The Process - Where to Start?
 

Hi There!

We are still five years out from retiring but are pretty sure that the Villages would be a good fit for us.

We currently live in WA and want to live someplace warmer with plenty of activities. The winter aches and pains are starting to catch up to us.. lol

With the Villages being so large and varied how did you decide which village to live in? We plan on doing the Lifestyle Preview Plan once or twice between now and the time we retire but is it possible to see everything during a 4 or 5 night stay?

And does it really matter what village we pick? Are there real differences from village to village? I guess I'm really just looking for a starting point in my research. Any advice is greatfully welcomed.

-Ken

The Villages
 

[QUOTE=Kenswing;1465014]Hi There!

We are still five years out from retiring but are pretty sure that the Villages would be a good fit for us.

We currently live in WA and want to live someplace warmer with plenty of activities. The winter aches and pains are starting to catch up to us.. lol


Regarding the Villages.
Just some thoughts to share.
There are four main centers, Spanish Springs, older and more developed. Sumter, we live there, plenty to do and Brownwood, newer and now Fenny a long way off and for now, into the development so to speak. So, we came here three times, stayed 4 to 6 weeks each time. So, get a golf cart rental,(J and J Rents) and do some serious looking around with a map. It takes a long time.
Do you like to walk, bike or Cart or use a regular car?
Traffic for cars is really wild during Nov, Dec thru May.
Slower here in summer, a bit hot and humid but the reduced population then is nice to have. There is a lot of drinking here, happy hours and more happy hours. Each town center has Music every evening, we call most of that noise to be heard several blocks away. There are several good Outside Realtors, there is the Village Realtors and so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Be careful and I do mean be careful and here is a thought, about 50 percent of what a Realtor tells you is garbage, they want to sell a house. Again, be very careful here,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in a word, do not impulse buy a house or villa. Do not!!!
Price range is enormous be sure to look at the local paper, the Sun.
Sumter landing is more central, there is a nice hotel there. There are rentals galore, by owner and by agencies and by the Villages. Again, be careful and take your time, TAKE YOUR TIME. Hope this helps. On this site you can do a private email to us.
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:pepper2: :gc:

I would choose the new area wherever they are building when you are looking....BUT we like new homes. New and used cost about the same, the differences being view, mostly.

If I were you, I would come and visit on your vacation every year until it is time and then decide. And talk to everyone, and ask them what they love about where they live.

I went to Laurel Manor for the Craft show and was struck by the fact that there were considerably older people at that show then the one at Colony. Now that doesn't matter at all to ME, but being around old people is something some folks wish to avoid.

Don't ask me. This getting old happened without my knowledge or consent.

I am glad I live HERE in The Villages, and in the middle part.

Hello Ken,

Welcome to TOTV!

I am a long time wannabee (going for the Guinness Book of World Records). I have visited The Villages several times since 2011, and I have done several 7 and 8 day rentals and one Lifestyle Preview Visit since then. I would love to visit The Villages for a month at a time, but I still work full time.

TOTV is an excellent resource for newbies and wannabees to get information about moving to and living in The Villages. Go onto The Villages web site to see the new and preowned homes for sale. You can also see preowned homes for sale by non-Village real estate agents by going on realtor.com.

As you get closer to actually purchasing a home, you may want to draw up a list of "must haves" and "nice to have but not a deal breaker" based on location, number of bedrooms, price, new vs. preowned, size of the garage, age of the house, etc.

The Villages now has a population of 115,000+ people, and is spread over 3 counties (Lake, Marion and Sumter). Construction will be going on in the far southern parts of The Villages for several more years, in The Village of Fenney which opened about 5 months ago, and the other villages to be developed in the future near Fenney. So build-out is still quite aways down the road, if ever . . . but that is another subject.

Can you see everything in a 4 or 5 day visit -- no, but you can get a taste of what life in The Villages is like. In addition to visiting The Villages through the Lifestyle Preview Plan, you may want to consider renting from a homeowner in The Villages for a week or two during the slower season. Many Villagers own rental homes in The Villages that they rent out for weeks, months or on a long term basis. From May through October it is easy to get a rental for 7 or 8 days. I was just in The Villages for 6 days in early September; I rented a home on the Historic Side (the area where The Villages started in the 1980's).

Don't be shy about asking questions on TOTV. As was previously posted, do your homework on moving to The Villages.

All the best to you as you start your research.

We came down for a week on the Villages preview plan. We went to all of the open houses we could find and talked to different agents. We went and visited the town squares and recreation centers also and spoke to everyone we could. We decided that we needed a courtyard villa for our dogs because there is a wall all around so they can go out and roam around freely. We considered old and new construction but then decided on pre-owned because we wanted to be near Lake Sumter Landing because it was centrally located between Spanish Springs and Brownwood. We felt we were getting the best of all worlds and were not disappointed. There is definitely something for everyone.

It took us 5 years to sell our house in a down market prior to coming to TV. We purchased a little villa in the interim so there was time to look around. We bought a new Designer and a few years later sold it. We discovered we could get a fabulous solidly built resale without the 20k bond, on a larger lot, with nice upgrades for tens of thousands less....and we are picky. It is also larger and has more privacy. This is a 2005-6 built area and all people are Not old. In our cul de sac, new, young people are constantly moving in. This is mainly a retirement community, changes happen often. Both times, unlike the initial villa, we chose to not be nearer to the centers but closer, not too close, to highways for easier travel and shopping. We loved the entertainment centers at first but found they were less important than the regional centers and pools throughout the area. We still go to LSL, Spanish Springs and Brownwood but not so often. Neighbors are what is important and so many good people super friendly live everywhere we have lived here. Traffic is not an issue as we are now well located and we are not bar flies at the centers as a previous poster listed as possible issues. You will love it here but take your time and be careful looking around to get what You like not what some sales person promotes. Keep in mind, many new homes need upgrades after you move in to suit your tastes as well as resales. We spent more on the new home than this one by far. Lots to keep in mind. The suggestions that you rent for more than a few weeks is a good one.

Wow! Thank you all for the replies.

We'll still be young(ish) when we move. sixty two is still young, right? Neither of us has any problem driving but I have to say I love the whole idea of getting to most places in a golf cart.

I think I prefer a preowned house. Have had new houses in the past and think I would prefer a well established neighborhood with mature landscaping. I think it will come down to location and finding a house we're happy with.

It sounds like there is just no easy answer without spending time and exploring. Even then it sounds like the first choice might not be the last choice. I absolutely hate moving so I hope this will be the last house we ever have to buy.

As far as the people of the Villages.. That is what got us interested in the first place. We love to cruise and over the years have met many people on the ship that live in the Villages and they all seemed really nice and had almost 100% positive things to say about where they live.

Thanks again for the great ideas and advice.

-Ken

We must be the same age or very close in age. The age range of most Villagers seems to go from early 50's to 90+. If you check out the weekly Villages recreation news on line, there is a club for every interest. Also, quite a few people have posted videos on You Tube about The Villages. I think when people move to The Villages they age backwards, kind of like what happened to Brad Pitt in the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. :)

Instead of doing lifestyle visits it might be better if you rent in different areas of the villages. We started coming in 07 and stayed in 4 areas. . We first bought into 2010 or second house came in 2012 and her third house in 2014. it’s easy to change your mind down here and move to a different area or a different style of house or a bigger garage.

I'm 54, wife is 56. I love all the choices of clubs and activities there. My username is Ken's Wing.. Not Ken Swing.. lol I hope to join a Goldwing motorcycle club when I get there. It'll be nice to be able to ride more than 3 or 4 months out of the year.

You're not helping.. lol

I'm 54 and my wife is 56. We're both still pretty active. Love to travel. I've seen too many people retire and have nothing to do. All the clubs and activities at the Villages can certainly keep you active. Can't wait to be able to ride a motorcycle more than 3 or 4 months out of the year.

i chose to be walking distance from lsl. i don't see well to drive at night but i can get to the square for food or shopping or entertainment on foot anytime. the more you visit the more you'll learn about what's important to you. my only regret is that i didn't move here ten years ago. life got in the way, you know? happy hunting!

I just purchased my Courtyard Villa (CYV) this June after looking for 2 years. I gathered information from both a MLS Realtor (Leslie Williamson with ERA Grizzard-highly recommend!) and Realty Executives in the Villages (Crystal Adams-also highly recommend)since all of the available properties (resale and new construction) are not listed in one place, but rather in many (MLS, the villages properties and FSBO For Sale By Owner). I did not have my heart set on a certain village and truly feel that they each have their own charm but all offer the wonderful lifestyle and amenities that the villages is known for. Instead, I let the home "speak" to me (in a way) and picked the home that felt right. It felt like a place that I could call "home." I did purchase a home that did not have a bond, no grass to mow, no carpet and an updated interior. When the right one comes along, make the offer. ERA Grizzard has a very good website with excellent pictures, maps, info. on each house and village. There is no obligation to buy to use it! I viewed it most days from my NJ home and actually made the offer and closed long distance from NJ without a problem. I wish you happy house hunting and a bright future in retirement.

Five years from now it will be quite a bit different down here than it is now. We have met people in Fenney that are on their 4th, 5th, and even 7th home in The Villages. I wouldn't be too concerned about where you want to be until you are ready as there will be a lot of changes between now and then.