Moved back home to Michigan
 

We sold our 2nd home in TV a few months ago (September) and moved back to our home state of Michigan in November. We're in northwest Michigan where we get LOTS of snow!! We lived in TV for 5 years and just couldn't get really acclimated to Florida living. We're sooooo thrilled to be "Home" and are enjoying "Winter" up here. We'll come to FL and rent for a couple of months in subsequent years, but for now we're just enjoying being here. Nothing against TV...it's a great place to live IF you're really into it. Personally, we just couldn't make the necessary adjustments to be really happy there. We DO miss our friends...but they'll ALWAYS be our friends and we'll be back to visit.

"Different strokes for different folks" as the saying goes. :) You seem really happy with your decision and your new direction.............and that's all that matters. Congrats!

Bill

Everyone has to do what's right for them. Congrats on the decision you made.

I admit Geraldine that I have been loving this month of snow in Ohio.

There is so much a mix of cultural backgrounds in TV. Sometimes I am comfortable and sometimes I am not. People are very much the same no doubt but they bring different life experiences, and those experiences and attitudes may not be something comfortable to you.

It is always nice to be home because home is where your heart is.

Right now I have two homes and love them both.

I am very glad you are happy and hope you will visit us when you return.

Hugs.

Please tell..
 

I am VERY interested in this subject. I have been considering a move to TV from Iowa for 4 years. I just retired. I am reluctant to buy for many reasons, including the cost and hassle of having two homes, (my wife will never sell our home up north because her entire family lives here and I do not blame her for that, but my entire family lives in TV), and because I do enjoy many things about our current home (working on it, no restrictions, hiking the woods even in the winter, a few friends still here, and of course it is my comfort zone. I do not enjoy a lot of small talk or dancing, and only golf somewhat, I love discussing controversial subjects, and love walking my dog all over, and I love exercising.
I REALLY would love to know why you and others moved back to your upnorth home, and what adjustments you could not make to live in TV.
I know this is personal but please share if you can.. you and anyone else who has made the move back north.
Thank you.
JJ

Is snow birding worth it?
 

Gracie: Great post. Another view on this. Thank you. Do you know if and where you will settle with one home or is long term snow birding your plan?
In order to buy a home in TV, I would have to look at permanent snow birding and that is what bothers me. Thanks. JJ

Geraldine doesn't say if they kept their old home in Michigan while they were in TV or bought a different one when they moved back.

If you are unsure how you will do pulling up roots and moving whole hog, I would suggest buying a 2nd home here if you can afford to have 2 homes. Lots of furnished ones available in TV or you can buy quite nice secondhand furniture here, or blend some old and some new. It is a worry and a hassle (to have 2 homes), but if you like where you are up north and are unsure about your move better to be sure before you sell it.

If you have real doubts, or haven't relocated before, might behoove you to buy at the lower price level in The Villages while you decide. Some will say to rent, and I think that's a great idea too, (while you're looking for the right villa/home for you) but I don't think you really get into the social scene and ownership thing unless you're in your own place. I, for one, just felt temporary and not truly happy when I'm renting.

Plus, it's always easier to sell at the lower end of the market if you decide it's not for you or if you decide TV IS for you, sell the place up north and move to bigger in TV (if you want - I've met many people here in TV who are fulltimers and who downsize)

Consider, though, if it's the house or the area or the family members/friends still there that you are attached to or all 3. Change is hard. Some things to think about (and maybe make a customized list for yourself):

- is your house up north (or wherever) suitable for your later years when perhaps you are unable to maintain a large lot in the country or a big house with upstairs bedrooms/basement laundry? Maybe you should consider selling the country/big house and buying smaller or a condo where you are now, thus freeing up some money to be a snowbird.

- Many of your friends may end up relocating in retirement to be closer to THEIR family or to get a lifestyle like here in TV. Are your children going to stay there permanently or are they possibly going to relocate for jobs or warm weather living in the future?

I'm sure others can add more things to consider. Moving back is hard too and might not be what you thought it was going to be.

We are considering moving to TV in spring 2012. I hear why people move to TV, but hoping to hear others experience in what drew them back to their hometown. Thank you for your honesty.

Personal preferences
 

It's all a matter of personal preferences and what types of exercise and recreation one likes to do.

I know people who are avid walkers and who play golf--walking--well into their 90's, but they would end up dead or in a nursing home if their physical activity were shoveling snow, pushing a snowblower into wet, heavy snow that's a foot deep...or if they need an ambulance because they fell on ICE at the front door but the snowplows have not come thru yet, and it's too cold for salt to work...or if the city or township's budget for salt or plowing is exhausted two months early--as it's been in recent years where we came from.

Other seniors are competitive swimmers, rowers, bicyclists into their final years. Those possibilities year round are remote in the northern states and Canada.

And everyone loses bone density as they age, and the best way to get Vitamin D is walking in the morning or late p.m. sun with some skin exposed for as little as 20 minutes a day--the body cranks it out much better than it takes in supplements. See http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

:agree:
Ya gotta follow your heart just know you're always welcome back to live, visit or to participate in TOTV.

Moving back to Michigan --
 

I hope you will be find happiness with moving back to Michigan. As stated, no matter where a person chooses to live it is definitely of their own personal preference.

One thing I have always said is that each and everyone of us had a 'lifestyle' of our own while we were non-Villagers. We did things we enjoyed doing and had a 'life' before we did discover The Villages when we retired and chose to move here.

Now we have the choice to follow The Villages lifestyles or continue to be able to do whatever we want to do on our own. We took care of ourselves before TV and we can take care of ourselves while we enjoy living in TV too.
Our choice to make the move south was the climate and we would make a life for ourselves just like we did in the 'cold climate' no matter where we would end up living.

Snow is beautiful when you don't have to be out in it, and your refrigerator is stocked!!!

Went back to Pennsylvania for our Holiday visit. Arrived on December 20, started checking the date for our return trip December 22. :crap2:

in our case, home is where the heart is - or where we happen to be. we have a permanent residence at the jersey shore - monster seashore victorian that costs too much to maintain; but we love it here, husband is ultimately involved in the towns goings on and there are the friends - more and more family moves away every year.

then we have the house in maine that we bought 15 yrs ago when we had no thought of even going to florida - even on vacation. was a good deal to purchase, is not so expensive to maintain [even with house watch service] and could be sold in a heartbeat for a profit.

then our jersey friends bought in the villages and we would visit there on our return from disney world - where we had purchased disney's vacation club! bought that because we were growing weary of the cold, snow and ice of jersey and maine winters and a couple of winter weeks in florida sounded good. and it was. can't sell that for a profit, but the small timeshare enables different travel opptys and the chance to gift family with a vacation now and then.

so after visiting our villages friends for each of 4 winters and growing a little older and a bit more desireous of warmer winters we found a financial gem there that we could not afford not to buy! our investments were tanking at the same time and we thought it would do better in real estate rather than the bank - and it has. could sell in a new york minute if we ever had to for a profit.

so for now we travel between properties and enjoy the best that the seasons have to offer. am sure the day will come when we will no longer want to - and we will be faced with having to pick just one location to call home. that decision will be based on our health, finances and emotional needs of the time.

I spent 6 days in eastern Iowa (Dubuque) this Christmas visiting my dad. I spent my first 18 years in Dubuque before moving to Chicagoland. There was about 16 inches of snow on the ground in Dubuque, and while I enjoyed spending time with my dad and my sisters and their families, I was glad to get away from snowville! Now that the pre-Christmas snow has melted in Chicago, it looks strange to see no snow on the ground on Jan. 1. I've spent 50 winters in the midwest, and I'm pretty sure I could get used to snow-free winters in TV.

Last week while in Iowa, and I was using my laptop to look at houses for sale in TV, my 8year old niece asked what I was looking at on the internet. I told her I was looking at houses for sale in a part of Florida that I am thinking of moving to in about 10 years. Her reply was "Well you can only buy a house in Florida in 10 years if you live that long." I guess when you are 8, anyone over the age of 30 is ancient. :)

I long to live a different lifestyle. I dont care if I ever see snow again. I have plenty of pictures. Todays society is mobile. My family and friends will be welcome in TV. I have been enclosed working inside a hospital for years. My husband has been outside in all kinds of weather all year long. We both look forward to enjoying the lifestyle of TV. Our one grand child will miss us and therer are sure to be more someday. They too will be welcome. Our children feel that we need to do what is best for us. All three are out of college, married and have careers. It is our turn to start our new career!