Is tv really paradise?

[Veronica]

I am a tv wannabe. Is tv really as great as they say it is?

[AriaGrandparents2013]

I am a tv wannabe. Is tv really as great as they say it is?

Only way to be sure is to come down and give it a try.

[2BNTV]

Veronica:

Have you ever been to TV for a LSV? If not, you owe it to yourself to check it out. I know I fell in love with TV with my first visit and planning to move there shortly. You can be as busy as you want as there is something for everyone.

It's a feeling you get when your there especially visiting the squares and listening to entertainment. Dancing or going out with new friends. Play golf if that's your thing and about 1800 different activities that are listed in the Thursday's Daily Sun. It is beautifully maintained and the people are so friendly. It's like a step back in time. I could go on and on but there aren't enough words to do TV justice.

It's not perfect, but nothing is. It's as close to paradise as you can get without having to die. :smiley:

[gatherer47]

Yes it is!

[rubicon]

I believe it is sad and disingenious when residents describe The Villages as a DisneyWorld for Adults, shang-ri-la paradise, etc. It is usually newbie's because the newness of living here has not worn off. Clearly there are some who will always embrace this way of life.

My suggestion is that you focus on what is most important to you and then determine if trade offs will occur.

Without boring you in my view I miss real city living

[Mack184]

Paradise is in your own mind. No "place" can make it so.

[tucson]

I am a tv wannabe. Is tv really as great as they say it is?

Only you can decide if it is for you. I would reccomend renting here for a yr. I believe you really cannot make such a important life changing decision in a wk of a "lifestyle visit" offered by TV Sales Dept.

[Parker]

It has a lot to recommend it, manicured beautifully, friendly people, lots of activities, golf cart paths everywhere, relatively safe, etc. However, like any community, it has its positive and negative. I guess if I had to consider the negative, it would be that there really are no seasons to enjoy, and the population is without the energy of youth, there are a lot of slow drivers, and the snowbirds clog everything up in the winter. That said, come for a visit and judge for yourself. It is a wonderful place, and we're all waiting to welcome you. :)

[gomoho]

For folks that think we don't have seasons, I suggest you stop and look around you. Sure we don't have the dramatic temperature differences we had up north, but who wants those anyway??? Coming up on my first year and absolutely delighted by the way the foliage and air changes with the season. Spring was especially delightful to see the lillies, agapanthus, society garlic and trees begin to bloom. Summer is a spectacle of color and fall/winter offers camellias, azaleas and that beautiful muhly grass.

I am grateful to no have to contend with the "energy of youth" I can barely keep up with myself! Slow drivers are everywhere and yes we do get clogged up in winter with seasonal residents, but that also brings a new energy.

So to each his own and as others have posted you really have to come here to sit if it's the right fit for you; however, it s not perfect, but if it were what could we talk about on this bulletin board.;)

PS Please think long and hard about how you feel about dogs - we have them and we love them and most are responsible owners, but apparently there are some out there breaking the rules that is making life miserable for a few others.

[Parker]

Gomoho, you are quite right in your defense of the "energy of youth" here. I misspoke in my prior post. What I meant to say, having just returned from a visit with my glorious grandchildren, is that we don't have toddler energy here. But there are many highly energetic people here who could give my grandchildren a run for their money! I stand corrected.

[graciegirl]

If you love beautiful. If you love well run. If you love living with your peer group and talking to your peer group and laughing until your sides hurt. If you like to learn new stuff and golf a lot you are gonna love it.

But if you expect it to be like New York or LA. If you aren't much for monarchies, don't waste your time.

I am very happy here, but I was very happy in Ohio. I love my new friends but seniors can be VERY direct sometimes and the differences, the social differences that divide us can be hurtful.

But I have learned so much about how the other parts of the country do things and so enjoy just about everything here that some say I wear Rose Colored Glasses. And I think they are right.

Come and see for yourself and ask questions. No sales rep will have to sell you if you are like most of us.

I am glad to be a senior so I can live here.

Life begins at 55 and keeps improving.

P.S. Veronica. I read all of your posts..I see that you are recently widowed and would need a job to supplement your retirement living. It isn't that there are no jobs, but the pay scale is low and jobs are not across the spectrum in many fields and probably not like where you are living.

Don't commit to anything until you rent for awhile.

We hope for you to be happy here.

[Happinow]

As with everything, living in Florida is a very personal thing. Here's why we like it here......there is no snow, ice or sleet, the grounds are kept beautifully, flowers bloom all year, we have made a lot of nice friends, there is tons to do and a huge variety.....something for everyone. It is one of the most active "older" communities I've ever seen. We like that we don't have to leave here for anything unless we want to.

On the other side of the equation.......these houses are VERY close together. If you happen to get just one neighbor who you don't click with it makes it difficult due to the closeness of the homes. If you have a "kissing" lanai, be prepared to lose your privacy. You live how your neighbors live. If they are loud, smoke,,have a lot of parties or have barking dogs you will live with that. There are many, many dogs here......more than anywhere else I've been. If you can afford it, i would suggest you get a golf course lot so you can have privacy. these seem to be the only lots that offer privacy. What business come in here is controlled so we don't have the variety of stores that a "normal" city would have. If you look at the squares, they put the same restaurants and stores and banks in all of them. There is little variety for shopping in the squares.

There are rules to follow so be sure before you make up your mind to live here you are willing to follow the rules. We love it here and it fits our lifestyle perfectly. We have interaction with our friends and neighbors when we want it yet we can be by ourselves as well. We love the activities, the weather and just being able to live in such a beautiful place. You really must come and live here for a while to see if it is for you. I think visiting for a few weeks is not enough to get the real feel. Best of luck to you and welcome.

[swrinfla]

What our favorite Gracie said! :agree:

On t'other hand Happinow offers sage advice. :agree:

On the third hand, I wouldn't even consider anywhere else! :spoken:

SWR
:beer3:

[Joaniesmom]

I am a tv wannabe. Is tv really as great as they say it is?

Yes! Moved here last September. Only regret? That we didn't move here sooner!! You can make whatever type of life you choose here.

[philnpat]

2BNTV:It's not perfect, but nothing is. It's as close to paradise as you can get without having to die. :smiley:[/QUOTE]

A gentleman dies and goes up to the Pearly Gates.
Here he meets St. Peter. St. Peter asks him where he's from...
The gentleman says "The Villages."
St. Peter says "Uh oh...you're not going to like it up here."

[Happinow]

2BNTV:It's not perfect, but nothing is. It's as close to paradise as you can get without having to die. :smiley:

A gentleman dies and goes up to the Pearly Gates.
Here he meets St. Peter. St. Peter asks him where he's from...
The gentleman says "The Villages."
St. Peter says "Uh oh...you're not going to like it up here."[/QUOTE]

That's cute!! Just about sums up The Villages!

[JoeC1947]

I am a tv wannabe. Is tv really as great as they say it is?

Don't know if I'd call it paradise in the true sense of the word. You can have a good life here but like any other place it's not perfect.

[gomoho]

Gomoho, you are quite right in your defense of the "energy of youth" here. I misspoke in my prior post. What I meant to say, having just returned from a visit with my glorious grandchildren, is that we don't have toddler energy here. But there are many highly energetic people here who could give my grandchildren a run for their money! I stand corrected.

Parker, thank you for saying so, but I was in no way trying to correct you - simply sharing my feelings.

[CFrance]

I miss being in a big city. But the times we've lived in a big city, we've found it harder to do all the things we like to do than it is here, because in the big city they are spread out and it takes longer to get to them. We loved the energy and the cultural variety, but oftentimes more advance plans had to be made to attend a function--how will you travel to it, where will you park, how far in advance should you leave for it, what is the traffic like that day, is it going to SNOW on your parade??

Pickleball is one direction, library miles in another direction, symphony miles in a third... and so on. Parking in a big city is an issue, and if mass transit isn't up to snuff you will need to face driving and parking. It takes a lot of TIME to enjoy a big city. Sometimes just going to the post office is an hour-and a-half chore.

So... we had to decide what was most important to us in our later years, and although we've never cared for living in suburbia, we chose TV for the ease of getting around and the proximity of our house to the majority of things we like to do. And there's beauty to be had here too, not to mention wonderful weather.

Now we travel to different big cities for vacations. It's a good compromise for us and is working out well. So while we wouldn't call TV paradise exactly, we sure are happy to be here.

[Golfingnut]

I spend half my life in Atlanta Georgia and Washington D.C. Considering those two places, this is by far a major improvement for us.

[BettyCrocked]

Veronica, I don't know if you've visited or not but it doesn't take renting for a year to figure it out. I was limited to a one night visit because we are self employed. So we visited, looked at about 10 houses, came home and 5 days later made an offer. Closed a month later. I did plenty of research and got a lot of info from reading this board. Let's face it, if there is anything to gripe about, it will be addressed here. LOL. I found some gripes to be legitimate, others, not so much. My biggest issue is the postage stamp lots, but I found one that is on the water and that solved the privacy issue. I've been down twice since closing and find it harder and harder to come home. Like others have said, it's not perfect and it's not for everybody. But it doesn't take a year or even a month to figure out if it's for you.

[Laker14]

I am visiting here for the second time. First time was 2 years ago. I am fortunate to have good friends who bought in TV about 5 years ago, and have invited us down. We are all still working, and I have a few more years to go before my winters are my own.

People here are friendly, the staff is friendly, and the grounds are well taken care of. I have played a few courses, Palmer,Cane, Mallory, Havana as well as Pelican par 3 with the ladies. The courses are fair, nicely kept. Are they perfect, like a $50,000 private club? No. But they are very nice, IMHO.

Neighborhoods are neat, pretty, and quiet. I haven't eaten at any restaurants I would call "haute cuisine", but everything I have had has been tasty, and priced well, and served with a gracious smile.

Ambassadors on the courses, as well as staff behind the counters at the courses have been friendly, helpful, and have made all reasonable efforts to help us enjoy our time.

I just can't think of a thing wrong with this place, other than I don't have a place here, and I have to go back to work.

I have gotten lost (not really lost, just didn't know where I was-Amelia Earhardt was lost-) several times, and someone has always stopped to help.

Is it paradise? Definitely not. It rained here this morning. And I hit a ball out-of-bounds on 18 today, which never happens in paradise.

DanL

[senior citizen]

We were impressed with the impeccable grooming of the entire landscape; no matter which quadrant of The Villages we drove through in our rental car.
We didn't attempt to do the entire tour in a golf cart; only used it "locally" in our rented home's neighborhood...........however, for those who love their golf carts........TV is all golf cart accessible and once retired, with all the time in the world.........I can understand why people would want to go everywhere in them.

We've enjoyed raising our family and living in the beautiful Green Mountain State of Vermont for 43 years and it was great when we were younger. Now, we'd much prefer the smooth roads and lack of pot holes in The Villages........the flat terrain which makes walking easier (than going up and down hills, whether they be our streets, roads or driveways)........we are definitely looking forward to a FLAT home with NO multiple levels nor lots of staircases to go up and down all day long.

The Town Squares are very attractive.....our favorite being Lake Sumter Landing and vicinity..........but the others are nice as well.

Tons of all the "services" that any senior citizen would require.........without having to leave the premises of TV...........
We're not into line dancing or going to bars, so the entertainment, although a nice addition for those who love to dance.......to us it would not be a selling point........anyway, I've been told that so many of those who frequent the nightly entertainment don't even live in The Villages.

We've enjoyed four seasons our entire life.............

Now, one season of sunshine most days would be greatly appreciated, and preferable.

Once we find a lot or a home with a lot of space around it, we will be all set......but first we have to put this home on the market for sale........it will all happen in good time. For now, we are narrowing down our choice of villages as we recall them.......using online sites for homes, plus our Villages map.

We met a lot of nice people during our visit.......found the neighborhoods we were in to be nice and quiet. Other than the summer heat, I don't think the adjustment will be difficult at all. In our minds, we just need to flip the winter season cold with the summer season hot/humid........

[justjim]

Paradise does not correctly describe TV. An Active Adult Retirement Community it is! If you are looking for a retirement community, you certainly want to put TV on your list to visit. We visited several places before making a decision-----not just in Florida----but also Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and yes, even Arkansas. Texas and Arkansas had their pluses but were too cold for our preferred activities in the winter months. New Mexico and Arizona had their pluses but too many "brown tones" and not enough foliage to suit our environment needs. Having visited Florida on vacation a number of times, we settled on Florida as the logical place for our retirement years. We looked at a number of retirement communities in Florida. The best, for us, was TV. Not everybody in TV did as much "searching" as we did but a lot of people have found TV a great place to spend their retirement years.

[sjdjmd]

It is what you make it...except in T.V. you have the most incredible amount of help and support, friendship and activities while living in a fabulously beautiful retirement community. We have no regrets about moving here and are grateful each day for the blessings we have found here. All the best to you!

[2BNTV]

2BNTV:It's not perfect, but nothing is. It's as close to paradise as you can get without having to die. :smiley:

A gentleman dies and goes up to the Pearly Gates.
Here he meets St. Peter. St. Peter asks him where he's from...
The gentleman says "The Villages."
St. Peter says "Uh oh...you're not going to like it up here."[/QUOTE]

Loved it. :1rotfl:

[mainlander]

Of all the places I have visited, I can honestly say that I have never met so many who are very comfortable with their decision to move, very happy to live there but most of all, I get a sense that most are just feeling real lucky to be there. Just my opinion.

[Irish Rover]

We decided to rent two or three months a year rather than move here permanently. Granted we have two homes that currently keep us and our children occupied with all the benefits of city and lake side living. I really wanted to be in TV 12 months a year but I have utopia at Lake of the Ozarks 6 months a year and St Charles MO t for four months - then we do two or three months at TV. Our kids are here, our doctors are here, and more importantly we stay young by being near a large percentage of young people around us. You really need to be sure TV 12 months a year are your thing. It is a wonderful thing but it's all subjective. Good luck.

[Polar Bear]

I believe it is sad and disingenious when residents describe The Villages as a DisneyWorld for Adults, shang-ri-la paradise, etc....

I can understand that some people may not like TV. I can understand them expressing their disagreement with those who do. But calling it "sad and disingenuous" when those folks who like TV voice their praises? That I just don't get.

[jojo]

We have been here 5 years. The Villages is an incredible place to live. I never imagined that I would enjoy this phase of my life this much. I have made good friends and enjoy the friendliness of Villagers throughout. Love the landscaping, the amazing scope of activities, golf cart access, the convenience of having everything you need easily accessible. You do need to spend some time here to see if it is for you.

[looneycat]

A gentleman dies and goes up to the Pearly Gates.
Here he meets St. Peter. St. Peter asks him where he's from...
The gentleman says "The Villages."
St. Peter says "We better call the tee-time system and release your golf time"



:a040:

[cgalloway6]

I am a tv wannabe. Is tv really as great as they say it is?
You asked 2 questions - is tv really paradise? And is tv really as great as they say it is?
It really is as great as "they" say it is, at least for "them". There are people here that see a lot of negatives about the place, people that miss family, miss city life, miss 4 very distinct seasons, don't like the developer, don't like the crowds in the winter, or dogs or trains or small lot sizes or kissing lanais. They see tv through a different perspective and tv isn't as great as others see it. You can read every post here but you really have to see it and experience it for yourself to see if it is great or something less.
TV isn't paradise. I don't think people in Paradise would complain about The Developer having too much power, money or control.

[skip0358]

Coming from Long Island I think it's great. My taxes here are less then my school taxes were there. My electric bill is a lot lower then LI. I don't need fuel oil,I drive a golf cart that gets twice plus what my car got, gas is cheaper, the weather is fantastic, it's a ton cleaner, the people are very friendly here and it's allowed my wife and I a life style we never would have had on LI. So as far as I'm concerned it's paradise, for those that speak badly of the developer I really don't see why. People told me TV was God's waiting room and or Disney World for Adults. Well hats off to the Schwartz and Moorse family for building both great places for us to enjoy the rest of our lives. JMO

[Polar Bear]

...TV isn't paradise. I don't think people in Paradise would complain about The Developer having too much power, money or control.

Lots of people here don't complain about The Developer. I'm sure TV is not paradise for those who do.

[The Flash]

I am a tv wannabe. Is tv really as great as they say it is?

Sorry, Veronica, but no it is not. Read this forum for a couple days and you will find things are always better "back home". Rather it is the shopping, the pizza, the restaurants, the hospitals, locations of stores or dog parks. Or for that matter even dog poop. Hey, but it's like heaven to me, only without the dying part!

[mickey100]

Veronica, you'll find many opinions about The Villages here. I'd guess the vast majority of the people living here are glad they are, myself included, and are happy with the lifestyle. Many will admit that it is not perfect, and you'd need to check it out for yourself to see if it would be a good fit for you.

[graciegirl]

Veronica, you'll find many opinions about The Villages here. I'd guess the vast majority of the people living here are glad they are, myself included, and are happy with the lifestyle. Many will admit that it is not perfect, and you'd need to check it out for yourself to see if it would be a good fit for you.


EXCELLENT POST!!!!:MOJE_whot:

[The Buckeyes]

What we saw in our LSV was more than we expected. We made a decision to build even though we knew we would have to snowbird for a few years. Even now as our house is being built I know we made the right decision. Everyone has a different idea of what paradise is. To us The Villages is like living in a bubble. It's not perfect but damn near. I thought about our decision as I read the local paper about the 17 yr old that had to be tazzed ( don't know if that is spelled correctly and don't really care) by a security guard at a gas station/convient store for stealing an energy drink as he screamed he is not going back to jail. This occured 5 min. from home. We currently live 23 miles from a major city in what is regarded as one of the best suburbs to live in!. Then I went into town and looked at all the potholes and road repairs going on. After a while you take them for granted. Oh, did I mention we had a snow squall this morning. We'll take that bubble to live in!

[rubicon]

I can understand that some people may not like TV. I can understand them expressing their disagreement with those who do. But calling it "sad and disingenuous" when those folks who like TV voice their praises? That I just don't get.

polar bear: in my humble view keeping both feet planted firmly on the ground prevents a whole lot of mistakes. Many posters here describe objectively what they found attractive and also what distracted them.
Sad and disingenious were perhaps not the proper choice of words. Feeling fuzzy all over and emotional outburst are not my style. I prefer to keep my emotions in check and try and remain cerebral and logical. Finally my response was not about how I feel but rather the hyperbolic description offered by some folks concerning living in The Villages because I believe it raises expectation unnecessarily. I hope my original post did not offend you too greatly as that was not my intent . apologies

[gomoho]

What we saw in our LSV was more than we expected. We made a decision to build even though we knew we would have to snowbird for a few years. Even now as our house is being built I know we made the right decision. Everyone has a different idea of what paradise is. To us The Villages is like living in a bubble. It's not perfect but damn near. I thought about our decision as I read the local paper about the 17 yr old that had to be tazzed ( don't know if that is spelled correctly and don't really care) by a security guard at a gas station/convient store for stealing an energy drink as he screamed he is not going back to jail. This occured 5 min. from home. We currently live 23 miles from a major city in what is regarded as one of the best suburbs to live in!. Then I went into town and looked at all the potholes and road repairs going on. After a while you take them for granted. Oh, did I mention we had a snow squall this morning. We'll take that bubble to live in!

We moved here from a similair situation - except we literally lived in "the hood" of a historic downtown. Had its charm for sure, but also murders, drug deals, blight, people hangin on the street corners with nothing to do, abandoned homes and I could go on and on. As I said if you could turn a blind eye to the reality there was so much charm - beautiful old homes, cobblestone streets, the arts, great restaurants - but then reality would slap you right in the face. So TV is a bubble for us as well - safe, beautiful, clean, friend and affordable - what more could you ask for???

[njbchbum]

is it paradise? maybe yes - maybe no - it is what you make it.

but one thing is for sure - you don't hafta die to get here! ;)

[graciegirl]

It depends on what you hoped for.

No Las Vegas show girls.

Not much night life after ten.

No Broadway shows or New York food.

Not much in the way of wonderful driving habits.

Not many people under fifty.

No pizza that we all can agree on.

The parades are disappearing and so has the Buffalo and this causes many to really be sad.

No gambling on site.

Not much crime.

A paper that just doesn't report anything, according to a few.:boxing2:

And if you are annoyed that the great minds that built this whole place and run this whole place are mega, mega, rich and do not allow certain folks to speak on the squares during the events that take place every four years....than you won't like it here.

There is a lot not perfect, and some things wrong, To me the greatest problem is the lack of a very good medical center like we have in Cincinnati, but I cannot see that the powers that be can be blamed for that. Doctors are free agents and many don't want to administer to the aging population for any number of reasons. Including the low fees from medicare.

This place is well run and beautifully maintained.

No city of this size run by traditional methods can come close to this place, The Villages, in my humble opinion.

And on the plus side if folks find themselves disappointed and unhappy, it isn't that difficult to sell a home here and return to whence they cometh.

But those who are hoping to be happy here, you will be as happy here as you are there, only in beautiful surroundings.

Whether you are happy or not is usually up to you.

[njbchbum]

It depends on what you hoped for.

No Las Vegas show girls.

snipped

but we do have the cheerleaders and twirlers - they're show girls 'villages style'! ;)

[Heartnsoul]

Lots of positive living in the villages but with positive comes some negative. It is getting very crowded so some classes are closed, waiting lines to get in clubs, some clubs are closed, traffic is hectic, squares get crowded, gyms are crowded. We need more gyms and more of everything especially lately with all new residents.

But it's high energy, lots of clubs (thanks to our wonderful volunteers) and great people.
Oh the homes are close too. Not much property. so come on down and decide for yourself. Good luck

[mickey100]

Lots of positive living in the villages but with positive comes some negative. It is getting very crowded so some classes are closed, waiting lines to get in clubs, some clubs are closed, traffic is hectic, squares get crowded, gyms are crowded. We need more gyms and more of everything especially lately with all new residents.

But it's high energy, lots of clubs (thanks to our wonderful volunteers) and great people.
Oh the homes are close too. Not much property. so come on down and decide for yourself. Good luck

I think you hit the nail on the head! Nicely balanced description.