Places to avoid buying due to location?
 

Looking to buy within the next year and have questions about the topography in TV as a consideration.

Wondering if there are any specific places you would AVOID buying a home due to issues with location. For example flooding/water runoff, air pollution, sink hole repairs (I know you can't predict them) or even insects? Wondering what it's like to live near some of the lakes/swamps/bodies of water for mosquitoes or other bugs?

Thanks!

Stay away from the waste treatment plants.

Be careful in the new area as it is next to the turnpike and a quarry that blasts a couple of times a week.

Do a search on this site, this questions has been asked multiple times with lots of good answers.

What is a problem for one person, may not be a problem for you. Many rent before buying. We took 3 years before we bought.

Ack! Sorry. Will do. Maybe I was using the wrong search terms..

P.S. My daughter goes to Muhlenberg! ;)

In my opinion, the things you mentioned are not very significant. If you can afford it, I would by a house with a nice view. It will always be easy to sell. Also, avoid houses that are near a road with traffic noise. The turnpike is the worst, but many of the interior roads should also be avoided.

and the prison

Quarry blasts are once a month. Areas directly next to the turnpike can be noisy but the majority of the areas south of 44 cannot hear the turnpike at all.

We live in Monarch Grove and though you can hear traffic on the turnpike occasionally, you don't really notice it most of the time...I wouldn't trade living here to the traffic congestion and noise around LSL or SS anytime.

Turnpike - not a problem. Quarry - not a problem. Prison - not a problem.

Topography. Slopes from North to South.. Lots in the South often filled in swamps. Train noise on the western edge of The Villages. Sinkholes seem more common in northern section. Lightning capital and allergy capital of the US. Avoid sewer plants.

When we bought we wanted new and to be connected by cart paths so we bought a new Villa way up north. Had looked at designer homes but decided we did not want to be slaves to a big house in retirement. The Villa is great size, great privacy and perfect for us. We can hear the train which we love. The important this was to be able to get to the centers. Now that the bridges are opening it is not as important. The one place we did avoid is the historic section, nothing wrong just not our cup of tea.

Only a very small percentage of the "new areas" are near the turnpike and quarry.

Plenty of places to rent. Stay in different locations, travel around, and make your own decision.
For my two cents, as advised, avoid water treatment areas, and I would make sure any location I fancied was not on a through route for either car or cart.
The rest is personal preference.

Stay away from all new areas. No shopping, no medical services, poor recreation services, few golf courses. Will take years to build.

South of 44.

LSL can get congested in the square, but Spanish Springs does not get congested like LSL...it's a mistake to compare them. We live just south of Spanish Springs and enjoy being within 4 minute golf cart ride to all the shopping we need, and 10 minutes to Lowes, and 15 to WalMart by golf cart. Can't beat that convenience, plus our neighborhood is very quiet because it has no thru streets...just sayin'

Just stay away from busy highways...people now buy houses site-un-seen..go there and listen......

Good advice, and an extension to that would be: Go to a prospective property at night and listen. You might be amazed at how much more noticeable noise from the turnpike is at night, versus in the day when there are other sounds competing for your attention.

We came down, are renting for several months and found a great lot in St Catherine to build on. We were prepared to wait longer until we found exactly the lot we wanted. The new areas may not be as developed with golf courses and activities now but in a couple of years, it will probably be the more desirable place. I have met several people who have been here for years and are considering moving because it has gotten to hectic in the older villages.

Everyone has a different opinion about this and what bothers them. However if it bothers anyone it impacts value and resale. So being next to the turnpike does not bother those that bought there, they will tell you the noise isn’t bad. For them it isn’t. But if you grew up in the country where you never heard traffic it would bother you. But if anything bother some folks it impacts value. So my response is what bothers others and therefor impacts value.

Being close or backing to a busy street, turn[ike, Morse, Stillwater, Buena Vista, etc.
Being next to or close to a treatment plant.
Being close to the power lines
Being close to the railraod tracks
Being close to a golf cart path
Being on the water. There are more bugs and critters.
Backing to another house. Kissing Lanai’s.
Being close to prior sinkholes.
Being close to the prisons and quarries.
Backing to a rec center
Being on a golf course next to a tee box
Backing to land not owned by the villages
Backing to any shopping venue.

Not all these things bother everyone. Some even seek some of these things out. But if you look at a pool of 100 buyers, some of them will not buy because of those items. And that impacts value. At one time I built spread sheets with resale value impact based on sales data. Just as an example, being next to the power line will impact your sale price by 9%. Now lots of folks near the XXXX will argue that they love being next to the XXXX. And I am sure they do. But not everyone does. And that is how you have to think about finding the best location.

Any area near sewage treatment plant, gets very gross at times ( depends on wind direction and, speed. Unless you routinely go to bed before 9 pm, we have not seen any issues with traffic noise even from Bueno... and Morse. TV is pretty dead after 9 pm. As for sinkholes, the map of historical sink holes shows all the previous ones to be on earth elevations between 65 and 85 feet. We are in a location higher then 110 feet which doesn’t give me any real concern. Still suggest you get sinkhole protection coverage.

Blasts maybe once every other month. But be wary of turnpike noise.

BS! There is everything within 15 minutes journey.

O'Dell Circle has some big hills. Could be a problem driving after a big snow storm.:1rotfl:

More myths about Southern Oaks that will not die.

It really depends on your live style. If you like night life you may want to live near the town squares. You can buy properties where you can actually walk to them or just a one or two minute golf cart ride. If you prefer a slower life you may like it a little further out. One thing you do mot want to do is buy a house neat a pickle ball court. It will drive you nuts.

Wow...all that you mentioned are a short drive away.

The new areas are less than 10 minutes from The Villages Health Brownwood Specialty Care Center, less than 10 minutes from the new 24 hours UF Villages Health Emergency Room, 15 minutes from UF Leesburg Hospital, at least a dozen restaurants within 20 minutes, there are all recreation amenities there including the new softball fields, soccer and basketball, beach volley ball, air rifle, archery, 5 executive golf courses, a pitch and putt course, and a 27 hole course under construction. located in the new area is Everglade, the largest of all regional recreation centers sitting on 50 acres with all the old and new amenities. The village of Fenney is the most populous of all villages and has it's own rec. center with coffee shop, sports pool, adult pool, family pool, pickle ball, bocce, corn toss, shuffleboard, putt and play, croquet, lawn bowling, walking and nature trails, and is the only village that has a bar and grill next to the rec. center. Magnolia shopping plaza will be open within the next 60 to 90 days as will the turnpike bridge connecting the new areas to the north. Sawgrass indoor market place with restaurant and entertainment is now under construction and a new 400 acre UF hospital and medical facility is under construction. It is also less than 10 minutes to Paddock Square in Brownwood. South of 44 is the happening place and a lot less traffic. If you want traffic and a bunch of retail stores the new area is not for you. If you want everything else within easy reach in a more relaxed environment then you want south of 44.

Turnpikes make noise
 

The title pretty much covers this post but just in case you didn’t read it TURNPIKES AKE NOISE. Don’t buy property in the news southern sections and then expect the developers to put up noise barriers after the fact. We live in Monarch Grove and have a Veranda with a walled in back yard for the for baby and even though the turnpike is less than a mile away we never hear it.

I agree with the poster who says it is a personal decision; we back up to a busy road but enjoy watching the activity, on the other hand my wife would hate being near a pickleball court and the related tick, tick, tick.

If you can rent for a while it would help you decide on an area you prefer. TV is so huge, with so many variables, including home styles, you can't think of everything. If proximity to a rec center is important that might influence you, but then there is noise from the pickle ball courts. Want a water view? There could be mosquitos or unpleasant odors when the water gets low. Good luck.

The first year we rented in Chatham in the far north end near highway 42. We decided we’d maybe like to rent in a different location the following year. With that said we drove and looked for a rental south of 466. All it took was about 30 minutes to realize we didn’t want to be south of 466 we found too much traffic for our taste. Later than same year we bought in Calumet Grove near Chatham. We like the mature landscaping on Buena Vista Blvd. vs. the barren feeling in some areas further south. There’s a seat for every butt.

Traffic congestion is relative to what you are used to before moving to The Villages. This traffic we have here in the LSL area during high season is NOTHING compared to traffic on Long Island and South Florida where I spent many years in high volume traffic. Living in Mallory Square which is close to the 441/27 corridor, this traffic is a walk in the park.

The rest of the year, the traffic is pretty much non existent and more like a ghost town.

Turnpike - BIG problem if you do not wish to listen to constant traffic din

Quarry - problem if you do not want your house to rattle a couple of times a month

Prison - problem if you do not want the flood lights visible from your property at night or the faint sound of announcements

I must confide that I do not live south of 44 so I do not have any personal experience with what I have said in this post. I have, however, read many many posts from people who DO have first hand experience with all three issues mentioned. Search this forum and you will find plenty of info about what it’s like living near the Turnpike, the quarry and the prison.

I find it very interesting that people who live north of 44 give such dyer warnings about the turnpike and blasting noise. I live in a new home near Everglades Recreational Center and NEVER have we heard a blasting noise, we have NEVER seen flood lights or the slightest sound coming from the Federal prison. As far as the turnpike, we almost never hear it and if the wind is strong and blowing in the right direction you may hear the slightest traffic noise if your outside late at night. It is quiet and peaceful down her as well.

No sense in debating this very popular area when those that don't live here have a mindset is stuck in neutral.

Marsh Bend is great
 

We are in Marsh Bend and do not know why there are so many comments like the one above. It is lovely and quiet.

I would describe that pickle ball sound like a high pitched “ping, ping, ping.