Thinking of moving on further South...
 

Been here eight and one half years. Own two homes. One on a Championship course and a rental. Lots of changes here even in that time. The luster of TV has worn off. More we don't care for than we do. Thinking of taking my equity and moving on. Looking at homes elsewhere tomorrow. Outside realtors say many feel the same way. Not a lot posted about people leaving and why other than grandkiditus! Thoughts? I'm sure the first will be "don't let the door knob catch you"!

Blast away!

It’s a personal decision. If you do not feel The Villages is meeting your needs I see no reason not to leave. Personally I am more than happy here but if the day comes that I am not I would not hesitate to move.

Think about when you moved to The Villages; you came here for a change and new adventure. Don't hesitate to leave, life is short, enjoy a new experience. Life is good, live it to the fullest while you can. Things can change in an instant that could prevent you from moving on. Go, have fun, and remember you can come back!

Arrived here in 2005 for our first rental. Rented every year for winter season. Purchased 2011. I totally understand where you are coming from. It no longer is the magic. Influx is so fast you can't remember the neighbor's name. In fact how do you rate the fact you are almost a slave to the system. If you want to move on - where ? What if I can't drive anymore ? Can I still get around in my golf cart ? All I need do is get to doctor's and the grocery store. Am I sharp enough to keep the con artists for home maintenance at bay? Am I a danger to others ? How do I not burden my children ? But what is the alternative / where ?

I think the trend is to move from the southern part of Fl to the central or Norther part. I think this is based on weather.

I think the Pandemic has caused a major slowdown in all kinds of things, especially the happy interchanges that makes this place so much fun.

It is so good to know this place is an excellent investment. No one will stop you doing what you want. I can't imagine a place that suits me better than this, even as I age, I find my peers here gracefully showing me the way. The people I know here and love are the reason I love this place. It is so GOOD to be with people who understand your views because they have lived through very similar experiences and times. I don't think I would enjoy a place where all ages lived. It is so good here. A soft place to fall.

Same here, we been looking but back to Midwest.

I really appreciate all the comments and the understanding. Tomorrow we are looking at a golf community with two championship courses (one is the number four rated in FL) just outside Sarasota. It has condos, villas, homes of all sizes and prices and we drove thorough yesterday. The builder of all the homes is one I am very familiar for quality. Closer to better shopping and better restaurants. Ages are in the 50's and 60's but some older. I tell you when I saw the layout and the courses it makes TV look pretty bad. We will see, not sure what we will do. We are thinking of everything and our ages (74 and 71) but most of all where we can be happy and happy with the investment.

Best of luck. I agree with the other commenters. Don't hesitate to chase happiness and satsfaction.

I miss the villages
 

One of the reasons we left was Health concerns as I could see it slowly falling behind in quality and hospitals. We are in Sarasota and both have had some health concerns have a great choice of hospitals 3 large within 10 miles and a new 300 bed 4 miles from my house due to open 2021. choice of any specialist you could want. In our trips to emergency hospitals never more than a 15 minute wait my 3am call the ambulance arrived in 5 minutes. I was in the hospital and stabilized took 20 minutes they apologized that it took so long as they were busy. I still miss some of the features of the Villages from when we first arrived in 2001. Sadly most of that is long gone. You will not be sorry you left. Did I say the beach is nice too.

After 12 years we got tired of the same old thing in The Villages and bought a vacation lake house in Georgia where we now keep out boat. Spend 20 days in FL and 10 days in GA each month. So reach out for your dream of a new home in a new area. You won’t regret it.

Our reason to leave South FL was partially based on weather, the hurricane risk, to be exact. Other reasons were cost of property insurance, property tax, population density, congested roads, conspicuous consumption, and the fact that we got out of boating.

Would you care to share where you are looking? We are interested in looking around too....😊

You are right.Sometimes its too late to change

No I would hate to think people would be rude about you wanting to move on.
Sometimes an environment changes and you don’t feel the same way about where
you live anymore.
I have noticed many of us much more stressed because of Covid.
Good luck to you in your next home.

[QUOTE=TimeForChange;1856308]Been here eight and one half years. Own two homes. One on a Championship course and a rental. Lots of changes here even in that time. The luster of TV has worn off. More we don't care for than we do. Thinking of taking my equity and moving on. Looking at homes elsewhere tomorrow. Outside realtors say many feel the same way. Not a lot posted about people leaving and why other than grandkiditus! Thoughts? I'm sure the first will be "don't let the door knob catch you"!

Well, you are so right that on a forum like this there will be the "punish" them squad you will hear from first. But, you did not even ASK them to reply did you ? You asked if any of us out here have had been having those thoughts, and so I'll answer you without a smarty holier than thou reply. Yes, I have been thinking a LOT of those same thoughts. Been here much longer, bought the lot and designed every detail, moved walls, added a laundry off the master suite, thought out every detail of day to day living to make retirement a joy. But the changes, which one expects anywhere, have been breath taking in their bredth and depth. Our closest relative here floored us with their announcement their home if on the market. We'd not expressed our doubts about the future to anyone, but are thinking and looking. The haters who may jump on you for your post, could also have some deep fears about valuation here. I have those same fears, if we stay, will things continue to go down hill ? Then thinking that this down hill slide (and keep in mind, many do not even know what the villages used to offer, like the very affordable health club they showed off to everyone as one of the major features, indoor pool, all kinds of free classes, something that could not be found anywhere else, and so much more, now, all gone, parking lots, apartments, offices, and never ending traffic, etc.) but I digress, things change and this is a private, capitalist business, they can do as they wish, we don't own our community, there is no mayor, no city council, etc. That is what we have thought about. But many arguments to be made on all sides, and that is what you asked all of us to write about. Yes, those of us brave enough to say we are "thinking", will immediately be asked to get out, you are right, and that's too bad. Discussions are the only way all of us can learn what others are thinking, how they think, and why they are thinking in the direction they are. One can get caught in a velvet trap, not where they want to be any more but not quite bad enough to move on and possibly loosing money with all the expenses, after the huge amounts paid to agents, storage, movers, and even age plays into it. I am sure the villages owners, being good capitalists that they are (no condemnation, as a business person if I owned land more valuable as an apartment house or factory than a farm, I'd sell it too), have thought about all this. How far can you go and still sell the original dream, the place where anyone can live like a millionaire they said back then. Yes, we are thinking, but where to go, not at all sure. Guess it's like our parents used to say, when you find it, you'll KNOW It....LOL ! Will be interesting to see how many nasty comments you get, I think it could be a fascinating discussion since I know a LOT of people thinking the same thing and not saying a word ... LOL !

All so true, you hit it all ! We've had the same thoughts, really don't like the way things are going down and at such an accelerated pace as you mentioned..not the slow loss of first this and then that. But, then we are faced with all you mentioned in this thoughtful post. Looking for a small, golf cart friendly, people friendly, retirement spot with at least some amenities like groceries, medical and dental accessibility, and a department store or two, but is that possible without all the high rises, apartments, transient vacationers, automobiles, etc. etc. ???? Looking..... Looking.... LOL !

If you do not mind me asking, what championship golf course do you live on?

I thought u meant south of 44 it’s fabulous..SOUTH..

We have looked too. The redo and eventual closing of Katie Belles was a definate sign that the overall attitude of the Villages is going in a different direction than why we came here

Good luck, everyone has different choices and ideas...mine is to enjoy Florida, but I would never want to be near the coast and the risks of hurricanes and thoughts of having to evacuate, higher insurance ...to each his own...and your assessment of what is better is simply yours..

Unhappy? Move. You should do that whether you live in TV or the Ozark Mts. No big deal

ditto

So far your the only one mentioning continued negativity....

Asking an outside realtor about moving out of TV is kinda like asking your barber if you need a haircut. (Or a golf shop salesman if you need a driver--when your swing speed is less than 80 MPH.) What else are they gonna say? It's how they get paid.

only a period of time when it's good...maybe 50 to 65 yr's.....arthritis plays a big part

I can understand exactly how you feel. We have been here since 2008 and so much has changed. In a million years I would have never thought the Hacienda Country Club would be torn down and APARTMENTS be put there. What a travesty. Katie Belles downsized then replaced by APARTMENTS and more apartments over stores in Spanish Springs and Lake Sumter? Pure, mitigated GREED. The Villages is becoming a city, not a retirement community. When we moved here there were parades on major holidays as well as many free events throughout the year all sponsored by The Villages. People were smiling more and there was a community spirit that is lacking now. Like you, we are considering moving. For us, though, it will be a little different. You see, we retired here because The Villages offered us a lifestyle we could never afford anywhere else. It was such a feeling of freedom and lifestyle that we worked hard all our lives to achieve. We saw ourselves spending the rest of our lives here, rented full time for a number of years and ultimately purchased a patio villa four years ago. Imagine our shock when the developer extended beyond route 44. We had been told that 44 was the end of The Villages. Then The Lofts popped up. Apartments in The Villages? We had been told it would always be residential single family homes. Once all these changes happened, the whole environment changed. Now the developer has come back to the original phases and is replacing established properties with apartments. What's next? That question alone haunts us every day. We live off of Morse Blvd. During "the season" we could wait 5 minutes or more just to get onto Morse from our street. Can't even imagine how long it will take once the apartments go in where HCC used to be. To consider moving to another location in TV is pretty unrealistic for us because of the prices. Here we are at 78 and 74 looking at a change of life. My disappointment is only surpassed by my anger at having to make this kind of decision now because of the greed which has become so prevalent here in "The Friendliest Town In Florida".🤬 P.S. I don't need any sarcastic, nasty comments so please constrain yourselves.

what is the name of the community

Change has come to TV......we recently had a friends car stolen from their driveway. Come to find out, they were one of three cars that were taken from here in our area. So beware.....

To move or not
 

Bought house in villages 2013 was great live Cape cod Ma 6 months and villages 6 months for 6 years best of both worlds ,wife got sick had to see specialist in Boston once a week move back to Massachusetts 55 and over community nice people after 4 months wife died ,thinking going back to villages ,daughter not old enough to live in villages yet got house key west go there for winter temperatures stay 65-90 all year because of being by ocean wild things happen in some parts but rest of keys are normal not for everyone friend my age 70 say I am crazy sent them pics come back to Massachusetts talk to friends that live one place whole life wished they had done more but to late now. I always picked places everyone wanted to be so you can sell easy if you need to move just going to have one house now haven’t decided wear yet but do your research first.

Look at the Groves in Land O Lakes.

:1rotfl::1rotfl:
5 minutes.
:1rotfl::1rotfl:
Add 200 apartments to the current population......the sky is falling.

:1rotfl::1rotfl:

Thought about it too. We're from Palm Beach, miss it and might go back.....

This is a great topic! I know people that live in wonderful places. In the same location some love it, and some hate it. Some folks can live almost anywhere and enjoy life, while others are miserable everywhere they go! However, others are turned on by doing activities and such and find the place that makes them happy! Lo (their happy place). If you have the means, live wherever you want to and don’t be like so many people who have regrets. We could get to the place in our lives, that we can’t move. Enjoy each and every moment, life is too short! God bless you!

Some people, such as the OP, choose to be in control of their lives. Others choose to do nothing and complain about it.

So nicely stated GG. 😊

Where in Ga? we have been looking and considering the same option

Fully understand your feelings. I came here 11 years ago and felt TV was really unique. We were told that they were going to cap the population at around 90 to 100k. Building would stop at 466a, then it became 44. What made it special were things like Katie Bells the Cattle Barons restaurant. The deli restaurant in Sumter Landing where Panera is now located. You could actually go out to dinner and not have to wait over an hour to be seated and the golf courses were in better shape as they use to over seed them for winter conditions. To me TV has lost this quaintness and as turned into suburban sprawl where everything has become about money. Don’t get me wrong, TV is still a nice place, but as I tell some of my friends it’s not for everyone.

Good points. I never thought about those aspects if I was to choose to live on the coast.

I’d be interested also as to where you are looking in Sarasota. Thanks.