The Villages FL VS Sun Cities AZ
 

I did my homework (like daily) religiously for about five years on The Villages in Florida and Sun City and Sun City West in Arizona. Living in Colorado, and still in my early 50s, I was looking ahead to where I wanted to retire. Most people in Colorado seem to retire in Arizona vs Florida, due to proximity. I visited Del Web’s Sun City, Sun City West and Sun City Grand multiple times. I always visited in the middle of summer, to see if I could stand the heat. When my employer offered me early retirement (which I took) while still in my late 50s, I wasn’t prepared to move yet, so I stayed in Colorado for a year to figure things out. There were things I liked about Sun City, but also things I didn’t. I was ready to take the plunge and move to Sun City West when I decided for the heck of it to take a lifestyle visit to The Villages, since I had already done so much research on it, I wanted to see it in person (but had not intention of moving here). Came here last summer and The Villages blew me away and I immediately decided to move here. Here are my personal reasons I picked The Villages over Sun City West: 1) More younger retirees- Sun City West feels like an old folks home, and not as active 2) Dedicated golf cart paths (Sun City West has none) 3) Town Squares with nightly entertainment 4) A self-contained community(the Bubble) - Sun City West feels like a suburb of sprawling Phoenix 5) Beauty and colorful - Sun City West is boring beige and very little natural, living landscaping 6) Way more activities /clubs/ golf 7) Purchased new home here for what I would have paid for a 1980s duplex-style condo in Sun City West 8) No state income tax here 9) People seem way friendlier and happier here (shattered the stereotype of East Coasters being more aloof and distant than West Coasters) 9) Winters not as cold as they can be in Arizona 10) proximity to the beach and I can drive to Lauderdale/Miami to catch a cruise.

Wondering if anyone else compared these two 55+ communities before deciding on The Villages.

My neighbor wants to know.
They are wondering, does the wife have pink or purple hair? :faint:

We choose the Villages for all the reasons you described and more, we would be bored in Arizona. Good friends bought in Tucson, Arizona because they love hiking and skiing in the mountains, aren’t big golfers, and don’t like “flatlander” living. They are now regretting their decision as they age and their knees no longer allow them to enjoy the mountains often, it’s often much colder during the winter, and from Massachusetts it’s a long trip back and forth. To each his or her own, but we prefer the Villages.

thanks for your research! I've wondered, sometimes, about our decision to retire here & not AZ but we apparently made the right decision. There's almost too much to do here. But it's fun fun fun.

Visited AZ a few times but never considered it for retirement, as life moved me to the east coast, and that is now where the kids live.

Agree with all of the reason of the OP, otherwise. Also, I am happier with the way Florida seems to be going in their governance. I think it bodes well for better things happening here vs AZ.

Ever wonder what the retirees in AZ are writing on their blog ?

I looked all over the country including Sun City, Del Webb at Hilton head, Del Webb Ocala etc. and decided here because of the golf cart and course infrastructure and the Florida weather and humidity. Arizona is really beautiful but so hot and dry and everyone that lives there looks desiccated.

We did a similar thing but also included Las Vegas or parts of Nevada. In addition to the points, you made our biggest thing is that we like tropical vs desert. We love green. Like you did all of our visits here and at those locations figuring that would be the worst of it weather wise, plus we wanted to see how vibrant the areas were when the snowbirds were not there. Most were ghost towns. Probably the biggest thing in favor of those two areas was that they major metropolitan areas. Nice having things open and lots of choices.

Know a lot of people in Del Web Huntley who pay a lot more than it cost here. Higher home prices and taxes for less amenties and crappy weather.

Only + between TV and Sun City is that Sun City closer to Western US National Parks, including the Grand Canyon and golf courses are much higher caliber in Arizona as opposed to Florida. If you can handle the heat top notch courses can be played in Arizona for less than what we pay in TV.

just about the same for us. I love visiting the west in summer, the mountains and the national parks, though late spring for Arizona and New Mexico. But love FL for the extra mild winters. . and the nearby ocean / gulf

Can you sit in a car in a disabled spot and catch your breath before your go into a store in Arizona? That would be one of the two determining factors for me.

Living close to Sin City is not a plus at all.

I vote for here because here has become the best home I've ever had. I love The Villages even with some of its warts.

Real classy, real classy.

Congrats on an early retirement, I'm sure glad I was able to make that happen too. I also was thinking AZ was an option, but glad I chose TV. Retirement heaven. Welcome and enjoy!

One thing about Arizona is that it can be hot and dry depending on your location. I find it way too cold a portion of the year in TV and would prefer the hotter Arizona temperatures.

We did the same comparisons since we lived on the west coast, but our search expanded up to Utah and Nevada too. Lived in a del Webb community already and never again. Have you seen what’s happening to all the bigger cities in the west? Have you looked into how much you would pay in taxes, property/income? Look into water availability in the future and current. Most of the west has had water restrictions for many years, can’t water lawns, wash cars, paint dead lawns green, or just use dirt and rock for landscaping. Sure there are national parks in the west, how many times times do you want to visit Grand Canyon/Bryce Canyon? If you want to visit some of these parks, take a break from our summers here and go visit some of them.
As for amenities, there isn’t anything in the states and maybe the world that can compete with what we have. The only things that other retirement communities can offer that might be better for someone and they are: would be a much smaller community if you think TV is too big; can’t stand the humidity here.

For all those reasons and it is too dry out west. The moist air here keeps our skin more hydrated and youthful looking. Lol

My wife and I strongly considered AZ but not in a Sun City community. We looked in Goodyear AZ in one of the Robson Homes communities (also located in Texas). Many of the same amenities as the Villages in their community including multiple golf courses, pickleball, clubs etc. But no commercial property so you have to get in your car for shopping, Dr appts etc. One major plus was the quality of the homes was far superior to those built here and much more energy efficient. Now that research was done 5 yrs ago so don't know if that's changed. I also liked being closer to a major metro area and spring training.
Always keeping it as an option if we decide to relocate again.

We decided against Sun City because of many of the same reasons you did. We were considering the Sun City locations in the Carolinas but after a Life Style visit to the Villages, we never even visited Sun City Hilton Head. We did do online research of other 55+ communities in Florida but none compared to TV. We had friends who purchased in a small 55+ community outside Orlando (more a neighborhood really at only 500 homes) but the development was too small to offer much in the way of amenities. I have to mention the fantastic wood working shop, the beautiful landscaping, and golf cart lifestyle here in TV were major selling points for me. I don’t golf, and only a few Sun City locations had wood shops but nothing compares to the new Brownwood facility in TV. The only boxes TV didn’t check for us were, true gated community, larger lot sizes, lack of custom home features, and an indoor Olympic size pool.

Yes.

:shrug:

We did not consider Arizona as we do not like the dessert landscape but did research other east coast and Florida communities, you are correct, once we came and stayed here twice, this is where we wanted to be. I’ve read so many of your posts starting with your attempts to buy in Richmond and your excitement at “winning” a home there, I’m glad you are happy with your decision.

My in-laws retired in Sun City. All the yards were gravel. On morning while visiting, I went for an early morning run and spotted a green yard ahead. At last, I thought, some grass! Nope, they had painted the gravel green. Oh, and I looked out in the back yard one day and there was a big coyote passing through. All the garbage cans were buried in the ground so the coyotes (and pigs) couldn't knock them over and spread the trash around.

plus
 

I love north Dallas BUT what would I do all day - gold, pickleball, clubs here just can't be beat.

Well I retired in Arizona and moved to Florida after 13 years in AZ
 

I lived my life in Buffalo NY and retired early at 56 and moved to Sun Lakes Arizona. It's like Sun City but smaller and in the southern part of Phoenix. We lived there for about 13 years and liked it until we made a trip to Florida to visit my wife's sister in Deltona while we were visiting we took a trip to the Villages and just fell in love bought a house on that trip and sold our place in AZ. 6 weeks later we were here. That was 2 years ago and don't regret it we just love it here. Arizona was nice no humidity plenty of sunshine. But no grass no real lakes, trees, and everything was brown.

We visited friends in Southern AZ in the early 2000's. They showed us all around, even checked out houses. BUT we decided there and then AZ wouldn't be for us. The landscape was too brown and boring....then the dry air too. It might be for some folks but not for us! There are pluses and minuses for all locations. I used to think Hawaii would be perfect---but the distance from "home" was too vast, then the cost of living there. "Paradise" is where you make it.

Totally Agree
 

Your experience and mine are almost identical.. did the same comparison with the same results! Been here almost 13 years and never regretted my decision once!!


QUOTE=Michael 61;2198690]I did my homework (like daily) religiously for about five years on The Villages in Florida and Sun City and Sun City West in Arizona. Living in Colorado, and still in my early 50s, I was looking ahead to where I wanted to retire. Most people in Colorado seem to retire in Arizona vs Florida, due to proximity. I visited Del Web’s Sun City, Sun City West and Sun City Grand multiple times. I always visited in the middle of summer, to see if I could stand the heat. When my employer offered me early retirement (which I took) while still in my late 50s, I wasn’t prepared to move yet, so I stayed in Colorado for a year to figure things out. There were things I liked about Sun City, but also things I didn’t. I was ready to take the plunge and move to Sun City West when I decided for the heck of it to take a lifestyle visit to The Villages, since I had already done so much research on it, I wanted to see it in person (but had not intention of moving here). Came here last summer and The Villages blew me away and I immediately decided to move here. Here are my personal reasons I picked The Villages over Sun City West: 1) More younger retirees- Sun City West feels like an old folks home, and not as active 2) Dedicated golf cart paths (Sun City West has none) 3) Town Squares with nightly entertainment 4) A self-contained community(the Bubble) - Sun City West feels like a suburb of sprawling Phoenix 5) Beauty and colorful - Sun City West is boring beige and very little natural, living landscaping 6) Way more activities /clubs/ golf 7) Purchased new home here for what I would have paid for a 1980s duplex-style condo in Sun City West 8) No state income tax here 9) People seem way friendlier and happier here (shattered the stereotype of East Coasters being more aloof and distant than West Coasters) 9) Winters not as cold as they can be in Arizona 10) proximity to the beach and I can drive to Lauderdale/Miami to catch a cruise.

Wondering if anyone else compared these two 55+ communities before deciding on The Villages.[/QUOTE]

No we did not - but thanks for asking.

Yes, we did. We stayed in Sun City West for a week and we visited a couple of other communities. We had already been to The Villages and really wanted to move here but the prices had gone up too much. We were not at all impressed with Sun City. You described the situation perfectly except I did find the residents to be active. Older age doesn’t bother us as we actually get along better with people older than us. I do love AZ and sometimes wish I was there partly because I have family there and nearby in CO. I love TV but dislike FL immensely so pretty much stay in the bubble.

Arizona would be #49 in choosing a place to live, South Dakota has the top spot. No actually..... I would live in North Dakota before Arizona. It's the ugliest place ever, it's like driving on the moon. No grass, no trees. Rattlesnakes, scorpions and tarantulas. Plants that bite. I wouldn't risk my dogs getting Valley fever.... You couldn't pay me to live in that gawdawful place.

All good reasons! Plus, we have water, and Arizona will soon be having to ration water. Wait until swimming pools are banned there. Also, even in midsummer, even though it is much more humid here, it is much hotter there. 105° to 115° is not unusual.

"Desiccated", that's a brilliant observation, and probably true.

$60.00 top notch courses in Az in season? Please let us know where.

Our feelings exactly. We never run out of things to do here and we would be bored in AZ, plus we love the weather!

I agree - I lived in California for my first 35 years - then Lake Tahoe - then Las Vegas - then Colorado - the west coast is beautiful and I was fortunate to have visited almost every national park in the western states countless times - Florida and the East Coast is brand new territory for me, and I’m enjoying getting out and exploring and seeing new sites in retirement. Just visited St Augustine for first time, as well as the Sarasota/ Tampa/Tarpon Springs area. Have planned road trips up to Savannah and Charleston this summer - and will take advantage of being closer by air to Washington/NewYork/Boston. As I said, I lived in Vegas (for 5 years), and the desert is interesting landscape for sure, but not something I “love”. So much more beautiful here. I thought as a Westerner, I’d be a “fish out of water” with all the Atlantic coast and Mid-westerners here, but that is not the case - I love my new neighbors and I love The Villages - has exceeded my already high expectations.

We bought land in AZ many, many years ahead of retirement to lock in our location for retirement. We had an 8-acre lot and a 1-acre lot near Prescott. The 1-acre lot had absolutely stunning views, and the 8 acres was pretty darn nice too. We absolutely love the Prescott area. Then a funny thing happened. We got into bicycling. We realized that in our retirement years, biking with steep roads at 5,500-6,000 feet probably wasn't going to happen.

We started looking in Alabama and Florida, with most spots being in central Florida. Multiple places were less crowded than and quieter than The Villages, but knowing that we would reach ultimate quiet someday, we chose the more active life of The Villages and have never looked back. It was absolutely the right decision for us.

Ours was a simple decision between the desert or the tropics….”Do you like a fried egg, or a poached egg?”

Sun City vs. The Villages living
 

Enjoyed the comparisons b/w AZ and The Villages and couldn't agree more. My husband and I lived in New Mexico (Albuquerque) for 19 years following military retirement. I laughing said when we moved to NM from San Diego, "my next move is in a pine box" so it was a HUGH step to move from NM. We loved everything about NM until about 2018 and decided the political climate was no longer tolerable and looked to other places to live. The East coast was preferable over AZ due to many of the reasons you cited PLUS the environment of the Villages, and happy people.
We sold our home in NM and were gone in <60 days once we made the decision to get the "hell out of Dodge," and haven't looked back. I too, appreciate the more conservative climate in Florida, value systems that reasonate with ours and the ease of living. Thanks for sharing your thoughts as many feel the same in this land of enchantment!

I live in AZ now and I did google Sun City online never visited that area at all and I have been here since 95.....kinda have to say I agree with you on all those counts. I visited last may bought a house in 3 days! AZ is changing rapidly and not for the good either...........the desert has been nice to me and the state BUT it is time for a change! good luck I cant wait to get out of dodge myself! AZ is kinda boring

NOT true about the coyotes they put those in the ground as a way to be more precise with consistancy...someone lied to you on that

I dont care for the green and I have grass in Florida and will pull it out and use stones person across has them and the guy next door has it in his walled backyard....I took it out here in AZ best thing ever did! less water usage less bill no bugs no upkeep