How safe are the Villages?
 

As I look to buy something in TV (within a few miles of Sumter Landing), a few places have ADT systems in place. Where I live now, there is little need for such things.
Do people feel safe without security systems, or do you recommend them? I'd think with good, observant neighbors it would be mostly unnecessary.
Thanks.

Some folks come from places where having a security system is common, so they simply continue their own preference to do it down here. Burglaries and break-ins are not common in the Villages though I'm sure it happens on occasion; it's not immune just because it's the Villages. On the other hand, there are multi-million-dollar homes here, and an extra $20/month for security would be a drop in the bucket, and worth their piece of mind.

I come from the burbs, we had a brief rash of burglaries one year but other than that one year (they caught the kids doing it) it was a sleepy suburb where not much happened. I feel no need to add security system to my home in the Villages.

The Villages are very safe. In my opinion, if you want a security system, get a DIY system, but you don't need to pay ADT or another company $37 or more per month for monitoring by a call center. The chances of them ever helping you are slim and none, and slim just left town.

North or south of sumter landing?

The inside of the bubble is very safe and a security system is a personal preference. You will find many have them and you will get all kinds of recommendations. Personally, I don't think they are necessary however my wife doesn't agree so yes, we have one :)

I have multiple cameras covering my property, a doorbell camera and an alarm system backed up with a cell phone in case my landline is cut. TV is not a truly gated community.

In my opinion the Villages is very safe, but for added protection we have a 9 MM Sig Sauer with a laser sight as our security system.

South

I have lived one mile south of Lake Sumter in a village called Largo for 13 years. Honestly, I believe the Villages is a very safe place to live. I am not being critical, but some people feel insecure and need additional devices to make them feel safe.
The facts show are there is very little crime of any type in the neighborhoods where we live. We have a Community Watch vehicle that passes every house in our community three times in every 24 hours. There are some businesses that are affected by shoplifting and there are occasional domestic issues in homes.
The best way for me to describe the Villages is like going back and living in the 1950's again. Men and women can safely walk their dogs or jog at 5 am, it is very clean, there is no graffiti and it is just a beautiful place to live. I am so thankful a place such as this exists in 2020.

Very well said, and you echo my sentiments exactly.

We didn’t have a security system in Texas until our 3rd break-in. Also had two vehicles stolen from our driveway. After moving here we feel very safe. Community watch is great. Knocked our door to let us know our garage door was open at night.

When I was looking for homeowners’ insurance just before I moved here, I was told that if I had artwork worth over $20,000 I would need a security system. Fortunately, I don’t have a lot of artwork so I don’t need or have a security system.

Our experience:
 

Our security system was a knee-jerk result of a family issue, nothing out there in the community. We went with a DIY system by SimpliSafe, not only easy to self-install in 2-3 hours but also relatively inexpensive. Monitoring is non-mandatory and non-contract at $15/month. We leave our monitoring on all the time because the resulting discount we get in our homeowners insurance for having a security system covers a large portion of the cost of monitoring. Still, after all is said and done, a security system here is a personal preference, not a necessity.

Just the sign.

A lot of people come from places where they had a high crime area and they now feel more secure with a security system. Also, a lot of people are only in their homes 4 to 6 months thus leaving them vacant. Perhaps they feel better leaving them that long with a security system. Either way, it never hurts to always be vigilant. Criminals go where they can get their hands on valuables.

Alarm System
 

There are several self installed solutions such as Simply Safe, Google or Nest based systems, as well as Ring.com. Many professionals admit that the sign in the front yard is almost as good as an alarm, plus, you need to remember to turn it on. Many of these alternative systems offer discounted monitoring for as little as $12-15 a month instead of the ADT inflated costs of $40+ and a 3 year contract. Crime in The Villages does happen, but rare. Many of these systems will alert you own cellphone and not a security center if you elect to set them up with that configuration. Good Luck.

We had a system up North and I brought the ADT sign with me and stuck it in the ground in front of our house. No system mind you...just the sign. :super:

The Villages is quite safe over all and we feel no need for a security system. We do travel frequently for anywhere from a week to two months at a time and have never had any issues and we have been here for 10 years.

We live in Chatham, great neighborhood, great neighbors. Been here 4 years and do not feel unsafe. Plus our neighbors definitely keep an eye open for each other,

DIY systems with video doorbells are great for many uses beyond a potential break-in. They allow you peace of mind by being able to click on the App to see where that package was stashed, or who is at your door, or when did your spouse come home or leave since he/she is not answering the phone, etc. I wouldn’t live without one now that I have them. They have a myriad of uses. And it is good for crimes which are, by design, unexpected. I also like hearing when a door has been opened rather than being surprised by someone I didn’t know was there.

Where do you think you live? Almost all home theift's in TV are either bad contractors/care givers or adult chrildren who come home to rest.

Not true. There are transient individuals and groups flowing thru TV.

We rented a villa in Village of Collier a few years back. While gone for the day to Tampa, our villa was broken into and robbed in the middle of the day! After our burglary, the detective told us there were 17 more! We did not come back until this year. We rented another villa but brought with us a SimpliSafe alarm system that is portable and uses a 'command strip' technology to install and take down. We are paying for monitoring at about $25.00/ month. There is a cheaper program that costs around $15.00. Installation was simple and easy. There is crime here, but there is crime everywhere. We just feel more comfortable with the alarm. That way, we know if someone has been in our place!! And we sleep soundly at night! Good luck.

At most, I'd buy a Ring doorbell and call it a day. No real need for a full blown security system.

We have half a dozen cameras (my idea, not my wife’s) but really not because of security concerns. I just like being able to see around my property, see when someone pulls into the drive, watch my wife swim, see if there are packages at the door I missed, and see who is at the door when the doorbell rings or they knock. It is more for convenience and fun than anything else. I have never not felt safe here.

Careful be on the lookout for lurking cougars and dog poop and trolls looking for white crosses

I have Mr S&W, Mr Colt and Mr Glock as my personal security force !!! LOL !!! 😂

Apart from the vagrants, drunks, hookers, drug dealers, gang shootouts, barking dogs, loud music, and next doors wind chimes, it's a great place to live!:icon_wink:

In the suburbs of Baltimore I used the fake alarm system sign, it had the red stop sign and said guarded by so and so. Here in TV it hasn't even entered my mine to put up a sign much less install a real system.

I live off St. Charles, it a busy road that runs through the Villages of Pennecamp, Buttonwood, Tamarind Grove and St. James. Occasionally I've had to go out at 5am, something you'll probably never see anywhere else, maybe in Beverly Hills. Lone women walking and jogging in the dark at 5am. Go out any morning that's not real cold and you'll see them on St. Charles. That's a sense of security you won't see anywhere else. Besides having the county sheriffs, TV has their own security patrols that will make at least one trip up every street everyday.

The main reason I’m moving to The Villages is that I feel it is safe. I’ve been collecting my yearly replacement security signs in anticipation of my move. I think I have enough to last my lifetime w/o the monthly cost.

Feeling extra safe having a firearm in your home to protect yourself is great. I'm 100% in favor of that. But, what good does it do if a burglary happens when nobody is home?

I have the following....plenty of weapons, ammo, homeowners insurance for break ins if we are not here. And, I sleep lightly as a Vietnam vet. We moved here from Atlanta and I feel a little more safe but am always protected.

As a female, I feel quite safe when I’m by myself in TV. The only thing I worry about usually anywhere in the world is home invasion, and that doesn’t seem to happen in TV. I have insurance for everything else.

Have had different security systems, found them to be annoying more than helpful. Now have bump proof digital deadbolts, 2 dogs, 2 guns (including a Ruger 38/357), excellent smoke and fire protection, and a comprehensive umbrella insurance policy. As someone with PTSD, it was real disappointing to learn after moving here 17 years ago, TV is not a real gated community. Though overall, I feel pretty safe here. :-)

They steal the gun.:duck:

I agree

LOL, sounds like you don't want to get out of the recliner.

A lot of these homes are also vacant for many months a year.

Thats why the firearm is kept locked up when not home. They can take anything else they want in the house, except our golf clubs, and we wouldn't really care.

We have 6 cameras inside and out. It’s very convenient to tell the cat to get off the couch, when we are out. If she gets bored, she goes to one of the cameras to make the red motion light turn on. So we feel very safe with a watch cat.

I run at 4am especially in warmer months. I carry spray, more for the wildlife than another person.

I couldn't have said it better!