Coming down next week to look at houses
 

Our real estate agent emailed us a list of houses to look at...some in the villages of DeSoto, McClure, Monarch Grove (villages near the turnpike).

Can you hear the turnpike noise from all those areas?

It depends on the house, but, yes, you can hear traffic noise in a lot of those houses, especially on the lanai. I would also look at the new houses in Chitty Chatty. It is closer to shopping at the Lake Deaton Plaza and other areas. But, you can also hear traffic noise in some of those houses near the Morse Blvd extension, just south of Rt 44. If I go into a house and they are playing music, that is a red flag. I tell them to turn it off.

......and if there is an overwhelming smell of coffee and/or fresh bread baking, check for damp!

Many great resales north of 44 where most everything is settled in. The Villages real estate sales people always push the new sales. Don’t exclude looking at resales in more mature areas north.

We bought up here in Marion county. We love it up here. My disgust turns towards the management of the trails and tunnels, it’s apparent THE Villages doesn’t do regular maintenance, preventative or otherwise on these areas once they are built.

Only if a truck goes by

It all depends upon what you are looking for.

We wanted an area where the stores and other amenities are already in place and more in the center of the villages which meant a resale.

Also we were in a hurry to move so did not have the time to wait on building a new home.

Looking at houses is fine, but don't buy one.

There are a lot of houses for sale and they are building a lot more. We looked at the map on thevillages(dot)com and there are 36 resales in Fenney alone.

The villages are all different and it takes time to decide what is right for you. Before we moved here, we would study the map and think, "What would it be like to live there day in and day out?"

Many people love The Villages but not the house and location they chose, so they move to a different house. The realtors love it.

I'm heading to TV tomorrow for two weeks to look at resale "probably" bungalow villas. the Weather forecast looks awful. :(

Look at the bright side, might get wet but not stuck in snow.:bigbow:

Before we purchased our home in February we came here for a month renting a place in Palo Alto.

Gave us a chance to explore and decide where and what we wanted in a home. Turned out we sold much faster than expected and had to quickly purchase and make some sacrifices but so far so good. Other than the social distancing of course.

Your District is in charge of maintenance, not "The Villages". If you are unhappy with it, go to a district meeting or reach out to a district official and discuss it.

Buy near Lake Sumpter or Brownwood, don't buy way south, nothing is there yet.

You won't regret moving here.

Here's what we did. We rented by chance in the north end at the Village of Chatham that's north of 466. We decided that if we were going to rent the following year we needed to explore other areas south of 466. All it took was a 45 minute drive south of 466 and north of 466a to realize it was TOO busy for our tastes. With that said we bought later that year in the Chatham area. We love it here it's quiet, there are plenty of stores nearby and in our case we are only 20 miles from Ocala/On Top Of The World where we still have friends we made there a few years ago. Just our personal taste but we would never buy near the Turnpike especially near the Oakhumpka rest area where plenty of trucks pull in and out for fuel and rest.

Oh yea it's Lake Sumter there's no "P" in Sumter.

Not sure what you mean by "The Villages", but you should be talking to the people who are responsible for that work if you have a complaint.

Since you will be here, you can judge for yourself. Most houses in those areas are now occupied, so that should tell you something.

Since you want a new home, are you interested in driving your golf cart to a championship golf course? Are you interested in driving your golf cart to the established areas of TV, Brownwood, Colony Shopping area, etc? Then I would look at the very new village of Chitty Chatty.

Chitty Chatty is immediately across the new bridge from Lake Deaton Plaza immediately south of SR44. Rohan Regional Rec is also located just across the bridge. The bridge is in place and will probably open to golf cart traffic this year. Here's a link to that area.

Homefinder - The Villages(R) Homes and Villas for Sale

Every village has it's good and it's bad points. If you want peaceful natural surroundings and lots of amenities, even some that are not available in other areas go south of 44 if you want shopping and championship golf go north of 44. As far as noise, parts of every village have noise you just have to be selective, if you find a home you like come back in the evening and walk around the neighborhood listening for sounds of traffic, etc. We live in Fenney which is very quiet, there are always a couple dozen re-sales here which is equal to 2% of the homes built in Fenney, that is an average number of homes to be on the market. We also own a rental unit in Monarch Grove, we chose a villa on the west side of The Grove which is not near the turnpike and it's quiet over there. A lot of people don't mind traffic noise and if it doesn't bother you there are great deals on new homes that are close to the turnpike. Keep in mind that the further east they build will put you in Leesburg and Lake County which might be good or bad, don't know the particulars yet regarding taxes (different school system) and utility fees. Wherever you choose you will be happy living in The Villages.

Moved to South Florida in 2008, no snow for me unless I chose to see it. I believe I'm bringing the rain with me as I travel north.

I think the very biggest problem with C-C is when you leave and try to turn left on route 468.

We drive to the Southern several times a week and we see cars and trucks having a hard time turning left out of C-C.

Another issue is that dogs are not allowed at the postal stations in C-C and Bradford. If anyone doesn't believe me, then look at the signs.

you used to hear the train horn blow in some areas of Chatam. not sure if still happens. best area to buy new is Chitty Chatty in my opinion.. really like bungalow and verandah villas

I would rent before picking a community and home.
One of my neighbors was concerned with a golf course lot next to a tee. She went to the lot several times during the day for an hour or two to observe what she would encounter from her patio. She decided to get a home a block away from the course.

We lived on a golf course for 13 years and never again do I want to put up with that.

We have similar situations in the established Villages. Buttonwood has 1200 homes and only one exit onto St. Charles. If go down St. Charles and don't see cars waiting there, that's unusual. Also Pennecamp and Tamarind Grove exit out also onto St. Charles, and have problems at times.

To leave Fenney turning left onto Warm Springs (468) requires going across 4 lanes of traffic with lots of dump truck traffic until they are done hauling dirt in the area.

Don’t you mean you exit left out of Fenney onto Warm Springs road (468)?

One advantage is lots of free golf balls come to visit.

Jersey huh? How ya doin? I'm from Manasquan and my wife hails from North Brunswick. We love our place in Fenney.. There are lots of old timers that don't understand that we "youngsters" are seeking different amenities than they have in the north. That said, there is no better place to be than the villages..any village is a good village!

Good advice. They have only had 32 posts and recently joined here so there is some ignorance on their part how this place is organized and works. Hate to see newbies always pointing to the Developer as the company responsible for everything. I would suggest they also sign up for the Resident Academy so they can understand and be able to go to the right organization when they have issues and requests.

Our previous home was in Calumet Grove. We would sometimes hear the train off in the distance at night when everything was quiet (no tv on). I actually enjoyed the sound. My brother and sister also enjoy the sound of a train as long as it isn't too close/too loud. It must remind us of growing up in NW Indiana. My husband, on the other hand, complained about it. I don't think the sound actually bothered him. I think it was more a philosophical thing ("I paid a lot of money for this house. I shouldn't have to listen to a train!")

We moved within a year, not because of the train but because I wanted to be closer to stores, restaurants, and my sister. I totally agree with people who say come down and rent for a while. We made a few overnight trips but that is not enough to make an informed decision. We would have saved a bundle if we had rented for a month or two first.

Good luck.

kathy

Unfortunately the two groups of realtors do not play nicely together.

We all have our pet peeves. Mine is that I HATE to turn left onto a busy 4-lane road without a traffic light or a roundabout. Since Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Moyer are 4-lane roads (2 cars, 2 golf carts), that restricts the choice of homes that I find suitable.

That is why we bought in Osceola Hills. We can come out of Deskin and go right into a nice roundabout where it is easy for us to go left. Life is good.

I do, and thanks for the correction.

Thank you Kathy. I plan to rent for the reasons you expressed. I do not want to buy, move, sell and buy, and move again much less go through all that that a third or fourth time.

Renting is the way to go, it's like in Baltimore, Towson and Essex and Dundalk can't be more different. Every Village here is the same way. Enjoy your visit. I like Tamarind Grove, we've been here 9 years, came from Abingdon.

We bought a 10-year old home near Lake Sumter for two primary reasons: we wanted the “central“ location and mature landscaping. Love our good-sized oak tree and palms, and those of our neighbors. In a few years, we will be on the “north end” as T.V. grows further south.
Some folks advised us to buy in the newer areas to meet more people our age (early 60s). We found out that our neighborhood is “turning over,” with a mix of older and younger people. We’ve also made great friends through our activities (golf, clubs, etc.)
We did not rent, but did a week-long lifestyle visit and then spent months looking at houses online. Definitely recommend getting both a T.V. sales person and MLS realtor so you can see any type of home.
We love it here!

If you don't want to move again, take your time. There is no rush as new homes are being built in Chitty Chatty and Bradford (Championship golf course coming). If you want an existing home, there are plenty to choose from. Figure out which model fits your style, then search for that. Then you can select the neighborhood. Most people are very friendly and helpful in TV, so you can make friends wherever you live. You may end up socializing with groups who don't live in your neighborhood as well as your neighbors. Just be open to possibilities and you'll find a great retirement community.

Older homes
Older amenities
More ambulances

Visit, rent, research and explore. Unless asked the realtors do not volunteer information. We are in Fenney and we do not hear any turnpike noise. The only noise we hear and feel is the occasional BLAST from the nearby quarry which was initially shocking. Otherwise, loving the lifestyle.

I just sold my house in California in April. Currently in a rental for 3 months. Just purchased a house in Monarch Grove and will be moving in July. The suggestions to rent a home are good and will also give you a chance to look around the various Villages to see what you like and where you want to be.

The one thing that I can say is that I have never been made to feel so welcome as I have here. My neighbors are wonderful and have definitely helped with suggestions, ideas and where to get things.

Enjoy your time, look around and welcome to The Villages.