Profile

[PennBF]

Let's agree the profile of The Villages has significantly changed over the past 10 years and what it was then is no longer. What are some of the pluses and minus's others have seen over the years. :ho:

[John41]

Let's agree the profile of The Villages has significantly changed over the past 10 years and what it was then is no longer. What are some of the pluses and minus's others have seen over the years. :ho:

MINUS. The concept of Florida’s friendliest “hometown” went down the drain with the suburban sprawl thanks to the developer.
PLUS. The pitch and put golf course.

[Terriy]

MINUS. The concept of Florida’s friendliest “hometown” went down the drain with the suburban sprawl thanks to the developer.
PLUS. The pitch and put golf course.

Why is growth such a bad thing?

[John41]

Why is growth such a bad thing?

because a small hometown concept is a good thing as was advertised for years by the prior generation and the new generation is ruining that

hometown = friendly, know your neighbors, low taxes, low crime, not much traffic or noise

sprawl= opposite of the above per the 25% increase in taxes

[GoPacers]

because a small hometown concept is a good thing as was advertised for years by the prior generation and the new generation is ruining that

hometown = friendly, know your neighbors, low taxes, low crime, not much traffic or noise

sprawl= opposite of the above per the 25% increase in taxes

The Villages is still a friendly "small hometown" concept for most people. Very few people venture too far from their home so it's a bit of a red herring.

We know all our neighbors, great people!

Taxes are much lower here than where we came from so that's a huge plus. Crime is almost non-existent in The Villages compared to much of the rest of the US. I do read the on-line news and just reading the "crime" they post gives a clear indication of just how little actual crime there really is here. They have to dig deep to find anything and then they sensationalize what they do find. Do I really care that a 45 year-old child of a Villager got arrested for some misdemeanor???

Traffic and noise? Really??? Compared to what, Montana? Rural Ohio? Upstate NY?

The taxes have been beaten to death and it was not a 25% increase in anyone's tax bill and most certainly not for all Villagers. But - that doesn't make for a good story so let's embellish until the uninformed get fired up about something they know nothing about.

The Villages is an awesome place. I tell friends that if you can't find anything to do here you really don't want to engage with people. 98%+ of the people here are outstanding folks. Don't let the ~2% ruin your day. :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

[Marathon Man]

I seriously don't understand why some people continue to live in a community that they complain about so much.

[Trayderjoe]

I seriously don't understand why some people continue to live in a community that complain about so much.

Thank you!

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Let's agree the profile of The Villages has significantly changed over the past 10 years and what it was then is no longer. What are some of the pluses and minus's others have seen over the years. :ho:

I've been here for over 8-1/2 years and other than new construction and new villages opening up, I haven't seen very many changes.

[vintageogauge]

I seriously don't understand why some people continue to live in a community that complain about so much.

Some of the complainers don't live here and those that do live here most likely would complain about any community they lived in.

[Polar Bear]

Let's agree the profile of The Villages has significantly changed over the past 10 years and what it was then is no longer...
I don’t think everybody would agree with your basic premise.

Bigger? Of course. Different in any significant way? Not so much, at least imo.

[Bill14564]

The Villages is still a friendly "small hometown" concept for most people. Very few people venture too far from their home so it's a bit of a red herring.


....

The taxes have been beaten to death and it was not a 25% increase in anyone's tax bill and most certainly not for all Villagers. But - that doesn't make for a good story so let's embellish until the uninformed get fired up about something they know nothing about.

...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Please be accurate and honest. Sumter County taxes most certainly did go up by 25% from the 2018 to 2019 bills (they were down maybe 4% in the 2020 bill). Sumter County taxes are not the only thing on the bill in November, it also includes School Taxes, Fire District assessments, road maintenance fees, and the bond (if any). Those things did not go up 25% so the bottom line did not go up 25% but the Sumter County taxes portion of the bill absolutely did increase by 25%.

[John41]

The Villages is still a friendly "small hometown" concept for most people. Very few people venture too far from their home so it's a bit of a red herring.

We know all our neighbors, great people!

Taxes are much lower here than where we came from so that's a huge plus. Crime is almost non-existent in The Villages compared to much of the rest of the US. I do read the on-line news and just reading the "crime" they post gives a clear indication of just how little actual crime there really is here. They have to dig deep to find anything and then they sensationalize what they do find. Do I really care that a 45 year-old child of a Villager got arrested for some misdemeanor???

Traffic and noise? Really??? Compared to what, Montana? Rural Ohio? Upstate NY?

The taxes have been beaten to death and it was not a 25% increase in anyone's tax bill and most certainly not for all Villagers. But - that doesn't make for a good story so let's embellish until the uninformed get fired up about something they know nothing about.

The Villages is an awesome place. I tell friends that if you can't find anything to do here you really don't want to engage with people. 98%+ of the people here are outstanding folks. Don't let the ~2% ruin your day. :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Apparently The Villagers who turned out in droves to defeat the developers puppet commissioners won’t agree with you.
Also Inverness refused to allow The Turnpike an extension through their town because they didn’t want to lose their hometown atmosphere. And the TP has already ruined TV hometown atmosphere thanks to the developer.

[Stu from NYC]

Let's agree the profile of The Villages has significantly changed over the past 10 years and what it was then is no longer. What are some of the pluses and minus's others have seen over the years. :ho:

We have been hear less than a year and happy, will be even happier when life comes back to normal

[John41]

Originally Posted by Marathon Man View Post
I seriously don't understand why some people continue to live in a community that complain about so much.


Thank you!

Thank you!
__________________
"Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom."
-
Theodore Rubin
————————————————� �————————————————

“Don’t pee on my shoes and tell me it’s raining”.
Judge Judy

[DeanFL]

.
.
I feel sorry for people that appear to be crabby, complain about things outside of their control, and perhaps just want to vent.

Not saying this applies to the OP or those who may agree, just sayin'.

Most times in life, I prefer glass is more than 1/2 full. Seems to help my blood pressure and outlook in life and the future. Que Sara Sara....
.
.
.

[Toymeister]

We have been hear less than a year and happy, will be even happier when life comes back to normal

Some measure days by time and some measure days by the number of posts we can get in, per day

[John41]

.
.
I feel sorry for people that appear to be crabby, complain about things outside of their control, and perhaps just want to vent.

Not saying this applies to the OP or those who may agree, just sayin'.

Most times in life, I prefer glass is more than 1/2 full. Seems to help my blood pressure and outlook in life and the future. Que Sara Sara....
.
.
.

actually it’s better to vent than to bottle up your anger in denial

————————————————� �————————————————� ��—-
Don’t pee on my shoes and tell me it’s raining.”
Judge Judy

[SIRE1]

Let's agree the profile of The Villages has significantly changed over the past 10 years and what it was then is no longer. What are some of the pluses and minus's others have seen over the years. :ho:

To answer your question, I don't know if it is The Villages that have changed or if it is Me who has changed. But the place sure doesn't seem like the same place we experience when we first started coming here. We started visiting friends in 2001, rented for about 5 years, and bought in 2011. So yes, we've been here long enough to see the many many changes.

It seemed that once the expansion crossed 466A and they built Brownwood, the north end of The Villages definitely began to feel "Old" and restaurants and Kattie Belles began to close. Of course, that area was about 20 years old then, and we were 15 years older too.

And then you started hearing about problems, crime, and dissatisfaction (e.g. the trolls). Before that, the I'm sure the sales and marketing staff of The Villages kept all stories as "feel good" and reinforced the "utopia" image. That made selling new homes to eager people who had drank the kool-aid really easy.

So, I feel there has been a downward change since we first arrived here, but I can't say if it is real, perception, or that I've grown into one of the crotchety old men I used to see when I was much younger.

[coffeebean]

Why is growth such a bad thing?

Traffic.