Lifestyle visit in January
 

Hi! We're Jim and Kathy and coming down for a lifestyle visit at the end of January. Just wondering from all you fine folks that have done this already is there one particular thing you regret you didn't do or wished you had done on your visit? What is the average temp at that time? All comments would be appreciated.

The Lifestyle visit is a great way to introduce people to The Villages. The sales pitch is not a pressure deal where they try to force anything on you. (The Villages sells itself) Our visit was four days and we got so busy that we didn't use all the coupons for eating. Find the time to use them all. My one complaint is the 12 mph golf carts they lend you. But otherwise a great experience. Bring your checkbook. Good luck

I regret having to leave. :smiley:

Your first post. :welcome: to TOTV.

Suggested things to do as posted by hotrodgirl:

I had my LSV in May of this year and enjoyed it very much! I also am a very young retiree and already have a place in south Florida. But I wanted somethig with a bit more activity and a better social atmosphere. So I spent a week at TV and ended up buying a lot in Gilchrist. My build began on Sept 26th and I will close on Dec 5th! In your package will be 2 passes which are good for the rec centers, golf courses, and other areas of TV. Definitely take the trolley tour and perhaps the boat ride on Lake Sumter. Go to the town squares, speak with anyone and e eryone as it truly is a friendly place where people come to have a good time in their retirement! There is entertainment at the squares and market nights. You will get a paper each morning which will list homes for sale, local activities and the entertainment. Also included will be a golf cart which you can drive around on the trails. It is a beautiful area with lots of friendly folks. Enjoy your stay and make an informed decision that is right for both of you!

Don't forget your checkbook. :smiley:

BTW - I agree with Tom. The golf cart they give you is slow. Have fun.

Thanks 2B for the quote! I did leave out one thing. I did not get to any country clubs to eat, and suggest you do that. I did visit a rec center and was surprised at all the activity! The others are right on regarding the golf cart though... Slow as molasses!

One thing we didn't do that everyone raves about is the trolley tour. We were so busy with other activities and friends that we missed it completely.Still managed to buy a model home that we will close on Dec.6th. Yipee !

Thanks for the info...looks like the trolley tour goes on our to do list.

The trolley tour is a good way to see TV from one end to the other, and to see some major landmark places to help you navigate on your own.

TV is huge, but yet has small-town friendliness because of the town squares and subdivisions of villages and neighborhoods.

Definitely go to the squares at night and talk with people around you. Most are very happy and proud of our community.

And be sure to bring your checkbook.

We made the mistake of only booking 4 days ; a wk might be better.
They showed us all new homes
All were small Well decorated but small
Then, we decided, why not look at resales?
And voila, we fell in love w the 2 nd pre loved house we saw ( had all the extensions, plantantion shutters and ceiling fans throughout, granite, the works)
So, don' t discard the pre owned homes, bring your checkbook, ( you won 't be pressured because like all have said, TV sells itself.

enjoy your stay!

I agree with Lbmb -- look at both new and preowned homes during your lifestyle visit to get the full picture of what is available in The Villages. Ask questions of the people you meet in restaurants, the squares and in stores if you do any shopping. Most people are very glad to answer questions and to share their experiences living in The Villages. Have a great time during your LSV, and welcome to TOTV. :welcome:

Thanks again for all the info. How's the weather at the end of January? Should we bring shorts, pants or be safe and bring both?

When we had our Lifestyle Preview, we thought TV was a gated community. We thought we had to be accompanied by a VLS or MLS agent (or a resident) to drive through existing Villages. In retrospect, we were stupid because we never asked the question! We just observed the agents go through card procedures at the gates, and we made the wrong assumption that the communities were gated to the outside world.

So, if I had it to do over again, I'd drive around a lot more (in a car) and check out existing Villages. P.S. We bought a resale anyway, shortly after our LSP. We bought a house after we returned to Canada, from a MLS listing on the internet, without ever seeing it. Best decision we ever made.

Average Temperature for end of January is High of 70 and low of 49

It's 29 right now but at least it's dry and no snow.

29 degrees??? That is about what it is in New Jersey. Please make January warmer. I will be there for the month of January and want lots of sunshine and warmth.

Bobbie..

I believe the poster, Buckeyes, was telling us what the temperature is in the Buckeye state...Ohio.

Bring jackets for the morning and evenings for January. But the sun usually makes the middle of the day pleasant here in lower Paradise.

January usually has lots of nice weather, although we're not in the tropical zone here. Today it is 70 degrees, going up to 81! As long as you dress in layers, you'll be OK. The weather can start off very cool in the morning and be surprisingly warm by noon. And cool again by evening. My favourite piece of clothing is a vest with a fuzzy warm lining.

/bring both plus a sweater or jacket for evening The pools are heated to 84, but it's chilly getting out of the water, even if it's warm outside.

If you are a dog owner it would be a good idea to visit the dog parks......we started out to drive the cart to the hisoric section where we would have passed one of the dog parks but the streeets were blocked at the Spanish Springs square for a car show and by the time we were finished viewing all the cars it was starting to get dark and so we headed back to where we were staying by Lake Sumter.

Hi -Tony & Carleen here and our lifestyle visit is in April and we can hardly wait. We are young semi-retirees and loved our small visit last year. Have been talking with sales agent about potential building. Will that same agent help find resales as well?

I agree with all the above, especially - bring the checkbook. Talk to people and ask questions. Everyone is so friendly and you get great advice. ENJOY!

If you going to look at resales, you will need a VLS and a MLS agent to show all of the homes available.

A VLS agent can only show new and VLS homes available.

VLS - Villages Sales Agent
MLS - Multiple Listing Sales Agent.

I hope this helps you.

Lifestyle visit Jan 4 - 10
 

We are coming early Jan. Plan on looking at the new but wondered should we look at pre-owned through rep at the Villages, or go to outside multiple listing? I understand that homes are listed in both places, altho rep at the Villages said that 70% were listed in VIllages. I am overwhelmed about number of neighborhoods, old vs new standing or selecting a lot! First visit and we plan on making the most of it. Will be dancing at the square every night!!

take a look through this website to get an idea of what the mls listings have to offer by going through a realtor outside of the villages system: The Villages

i love that it gives info re the number of days the property has been on the market. keep in mind that january is the start of the high season so prices are up there compared to after the snowbirds leave and properties did not sell during the season.

Research of MLS outside the VIllages
 

Thank you for that input, and the note that the real estate (presales) may be better in the spring for purchase since Jan is high season. We are in a fact gathering since we could not become snowbirds until 2014...

I THOUGHT that more homes sold after the season. We bought for the first time in April here in TV. My memory is like a sieve but I could swear that our villages rep Jim McLaughlin said that the spring and summer was the busy real estate season.

Lyle Gant? Do you know when most homes are closed here in TV?

I know that they seem to be selling like crazy right now, so this all may have changed.

As far as your memory Gracie, I................... Opps forgot what I wanted to say.

Don't rush your decision. Take your time and visit several times if you can.

I will be visiting in January, also. Is there a way to look at long term rentals? Thanks

Try
The Villages 4 Rent, Rentals in The Villages
Also post what you are looking for and some owners will respond.

Great. Thanks for the info.

:blahblahblah: The windchill is in the teens....5 inches of the partly cloudy fell today and with the wind swirling I probably have a foot on top of the SUV. Expecting another 4-6 inches tomorrow! We do love a white Christmas but...can't wait for our visit next month.

The snow stopped and so did the wind. Unfortunately the temp rose a little above freezing so those with previous experience with a snow thrower know what happened. Heavy snow with 1 inch of slush underneath. Snow thrower constantly clogging and stalling out. Florida is starting to look real good. I can look at this stuff and enjoy it on a dvd!

I so hate to tell you this, but this morning when I went out to get the Daily Fun, it was 34 degrees.:cold:

if i would buy a very modest home in the villages, can some members tell us what our total monthly expenses would be? We live in a similar community in ohio called hideaway hills which is 30 miles south of columbus, but we are seeking to get out of the winter weather, and looking to relocate to an area similar to our lifestyle here in ohio.

Bring both and a jacket or sweater....The temps are up one day and down the next....70 high and 40 low...some days better and some days lower....
You can go to VIRGINIA TRACE, THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA lots of stuff there to educate yourselves...

I have a patio villa there and when you add everything from property taxes, electric,cable,phone,home watch,yard people,golf cart insurance,maintanance assestment fees ,and all other fees associated with your property, mine comes to an average of 500 bucks a month...

:pepper2::pepper2:

Most people think the numbers that are handed out with the information in your packet from The Villages sales stuff are pretty close to the actual expenses. You can buy a home here starting at about 70K and going all the way up to a million and a half but the amenity fees are the same on all of them. I think it is about 140 a month.

I don't work for the Villages. I don't know the developer. I am just one heck of a happy resident and I was born in the south end of Columbus in German Village, before it became fashionable.

Looking forward to meeting more Buckeyes. I think they are tops.

Can't wait. Will be arriving on the 25th.:a040: