Preparing for Retirement and The Villages

[Count'n the days]

This time last year we started planning our Florida vacation and thought we would check out The Villages in the process. We didn�t even know about the Life Style Plan until we called to get some general information. We�re very glad we did. We visited for 4 days and were hooked. When we got back home (Houston) all we could think about was starting our retirement plans. We listed our house in August and closed on 11/18. We�ve been leasing a house and are anxiously putting the final touches on our plan until our lease ends on 11/15. It seems far away but in the meantime I�m trying to get every detail planned. I�m hoping to get some advice and details from your experiences. Here are my questions:

After leasing an older home, we think (not positive) we want to purchase a newly constructed home. How do the prices compare between building and purchasing a house from their new home inventory on a comparably valued lot? Our sales rep implied that there were advantages to purchasing a home from inventory.

It doesn�t appear that many homes in inventory include upgrades. Can you pick a home that�s not quite finished and pick your cabinets, flooring, counters, etc.? Are upgrades reasonable through the builder?

Can anyone give me an idea of the cost to move your furniture? I know The Villages will help in this area, but we heard during our realtor selection that The Villages collects a referral fee so I think we may do better not going their relocation department.

We�re looking forward to a less stressful life style in retirement and improved health, but we are also realistic. Leaving Houston also means leaving our medical center. It�s just hard to compare resources between the areas. Are you satisfied with the medical facilities and physicians in the local area or do you have to travel for specialized care?

I really appreciate any input you can give us. As you can imagine we are getting excited about our future.

[Single Track]

I've got 6 more work days to go until I officially retire and about 12 days until I travel to T.V. to rent for the months of May and June.

During that time I'll be able to decide if I can stand being away from the grandchildren including an 8 day old and the others are 2, 3, 4 & 7. Leaving the newborn has put a damper on going such a distance, but right now I'm commited to seeing how I do.

I'm sorry I can't help you with any of your questions, but I'm wishing you much success on all your decisions.

[wendyquat]

You are Right in being excited but reality soon sets in! Although we love it here I can tell you one of the most challenging things has been finding good, caring medical and dental professionals. Took us about 6 months but we are now happy with our choices. You will go through many emotions but overall it has been a great choice for us. All of our 4 grandchildren are teens now. I'm not sure I would feel the same leaving younger grands behind! Welcome to you all?,

[asianthree]

We bought a already finished 2/2 patio villa. Have had it for two years we now know after staying in it for couple of months a year we love the location but we can not live with a 1 car plus golf cart garage. So we will be looking at preowned because we love this area. What ever you want to upgrade do it after so you don't pay for it in the bond. I suggest you come rent for a couple of months drive around and see where you want to find the home you want. Sent you a pm

[G&P SSSKI]

I JUST RETIRED APRIL 13 2012 ,AS I WRITE WE ARE PACKING UP THE POD. THE COST OF A POD ( 16 X8X8 ) IS AROUND $2600.WE GOT RID OF A LOT OF STUFF BUT ARE FILLING THE POD MAY NEED A HALF POD. IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU HAVE. WE ARE DOWN SIZING FROM 2000 SF TO A AT EASE (COTTAGE) WHICH IS 1480SF.WE HAVE NOT PURCHASED YET WILL BE STAYING WITH FRIENDS IN THE VILAGES WHILE WE LOOK. WE WILL BE BUYING NEW AND MORE THAN LIKELY PURCHASE ALL READY BUILT.TO ME A HOUSE IS A HOUSE YOU MAKE IT A HOME.DON'T NEED THE SF ( LESS IS MORE TO MYSELF AND WIFE ) IF FAMILY COMES DOWN WILL HAVE TO MAKE DUE. LOOK AT YOUR LIFE STYLE EVERY ONE IS DIFFERENT. I RETIRED WITH MY WIFE NOT MY FRIENDS OR FAMILY. WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE (THATS US ). ENJOY YOUR PROCESS IT'S A HARD ONE..... SKI:spoken:

[jimbo2012]

Do you think you could hit the CAPS lock on your keyboard before you pack it:cus:

[graciegirl]

I JUST RETIRED APRIL 13 2012 ,AS I WRITE WE ARE PACKING UP THE POD. THE COST OF A POD ( 16 X8X8 ) IS AROUND $2600.WE GOT RID OF A LOT OF STUFF BUT ARE FILLING THE POD MAY NEED A HALF POD. IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU HAVE. WE ARE DOWN SIZING FROM 2000 SF TO A AT EASE (COTTAGE) WHICH IS 1480SF.WE HAVE NOT PURCHASED YET WILL BE STAYING WITH FRIENDS IN THE VILAGES WHILE WE LOOK. WE WILL BE BUYING NEW AND MORE THAN LIKELY PURCHASE ALL READY BUILT.TO ME A HOUSE IS A HOUSE YOU MAKE IT A HOME.DON'T NEED THE SF ( LESS IS MORE TO MYSELF AND WIFE ) IF FAMILY COMES DOWN WILL HAVE TO MAKE DUE. LOOK AT YOUR LIFE STYLE EVERY ONE IS DIFFERENT. I RETIRED WITH MY WIFE NOT MY FRIENDS OR FAMILY. WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE (THATS US ). ENJOY YOUR PROCESS IT'S A HARD ONE..... SKI:spoken:

We had a snowbird home for three years plus. A designer, that we filled with stuff we brought down towing a trailer a couple of times and filling our van each time we came and buying some new and some from Bargains and Treasures. We sold it furnished.

For the house we just moved into this last October,we brought our stuff down from Ohio in two things; a Pod..Actually it was a SAM...and Sweetie drove a 26 ft. box truck down from Cincinnati after we got into the house we had built. The Pod was expensive...because we stored it for several months while we built. The other stuff was in a storage unit in Cincy very cheap....and so are storage units here...very cheap. You can hire people here to unload you that are VERY reasonable in price...shop around. Ladydoc gave us some names who were great and not expensive.

I am not entirely happy with medical care here, coming from an area that had excellent medical care in Ohio.

I believe that it is just about the same to build a new home or buy a used one. The bond is just abut 20K extra and many already lived in homes still have a bond to pay. Be sure you compare apples to apples. Many resales have things added, but many things aren't what you might LIKE stylewise.

Everything else is so far better than ever we had expected.

Buy a Skype camera for your computer and get one for your kids and you can see them and talk to them anytime you want. The kisses and hugs aren't as lovely, but it helps with missing them.

[tracy1j]

Ski, congratulations on your recent retirement! Thanks for the pricing on the Pod, my husband and I will be needing one next February.

Gracie, what is a SAM?

OP, you will love it here!

[mar/bob]

Hi Count'n the days
We are in the same boat. Can't wait to get to TV. We will be coming to TV in
Oct of 13. One more long year. Keep in touch and hope to meet you then

Mar/Bob

[Carmpat]

Hi Mary & Bob

I have talked to you before on other posts.

We bought a lot last Dec and plan to move into our new Designer home in July. We looked at resales but found in the kitchen that most of the counters are laminated. We want granite. Plus some of the resales had carpeting throughout the living and dining room areas. We want tile except for carpeting in the bedrooms. In some of the kitchens allot of the cabinets were either too light or too dark. We will upgrade our kitchen cabinets. This way we can design the new model to our liking. Our friends told us to buy our own clothes washer and dryer. We are also renting two PODS from NJ. Our cost is about $4,300. We are trying to only use 1 POD as we are not including our dining room set which weighs about 2,000 lbs extra. What we did ahead time is lock in the gas rates so when we move in July if the gas rates go up our price will be lower. Most movers in NJ cost between $8,000 to $10,000 and all these movers only give you 60 per lb of damage insurance. If you want to insure all of your furniture the price goes up between $500 and $1000. So that is why we decided to use the PODS. Then I heard even with the extra damage insurance it is so hard to file a claim. We have no grandchildren yet but if that happens, then we will go back for a visit. Yes we have heard you do not get the greatest medical care of doctors or dentists, but for me I need to see other types of specialists for some of my other health issues. So I did find two doctors and I hope they work out for me. Good luck. Patti & Carmine

[Carla B]

Count'n the days:

We're from Houston, my husband is a native, and yes, it's hard to leave the Medical Center behind. We did it several years ago but on a couple occasions went back there for care when we didn't yet have a home base.

That said, we've had good luck finding specialists here. On two instances we've gone to Munroe Regional in Ocala which is excellent. and it's not that far.

We've yet to find a local physician/internist with whom we are comfortable. They're hard to find anywhere nowadays, apparently.

All in all it should be an easy adjustment for you coming from Houston, since you're used to the heat. The climate here is a little better and you won't have to drive many miles across town to do things. We used to think nothing of driving 15 to 20 miles to shop or go to dinner. Here, ten miles seems way too far.

[John_W]

How do the prices compare between building and purchasing a house from their new home inventory on a comparably valued lot? Our sales rep implied that there were advantages to purchasing a home from inventory.

Since you're wanting choices then you are probably thinking of a 'designer home'. At the new homes site Search New Homes in The Villages, Florida (http://www.thevillages.com/homes/search/) there are currently 162 designer homes under construction. Since the average home is built in about 72 days, they are all probably in some stage of construction or finish, the ones with the photos are probably ready to move into. The advantage is there is no waiting and they are discounted $8,000 to $20,000. Many have upgrades, just check out the photos on the details. We were in a friends designer spec home on Odessa Circle in Tamarind Grove last week and he had 12" tile floors in the kitchen and FR, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances and a golf cart garage. He paid $250K and probably saved about $15K by buying the spec home. His lot was a premium lot because it backed to a villa wall on two sides, on a regular lot he probably would of saved about $15,000, but he liked the lot it was on.

Can anyone give me an idea of the cost to move your furniture?

We moved from Baltimore last July with Mayflower. We used Mayflower and was given an estimate of $3400, the actual cost was $2700 after they picked up our furniture and weighed the contents. PODS wanted $2200 for one POD, which wouldn't of been enough and would of required hiring labor, with Mayflower they do all the labor once you've packed your boxes. You might try ABF (Arkansas Best Freight), they have 'cubes', which are about 2/3 the size of a POD. We could get 4 ABF cubes for about $2700 which would of been enough, but by the time we hired labor on both ends using Mayflower was cheaper and easier.

[mar/bob]

Hi Patti & Carmine
Thanks for the msg. We seem to like the same choices like tile.
Guess we will go with pods also. Thx for the info. Wish we were coming to TV in July also. What section are you moving to.
Where in Jersey are you from. We are near New Hope.

Good luck with your move

Mar/Bob

[Bill-n-Brillo]

.......Gracie, what is a SAM? .......

SAM stood for "Store And Move". Similar to POD and others.

They're now a part of United Mayflower:

Portable Storage & Moving Containers - Compare Us to PODS � | United Mayflower Containers (http://www.unitedmayflower.com/unitedmayflower/portable-storage-mover)

Bill :)

[Flourishing Palms]

Downsize before you move! We began doing that in January, and though it was a dreadful process (no longer have some very sentimental stuff) it feels good! We're in 1860 (finished) square feet now and anticipate going into something like The Hammock at 1500-plus square feet. We're going to be able to move from Iowa to Florida in a 16' rental truck for about $1200. That doesn't count the couple fellas we'll hire to do the loading for us. Mostly boxes, so it shouldn't take them long.

We'll start house-hunting May 21 and I'm open to all options.

Linda
Flourishing Palms (http://www.FlourishingPalms.blogspot.com)

[mulligan]

We used the relocation service provided by TV. The RE agent was outstanding (house sold in 8 days), and the mover was by far the least expensive option plus the extra insurance was free for the whole load ($600 normally).

[CarGuys]

I did not use the relo service for three years. Nothing on our home sale. I knew the price would have to b edropped to " Make you sick! stage but out other agents were doing that.

Went with the village Relo service and the home was sold in 6 months.

I think they market it better.

Also downsizing is terrible. Bill one thing that is great about being a snow bird. You get to keep your toys and stuff. LOL

H

[LABSX2]

Wishing I was there..

My husband retired last October, but I still have at least 2 more years before I can retire, too. We visited TV in March and fell in love with it. We are 99% sure that we will be moving there after I also retire. Right now we have two Labrador Retrievers and a Bichon. I have heard that there is a 2 dog limit. Do they ever make exceptions to that rule. And is there a rule on the size the dogs can be. Ours are 95, 65, and 12.

[Count'n the days]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Sure wish there had been more positive feedback about the medical facilities, but I guess if we aren't satisfied with what's close to TV, we'll have plenty of time on our hands to expand our search. We keep thinking the best Rx we could get will be the move to TV.

Hubby wanted me to ask what you recommend for a golf cart - gas or electric?

[jimbo2012]

That depends how you feel about your carbon footprint if you don't care get gas.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

.....Also downsizing is terrible. Bill one thing that is great about being a snow bird. You get to keep your toys and stuff. LOL

H

Even though we weren't downsizing per se when we moved into a different home here in Ahia over 3 years ago, we sifted through each and every thing we had and tossed, sold, or gave away so much of it when we moved! We're trying to continue that trend in hopes of being able to make it down to TV as frogs at some point in the future - a lot of the 'toys and stuff' have already "left the building"! That f/t move to TV will be a tough one - we will truly have to downsize then.

Bill :)

[Bill-n-Brillo]

That depends how you feel about your carbon footprint if you don't care get gas.

Do you really feel it's completely that black-and-white, jimbo?

Bill :)