Baby Boomers/south side?
 

Hi Folks, Hope this post isn't too controversial. I'm moving there in November. I am 65 and am a very active and fit exercise-nut (with lotsa outdoor toys). I am told that the "younger" crowd (baby boomers, I guess) tend to live more on the south side of TV. Disclaimer: No, I absolutely am not suggesting anything "cliquish" or exclusionary. But I would prefer to be physically (home location) closer to the more fit and active (yes.....and younger) crew in TV.

Yes, I know you can drive to any event from anywhere. I'm just trying to determine if what I heard about the south side has any credence. Thanks in advance for your opinion on this!

I agree with you. That is why we live here in this village. We wanted to live near all the smart people.

The newer homes are in the south below Rt. 466a. The Villages sales people tend to show new homes more than resale homes. Therefore, newcomers are directed more to homes below Rt. 466a. But, there are also a number of people from other areas in the Villages who move south. Mother average Villager moves three times within the Villages. So what you heard is true.

The newer Villages are a younger demographic than the older ones. Baby Boomers (1946-1964) will probably be the majority.

I don't think one area of The Villages is more fit than another. The new areas probably have a younger group because they're newer home, doesn't make than any more fit than people in the older areas.

While it's probably true that the brand new homes (built only in the southern end now) are probably bought by newly-retired or about-to-retire people aged 55-60, the fact is that resale homes throughout TV are bought by this same age group, because they see value in buying a resale home and/or like an older neighborhood.

All ages are dispersed throughout TV, but there probably are more of the youngest buyers in the brand new villages.

If you can, rent for a month somewhere where you think you'd like to buy a place. While there, talk with the neighbors and they'll tell you everything and more. You'll know whether you want to buy there or not, and they will tell you things to consider about places you're looking at.

I think as people leave the villages either to go to a heavenly home or back to their children. The neighborhoods in 10 years will start to even out as they are below 466a

Southern youngsters
 

We moved to the more southern area to a new home and although many homes are still empty, the age group is varied. We consider ourselves (late 60s) as youngsters and there are many here our age, some older, some younger. Like us, this is a second or third villages home as our northern homes finally sold.

We find making friends is fun as new people move in eager to form friendships while retaining the friends from our former areas. Most are eager to stay fit and those that cannot still fit in quite well. It's inclusive here not exclusive.

I think it depends on what activities you want to participate in. If golf, you can do that anywhere. If it is bicycle, you can do that anywhere -- lots of threads about gaggles of bikers in the street and on the multimodals. Search the entertainment calendar on line to see where the activities you want are held. Are the squares important to you? Restaurants? Church? You Really can't go wrong. I smile every time I realize we made it....we are Villagers.

Gracie, once again you're right on the mark!

Around 466A the crowd tends to be younger. Less hard core gray seen at Brownwood vs Spanish Springs. My wife and I feel like teenagers when we eat near the historic district.

My brother, whose house in seven houses from me in The Village of Lake Deaton has a lamp post sign that reads “The younger ……….”. My sign will read “The older and wiser ……….”. So, there are both younger and older baby boomers on the south side.

Thank you all for the insightful and helpful replies. I still have lots of questions about my future home. One thing I don't question is the willingness of the current folks to help the new folks find their way! :a040:

Ours says

The G's
Resting on our Laurels.

(We live in Laurel Valley)

Our neighborhood (Collierite) is very mixed. I do love the one lamp post sign that says "Fred and Ethel Mertz." I crack up every time I walk past it. Those people I need to know.

I was told by my realtor that new homes in new neighborhoods tend to be a younger crowd. Many do not have friends here and the neighborhood goes through some sort of rite of passage figuring out who to hire to cut the lawn or whether Comcast is better than Direct TV. He said those early friendships tend to last.

That seems to be the case for me. I live close to Brownwood. I like to play the execs in Spanish Springs and I usually get paired up with golfers older than me. But golfers tend to be friendly. It's hard to be unfriendly playing a game that can be quite humiliating at times.

We are 61 and 63 and live near lake Sumter. Our friends all in same age bracket and in same area. If you love softball you might want to be close to saddlebrook

Or the new fields at the Rowan Complex near CR44

It depends what sports you plan on doing. I have friends who bought in the south and now want to move north because it's a long haul to go to softball at buffalo and saddlebrook, a long haul to go to track practice at 7:30 in the morning at the high school, and a long haul to go to all the parties at my house!

Don't look now but at 65 years young you are a "baby boomer" whether you like it or not.

:1rotfl:

:1rotfl:

:1rotfl:

:popcorn:

IMHO I think you may have a case of the "Oh my God, I'm moving to a retirement community filled with wrinklies, what am I going to do".

I told my other half that "I am never, ever, going to move to a retirement community with all those old people" - I have been here 9 years!!!

When we came looking, really looking for a home, we knew exactly what location we wanted and I never thought about the age of people in that area, or the fitness of the people in that area, all we knew was what location we wanted. We found it, moved in and met our neighbors and found they are a mix of every age group. Our friends that we actually socialize with live in various Villages, my friends are not necessarily my neighbors.

We cannot see too much difference in living here and in where we came from, except there are no children or teens living here.