Considering Retiring To The Villages
 

Hi Everyone!

I'm considering retiring and moving to The Villages. I currently live in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. I'm coming to The Villages May 20th - May 23rd.
I'm looking at homes - both new and used. Since I'm single, I don't need a large place to live. I like the floor plans of Colony, Austin, Corpus Christi, Cabot Cove, Ruby and Pearl.
I have a Villages Real Estate Agent who will be taking me around while I'm there.
Hopefully, I will be able to meet some of you while I'm in town.

Larry

I always admire people who read TOTV and still want to move here. It really is a wonderful place to live.

Good luck to you but do think you need more than a weekend to decide if you want to come here and where you might want to live.

We rented for a month and with hindsight could have made it 2.

You’ll also want an MLS realtor. The Villages sales agents can’t sell MLS houses and MLS realtors can’t sell Villages properties.
I don’t know the breakdown of MLS vs Villages homes - but you are probably missing 50% of the homes by only working with one agent.

Also, above is correct, you can’t make a decision in 3 days - you’ll want to be here for a month. The place is huge and each “area” has a different vibe.

Do your thing. Ignore all replies and base your decision on what you see and what can be done here compared to anywhere else.

We were here two days, but my wife already had perused all the homes/layouts and decided her ideal. She found it the 2nd day and we signed/moved in two days later.

I golf...a lot...my wife quilts/moves stuff around the house constantly...even have her mowing the lawn... :-).

Enjoy the trip.
The Agent is a great source of information.......they are selling, but they have a lot of info for newbies.
Try to hit a town square.
Whatever your interests are, ask the Agent how to sample during your trip.
Good Luck.

You will be overwhelmed and astonished. We love it here. Hope you find happiness. My husband and I just like it better every day. It will be fifteen years.

Yes, perfect advice. Get a 'real real estate agent.

Oh please.

I like The Villages agents. They don't PUSH. They don't have to. AND...They can sell new houses and resales. New neighborhoods are fun if you are new and the new homes don't cost any more than used. P.S. I don't sell houses.

They can only sell the resales they have.

They cannot access nor sell any MLS listings.

Have a REAL agent in addition to the Villages agents. That will give you access to a LOT of additional and varied postings.

And NEW home can cost a LOT more than resales. Starting with the $30,000 bond, landscaping, etc. No squares to go to down there, etc etc.

This is a wonderful place to live. Spend some time late afternoon in the evenings at one of the Squares and talk to people at the bars, etc.

That made my choices much easier. And I found that 8 out of 10 people did not buy through the Villages agents.

I wouldn’t take it to bank what village realty says, they will push new homes. That ok if that’s all you interested in. But I would look at all options which includes Other real estate listing? I would be looking online right now what on market that might be interested in.

That says a lot also. Village realtor’s will push new home’s and they are only down “there”.

The Villages agents make the same percentage selling new or used. Our Village agent, Jim McLaughlin, showed us resales when we decided we needed a bigger home. We ended up building. It was cheaper to build.

I am so tired of people saying mean stuff about the newest areas. Someone is always trying to bash the developer and someone is always trying to sell up MLS. No one has to push The Villages.... I love the way The Villages does business. Apparently so do a lot of people. Folks are lined up to buy here. P.S. I don't sell houses and I have never sold houses, but I love watching the market on homes.

My first Villages agent evaded showing me even one resale. Their primary mission is selling new homes for the developer. Be sure your Villages agent is willing to show you resales and find a Realtor to show you MLS listings as well.