Does anyone want to show me around?
 

Hello! I'm a 21 year old female student. I will be visiting the Villages in March to see if it's right for my retiring parents (they are not well enough to travel unless it is relatively permanent). Would anyone be willing to show me around and tell me about life in The Villages?

You'd actually get a better feel for TV by wandering about on your own. Take a trolley tour to get your bearings, go to a couple of things at the rec centers that would be of interest to your parents, hang around the squares and talk to people. It is a pretty amazing place. People are very friendly and proud of living here.

It would be best if you stopped into the Lake Sumter Sales Center. You can arrange for a trolley tour. After your trolley tour, you can get a personal tour by a slates representative. They will be able to explain our bond system, prices of homes, etc and answer your questions.

Wow you're so young to have to deal with this. I commend you for being so mature and responsible.

I would think that you would get a good deal of information from a realtor. They often show people around. There is a lot to do here and getting around in a golf cart is an experience. I would think that doctors would be something of importance for you to check out. I can't be of much help there but proximity to them might be a consideration. We do have great emergency response time. There's so many groups to join and the pools are wonderful. The Publix supermarket is happy to help people to the car with their groceries and every pool and rec center has a bathroom.

Well I hope this helped some. Ignore the folks who had a good joke about your age. We often enjoy a good laugh on this sight at any chance. It makes the day for some so don't take it personal. Good luck in relocating your parents. I think your time spent checking this place out will be worth your while.

Warn your parents that there are a lot of scam-artists here - preying on trusting elderly folk
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Check out TOTV too a lot and the Villages Facebook Groups. https://www.facebook.com/groups/Thev...friendlyfolks/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/453667041357656/

Another site which should be helpful for you and your parents-- svcSumter - Seniors Vs Crime

I would also warn this young woman about being cautious of asking people she does not know to show her around. As we read regularly, there are mostly wonderful people in our midst. However we have also seen those prone to inappropriate, aggressive, sexual, and other behaviors. Please use realty services to show you around and look up when there is a new resident night where you can attend and learn about many of the services and supports offered in The Villages. If you look up the Villages Homeowners Association website and the Property Owners Association website you will glean much information as well. New homeowners information meetings are held monthly and your realtor can give you the details. Also check out the music in the squares every evening from 5-9 pm. It also sounds like your parents have a level of fragility and may need more support in time.. There are some independent living communities you may want to look at as well. You can message me for names of them if you like.

There are some sexual offenders here both registered and not. And some may use TOTV and other resources to troll. Good points.

Always best to keep your guard up whether online, meeting in person, on the phone or just out shopping.

And to be generally skeptical.

True. I remember being taken for a fool for years by a person (2001-2008 or so) pretending to be a friend on Findlaw on his regular identity while ruthlessly attacking me with hundreds of anonymous identities at the same time. TOTV is really good at stopping personal attacks but there are web-sites still out there like Topix where it seems you can pretend to be many other identities.
The troll did brag about taking me for a ride so to speak around 2004, so I finally knew who seemed to hate me so much because of the hundreds of personal attacks on me using many different aliases. He still continued his relentless smear campaign but I at least knew who he was.

Ask people to document whatever they say and then Google the #$&^ out of these documents.

If meeting a stranger from TOTV or elsewhere I would also do this in a public place especially if this person has very few posts on TOTV. Us 1000 plus posters should be fairly easy to identify, Google, investigate, arrest, or whatever.

There are also people pretending to be other people on Facebook. If that is the only post on their Timelines, walk away until they get quite a bit more. They are probably some kind of scammers.

I would add that this really is designed as an active community. It may not be the best choice for someone with significant health issues although there certainly are Villagers with them. While the OP (original poster) did not, and should not, give specifics about her parents' inability to travel, she should take into consideration that if they are now or soon to be mostly homebound there may be much better choices for Florida retirement.

you read my mind.

I don't want to think the worst, but.....if I was looking for my parents I don't think I would give my age, my occupation and maybe not even the fact i"m a female......

Be aware....hate to be sceptical but you just never know ......mayberry days are long gone....

Sent you a pm, in case you haven't been sufficiently scared off, lol.

All of the previous posts have excellent information. You state your parents are not well, so IMHO I would suggest one of the assisted living facilities. These offer living arrangements from almost no assistance through full assistance and memory care. Using this approach, your parents would have new friends at the facility, and the capability to go to outside activities as their health permits.
If you are still looking at homes in TV, then contacting a sales agent, explaining the situation, and touring via the trolley are excellent options. You may want to concentrate in the Spanish Springs area, as most facilities are close by.
Hope this helps and good luck with your quest.