What do you think about We were sold a bill of goods about Villages?

[Chellybean]

What do you think about We were sold a bill of goods about Villages?
its no longer a 55 and older communities and our amenities are being used by non residence?

[Whatnext]

Never was a fully 55+ community, and the occasional outsiders using the amenities is much overblown by residents with far to much time on their hands.

[Chellybean]

Never was a fully 55+ community, and the occasional outsiders using the amenities is much overblown by residents with far to much time on their hands.

hmmm not sure i agree with that.

[Whatnext]

That was a given.
Most of your posts are ant-villages and developer, Can't understand why you came, or remain in such a bad place.

[golfing eagles]

What do you think about We were sold a bill of goods about Villages?
its no longer a 55 and older communities and our amenities are being used by non residence?

I think people who are unhappy living here have other options.

[Bill14564]

hmmm not sure i agree with that.

Based on what (other than the headline of an online letter to the editor)?

[Babbs1957]

My experience has been:

I'm at the pool daily. I see people all the time that I immediately think they don't belong, but usually a worker appears, checks ID and these people pull out a piece of paper. So I assume it was ID because they stayed. I drive a car to the pooI because I like the ac after being in the sun for hours, so I can't judge people because they didn't use a golf cart.

I would say it's rare where I live, but during the summer, the number of children visiting parents is very high around here. Not all parents get them an ID for just a day or two visit. I'm sure they hear the "we don't need an ID, if they check us, we will just leave" response from their children.

[golfing eagles]

Never was a fully 55+ community, and the occasional outsiders using the amenities is much overblown by residents with far to much time on their hands.

Only 80% of the residents need to be 55+ for it to qualify for the federal designation. I agree that non-residents using amenities and horrible Airbnb renters are probably overblown, but I have a different philosophy---my number that I'm willing to tolerate is ZERO. The pool situation varies by village, but I believe those who frequent the Tamarind Grove pool adjacent to Trailwinds might have more skin in the game. Also , I suspect after hours exec course trespassers are more numerous say, on Sandhill, than Escambia for the same reason. Airbnb's are a blight on our community, in fact most peaceful communities, and we should do everything possible to ban them (and it can be done)

[Chellybean]

That was a given.
Most of your posts are ant-villages and developer, Can't understand why you came, or remain in such a bad place.

matter of opinion I'm just done drinking the Kool-Aid and pay for other people that come into villages and don't follow the rules.

[golfing eagles]

matter of opinion I'm just done drinking the Kool-Aid and pay for other people that come into villages and don't follow the rules.

I don't agree with the Kool-Aid part, nobody ever misrepresented what TV was to me. But I 110% agree with what I highlighted. Now, how much more in amenity fees are the residents willing to pay to eliminate the problem, especially since many don't believe it's a problem?
We would be talking about either high-tech gate cards and cameras at the pools and rec center outdoor facilities, or a massive increase in manpower. The golf courses would again need after hour monitoring either by camera or a person. But considering how cheap our amenity fee is in comparison to other Florida communities and how much more we get, I for one am willing to pay the price. The last thing I would want is a Villager alone at a pool when a gang of teenagers climbs the fence. They wouldn't be there to sell Girl Scout cookies.

[Marathon Man]

That was a given.
Most of your posts are ant-villages and developer, Can't understand why you came, or remain in such a bad place.

Well said. I will leave as soon as the community in which I live no longer makes me happy. But that's just me. I prefer to be happy.

[Bill14564]

matter of opinion I'm just done drinking the Kool-Aid and pay for other people that come into villages and don't follow the rules.

The problem is that many of the opinions being tossed about are based on headlines and zero evidence or fact.

Is the Villages a "55+ community?" Yes, they are. Are there people under 55 living in the Villages? Absolutely, but that is not inconsistent with the "55+ community" label. Unless you can show that more than 20% of the occupied homes in the Villages do not have at least one occupant who is over 55 then the Villages qualifies as a 55+ community.

"Pay for other people that come into villages and don't follow the rules?" How many people, which rules, and what would the difference in pay be? Are there some non-residents/non-guests using the pools? Probably. Are our pools and pickleball courts overrun with outsiders? No. Could the Recreation Dept. do a better job of keeping outsiders away? Maybe, but not at my pool, we aren't overrun. Which pools/courts truly have a problem with outsiders? Anywhere from none to all depending on who wrote the post or the letter to the editor. What is lacking is any evidence or facts.

[Chellybean]

Well said. I will leave as soon as the community in which I live no longer makes me happy. But that's just me. I prefer to be happy.

you have your right to your opinion but how do you know that i am unhappy? do you have a crystal Ball? maybe i am just pointing out the obvious and am sick of paying for non residents!

[Topspinmo]

Once get addicted to koolaid it’s hard to get off it. :faint:

[Pondboy]

hmmm not sure i agree with that.

How about conducting your own independent survey of people using the amenities….villagers vs. non villagers and let us know what you find out.

[Chellybean]

Once get addicted to koolaid it’s hard to get off it. :faint:

yup couldn't agree more lol

[Jayhawk]

you have your right to your opinion but how do you know that i am unhappy? do you have a crystal Ball? maybe i am just pointing out the obvious and am sick of paying for non residents!

Anyone with a Search button knows how you feel. Some are only happy when they are miserable.

[Jayhawk]

matter of opinion I'm just done drinking the Kool-Aid and pay for other people that come into villages and don't follow the rules.

Since you are "done", where are you moving to?
:bigbow:

[Chellybean]

Anyone with a Search button knows how you feel. Some are only happy when they are miserable.

again someone that has a crystal ball, lol
I am not subject to all village nonsense and have a mind of my own. And yes everyone has a search button and i am not the only one that feels this way, just sick of all the mis-spending of our amenities and they keep going up. JMHO

[Chellybean]

Since you are "done", where are you moving to?
:bigbow:

how do you know i haven't already left? again can i borrow a crystal ball LOL

[BillyGrown]

Only 80% of the residents need to be 55+ for it to qualify for the federal designation. I agree that non-residents using amenities and horrible Airbnb renters are probably overblown, but I have a different philosophy---my number that I'm willing to tolerate is ZERO. The pool situation varies by village, but I believe those who frequent the Tamarind Grove pool adjacent to Trailwinds might have more skin in the game. Also , I suspect after hours exec course trespassers are more numerous say, on Sandhill, than Escambia for the same reason. Airbnb's are a blight on our community, in fact most peaceful communities, and we should do everything possible to ban them (and it can be done)
Those were the worst things to be developed in the start of this millennium. I would vote for any politicians who were for strangling these parasites with regulation. Airbnbs are a blight for sure. They infringe on those who have reasonable expectations for a normal neighborhood and lifestyle.

[Chellybean]

Those were the worst thing to be developed in the start of this millennium. I would vote for any politicians who were for strangling these parasites with regulation. Airbnbs are a blight for sure. They infringe on those who have reasonable expectations for a normal neighborhood and lifestyle.

be careful you'll be accused of being unhappy, lol

[golfing eagles]

you have your right to your opinion but how do you know that i am unhappy? do you have a crystal Ball? maybe i am just pointing out the obvious and am sick of paying for non residents!

How about conducting your own independent survey of people using the amenities….villagers vs. non villagers and let us know what you find out.

No problem, she would just need to be at over 250 different amenities all at the same time, all day long (or hire 250 people). Then, without any authority whatsoever, ask to see IDs of everyone entering, while watching for fence climbers out of view. Not sure how she would handle anyone who "just says no" to her request. Don't forget to bring a golf cart so she can chase down everyone on the golf courses and ask for ID.

Might want to rethink that "suggestion"

[Bill14564]

again someone that has a crystal ball, lol
I am not subject to all village nonsense and have a mind of my own. And yes everyone has a search button and i am not the only one that feels this way, just sick of all the mis-spending of our amenities and they keep going up. JMHO

What mis-spending is that? (examples please, not copy/paste of headlines or quotes from someone else's letter to the editor)

[ThirdOfFive]

Odd. I find myself agreeing with just about everything that has been posted so far.

Yes, ineligible people are using our amenities. Villagers are in violation of this-or-that rule. Airb&bs exist also here, and can (and apparently do) attract people who have no interest in following the rules. And so on. But a lot of it is hearsay...people talk, and pass things along, and things get blown out of proportion. We HEAR about a lot of things related to the above. But just how much of it do we actually SEE? Especially if one reads The Online Newspaper That Shall Not Be Named one gets the definite impression that TV is being overrun by rulebreakers, unkempt properties and Airb&B hellraisers. But drive through any Village and the reality, aside from rare examples to the contrary, is totally different.

But...the fact that they exist at all is just a symptom of the real issue, and that is that there is nearly zero enforcement. What I find especially ludicrous is this system, if you can call it that, that allows people to get away with rulebreaking unless reported to the powers-that-be by another Villager! It can conceivably lead to situations where two houses on the same block have identical violations, but only the one that gets reported must fix the issue or get fined until he or she does. I know of no other place or situation where the people governed by a rule have the primary responsibility for ENFORCING that rule. Yet that is precisely what we have here. The powers that be apparently just sit on their hands, never enforcing their own rules unless they have no other choice.

Yes. We're lucky that the problems so far are probably more apparent than real; a lot smaller than word-of-mouth and rumor would have us believe. But the fact that they're not only allowed to exist at all but to actually become worse over time is an affront to all of us who bought here believing we were becoming part of a community where the rules and standards that we sought as retirees were being enforced. The fact that they routinely are not is something that can be learned only AFTER we became residents here. I won't go so far to say that we were sold a bill of goods. I certainly wasn't. We have a nice home in a well-kept Village with good neighbors and zero hellraisers. TV is everything I thought it would be. But with the "system" the way it is, will I be saying the same thing five years from now? We should ALL be asking ourselves that same question.

[Chellybean]

What mis-spending is that? (examples please, not copy/paste of headlines or quotes from someone else's letter to the editor)

example: they represented this as gated communities, its a communities with gates, please use your search button you've talk about?
now they got rid of the 12 to 6am staff.
cuts are happening all over the place, its exhaust dealing with the endless Kool-aid effect lol

[Bill14564]

No problem, she would just need to be at over 250 different amenities all at the same time, all day long (or hire 250 people). Then, without any authority whatsoever, ask to see IDs of everyone entering, while watching for fence climbers out of view. Not sure how she would handle anyone who "just says no" to her request. Don't forget to bring a golf cart so she can chase down everyone on the golf courses and ask for ID.

Might want to rethink that "suggestion"

I'm not sure it's a bad suggestion. Assertions are being made that imply knowledge of what is happening at 250 amenities, all at the same time, all day long. If the assertions are correct then the proof should be very easy to acquire. On the other hand, if it is difficult to prove that 250 different amenities are being overrun all day long then there might be a reason for that.

I would like to see something beyond an all-or-nothing approach. My pool is not being overrun, my pool does not need any additional money spent on enforcement. My pool is just one of many and may very well be atypical. It would be nice to see increased attention spent at certain pools/amenities that are known to have issues. Maybe a way could be found to fund something like that.

[BillyGrown]

Airb&bs exist also here, and can (and apparently do) attract people who have no interest in following the rules.

But...the fact that they exist at all is just a symptom of the real issue, and that is that there is nearly zero enforcement.



CDDs can help too. They can ban guest passes for renters. That would go a long way towards preserving the retirement lifestyle and prevent those who don’t pay for amenities from abusing our pools and recreation centers.

[Bill14564]

example: they represented this as gated communities, its a communities with gates, please use your search button you've talk about?
now they got rid of the 12 to 6am staff.
cuts are happening all over the place, its exhaust dealing with the endless Kool-aid effect lol

Who represented this as a gated community? Not to me "they" didn't.

The Villages *might* have been a gated community in the past but it certainly was not in 2018 and I suspect it was not in 2014. I'll spend time later looking up when the roads were turned over to the county.

What is mis-spending about cutting back the hours to save money to spend somewhere else? That seems like a very responsible approach to rising costs.

What cuts are happening all over the place? Where is the mis-spending? Are you sure you know which flavor of Kool-Aid you are drinking?

[golfing eagles]

CDDs can help too. They can ban guest passes for renters. That would go a long way towards preserving the retirement lifestyle and prevent those who don’t pay for amenities from abusing our pools and recreation centers.

Or just make the minimum rent period 30 days (except in February). This would still leave people with investment property the right to rent, but not as an Airbnb for 2 days. Give them a year to re-organize their rental strategy.

[Bill14564]

CDDs can help too. They can ban guest passes for renters. That would go a long way towards preserving the retirement lifestyle and prevent those who don’t pay for amenities from abusing our pools and recreation centers.

The numbered CDDs have ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL over guest passes!

I haven't seen the written policy that governs guest passes. It might be something legal or it might be simply a Recreation Dept. policy. The Recreation Dept. falls under the VCCDD.

Be careful what you wish for when you ask for a ban or to make guest passes more difficult to acquire. Many Villagers enjoy having friends, family, and grandchildren come to visit and would be highly annoyed if they could no longer take their families to the family pools.

Every home pays for the use of the amenities whether it is occupied 12 months of the year, six months of the year, or only one month. Every ID card and guest pass is distributed against a home in the Villages that pays amenity fees year round.

As for "retirement lifestyle," that sounds a lot like "best pizza:" everyone who uses the phrase has a completely different concept of what it means.

[MrFlorida]

If you see something, say something.... just make a call if you think outsiders are using our facility. They will send someone over to check ID's.... simple

[Bogie Shooter]

how do you know i haven't already left? again can i borrow a crystal ball LOL

Is this a veiled confirmation? 👍

[dano121]

BTW Top Of The World Communities uses the fact that the Villages allows short term rentals as a marketing tool for themselves.

[justjim]

Only 80% of the residents need to be 55+ for it to qualify for the federal designation. I agree that non-residents using amenities and horrible Airbnb renters are probably overblown, but I have a different philosophy---my number that I'm willing to tolerate is ZERO. The pool situation varies by village, but I believe those who frequent the Tamarind Grove pool adjacent to Trailwinds might have more skin in the game. Also , I suspect after hours exec course trespassers are more numerous say, on Sandhill, than Escambia for the same reason. Airbnb's are a blight on our community, in fact most peaceful communities, and we should do everything possible to ban them (and it can be done)

The Airbnb’s are certainly problematic for those next door to them and I believe the CDD’s can do something about this issue. Non-residents using our facilities is just a matter of monitoring and IMHO less than some residents think. Fore.

[golfing eagles]

The numbered CDDs have ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL over guest passes!

I haven't seen the written policy that governs guest passes. It might be something legal or it might be simply a Recreation Dept. policy. The Recreation Dept. falls under the VCCDD.

Be careful what you wish for when you ask for a ban or to make guest passes more difficult to acquire. Many Villagers enjoy having friends, family, and grandchildren come to visit and would be highly annoyed if they could no longer take their families to the family pools.

Every home pays for the use of the amenities whether it is occupied 12 months of the year, six months of the year, or only one month. Every ID card and guest pass is distributed against a home in the Villages that pays amenity fees year round.

As for "retirement lifestyle," that sounds a lot like "best pizza:" everyone who uses the phrase has a completely different concept of what it means.

There's a huge difference between a family member or friend visiting your home as a guest and someone paying rent to an Airbnb to stay for 2 days

[Ruger2506]

As for "retirement lifestyle," that sounds a lot like "best pizza:" everyone who uses the phrase has a completely different concept of what it means.

Absolutely. When we moved here 15 months ago I thought it is what I could live with (not necessarily what I wanted). But now I cannot leave fast enough even though we plan to stick it out 2 more years. All we can hope for now is houses keep appreciating in value for the next 2 years. Thank goodness we have a "lake lot".

Happily, I kept my land in MN. I can travel back there as much as possible to get out of here and maintain my sanity.

We've started the shopping process for an acreage back in MN (20 - 40 acres ideally).

I can see how for many this is heaven for them. I can also see how for many this is hell. We all have different expectations and preferences.

[golfing eagles]

Absolutely. When we moved here 15 months ago I thought it is what I could live with (not necessarily what I wanted). But now I cannot leave fast enough even though we plan to stick it out 2 more years. All we can hope for now is home keep appreciating in value for the next 2 years. Thank goodness we have a "lake lot".

Happily, I kept my land in MN. I can travel back there as much as possible to get out of here and maintain my sanity.

We've started the shopping process for an acreage back in MN (20 - 40 acres ideally).

I can see how for many this is heaven for them. I can also see how for many this is hell. We all have different expectations and preferences.

If you don't mind, which aspects of The Villages lifestyle have you wanting to run for the exit????

[Bill14564]

There's a huge difference between a family member or friend visiting your home as a guest and someone paying rent to an Airbnb to stay for 2 days

Not when you're writing regulations for the issuance of guest passes: at that point every non-resident looks the same and every short-duration visit looks the same.

[golfing eagles]

Not when you're writing regulations for the issuance of guest passes: at that point every non-resident looks the same and every short-duration visit looks the same.

I have to disagree. A person (family or friend) staying in a home FOR FREE is a guest. The person who PAYS RENT is a renter. There should be no problem distinguishing between the two in terms of issuing "guest" passes.

[Ruger2506]

If you don't mind, which aspects of The Villages lifestyle have you wanting to run for the exit????

The Villages specifically. The postage stamp lots. Having such a small garage. The people up in your business. The HOA fees. The HOA rule dictators. The mismanagement of ponds and "wild lands" (specifically the poisoning and toxic chemicals).

I'm not even talking about painting my house pink. But the HOA dictators sending warning letters out about weeds and whatnot. Seems petty. I haven't gotten them, but I know neighbors who have.

And I'm not ****ting on The Villages. Yes the Developers and their rampant destruction of wild lands disgusts me. But the lifestyle. My parents love it here. My brother loves it here. Me, I'm not sure I could dislike it more. I mean all other things being equal, I think I'd be happier living on a 1 acre lot in the town of Sumterville or Floral City or even Bushnell. But we'd still be in FL in that scenario.

Honestly for me it's not just The Villages. I don't like FL in general. But I'm sure tight living in The Villages is compounding my feelings.

[dewilson58]

The Villages specifically. The postage stamp lots. Having such a small garage. The people up in your business. The HOA fees. The HOA rule dictators. The mismanagement of ponds and "wild lands" (specifically the poisoning and toxic chemicals).

I'm not even talking about painting my house pink. But the HOA dictators sending warning letters out about weeds and whatnot. Seems petty. I haven't gotten them, but I know neighbors who have.

And I'm not ****ting on The Villages. Yes the Developers and their rampant destruction of wild lands disgusts me. But the lifestyle. My parents love it here. My brother loves it here. Me, I'm not sure I could dislike it more. I mean all other things being equal, I think I'd be happier living on a 1 acre lot in the town of Sumterville or Floral City or even Bushnell. But we'd still be in FL in that scenario.

Honestly for me it's not just The Villages. I don't like FL in general. But I'm sure tight living in The Villages is compounding my feelings.

Sounds like zero due diligence.

[Ruger2506]

Sounds like zero due diligence.

Opinions are like ********. Spent 8 years researching FL and The Villages. Thanks for your useless opinion though.

[mraines]

I think people who are unhappy living here have other options.

Not everybody has other options.

[golfing eagles]

The Villages specifically. The postage stamp lots. Having such a small garage. The people up in your business. The HOA fees. The HOA rule dictators. The mismanagement of ponds and "wild lands" (specifically the poisoning and toxic chemicals).

I'm not even talking about painting my house pink. But the HOA dictators sending warning letters out about weeds and whatnot. Seems petty. I haven't gotten them, but I know neighbors who have.

And I'm not ****ting on The Villages. Yes the Developers and their rampant destruction of wild lands disgusts me. But the lifestyle. My parents love it here. My brother loves it here. Me, I'm not sure I could dislike it more. I mean all other things being equal, I think I'd be happier living on a 1 acre lot in the town of Sumterville or Floral City or even Bushnell. But we'd still be in FL in that scenario.

Honestly for me it's not just The Villages. I don't like FL in general. But I'm sure tight living in The Villages is compounding my feelings.

"The Villages specifically. The postage stamp lots. Having such a small garage. The people up in your business. The HOA fees. The HOA rule dictators. The mismanagement of ponds and "wild lands" (specifically the poisoning and toxic chemicals)."

Thae lots can be small, some aren't. I don't know what a "small garage" is, but I have 2 cars, 2 golf carts and plenty of shelving and storage in mine. My neighbors are great, but not "up in my business". The HOA fees are chump change in comparison to other communities in Florida, and there is no need to worry about "rule dictators" if one follows the rules that they agreed to when the bought. And the developer provided a lot more environmental area than elsewhere. If you have MDSA sheets on the "poison and toxic" chemicals, and how they are different from those used throughout the state, please post them.

"I'm not even talking about painting my house pink. But the HOA dictators sending warning letters out about weeds and whatnot. Seems petty. I haven't gotten them, but I know neighbors who have."

Those "HOA dictators" are enforcing the deed restrictions and community standards that owners agreed to. There is no reason to have a property overgrown with weeds. There is no reason to have a pink house or a pink flamingo on your lawn. And by the way, the only reason you have neighbors that received those letters is because somebody filed a complaint.

And I'm not ****ting on The Villages. Yes the Developers and their rampant destruction of wild lands disgusts me. But the lifestyle. My parents love it here. My brother loves it here. Me, I'm not sure I could dislike it more. I mean all other things being equal, I think I'd be happier living on a 1 acre lot in the town of Sumterville or Floral City or even Bushnell. But we'd still be in FL in that scenario.

And if The Villages didn't develop this land, you don't think another developer wouldn't??? At least here the developer has maintained a presence and is involved. There are plenty of areas of environmental conservation that could have built upon but weren't. Sound like you just don't like Florida, and that's OK. The are also plenty of 1 acre lots in Sumterville, Floral City and Bushnell.

[golfing eagles]

Opinions are like ********. Spent 8 years researching FL and The Villages. Thanks for your useless opinion though.

So after 8 years researching The Villages, you ended up in a place you hate. Hmmm.

[Ruger2506]

So after 8 years researching The Villages, you ended up in a place you hate. Hmmm.

Family man. Family is close. And FL schools are **** and the charter school isn't. So we gave it a whirl.

No thanks on the acre lots in local towns. We are going back to MN to large acreage where I can shoot my own meat, grown my own meat and veggies, don't have neighbors, etc. Turns out the snow and cold really isn't that bad. Despite MN's governor and income taxes, at least MN loves nature and protects it.

[dewilson58]

Opinions are like ********. Spent 8 years researching FL and The Villages. Thanks for your useless opinion though.

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Eight years and didn't know:

Lot sizes

Garage sizes

HOA fees (there are none)

The HOA rule dictators (there are none)

The mismanagement of ponds and "wild lands"

Yes the Developers and their rampant destruction of wild lands disgusts me.

AMAZING................eight years and did know any of this prior to purchase.

:a20:

[tophcfa]

Interesting thread. I feel bad for the OP, been in those shoes. There are a few folks out there that are quick to put all kinds of nasty labels on someone who doesn’t buy into the Villages being 100% perfect, hook, line, and sinker. I absolutely love the Villages, and have committed a significant chunk of our retirement resources into our home there. When I’m up north, my next trip to our Villages home dominates my thoughts. When I’m at our Villages home, I am never looking forward to returning back north (except for the one time I needed quality health care). If it wasn’t for unavoidable northern responsibilities, accessibility to quality health care, and my wife’s insistence on spending time with the youth of our family (what’s up with women and kids? ), I would never leave. There is no other place in the world that affords me the lifestyle the Villages offers. Where else can I swim laps in 12 different beautiful outdoors sports pools surrounded by palm trees year round, play at 14 different Championships golf courses (12 north of 44 with 10 being 27 holes), ride a bike without dealing with hilly terrain, be able to go just about everywhere and do everything in a golf cart and not even need a car except on rare occasions, not have to worry about snow, ice, and freezing cold, go in our backyard pool, abutting a wildlife preserve, with my wife every night before bed, and enjoy more other amenities and entertainment than the day is long? The Villages is truly a unique and beautiful place, but like anywhere else, it’s not perfect. There is no doubt short term rentals like AIRBnB’s are a black eye on the community. It’s easy to disagree when you don’t live near one (or are one of the inconsiderate neighbors running one), but that could change tomorrow. They are certainly not what we signed up for when purchasing our home 10 years ago. As far as others using our amenities, I can only speak of the sports pools, because that’s what I use almost daily when at our Villages home (and I’m not an early morning person so my experience is more in the late afternoons going to dusk). In approximately 1,000 visits to the sports pools over the years, I have been required to show my ID approximately 40 times as they almost never check ID’s during lap and open swim times. Over half of the times my ID was checked it was during the early days of COVID when monitors diligently limited the number of swimmers allowed in the pools. Every other time my ID was checked (except one time) was when I showed up early during an organized water aerobics or Volleyball activity to lay claim on a swimming lane. The only time my ID was checked during lap swimming time was Monday, August 11, 2025 at Laurel Manor. I thanked the employee for finally checking my ID and told him I really wished someone would check my ID every time I went swimming. Over the years, I have seen numerous violations in the sports pools, including non -residents, guests, and children (all not allowed in the sports pools). I have also witnessed what appears to be homeless people sneaking in to use both the restrooms and showers, but not using the pool itself. In my opinion, one violation is too many. We pay good money towards our amenity fees and expect the rules to be enforced. I guess now, according to some, I’m a complainer. So be it.

[golfing eagles]

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Eight years and didn't know:

Lot sizes

Garage sizes

HOA fees (there are none)

The HOA rule dictators (there are none)

The mismanagement of ponds and "wild lands"

Yes the Developers and their rampant destruction of wild lands disgusts me.

AMAZING................eight years and did know any of this prior to purchase.

:a20:

Family man. Family is close. And FL schools are **** and the charter school isn't. So we gave it a whirl.

No thanks on the acre lots in local towns. We are going back to MN to large acreage where I can shoot my own meat, grown my own meat and veggies, don't have neighbors, etc. Turns out the snow and cold really isn't that bad. Despite MN's governor and income taxes, at least MN loves nature and protects it.

Actually, I get it. This is just a more extreme example of "Village Hatred Syndrome", which is the general umbrella over "Developer Hatred Syndrome". I hope he finds happiness in the arctic tundra.

PS: If MN loves nature and protects it, how come people get to "shoot their own meat"?

[Ruger2506]

PS: If MN loves nature and protects it, how come people get to "shoot their own meat"?

America! It's a MN constitutional right! Just like in FL now (a FL constitutional right), except FL has no public lands to hunt, not comparatively anyhow. Thanks to developers.

Hunters are the #1 protector of natural lands and wild game.

[Taltarzac725]

We have been in the Villages about 20 years and a month. We moved from Palm Harbor, Florida which for a time was the bulls-eye of four hurricanes in 2004 but all four turned a bit. One was close shave with us getting horizontal rain for a little bit . We were at about twenty feet of elevation so did not have to worry a lot about storm surge. Tarpon Lake was only a block or two over from us. Gators galore. Even a crocodile a number of years back. Crocodile found in Florida lake (https://share.google/Fxk0239mmhEwFhBBW)


Think the Villages is a great place for certain people. Many of the people I have met over the years here did move away but some actually came back . A few moved to just outside the Villages.

[Ruger2506]

Actually, I get it. This is just a more extreme example of "Village Hatred Syndrome", which is the general umbrella over "Developer Hatred Syndrome". I hope he finds happiness in the arctic tundra.


It's amazing how many people in here get all upset when someone says they don't like The Villages or the developer. Like you guys are Morse Family or personally invested and getting personally attacked. Seems like people can't even have a conversation without someone implying there are an idiot as Dewilson does.

God forbid someone tries something new and decides they don't like it.

[golfing eagles]

America! It's a MN constitutional right! Just like in FL now (a FL constitutional right), except FL has no public lands to hunt, not comparatively anyhow. Thanks to developers.

Hunters are the #1 protector of natural lands and wild game.

Tell that to the 10-point buck head mounted on the lodge's wall :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[golfing eagles]

Interesting thread. I feel bad for the OP, been in those shoes. There are a few folks out there that are quick to put all kinds of nasty labels on someone who doesn’t buy into the Villages being 100% perfect, hook, line, and sinker. I absolutely love the Villages, and have committed a significant chunk of our retirement resources into our home there. When I’m up north, my next trip to our Villages home dominates my thoughts. When I’m at our Villages home, I am never looking forward to returning back north (except for the one time I needed quality health care). If it wasn’t for unavoidable northern responsibilities, accessibility to quality health care, and my wife’s insistence on spending time with the youth of our family (what’s up with women and kids? ), I would never leave. There is no other place in the world that affords me the lifestyle the Villages offers. Where else can I swim laps in 12 different beautiful outdoors sports pools surrounded by palm trees year round, play at 14 different Championships golf courses (12 north of 44 with 10 being 27 holes), ride a bike without dealing with hilly terrain, be able to go just about everywhere and do everything in a golf cart and not even need a car except on rare occasions, not have to worry about snow, ice, and freezing cold, go in our backyard pool, abutting a wildlife preserve, with my wife every night before bed, and enjoy more other amenities and entertainment than the day is long? The Villages is truly a unique and beautiful place, but like anywhere else, it’s not perfect. There is no doubt short term rentals like AIRBnB’s are a black eye on the community. It’s easy to disagree when you don’t live near one (or are one of the inconsiderate neighbors running one), but that could change tomorrow. They are certainly not what we signed up for when purchasing our home 10 years ago. As far as others using our amenities, I can only speak of the sports pools, because that’s what I use almost daily when at our Villages home (and I’m not an early morning person so my experience is more in the late afternoons going to dusk). In approximately 1,000 visits to the sports pools over the years, I have been required to show my ID approximately 40 times as they almost never check ID’s during lap and open swim times. Over half of the times my ID was checked it was during the early days of COVID when monitors diligently limited the number of swimmers allowed in the pools. Every other time my ID was checked (except one time) was when I showed up early during an organized water aerobics or Volleyball activity to lay claim on a swimming lane. The only time my ID was checked during lap swimming time was Monday, August 11, 2025 at Laurel Manor. I thanked the employee for finally checking my ID and told him I really wished someone would check my ID every time I went swimming. Over the years, I have seen numerous violations in the sports pools, including non -residents, guests, and children (all not allowed in the sports pools). I have also witnessed what appears to be homeless people sneaking in to use both the restrooms and showers, but not using the pool itself. In my opinion, one violation is too many. We pay good money towards our amenity fees and expect the rules to be enforced. I guess now, according to some, I’m a complainer. So be it.

1,000,000 % agree. As I already posted, my tolerance is zero and one violation is too many

[Bill14564]

.... In my opinion, one violation is too many. We pay good money towards our amenity fees and expect the rules to be enforced. I guess now, according to some, I’m a complainer. So be it.

You pay good money towards the amenities and it is (mostly) used well. Zero violations would require fulltime monitors which are not part of the current funding/package/amenities. How much are you willing to pay for "one violation is too many?"

Let's say 100 pools sit near 100 pickleball courts. One person can't monitor both so that means 200 monitors. 200 employees, 12 hours per day, seven days per week, 52 weeks per year comes out to 873,600 man hours. $15/hour makes that $13,104,000 needed to fund those monitors. With the current amenity fee the VCCDD and SLCDD combined receive $156M in amenity fees. Therefore, the monitors would require an immediate increase of approximately 10% (or about $15 - $20).

As homeowners complain about CPI increases to their amenity fees, do you believe they would be happy about an additional $18 increase to have a warm body monitoring the pools and courts?

[golfing eagles]

It's amazing how many people in here get all upset when someone says they don't like The Villages or the developer. Like you guys are Morse Family or personally invested and getting personally attacked. Seems like people can't even have a conversation without someone implying there are an idiot as Dewilson does.

God forbid someone tries something new and decides they don't like it.

That fine, but the first post implied The Villages was poisoning the water with toxic chemicals, the HOA fees were high, and enforcement of deed restrictions was carried out by the Gestapo and everyone was Mrs. Kravitz. I think such a mischaracterization required a response

[golfing eagles]

You pay good money towards the amenities and it is (mostly) used well. Zero violations would require fulltime monitors which are not part of the current funding/package/amenities. How much are you willing to pay for "one violation is too many?"

Let's say 100 pools sit near 100 pickleball courts. One person can't monitor both so that means 200 monitors. 200 employees, 12 hours per day, seven days per week, 52 weeks per year comes out to 873,600 man hours. $15/hour makes that $13,104,000 needed to fund those monitors. With the current amenity fee the VCCDD and SLCDD combined receive $156M in amenity fees. Therefore, the monitors would require an immediate increase of approximately 10% (or about $15 - $20).

As homeowners complain about CPI increases to their amenity fees, do you believe they would be happy about an additional $18 increase to have a warm body monitoring the pools and courts?

I'd be willing to pay my $18 and for 10 other residents as well. Still cheaper than the $650/month that my friend in Venice pays in HOA fees for a 5th floor condo with one pool and a gym the size of my lanai as their only amenities. And for full disclosure, in 12 years here I have never been to a pool, I don't even know how to open the gate, I don't play pickleball or tennis and rarely set foot on an exec course. But the whole idea of trespassers invading TV and not facing any consequences irks me to no end. PROSECUTE THEM TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW!

[Chellybean]

Interesting thread. I feel bad for the OP, been in those shoes. There are a few folks out there that are quick to put all kinds of nasty labels on someone who doesn’t buy into the Villages being 100% perfect, hook, line, and sinker. I absolutely love the Villages, and have committed a significant chunk of our retirement resources into our home there. When I’m up north, my next trip to our Villages home dominates my thoughts. When I’m at our Villages home, I am never looking forward to returning back north (except for the one time I needed quality health care). If it wasn’t for unavoidable northern responsibilities, accessibility to quality health care, and my wife’s insistence on spending time with the youth of our family (what’s up with women and kids? ), I would never leave. There is no other place in the world that affords me the lifestyle the Villages offers. Where else can I swim laps in 12 different beautiful outdoors sports pools surrounded by palm trees year round, play at 14 different Championships golf courses (12 north of 44 with 10 being 27 holes), ride a bike without dealing with hilly terrain, be able to go just about everywhere and do everything in a golf cart and not even need a car except on rare occasions, not have to worry about snow, ice, and freezing cold, go in our backyard pool, abutting a wildlife preserve, with my wife every night before bed, and enjoy more other amenities and entertainment than the day is long? The Villages is truly a unique and beautiful place, but like anywhere else, it’s not perfect. There is no doubt short term rentals like AIRBnB’s are a black eye on the community. It’s easy to disagree when you don’t live near one (or are one of the inconsiderate neighbors running one), but that could change tomorrow. They are certainly not what we signed up for when purchasing our home 10 years ago. As far as others using our amenities, I can only speak of the sports pools, because that’s what I use almost daily when at our Villages home (and I’m not an early morning person so my experience is more in the late afternoons going to dusk). In approximately 1,000 visits to the sports pools over the years, I have been required to show my ID approximately 40 times as they almost never check ID’s during lap and open swim times. Over half of the times my ID was checked it was during the early days of COVID when monitors diligently limited the number of swimmers allowed in the pools. Every other time my ID was checked (except one time) was when I showed up early during an organized water aerobics or Volleyball activity to lay claim on a swimming lane. The only time my ID was checked during lap swimming time was Monday, August 11, 2025 at Laurel Manor. I thanked the employee for finally checking my ID and told him I really wished someone would check my ID every time I went swimming. Over the years, I have seen numerous violations in the sports pools, including non -residents, guests, and children (all not allowed in the sports pools). I have also witnessed what appears to be homeless people sneaking in to use both the restrooms and showers, but not using the pool itself. In my opinion, one violation is too many. We pay good money towards our amenity fees and expect the rules to be enforced. I guess now, according to some, I’m a complainer. So be it.

Well said my friend;
no one talks about all the bad behavior either.

Golf course patrons not respecting private property.

People walking there dogs on other neighborhoods and allowing there dogs to urinate and poop on other peoples property(some of use take care of our own grass.)

Multiuse path with inconsiderate golf carts not yielding to pedestrians.

Inconsiderate bad behavior at town squares and restaurants .

I can go on and on feel free to add to the list.
But i would be considered unhappy lol.
Some here have well over 10 thousand post, i don't know how they have time for anything else except attacks on others for there opinion?

[golfing eagles]

Well said my friend;
no one talks about all the bad behavior either.

Golf course patrons not respecting private property.

People walking there dogs on other neighborhoods and allowing there dogs to urinate and poop on other peoples property(some of use take care of our own grass.)

Multiuse path with inconsiderate golf carts not yielding to pedestrians.

Inconsiderate bad behavior at town squares and restaurants .

I can go on and on feel free to add to the list.
But i would be considered unhappy lol.
Some here have well over 10 thousand post, i don't know how they have time for anything else except attacks on others for there opinion?

I'll answer that for those with "over 10,000" posts. I have 13,776 posts in 3,813 days on TOTV, averaging 3.6/day. It doesn't take up much of my time. That's less posts than some people have on this thread alone. And 90% of mine are educational, the 10% that are "attacks" are well deserved.

[Ruger2506]

That fine, but the first post implied The Villages was poisoning the water with toxic chemicals, the HOA fees were high, and enforcement of deed restrictions was carried out by the Gestapo and everyone was Mrs. Kravitz. I think such a mischaracterization required a response

Well lets see.
1. Any chemicals sprayed into the waters are poison. I don't care if they are OK'd by our corrupt gov't. You know darn well they are toxic.

2. HOA fees are high. I'm including the bond fees in there when I say "HOA fee".

3. Any neighborhood that has a weaselly little snitch running around taking notes (including the community stand people) who then send threatening letters as opposed to actually talking to people and maybe see if there is a valid reason or extenuating circumstance for the infraction. That's messed up. Let's not forget the anonymous snitching that was happening by non-locals that The Villages had to address. PLUS, when we own our own land and the streets are public for the life of me I don't understand how HOAs are legal.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Family man. Family is close. And FL schools are **** and the charter school isn't. So we gave it a whirl.

No thanks on the acre lots in local towns. We are going back to MN to large acreage where I can shoot my own meat, grown my own meat and veggies, don't have neighbors, etc. Turns out the snow and cold really isn't that bad. Despite MN's governor and income taxes, at least MN loves nature and protects it.
I used to think MN stood for Minnesota, turns out it stands for MiniSomalia.

FWIW, my good friend who lives in his paid-off home in South Orange County (CA) bought over 200 acres near his hometown of Shakopee and commutes back and forth several times a year to enjoy the best of both worlds - so in reality, I understand the appeal of rural MN.

[Bill14564]

Well lets see.
1. Any chemicals sprayed into the waters are poison. I don't care if they are OK'd by our corrupt gov't. You know darn well they are toxic.

2. HOA fees are high. I'm including the bond fees in there when I say "HOA fee".

3. Any neighborhood that has a weaselly little snitch running around taking notes (including the community stand people) who then send threatening letters as opposed to actually talking to people and maybe see if there is a valid reason or extenuating circumstance for the infraction. That's messed up. Let's not forget the anonymous snitching that was happening by non-locals that The Villages had to address. PLUS, when we own our own land and the streets are public for the life of me I don't understand how HOAs are legal.

Might be time to stop digging

[Ruger2506]

I used to think MN stood for Minnesota, turns out it stands for MiniSomalia.


Sadly the Twin Cities blight on MN is exactly that.......MiniSomalia.

[Ruger2506]

Might be time to stop digging

Figure The Developer will go mafia on me and I'll disappear? "Jimmy Hoffa" me under a building in Eastport?

[tophcfa]

Figure The Developer will "Hillary" me?

More likely you will get “Oren Millered”, although they are currently dealing with much bigger problems!

[Velvet]

Not when you're writing regulations for the issuance of guest passes: at that point every non-resident looks the same and every short-duration visit looks the same.

Guests and relatives are told about the rules and have a vested interest in keeping harmony for the resident after they are gone too. STR renters don’t, so the behavior can be very different. But you already knew that. Only slum landlords defend STRs in TV.

[Ruger2506]

Guests and relatives are told about the rules and have a vested interest in keeping harmony for the resident after they are gone too. STR renters don’t, so the behavior can be very different. But you already knew that. Only slum landlords defend STRs in TV.

When we moved here we were informed that short term rentals were not allowed. If the Weed Police can sniff out a dandelion, surly they can find a short term rental violator.

[tophcfa]

When we moved here we were informed that short term rentals were not allowed. If the Weed Police can sniff out a dandelion, surly they can find a short term rental violator.

But dandelions don’t create demand for new homes.

[golfing eagles]

Well lets see.
1. Any chemicals sprayed into the waters are poison. I don't care if they are OK'd by our corrupt gov't. You know darn well they are toxic.

2. HOA fees are high. I'm including the bond fees in there when I say "HOA fee".

3. Any neighborhood that has a weaselly little snitch running around taking notes (including the community stand people) who then send threatening letters as opposed to actually talking to people and maybe see if there is a valid reason or extenuating circumstance for the infraction. That's messed up. Let's not forget the anonymous snitching that was happening by non-locals that The Villages had to address. PLUS, when we own our own land and the streets are public for the life of me I don't understand how HOAs are legal.

"1. Any chemicals sprayed into the waters are poison. I don't care if they are OK'd by our corrupt gov't. You know darn well they are toxic."

No, I don't know that. Neither does the EPA or those "toxic" chemicals would be banned. Unless one thinks the EPA is friendly to polluters when they fine them upwards of $50,000/day for each violation.

"2. HOA fees are high. I'm including the bond fees in there when I say "HOA fee".


There is no HOA fee. Our amenity fees at $195/month are EXTREMELY low in comparison with other Florida communities, and we get much, much more for our money. I think there may be some misunderstanding of what the bond is. (Instead of building the cost of initial infrastructure into the price of a home, they float out a bond issue which investors buy on the open market. That bond, similar to most other bonds, pays the investor an interest rate, usually the term is 30 years, and the homeowner has to pay it back over time with interest or pay it off in a lump sum) This has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with HOAs, amenity fees, or the price of tea in China. There is no difference in buying a new home for $360K with a $40K bond and a home elsewhere for $400K without one.

"3. Any neighborhood that has a weaselly little snitch running around taking notes (including the community stand people) who then send threatening letters as opposed to actually talking to people and maybe see if there is a valid reason or extenuating circumstance for the infraction. That's messed up. Let's not forget the anonymous snitching that was happening by non-locals that The Villages had to address. PLUS, when we own our own land and the streets are public for the life of me I don't understand how HOAs are legal."


Since we don't have a HOA, the legality is moot. (However, thousands of communities with private home ownership and public streets across the USA have LEGAL HOAs), so that point is even "mooter". And what's "messed up" is people signing to obey deed restrictions and then ignoring them. Obey the agreed upon deed restrictions and there will be no "weaselly little snitch" or letters.

[golfing eagles]

When we moved here we were informed that short term rentals were not allowed. If the Weed Police can sniff out a dandelion, surly they can find a short term rental violator.

Who "informed" you? And of course, you have that in writing and can upload it to this thread. Uh huh, thought so.

[golfing eagles]

Well I guess with someone over 10,000 post if they say it with conviction it must be true and it's okay to attack others and some people's opinion but not mine.
Goes back to my point the entitlement in villages never surprised me

I'm always amused at how easily (and inaccurately) the word "entitlement" is thrown around. Disagreeing with someone else's opinion is not "entitlement". Stating one's own opinion is not "entitlement". Calling out someone who has made up their own facts is not entitlement. Letting your dog defecate on someone else's property----that's entitlement. Walking 4 abreast on an MMP is entitlement. They publish the Oxford English Dictionary for a reason.

[Bill14564]

When we moved here we were informed that short term rentals were not allowed. If the Weed Police can sniff out a dandelion, surly they can find a short term rental violator.

You were probably told wrong (a few areas do prohibit them). It’s surprising though that after eight years of researching the Villages you relied on “we were informed.”

[golfing eagles]

You've made a lot of statements ,do you have things in writing who informed you, I've seen nothing in writing that is in contrary of that statement made by you, jmho

Huh???? Or did that mean to state "support" instead of "contrary"?, in which case I'll again make reference to the dictionary

[Bill14564]

Guests and relatives are told about the rules and have a vested interest in keeping harmony for the resident after they are gone too. STR renters don’t, so the behavior can be very different. But you already knew that. Only slum landlords defend STRs in TV.

You seem to know quite a bit about the discussions that have been held between people you have never met.

Nice try (again). Not defending STRs specifically, defending property rights for all property owners.

[BrianL99]

The Villages specifically. The postage stamp lots. Having such a small garage. The people up in your business. The HOA fees. The HOA rule dictators. The mismanagement of ponds and "wild lands" (specifically the poisoning and toxic chemicals).

I'm not even talking about painting my house pink. But the HOA dictators sending warning letters out about weeds and whatnot. Seems petty. I haven't gotten them, but I know neighbors who have.

And I'm not ****ting on The Villages. Yes the Developers and their rampant destruction of wild lands disgusts me.
.

Opinions are like ********. Spent 8 years researching FL and The Villages. Thanks for your useless opinion though.

Sounds like zero due diligence.

Worse than zero due diligence, is blind due diligence.

Every single thing mentioned in the original post, is obvious to anyone who has spent more than 4 hours in TV, other than the wanton destruction of wild lands and the toxic chemicals. 1 day would give a clue about the "wild lands" ....

As for the toxic chemicals, any proof of that or is it just rampant speculation?

[dewilson58]

You were probably told wrong (a few areas do prohibit them). It’s surprising though that after eight years of researching the Villages you relied on “we were informed.”

Eight years of research.................kinda wonder what the pistol learned if he/she didn't know the basics of TV.

:loco::loco: