Considering a move to The Villages
 

We're considering a move to The Villages, hopefully within a year or so. Looking for a single family 2k+/- 3bed 2bth. As well we'll need some advice on Assisted Living Facilities in the area for an elderly parent.

A few questions in no particular order...

Which areas have natural gas ? Are all homes there on two separate water meters (potable and irrigation) ?

I see there are Freestanding ERs. Are these more Urgent Care or actual 911 receiving ERs ? Who is running them and are they the same as TV Health, whereas they only accept Medicare Advantage ? Other than The Villages Hospital near Spanish Springs what other hospitals are there in the area ? Are others planned to be built ? And as to health care I've read that doctors are far and few and the care in general is quite poor. Is there any truth to this ?

Are all or most homes block ? Who are/were the main builders in the area ?
Is the closest airport in Orlando ? We have family who will be visiting from time to time in NY. We heard mention there is a shuttle bus to and from, is this true ?

We'll be heading down in the next few weeks. What would be the best road(s) for traveling north and south ?

Thanks....

Welcome to Talk of the Villages and here's the information I can provide:

First off, for your upcoming trip, if you have haven't contacted a VLS agent already (see below) one will be assigned and can answer a lot of questions. You can then attend clubs, events and the like, and get a lot of information. Even though you are a year or so out, I heartily recommend Samantha Griffin, the agent who greatly helped us over the past year-plus (we just purchased a home today). She can be reached at samantha.griffin@thevillages.com.

As for areas with gas appliances, gas was a big factor for us, and what I found is that you can find electric and gas sometimes in the same neighborhoods. We looked at 30+ homes during a month-long stay this past October, and some homes are plumbed for gas but have electric stoves (for instance). Having said that, we found gas generally around the Sea Breeze recreation center area, up near Canal Street rec center, but there are plenty of other areas (I think a lot above Route 466.

Many homes are block, but there are other construction types as you've likely determined. Another thing an agent can help search for. As an aside, you'll see recommendations to get both a VLS agent and an MLS agent, as homes can only be on one or the other. We originally thought about that but in the end stuck with VLS (a) because so many homes come up for sale, and (b) we just liked being tied into the Villages system for the sale -- and we found the perfect house.

Orlando airport is a bit closer than Jacksonville it appears (others can chime in if I have that wrong) and it's a pretty straight shot from TV to get there. We recently used bus transportation, and though there are threads with problems, that could just be a growing pain as a new company took over the bulk of the bus trips.

As for traveling north (presumably from Orlando) again it's pretty much a straight shot up the turnpike.

Hopefully this helps. Again, contact Samantha Griffin if you haven't already had someone assigned, and see if she can help you when you're down visiting. Best of luck.

A lot of ?s. Need to come down and check it out personally in order to answer most of your questions.

Closest airport is Orlando and around 60 miles away. Several transportation companies available and you can get on a large van or pick more personal service, based upon your budget. Driving down from the NE, take 95 south to the Jacksonville area and take 301 south from there. Can use other interstate routes but none go straight to The Villages

Will get different opinions on health care. Personally feel it is good but others will tell you differently. Most of the medical facilities are in the older northern areas, such as Spanish Springs or Lake Sumter. Newer developments are further south. Need to check out area yourself based upon personal tastes, budget, new vs old etc

You should find a Villages sales rep as well as a MLS rep.

If you decide you want to move here strongly suggest renting for a month or two.

Book a lifestyle visit . They provide the requested information. Shuttle bus runs frequently to airport for $40

I live in one of the newest villages. Up until about a few months ago, the developer was building designer homes with block and stucco. They're now building them with tilt wall construction which is supposed to be stronger against hurricanes. The new homes have gas. Water is separated into potable and non-potable.

I am 15 minutes away from Leesburg Hospital vs 35 minutes from The Villages Hospital. 50 minutes to MCO.

I've been very happy with the quality and accessibility of health care here.

Groome Transportation provides a door to door shuttle to MCO or express depot service from 3 locations for $40. The Villages Airport Transportation - Groome Transportation There's also a bunch of services that provide private shuttles.

South of 44
 

Welcome!

South of 44 we have an Urgent Care UF on the corner of 44 and Buena Vista. We also have a nice facility for appointments in Brownwood Pinellas Square run by Advantage. The closest major hospital is Leesburg Hospital UF. We have been happy with the availability of care.

Assisted living places are Harbor Chase and Harrison. We also have a top notch Memory Care Center. These are all in Wildwood. The Moffitt Cancer Center is an hour away in Wesley Chapel.

We are a fair distance from the VA center on 42 (almost 35 minutes). However, we are less than an hour from the Orlando airport.

Natural gas services the Southern area south of 44. If you custom build you can chose electric or gas for your stove and dryer.

I’m not really sure what’s available in the northern section.

I know our builder was assigned by the Villages design department.

In the Northern section, the drive to Orlando Airport is approx 75 minutes. There is a small airport in Gainesville that services a few airlines. Tampa airport is not much further than the Orlando airport.

Gas is available on the Lopez/Glenview side while eletric for the villages close to Spanish Springs Town Center. The newer villages of Woodbury and Chatam also have electric.

The Villages Hospital and VA are very close. For some villages they are mere minutes away and further villages approx 10 minute drive. We are also close to all the hospitals in Ocala/Summerfield and a highly rated hospital in Gainseville.

Commercial businesses and stores are widely available throughout the ENTIRE area. We have easy access to many good restaurants in Ocala and on 466. The Lopez Country Club has always been a favorite of most villagers. We also have an easy corridor to Lady Lakes and vicinity where you will find some good family-owned restaurants and stores. In this area, you can shop, dine, doctor visits, or whatever within a few minute drive.

Whether or not you need a Medical advantage plan is your choice. People have different health needs. You will have to choose what is best for you.

Our homes are block or frame. You can find some with tiled roofs. The homes were built in the late 1990s and early 2000s. You may want to get an insurance quote before buying. Most of the bonds have been paid. If not, the balance is very low. There are a few villages that were built around 2016- 2019. They are located in the northernmost part of the Villages.

Be sure to contact SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) SHINE - Home, for UNBIASED information. The villages Health System only accepts 3 or 4 ADVANTAGE plans which may limit your healthcare, Original Medicare and supplemental, you can go anywhere (except Villages Health System), but you can use their specialists. It is a very confusing system. There is a lot of information as well as some misinformation or this subject so be sure you do your own research and use SHINE. You can start before you get here by calling them.

Above all rent if possible in couple of areas, what makes some residents happy in one area doesn’t mean it will fit your needs. The newer area have younger residents, and retail isn’t as high the their list. Amazon and Kroger trucks frequent areas.

We travel to Gainesville UF for healthcare, which on a good day is an hour and 5 from our house. Plus if we eat out, pleather of restaurants since we usually do an overnight.
Take your time figure out what is important and what is a non starter.

Our list of how many times we traveled to SS was 3-4 times a year.
LSL area couple time a month.

We travel turnpike and 1-75 couple times a week, so we continue to move south

"The Villages Health" is a multi-function medical group, one of several in the area, but the "official" one of The Villages. Although it's not an HMO, it is similar to HMO facilities from the 1980's, where you could get every kind of doctor you needed under one roof or on a single campus. They accept only Medicare Advantage for patients with Medicare, but they also accept many normal health insurances that aren't Medicare, for people who aren't old enough for Medicare yet.
The Villages Hospital has a less-than-stellar rating, but /most/ of it is due to their subpar Emergency department. Their outpatient surgical center is pretty good, from what I've heard. Leesburg Hospital is down at the south-eastern end of The Villages, and there's UF Health Shands to the northwest around an hour away from the northernmost tip of The Villages.
There are tons of doctors all over the place in and near The Villages. There are many acres of medical centers, medical buildings, surgical centers, dermatologists, heart specialists, podiatrists, etc. etc. You can't drive on 441, 466, or 466A without being more than a block from some kind of doctor or another. I can't speak on behalf of them all regarding their quality. I imagine it's not much different from anywhere else: some are great, some less so.

Yes most are block. If you're looking for new construction in the new area, you'll get the builder the Developer says you get. If you're looking to tear down an older home and build new, no idea. There are a bunch of builders. The closest large/international airport is Orlando (MCO). The main shuttle company is Groome but there are others. Groome runs regularly to and from MCO and makes stops at each of the three Town Squares.

It depends on where you're travelling from. Florida's Turnpike runs along the edge and cuts through the southern part of The Villages, and I-75 is nearby to the west. State road 301 is the main non-interstate road on the west side of the Villages, and 441/27 is the main route on the east side. 301 is an easier drive than 441. 441 is under constant and continual construction, has a lot of traffic, a lot of the time, and is sort of like the Boston Post Road, if you're from New England and are familiar with it. Lots of traffic lights, lots of idiots on the road.

You also can fly into Sanford airport. Some smaller, regional carriers fly there. It’s about the same distance as MCO, but Sanford is due east of TV.
Depending on where you buy, distance to airport could vary by 30 minutes.
Best thing sto do? Spend a few weeks here, renting. Talk with people and talk with realtors.

Most memory care units are private pay, and therefore not subject to any CMSS type evaluation, so curious about the basis of the comment, as I also have a memory care parent and often consider a move to FL. .


Data based comparison / evaluation? how and where if so

personal experience with more than two, out of state as well ?

Sales / marketing personal opinion?


thanks

Trinity Springs has a great reputation among folks I know who have people living there, or know folks who are living there.

Where in NY are you leaving from?