questions about Stonecrest
 

Does anyone know anything about Stonecrest. I understand that you can go to tv with your golf cart. Not sure about where to buy a home, Will be coming and checking out both places next month. I saw some bigger homes and bigger lots at Stonecrest. Please let me know what you think and know regarding the area's around t.v.

Thanks for your input.......

Stonecrest
 

Stonecrest is a very nice retirement community just north of The Villages. For now residents there CAN drive their golf carts to The Villages using a dirt path through back lots and fields. It's unclear how long that path will be available since it runs through very desirable commercial property that will probably be built on sooner or later. You CAN buy more home for your money at Stonecrest, just as you can in most other "typical" retirement communities in the area. What you will have are "typical" amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, shuffleboard & tennis courts, a restaurant, golf course, etc. Here is just a partial list of what is offered here in The Villages:

Number of Organized Clubs/Activities: 1,800

Number of Restaurants: 100

Town Squares: 2

Championship Courses: 9

Executive Courses: 29

Recreation Centers: 57

Recreation Swimming Pools: 65

When you purchase a home here you are buying a lifestyle unlike anything else in the world. You WILL pay a premium for that, up front. Go to Stonecrest first. You may fall in love with the "typical" amenities offered there. You can hope that the dirt path to The Villages will remain intact so that you can drive your golf cart over here to enjoy the shopping, restaurants and entertainment. Once you have seen what Stonecrest offers drive across the street to The Villages. Take a trolley tour, talk to those of us who can't imagine living anywhere else. You will see that this place is far from "typical" and that the lifestyle here is indescribable and unimaginable. I could go on and on but, even if I could I wouldn't be able to paint a beautiful-enough picture. Be sure to plan enough time to really get a feel for what is here. An hour or two will suffice at Stonecrest, to get the lay of the land, but it will take you several days to a week or more to see all that is here.

Fabulous answer, Villages!

Yes, excellent answer, Villages!
Babspadget, you need to understand that The Villages isn't really all about the house... it's about the lifestyle.

One thing you might want to do is visit all the neighboring communities that advertise "Near The Villages!" or "Like The Villages!" or (I can't believe this one) "Better than The Villages!" While you're visiting the other communities notice how many people you see -- or rather, the people you don't see.

One of HoneyBoy's golf groups plays off-campus during the winter. He said that he rarely sees any residents at the other communities. It's as if they stay shut up inside their (bigger) homes all the time. You can do that where you are now. You don't need a bigger house here in The Villages, because believe me, you're never home! There's too much to do here, and not enough hours in a day to do everything you want to do... BUT you can't participate in the activities and classes at the recreation centers if you're not a Villages resident.

Go to http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/a...es/recnews.pdf to see what activities are available and compare it with the other communities you'll visit. Then you can decide what's right for you.

I love the name for your SO, or at least I think that is who you are referring to. :thumbup::icon_wink:

Hahahaha! He likes it much better than Mr. Judy. :icon_wink:

Someone already pointed out that if you don't live in TV, you don't get a TV ID Card and can't use of Rec Centers, Pools, other facilities. FYI, for now the golf cart trails are pretty open to anyone who can get to them BUT they are not public roadways or trails. TV residents pay for, maintain, etc., those trails through our amenity fees. There have been rumblings in the past about closing off the trails to non-residents, registering golf carts so only ones with a TV registration can use the trails, etc. Nothing has come of these initiatives (yet) but it could happen. You may find you and your golf cart stuck in Stonecrest with no place to go someday. And yes, you do get a lot more "house" for your money in some other retirement communities. If house size is your main criteria, look around - if a lifestyle is your main criteria, look in TV.

Except for the hospital and the Championship golf, you must have a Villages ID to use the following.

Interesting facts about The Villages as of March 2011 - .
90 miles of golf cart paths (2 lanes).· 67 villages to date· 57 recreational centers and swimming pools* 9-27 hole Championshiip golf courses.* 2-18 hole Championship golf courses.* 32- 9 hole Executive Golf courses.* 1-27 hole Championship course about 3/4 completed for a combined total of 540 golf holes.Can you believe in the winter time we still need more golf holes. Summer time you can get on any time.* 160 bed hospital. golf cart accessable.· 213 softball teams· 100 tennis & pickleball courts· Over 1800 clubs and organizations· 93% of Villages High School grads last year went on to college! [huge applause for that stat]· 107 new leases signed for businesses· 543 new homes sold > Jan 1 - Mar 31, 2011· Sales of preowned homes up 10%, compared to same time last year

You'll have to check it out for yourself and make your own decision. Quite a few Stonecrest residents moved from TV. One resident, who I've never heard say a negative word about TV, simply said they preferred a retirement community rather than a retirement city.
Initially we had problems resolving the issue of the teeny, tiny TV lots. We looked at at least a gazillion lots and finally decided on one that works for us, pretty much.
We built in TV and are glad we did. Others say the same about Stonecrest.
Do what's best for you.

We spent a day in Stonecrest in April and were impressed with the design and size of the homes. We even were momentarily interested in buying something there. But...............
Why did the salesperson keep talking about how you could get to TV by golf cart if Stonecrest was so good? Why would you not want to stay right there?
Why was there almost no one out and about in their yard, on their carts, on the golf course, in the pools on an 85 degree sunny Florida Saturday afternoon?
Why did their rec center look like a small town YMCA compared to the luxurious beauty of the TV regional rec centers?
And the biggest question of all: Would we have driven 1300 miles to spend time in and enjoy the fabulous lifestyle of ...... Stoncrest? (the answer is HELL NO!)
Now I did talk to several people who lived in Stonecrest, Spruce Creek, and Del Webb, who said they liked their choice. (Most people tend to defend and rationalize major decisions like that IMO). However, I surmized that they were people who liked quiet and solitude, and weren't all that gregarious. One even said his wife told him she would move to anyplace in Florida BUT the Villages, because it was so busy.
I can see no reason to compromise on the fabulous lifestyle afforded by The Villages just to get a bigger house. I don't spend that much time at the house when I'm in TV anyway. If you like the amenities of TV and like to be around the kind of people that enjoy that kind of energetic lifestyle, don't make a big mistake - there is a home waiting within your budget in TV.

Well said. There are good reasons for buying in each community. It just depends on your needs and priorities which vary by individual.

Yes, you do get more house for the money in other places,
but how much more? It's not like you'll live in a castle.

The Villages has an ambiance like no other,
I'd rather have a smaller (relatively) home here, than live
anywhere else.

We looked and looked and looked,
Stonecrest, Del Webb, Lakeside Landings, the Pringle Communities, Arlington Ridge.

Answer always came back to The Villages.
Like our Del Webb guy said "The Villages is huge, they must be doing something right, people either love it or hate it".

you decide, best wishes

You pays your money and you takes your choice.


(the Ho Chi Minh Trail between TV and Stonecrest is used primarily by TV residents going and coming from Lowe's, Beall's, Aldi, Walmart, etc. If TV wanted to close it off all that is needed is to fix the existing automatic gate at the TV end - the 2 automatic cart gates into Stonecrest operate and keep the uninvited out.)

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Now THAT'S funny!! :1rotfl:

Sandy and I always likened it to what riding through the bombed-out Beruit of old might have been like. It is a ROUGH ride!

Bill :)

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I have the best of both worlds. I bought a large house in stonecrest and it is peaceful and quiet, very relaxing. I bought a small mobile home in the villages I use only for my workshop and access to the villages. Paid 69k for having all the access the villages offers. It is a great way to live keeping myself and wife happy. I am very lucky to have a nice dog house to go to in the villages.

Interesting -

What amenities only available to TV residents do you frequently use?



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When we moved here a younger friend "up north" wanted us to meet her folks who lived in Stonecrest---because she thought we'd have alot in common. So I struck up an e-mail relationship with her mom. In "chatting" back and forth it became evident that we had not one thing in common. Her husband didn't play golf and they mostly played cards. She asked me why in the world we'd want to live in The Villages. I told her that my husband was an avid golfer and once we'd visited here...it was a "no brainer". What others here have said about "Life-style" is absolutely correct. If you're bored here...then you must be comatose. There is enough available to make most anybody happy...that is unless they want to live in a community with hardly anything to offer in the way of a plethora of clubs, restaurants, and alot more than I could list here! But by all means...visit those places then make your decision!

All the other communities in this area each have more clubs and activities than anyone could ever find time to indulge in; not 1800 (which probably is made up of 1750 ways to play rummy) but 30 or so choices is way more than anyone will ever find time to try.


(In the CBS TV Golf Cart program aired yesterday it was mentioned that there are about 50,000 carts in TV and probably only 15,000 have ever been on a golf course - apparently not everyone in TV golfs)(We have more than a dozen relatives and friends living in TV and three golf).

We checked out On Top Of The World last year near Ocala and saw hardly nobody. I guess everyone was hiding out in their larger homes. The homes were nice but I have a nice home here in Va I can hide in if that's what I want in retirement. It's NOT! We haven't worked all our lives to hibernate. We want to get out and live. We've earned it.

I have an old friend who lives in Stonecrest.

I wonder why she chose a place so close when she could have....you know.

it takes all kinds
 

Different strokes for different folks as they say. If I were not around I could see my hubby liking Stonecrest....he's the quiet and content type....luckily he has me to show him different....hahahaha

Stonecrest vs. TV
 

We rented in TV during the winter. We decided to check out Stonecrest. There were some things we liked about the community...larger lots, indoor pool, no bond, larger home for the money. Some things we didn't care for, we didn't see hardly anyone out and about, the activities seemed limited, they had a new section going in, but, we didn't see many (if any) sold signs on the lots (of course that might have changed since January).

On the other hand, the villages, seemed to come alive with all the activities, there were a lot of folks out and about, the amenities and landscaping are beautiful. You could strike up a conversation with most of the folks. Just the overall feel of the villages sold us.

We decided to purchase a TV lot a couple of weeks ago. We are (still) torn between going to Florida vs. living near the grandchildren. And, I have to say, I wouldn't move 700 miles away from grandkids to live in Stonecrest as we have similar over 55 communites where we currently live. But, we have nothing that compares to the villages.

Like previous posts have indicated; it's really a personal lifestyle choice. Good luck on your visit.

You know . . . You could ask her why.




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YOU ARE RIGHT. Why didn't I think of that.:wave:

Probably cause she 's a democrat and you're a republican.


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Oh.:confused:

or she likes vanilla and you like chocolate.

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[

Interesting observations about other communities near TV
 

I have found it interesting to read the observations on/comments regarding the various active adult communities around TV. Just my opinion, if you want a quieter and lower energy lifestyle in your golden years, pick your community accordingly and be happy with your decision as it's your life. If you want a more active lifestyle after 55, a place like TV may be to your liking. I don't golf -- maybe I would learn if I moved to TV, but I read the on-line edition of the Villages Daily Sun every day, and I'm so impressed by how many activities there are for TV residents to participate in (in addition to golf). I don't think I want to spend my golden years watching the grass grow, but that's just me. As active adult communities go, hopefully there is a lid for every pot. Life is not a dress rehearsal, so make the most of it -- however you choose to do that.

And you don't live in Arlington Heights because ______________________.



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Since 2003 during the school year I have been a tutor at an English as a Second Language class for adults at a Lutheran church in Arlington Heights sponsored by High School Districts 214 and 211. Class is held at Lutheran Church of the Cross on Goebbert Road next to the former Forest View High School). From 1988 to 1996 I was a member of St. Edna's Church on Arlington Heights Road. Do those count? :)

If you are serious about playing a lot of golf, then TV is the logical choice and the other surrounding communities just don’t compare. But the private ‘free’ golf in TV is for the par 3 executive courses. The championship courses are open to the public. On the other hand, the executive courses become more attractive as we age and loose distance to father time.

Since I play very little golf these days, other factors came into play with my decision for Stonecrest:

TV homes are made up of clusters of manufactured, vinyl sided, and stucco construction. All the homes in Stonecrest are stucco, a look I prefer. Most of the homes in TV are two bedroom whereas the Stonecrest homes are 3 bedrooms or more and I wanted a guest room and a full size den for all my computer equipment and other toys.

Stonecrest is a 24/7 guard gated community, TV is not.

Stonecrest has a year round heated indoor pool, TV closed their only indoor pool a year or two ago. Stonecrest has an exercise room with a variety of equipment like treadmills, stair steppers and bicycles which is covered by our amenities fee ($104/mo). To use such equipment in TV runs about $600/yr for a couple.

Stonecrest has all of the sports facilities that TV has including pickle ball, tennis, bocce, shuffleboard, and horseshoe courts, billiard tables and table tennis and a beautiful softball field. We just don’t have the huge number of them that TV has because have just 4000 residents. So I don’t see what the advantage is to having 20 times the number of rec centers etc. when you have to support 20 times the number of residents. But I will admit that Stonecrest’s rec center is rather mundane compared to some of the beautiful regional centers in I've seen in TV.

The Stonecrest golf course is owned by the developer but the rec center, pools and recreational facilities are owned by the residents. TV residents don’t own any of these facilities in their neighborhoods. They have a contractual right to use them in return for the amenity fee.

For the vegetable gardeners in our community, Stonecrest’s garden club has a fenced and locked area at the back of the complex that provides 15x25 raised beds with irrigation for something like $15/yr. As far as I know, the TV gardeners will have to use pots on their lanais or birdcages to grow vegetables.

But when it comes to clubs to join, TV with well over a thousand clubs leaves everyone else in the dust. Stonecrest’s 40 or so clubs covers the basic card and activity clubs, but that’s about it.

And finally there’s the touchy subject of the ‘access to The Villages’ advertisements that a few surrounding communities boast. I don’t like it because it connotates being a freeloader at TV resident’s expense when it’s hardly the case. I wish they would change that to ‘convenient access to hundreds of stores, restaurants, and medical facilities along the 441 corridor’. When I looked at Stonecrest, I saw that I could have access to all those facilities from Stonecrest just as easily as if I lived in TV. But to do that in a golf cart would require traveling the long dirt road that runs between Lowes and Orange Blossom Hills. So I simply purchased a street legal cart and I cross over 441 onto Buenos Aires Blvd to shop and eat out and I never have to drive on TV’s private cart paths either.

I think TV is beautiful and a great choice for the tens of thousands of retirees who have chosen to live there, but Stonecrest came closest to meeting my criteria for a retirement community and I don’t regret the decision to live here either.

Thanks for the good perspective.

Well, EdVin, you sound as though you like Stonecrest. I bet you come to the entertainment at The Villages on a regular basis and come to our restaurants and country clubs which are open to everyone. That is probably one of the reasons you bought so close to The Villages.:jester:

The championship golf courses in The Villages are not open to the public. You could not play here at all. You cannot enjoy any of our functions at the Recreation Centers. You cannot swim in any of our pools. You cannot play tennis or platform tennis here. You must be a Villages resident with an ID card.

We have 90 miles of cart trails linking 67 villages.

Great post, Ed, thank you. You've made the right decision for you, I made the right one for me. We are both very fortunate to be living in such lovely communities.

Tbugs, I'm confused. The Villages golf website shows the cost of green fees for non-residents. But you say "The championship golf courses in The Villages are not open to the public". Why do they quote non-resident rates if they are not open to the public?

Incorrect
 

The Championship golf courses ARE open to the general public. The executive courses are only open to residents and their guests with guest IDs. You cannot get a guest ID for someone who lives within Lake, Sumter and Marion counties, unless probably, they are snowbirds, have not become Florida residents, and have current drivers' licenses from other states.

Our daughter and her fiance live in Ocala and SHE has an "in area" guest pass to The Villages that is good for one year and then must be renewed. She can use the same recreational facilities as any other guest. Her fiance can NOT get the same guest pass since they are not married. HE can play the championship courses, as can anyone, but not the executive courses, nor can he use any other recreational facilities.

As a recent newcomer to TOTV I have been looking around and reading many different topic threads old and new. I know this is an old thread, but after reading the many responses here, I thought I would add my two cents to this discussion. Maybe there will be some new responses and maybe not.

My wife's mother & dad have been living in TV for some time now. They have a nice home in Belvedere and love it there. My father-in-law is an excellent spokesman for the so-called Villages "lifestyle".

Over the past couple of years my wife's mom & dad made it clear that they would be very happy if their daughter was a bit closer to them at this point in their lives. We have been considering a move into the area for a couple of years.

This past April we came to town and we spent some time with Gerald Bowles from TV and also looked at some homes in Stonecrest. We returned in September and looked at approximately 15 homes in TV, Stonecrest & Del Webb-Spruce Creek Golf Club. Ultimately we bought in Stonecrest. Here's why..

First and foremost we are not retired, nor are we in any danger of it happening any time soon. When we arrive at the beginning of 2013 we will both be continuing our careers working all week long. We will not have time at this point in our lives for the various groups, gangs, clubs and most of the other amenities that TV has to offer. But even if we did have that kind of time available it really wouldn't be a big draw for us. While we are not unfriendly people, we are not "group" people. We don't play golf, we don't want a golf cart and I wouldn't play pickleball if you had a gun to my head.

Now before anybody gets all crazy and thinks I'm saying bad things about TV and the "lifestyle", I'm not. All I'm saying is that it's not for us.

We really disliked the postage-stamp size of the home lots, and at this point in our lives we still needed a bigger home. And to be frank, the infamous "bond" was a real joy killer.

What we needed was a big house with a few amenities like the pools and NO KIDS. We will likely use the pools every day of the year. Other than that, I can't think of anything else that's provided that we would use.

Our biggest need was to be close to my wife's parents, and for that Stonecrest fit our needs far better than TV.

As I read these posts I also noticed a number of posters referring to OUR stores & OUR restaurants & OUR hospital. Hmmm...While I certainly agree that amenities provided by TV such as the pools, golf courses, rec centers, sports fields and the nightly entertainment should be reserved for TV residents & their guests, TV amenity fees DO NOT subsidize or otherwise support private, open-to-the-public businesses. That's like saying that someone who lives in Ocala has no right to drive to Leesburg and eat at a restaurant there! It makes no sense.

Privately owned business are just that. They are open to the public. The restaurants at TV golf clubhouses? That's a differernt thing. The Villages hospital is owned by Leesburg Regional Medical Center and by law must be open to the public. TV amenity fees do not pay for the hospital. Villages Hospital is just as public as Munroe Regional or any other hospital.

Oddly, I would think that TV residents would welcome people from anywhere to come in and eat at the various restaurants, buy groceries at the local supermarkets and patronize the other local businesses. Why not? The more people who come and spend, the more successful the local businessman is. What in the world is wrong with that?

One of my old bosses & mentors had a saying.."There's an a** for every chair". We found our chair at Stonecrest. Glad to know you found yours at TV. You'll see us around TV as we spend time with my wife's mom & dad, but no..I won't be trying to swim in your pool. That's yours. You paid for it.

Cheers!