 insurance for our interior ) . We purchased a home the same size as our CYV ( 2 bed/2 bath 2 car garage vs 1.5 on the CYV) on a corner lot with plenty of windows and a view of the 17th tee of one of the golf courses. The same house at TV would have cost many thousands more.

For us it will work. We will miss the long golf cart rides we've taken from the north end of TV near Rt42 to Brownwood or to other town squares and Culvers. We can however still go to Publix, WalMart Food Store, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Taco Bell, Italian, Chinese and an ice cream shop all on our golf cart. As far as SR200 being extremely busy we found that going to stores/restaurants on 27/441 was just a busy. I would still give and edge to TV but for our tastes and lifestyle OTOW will work for us.

[Mimi0808]

Thank you for the info. Do you know how a person can find out about availability and prices for these places?

[graciegirl]

Sounds like the path we recently set out on. Liked Latitudes but not the 6-8 month build time frame. Trilogy is nice but somewhat isolated. We had been to OTOW previously and liked it and the area but did not commit. However this time we saw a spec home in the closeout of a neighborhood and fell in love with it. So now will be moving there in two weeks.
Amenity fee is about $100 more per month and with basic internet included so when compared to TV the difference is not that much. Looking forward to a new adventure.

Here is a link to homes now available. The amenity fee seems to be in the high 300's and is it based on cost of living or can it be raised? Also, I see some mighty bright colors of homes there. Do they have community standards?

9249 Sw 97th Circle, Ocala, 34481 (https://www.teamhomesnvision.com/search/details/27q/8/)

Also. What does "private sewer" mean?

[Medtrans]

Here is a link to homes now available. The amenity fee seems to be in the high 300's and is it based on cost of living or can it be raised? Also, I see some mighty bright colors of homes there. Do they have community standards?

9249 Sw 97th Circle, Ocala, 34481 (https://www.teamhomesnvision.com/search/details/27q/8/)

Also. What does "private sewer" mean?

If you click on this link, you have to sign in with a Facebook. I was immediately texted by a realtor or sales rep. So if you don’t want that, don’t open this link.

[kimgarwel12@gmail.com]

Before we bought our home in Monarch Grove, we toured OTOW, convinced we'd buy a home there. While we loved the homes (we felt better built than TV homes), the wait for a new build was longer than we wanted to wait. They also bill it as a golf cart community; however, we saw very few golf carts. There is NO access to businesses by golf cart. They have one "town square" with a sandwich shop only for restaurants. As we toured the area inside OTOW, it seemed like a ghost town to us. We like the activity and vibe of TV. Yes, there is no bond at OTOW, a plus. Yes, internet is included in the amenities fee, a plus, but we felt the overall amenities fees were higher. Also, we were told that they do NOT allow gas-powered golf carts on their courses. Battery operated or electric only. It's an ecological thing apparently. The house we were looking at, being built at that time, was next to an ugly power station which would have been our daily view. The landscaping wasn't nearly as pretty as TV. We opted for TV and, so far, love our decision!!

[diva1]

If you can afford the prices at Lofts of Brownwood and the other ones coming at Hacienda & the very few at Spanish Spgs, you will most certainly not be riff raff to be worried about. And the apartments are quite attractive. Some people just don't want the maintenance hassle of owning property. At Spanish Spgs. you won't even know they are there as will be tucked into 2nd floor behind facade already there. I'm moving nowhere.

[tossadow]

If you click on this link, you have to sign in with a Facebook. I was immediately texted by a realtor or sales rep. So if you don’t want that, don’t open this link.

OR...just pop the address into Zillow and view without strings.

[72lions]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.

Why not consider Harbor Hills CC? Just built a custom home on large golf course lot. Truly gated (2 gates for us), country club activities plus 8 minutes from all 441 shopping. And, we can still utilize what TV offers except par 3 golf, clubs or pickleball.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I have a friend that moved to OTOW a few years ago and now is moving back.

[chrissy2231]

Their activities are limited. I'm a ballroom dancer and they had dancing on Friday. Houses are nicer with more land but my incentive is hobbies.

[Bonnevie]

Have been in The Villages over 13 years. Built 2 new homes here. But some things you just can't put a finger on just a feeling it's time for a change. Went last weekend to check out Latitudes Margaritiville Daytona Beach. Nice small development everything is new. There is now a range of preowned homes to buy so you don't have to wait to build. We purchased a preowned and moving next month. On to our next adventure. We also thought about OTW and Trilogy but the monthly fees seemed high. Our villa fees will be about 270 per month but that includes all outside landscaping upkeep and irrigation and any new exterior painting and roof replacement as needed. They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up. But no Bond and no yearly maintenance fee.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)

I have been following this development since I first saw it mentioned. I was planning to go look at it but then covid hit. I like the access to the beach and I like the idea of being closer to more variety of shopping, etc. what would hold me back is the lack of any fenced yards for those of us who own pets. having a courtyard villa is a blessing for my dogs. Also, I have to remind myself what it was like living close to the beach. While I'm sure the houses have been built up to the more stringent code, there would always be a hurricane threat. I live 3 miles from the beach in PInellas County and the rising cost of home insurance every year was a major problem as was the threat of having to evacuate. still may go look at Margaritaville sometime. Did you ask about the cost and availability of home owners insurance?

[Jawskid6044]

Just move south to the newer section of The Villages. We did after 18 years living in TV and love it down here. This is house # 3.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Where are Lake Sumpter Apartments located??

They are not in The Villages nor part of The Villages. They have nothing to do with The Villages.

[Sanford Epstein]

I would definitely look elsewhere. Not only is the emphasis south of 44 but the emphasis is all on MONEY!! TV have every right to make money and lots of it however the endless south of 44 construction, dump trucks, road built then torn up and very little as far as the beautiful golf cart trails down Morse Boulevard and Buena Vista, compared to riding in the street south of 44 which is very dangerous since we drive on a 2 way street, 2 lanes, cars and golf carts = very dangerous situation. Be smart and move.

[daca55]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.

I don’t like Ocala. The outskirts are ok but not a fan of the City.

[vintageogauge]

I would definitely look elsewhere. Not only is the emphasis south of 44 but the emphasis is all on MONEY!! TV have every right to make money and lots of it however the endless south of 44 construction, dump trucks, road built then torn up and very little as far as the beautiful golf cart trails down Morse Boulevard and Buena Vista, compared to riding in the street south of 44 which is very dangerous since we drive on a 2 way street, 2 lanes, cars and golf carts = very dangerous situation. Be smart and move.

You evidently haven't seen much of what is south of 44. The beautiful golf car trails along Morse south of 44 are more inland where it is quiet and safe leading to and from the Chitty Chatty bridge. There are areas where golf cars drive along 2 lane roads both south and north of 44, no more dangerous in the south than up north. Do you consider the golf car lane north of 466 along Morse safe???. Buyers be smart and move south of 44 where it is peaceful and safe.

[stan the man]

You evidently haven't seen much of what is south of 44. The beautiful golf car trails along Morse south of 44 are more inland where it is quiet and safe leading to and from the Chitty Chatty bridge. There are areas where golf cars drive along 2 lane roads both south and north of 44, no more dangerous in the south than up north. Do you consider the golf car lane north of 466 along Morse safe???. Buyers be smart and move south of 44 where it is peaceful and safe.

much safer north of 44

[KristineTVFL]

I believe TOTW is fairly large with a wide range of housing prices and styles to choose from. It is kind of a golf cart community but if you need to go to the doctor, grocery shopping, church or need anything, you must go by car. They have no stores of any kind, nor medical, nor restaurants nor places of worship in the community. I find myself being more and more grateful to be able to drive the golf cart practically wherever I need to go. My eye sight isn’t what it used to be and I don’t think it will improve with age.

[Rrgolf]

We looked at Tow. We are moving from TV. Take a look at Terra Vista at Citrus Hills. Much better construction than Tow..and you can customize

[Dilligas]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.
It all depends on what you want to do with the rest of your life. If you are moving because of what you read & hear....its the wrong reason.

[mydavid]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.I lived in Top of the World for 10 years moved to the villages in 2013, Yes they have many home options and it a well built community. You'll find you will get a lot of home for the money, also all the roads are private and gated with 24 hour guards. Also with all the build up you have a lot more places you can go on a golf cart. But like most places their are good and bad points. I thought of moving back a couple years ago for some of the reasons you have stated, but circumstances have kept me here

[B-flat]

Thank you for the info. Do you know how a person can find out about availability and prices for these places?

OTOW has a resales division and a new construction division. We used a resale agent named Tammy Coughlin, she was great. I took my first bicycle ride since we moved here this week. Lots of growth since we sold the original home we had here in 2015.

Tammy Coughlin - , Real Estate Agent - realtor.com(R) (https://www.realtor.com/realestateagents/tammy-coughlin___3903772_171484827)

You could also go to this web site and fill out the contact form:

Visit On Top of the World Ocala, Florida. Experience Retirement! (http://ontopoftheworldcommunities.com/visit-us/?gclid=CjwKCAjw4_H6BRALEiwAvgfzqyVtQd55rPXR3dVrhql 8HQPoaGF-hu1YMIEV_Xv9jt80nP2SZcDYNBoC3BMQAvD_BwE)

[Dgizzi]

Have been in The Villages over 13 years. Built 2 new homes here. But some things you just can't put a finger on just a feeling it's time for a change. Went last weekend to check out Latitudes Margaritiville Daytona Beach. Nice small development everything is new. There is now a range of preowned homes to buy so you don't have to wait to build. We purchased a preowned and moving next month. On to our next adventure. We also thought about OTW and Trilogy but the monthly fees seemed high. Our villa fees will be about 270 per month but that includes all outside landscaping upkeep and irrigation and any new exterior painting and roof replacement as needed. They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up. But no Bond and no yearly maintenance fee.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)
Yes, we looked at homes there as well. Very small. You get more for your money here. There are more activities and stores locally to use your golf cart here in the villages. Margaritaville only has one stage, no room for golf cart, unless you are buying a 3 car garage. But if you like small it’s good for you. But, I wasn’t thrilled living so close to Daytona Beach. Crime is getting worse there. And I would question why so many resales? They have only been opened couple years. We moved from a development in St Cloud Florida. They started in 2016, so many resales because the builder isn’t doing what he said, St Cloud is old and run down city, crime is worse over there. Kississimee is right next store. It was a small development and they are still building new but people are desperate to get out. We got lucky selling. Good Luck there.

[KRM0614]

I would go there because you don’t really own the land your house is built on. Move on listen to your husband the place is changing targeting younger buyers with more money ! I’m leaving and never looking back ! Will always warn prospective buyers they don’t own their house. Wish the IRS would do a deep dive and force the owners to sell the owners their house and land. Probably won’t happen they own all the politicians

[B-flat]

Here is a link to homes now available. The amenity fee seems to be in the high 300's and is it based on cost of living or can it be raised? Also, I see some mighty bright colors of homes there. Do they have community standards?

9249 Sw 97th Circle, Ocala, 34481 (https://www.teamhomesnvision.com/search/details/27q/8/)

Also. What does "private sewer" mean?

When we inherited my uncle's home in 2015 the HOA fees were approximately $350 they are about the same now. I think the difference then to now was basic cable TV was included, now it's the internet instead.

[Jayhawk]

Be smart and move.

Are you taking your own advice?

[talleyjm]

That was one of the places we toured when considering retirement communities. For us, it had some advantages and disadvantages but overall came up short compared to The Villages

The community is truly gated, which some people prefer. The houses (at least the newer ones) are very energy efficient and many come with solar panels for electricity so your energy bills are likely to be lower than elsewhere. If I recall, there were a lot of mature trees there and so the community is attractive. The pace of life is very much slower than in The Villages so if you're finding living here to be too hectic, it might be more what you're looking for. We didn't find there to be much there in terms of social groups and activities, something that nobody can come close to The Villages on. Still, if you find that the activities they do offer match your interests, that can be fine.

We found the layouts of the houses we toured to be, frankly, weird. There seemed to be a lot of wasted space and strange choices made, design-wise. Allegedly, you could dine at the one rec center on certain days and hours, but any other dining out meant leaving the reservation. There was a single rec center with a nice outdoor pool but we saw almost nobody using the facilities. There were 3 guys playing pool on the one pool table and one guy on a golf simulator and perhaps one guy at the pool. The place struck us as dead, dead, dead.

Friends of ours had actually picked out a lot and house there, took one final tour of the place before signing the paperwork and realized it was just too inactive for them. Seeing one guy sleeping in a lounge chair at the pool, she told her husband, "The only action we're ever going to see here is when we give that guy CPR someday." They backed out of the deal and bought here.

Your mileage may vary.

Exactly what we found when we were checking out different retirement communities in North and South Carolina and Florida - there was a DEAD, SAD feeling in most of them. Almost like a nursing home vibe. Folk just sitting around waiting to check out. We have been in TV for only a year and a half and are happier with every passing month. We don’t play golf but love seeing all the activity associated with that sport. So much to do if you want to be active. So many clubs. So many volunteer activities. So many churches. We decided early on we’re too old to worry about hurricanes. We were evacuated twice from our timeshare on Hilton Head Island so no coastal retirement communities for us. I think folk have to be careful at our age about looking for that “geographical cure” to fix what ails them.
I can’t imagine picking up and moving again. You can call it adventure seeking but I’m fond of the old adage, “Bloom where you are planted.” Find contentment by being grateful and feeling blessed for all your good fortune in life.

[rmd2]

My friend and I are going to visit this place. It sounds very nice.

[Gulfcoast]

It looks very nice. Wondering what it would be like during storms.

Last I heard, there is a Latitude Margaritaville that is newly under construction outside of Panama City. I have not seen a great deal of information about it but, given that we are a couple of years out from making a move anyway, this is definitely an area worth checking out to us. Both the PC location and the Daytona location would be prone to hurricane damage just like any other coastal neighborhood is.

TV is high on the list simply because of the wide variety of activities and the fact that it is more inland but also within a reasonable drive of some nice coastal vacation areas. I have not looked into OTOW, yet, but I've heard it's nice. I just think that you get a lot of bang for the buck at TV.

I will admit that I don't quite get the reasoning behind the apartments that they are putting up in TV. I'm going to be keeping an eye on that.

[Gulfcoast]

Sounds like a bunch of drunks roaming around.

Latitude Margaritaville has one large pool, a bar, a restaurant, a rec center, various courts, trails. It has a shuttle over to a private beach area/beach club. There is nearby shopping and, of course, you are close to all of the attractions in Daytona, including the raceway. We haven't visited, yet, but it seems to be attracting a fun crowd. Of course, one person's fun might be another person's obnoxious, so we definitely need to visit all of our options. Things that look fantastic on paper and in theory may not actually be right for you when you visit. From what I understand, Jimmy Buffet, himself, owns a home in the Daytona location which he visits from time to time.

OTOW, on paper, seems nice but maybe a bit...sedate... not enough to do? Not sure.

TV has a ton to do. I am really not worried about fitting in at all simply because there are so many options there that you will find something if you look for it. And you will be happy if you want to be happy. Just my impression.

[mgkw1]

We did the OTOW version of lifestyle before buying here. While I agree the houses are nice the amenities stink. Their town center closes at 4, they don't have the amount of golf or pools we do. Basically I felt like I spent the weekend in a nursing home.

[Dust Bunny]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.

The developers are looking for a sustained cash revenue; appartments. wHY, THEY PLAN TO SELL THE PROPERTIES AND NEED TO MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE TO THE POTENTIAL BUYER.

[dzine]

Have been in The Villages over 13 years. Built 2 new homes here. But some things you just can't put a finger on just a feeling it's time for a change. Went last weekend to check out Latitudes Margaritiville Daytona Beach. Nice small development everything is new. There is now a range of preowned homes to buy so you don't have to wait to build. We purchased a preowned and moving next month. On to our next adventure. We also thought about OTW and Trilogy but the monthly fees seemed high. Our villa fees will be about 270 per month but that includes all outside landscaping upkeep and irrigation and any new exterior painting and roof replacement as needed. They will go up another $20 when the Beach Club opens up. But no Bond and no yearly maintenance fee.
Here is a great article on the place. Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach Retirement Guide (https://www.floridaforboomers.com/latitude-margaritaville/)

I looked there too and very interested. Not only is it going back near the beaches I so miss (8-10 miles good to be safer from FL storms as area not so prone), but back to the real world of convenience, lots of restaurant choices, and places to explore up and down the coast.
3000 max homes they say. Beach Club. One square with dancing/ music. Perfect. After a while the big numbers trying to get a seat at our squares, in a rec center, etc wears thin. 9 years here and so much has changed. 80,000 to 140,000 and growing beyond what feels like fun.

[vintageogauge]

Last I heard, there is a Latitude Margaritaville that is newly under construction outside of Panama City. I have not seen a great deal of information about it but, given that we are a couple of years out from making a move anyway, this is definitely an area worth checking out to us. Both the PC location and the Daytona location would be prone to hurricane damage just like any other coastal neighborhood is.

TV is high on the list simply because of the wide variety of activities and the fact that it is more inland but also within a reasonable drive of some nice coastal vacation areas. I have not looked into OTOW, yet, but I've heard it's nice. I just think that you get a lot of bang for the buck at TV.

I will admit that I don't quite get the reasoning behind the apartments that they are putting up in TV. I'm going to be keeping an eye on that.
There must be a demand for high priced apartments living as it is so much lower to rent a 2 bedroom 1200 sq. ft. villa with a 2 car garage compared to a 2 bedroom apartment, same with a 3 bedroom designer, much lower than a 3 bedroom apartment

[patfla06]

One of the things to consider is the crime rate of anywhere you’re considering.

Daytona Beach is not what I would consider safe.

Just my opinion.

[Gulfcoast]

There must be a demand for high priced apartments living as it is so much lower to rent a 2 bedroom 1200 sq. ft. villa with a 2 car garage compared to a 2 bedroom apartment, same with a 3 bedroom designer, much lower than a 3 bedroom apartment

I'm going to have to visit TV to understand the reasoning behind that but one reason might be that the apartments tend to be centrally located (within a town square) while a good many of the rental homes are not. It boils down to a convenience/location thing.

[Gulfcoast]

One of the things to consider is the crime rate of anywhere you’re considering.

Daytona Beach is not what I would consider safe.

Just my opinion.

This is a good point and one of the reasons that the Watersound location (outside Panama City) sounds good to us.

But, again, TV is established with amenities already in place which is definitely a plus.

[spk7951]

Here is a link to homes now available. The amenity fee seems to be in the high 300's and is it based on cost of living or can it be raised? Also, I see some mighty bright colors of homes there. Do they have community standards?

9249 Sw 97th Circle, Ocala, 34481 (https://www.teamhomesnvision.com/search/details/27q/8/)

Also. What does "private sewer" mean?

Not sure where that amenity fee is but on our new home we start at $282 month. That includes the internet & trash. All told our monthly expenses for utilities & amenity fees will be around $30 more TV.
Contrary to what some have said here we will own the land our house is on. Yes there are community standards which from my read seems a bit stronger than TV. Example, no overnight parking of rv's in your driveway or street, OTOW provides a lot for that (unsure if cost to use it).
I suspect private sewer may be similar to the TV setup.

[davem4616]

right now my wife and I are very happy and content living in TV...we're really not interested in exploring other places to live

why...because we know what'll happen. It'll be just like stopping into an automobile show room 'just to see the new cars' and then ending up driving away in a new car

[doodles]

If you play golf it’s expensive in OTOW.The activities here outdo just by the number Of things available . Unless your living next door to the apartments there is no reason for your home value to go down.

[Nucky]

My two pennies worth. We have been coming to Central Florida/Ocala since 1994 when my wife's parents moved to Oak Run off SR200 Ocala, a year later an aunt and uncle moved to OTOW. We are a small family so eventually when all the family passed we inherited a home in Oak Run and one in OTOW. We lived in both homes at different times but for a number reasons we sold both. In 2018 we rented in TV drank the kook aid then bought a CYV and enjoyed it. We are now selling the CYV and this week moved to OTOW. We are not golfers so that did not play into any decision, nor were we involved in a lot of clubs or outside activities. If we were golfers may have stayed at TV because golfing here in OTOW is more money. From the years we were coming to Ocala both my wife and I made a number of friends in Ocala so that played into a decision to move to OTOW. Our dollar for dollar purchase of a home went further in OTOW. Lease hold? It's a 100 year lease from the time the home was built in our case 2017 so at our age that would make us 165 years old. We have no children so leaving it to them isn't a factor.

For our monthly HOA we get 30 Mbs internet, lawn maintenance/bush trimming, exterior home painting every 5 years, repairs to roof damage and the exterior of the home being insured ( we have HO6 insurance for our interior ) . We purchased a home the same size as our CYV ( 2 bed/2 bath 2 car garage vs 1.5 on the CYV) on a corner lot with plenty of windows and a view of the 17th tee of one of the golf courses. The same house at TV would have cost many thousands more.

For us it will work. We will miss the long golf cart rides we've taken from the north end of TV near Rt42 to Brownwood or to other town squares and Culvers. We can however still go to Publix, WalMart Food Store, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Taco Bell, Italian, Chinese and an ice cream shop all on our golf cart. As far as SR200 being extremely busy we found that going to stores/restaurants on 27/441 was just a busy. I would still give and edge to TV but for our tastes and lifestyle OTOW will work for us.

I hope you stay in touch and let us know how it works out. I have enjoyed your posts on TOTV'S and wish you luck.

[Topspinmo]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.


The apartment on other side is cherry lake not part of villages and not connected other than going down 466 to Morse Blvd. IMO has no impact on villages. But, I am septic that developers apartments complexes might be be popping up everywhere now that they’ve weaseled amenities passes for districts developers sold control over.

[Topspinmo]

If you play golf it’s expensive in OTOW.The activities here outdo just by the number Of things available . Unless your living next door to the apartments there is no reason for your home value to go down.


IMO I question even these will loose money unless they recently brought beside them. And then it’s still debatable, wait and see. IMO the more problem is over crowding in already crowed area?

[Topspinmo]

should I take your word for it? Unfortunately there are many "opinion" posts here that are not based on fact, but word of mouth.

Or you’ll find out for yourself?

[Timothyimitchell]

I do not believe apartments will be popping up all over TV. If done right they will be an addition to what is already offered. If you don't like the apartment buildings move away from them. Move south young man!

[Topspinmo]

Section 8? I doubt that. If true, everyone in the Villages should be concerned whether it’s in their backyard or not.


It’s not in villages back yard. Can’t stop other developers developing private land, well maybe? it you’re next to Morse Private compound?

[Topspinmo]

I do not believe apartments will be popping up all over TV. If done right they will be an addition to what is already offered. If you don't like the apartment buildings move away from them. Move south young man!

Who says they won’t be popping up down there?

[Topspinmo]

I believe TOTW is fairly large with a wide range of housing prices and styles to choose from. It is kind of a golf cart community but if you need to go to the doctor, grocery shopping, church or need anything, you must go by car. They have no stores of any kind, nor medical, nor restaurants nor places of worship in the community. I find myself being more and more grateful to be able to drive the golf cart practically wherever I need to go. My eye sight isn’t what it used to be and I don’t think it will improve with age.

I agree.

[eweissenbach]

The only other age-restricted community we seriously looked at was Stonecrest about 8 years ago. We looked at 5 or 6 houses With one of their salespeople and found them well done with bigger yards and lower price tags than TV. While we were there two things caused us to eliminate that option.

1. There was simply NO activity. It was a beautiful spring day, but when we toured the pools ( they have an indoor pool) there was virtually no one there. The golf course (which anyone can play) wasn’t busy, and we saw few people out and about walking, running, cycling, or carting. Just seemed dead, especially in contrast toTV. I understand there are people who would be attracted to that, but not us.

2. The salesperson must have told us half a dozen times how we could go by golf cart to the villages and enjoy the entertainment at Spanish Springs or any of the country clubs. He said that so often that we laughed after we left that he was seemingly trying to sell us on The Villages and not Stonecrest. We said to each other, “well if The Villages is the place to be, maybe that’s where we should buy”, and that’s what we did.

[Malsua]

The glass is not 1/2 empty, the glass is +90% full.


:ho:

The glass is never empty. It's just that you can't see the Nitrogen, Oxygen and trace gases in the glass that are essential to life.

[vinricci]

Wife and just toured Latitudes today. Not much going on. Most of the homes are 2 bed/2 bath. No golf cart garages, but they say it’s a golf cart community. Saw a few carts but frankly there’s no where to go. What worries us is that since first people moved in March 2018 they have only sold a little over 1,000 homes. The Developer originally planned on 6;000 homes but has decided that 3,500 may be enough.
Ultimately there will be a private area on the beach for residents and a shuttle there. However, it’s not finished as yet. They don’t have a golf course so if you want to play you have to visit LPGA nearby. For those of us who are used to playing here often for $142.00 a year, it will cost between $29-$59 per person to play 18 holes.
Only plus we could see was there’s a Tanger Mall and Sam's Club close by.

[Bay Kid]

I have never seen another development for the price to be anywhere as much fun as TVs!

[John41]

I LOVE the Villages. Honestly I do. The convenience of everything. The variety offered. A lot of friendly people. HOWEVER. I've noticed a change in the 5 years we have lived here. I see that the priority is focused on "south of Brownwood". I also see that our home values will decrease as each "multi family/apartments" is built. Hacienda Hills & Katie Belle's have been identified as apartments. 468 new apartments including section 8 are being built behind the Haciendas of Mission Hills. TooJay's and Demshar's have closed in Spanish Springs and are they next to become apartments?
I consider a move to On Top of the World in Ocala. Husband said he would never move anywhere that you didn't own the land (leasehold). I have recently found out that there are 3 communities in OTOW (Candler Hills, Indigo East & Weybourne Landing) that is fee simple and you DO own the land.
I would like your thoughts please on why or why not you would consider OTOW? Thank you.

We were living in an adult condo in Stuart, Florida and toured OTOTW. We liked the home we saw but didn’t like the Ocala area. Then we took The Villages Lifestyle week and left after three days Didn’t care for the homes being back to back. Had better view in our Stuart condo. They gave us $400 Villages Dollars and we bowled and went to a cat show, listened to some music at the square. But we went back to our Stuart condo. It had about 1000 residents, a community dock, boat and RV storage on site. Had a pool, wood shop meeting hall, library and office. Condos were concrete with tile roofs, two stories high. Beautiful landscaping and well maintained. Just seven miles from the beach, Some activities like cards, bingo, line dancing etc. It was so much more beautiful than the Villages or OTOTW. Decided to leave after the two years of hurricanes 140 + mph winds. Not much damage to us but many blue roof tarps for months everywhere Miami up to Melbourne. So we bought a Villages CYV in 2006 and a year later got hit by the tornado, extensive damage had to move out for five months. If we were to move it would be back to Stuart.

[thelegges]

We love the beach, but not a fan of the insurance. But if I had to stop playing golf we would be somewhere near the coast

[graciegirl]

Or you’ll find out for yourself?

If you find Spanish Springs on this map, you can follow Morse south to see up close the area where Hacienda Hills Country Club WAS and you can enlarge that area on the map to see up close. Across from where it was torn down is golf course and the Sharon Morse Nature Preserve. Behind it is golf course.

The Villages(R) Community Map - Explore & Find Your Way Around (https://www.thevillages.com/map/)