Why TV?
 

I was wondering, when you were deciding to move to Florida upon retirement, why did you choose TV over other retirement communities, i.e. Terra Vista and Brentwood among many more. Did you fall in love with the Villages and look no further, or did you compare TV with other communities before making your decision. What was the tipping point?

Cheaper than a divorce
 

Wife wanted to live in TV. I liked "Top of the World" in Ocala. The increase cost of TV was cheaper than a divorce!:wave:

2 Oldcrabs, I know of what you speak.

I moved here because almost every store I need is golf cart accessible.

We are not TV residents yet, but will be once we sell out house in VA. We were not specifically looking to move to FL, just further south for more warmth more of the year. When we visited TV, we were struck by how unique it is compared to other places we had seen. There is simply nowhere like it. The size of the community gives opportunities that can't exist other places that are smaller (and most are siginificantly smaller). We like to perform in choral groups and musicals, and NO other retirement community has the options available that TV has. TV simply has more to do than anywhere else. We have visited 3 times over the last 5 years, and each visit convinces us more that it's the place for us. Are there things we would change if we could? About the only one we think of is the lot size. That will take some getting used to, but we think it's a more than fair trade off for what you get, which is the opportunity to do as much or as little as you want in a lovely setting with a lot of fun people around you. We can't wait to get there.

B.

Had NO plans to leave Ohio ever.

We are not impulsive.

Absolutely fell in love with this place. Still on the honeymoon after almost four years and second house.

ALCON,
I agree with everything just said above; we have been living in Germany for the last 40 years and actually planned on retiring here and maybe doing the 6 month USA Florida Winter - Europe Summer thing, as a few of our German acquaintences are doing. Well after a couple of vacation trips to The Villages we were both convinced there was no other place we would rather be. We did check out Solivita near Orlando but while beautiful, the happy feeling you get in TV was just not there. Solivita does get bonus points for their home styles; I don't think there is a Premier home in TV that can compare to the styling offered there for less money. The level of home style was not the deciding factor, however, THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE IN THE WORLD LIKE THE VILLAGES, I'm convinced of that as I have lived and travelled extensively in Europe and Asia. We feel very Blessed and humbled to have the opportunity to soon join all of the happy people living in The Villages! In our view; the grass is not greener.....

Kids live in Orlando
 

so it was a no-brainer BUT we were looking at Solivita (south of Orlando) when prices for "condo's" near SS became a bidding war but fortunately found our little yellow house and are living happily ever after....

So true and :a20:

TV is the first and only retirement community that I have checked out.

It blew me away on so many levels. The beauty of the landscaping, friendly people, the squares, music, activities that will keep one feeling younger, etc. etc, etc.

I just knew deep in my soul this place was built for me. :)

Then, I found TOTV with it's smart, funny members and knew they was no need to look any further. They confirmed what I instintively knew, there is no other place like TV.

When you step into heaven, can any other place compare?

we had ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION of purchasing a home in florida! but when i found out that the villages had it's own polo fields, barns and followers i KNEW that this was the kind of community that if we did buy a florida house - this was where it should be!

and so, when this little manufactured house on the historic side cried out to us as we were driving by, we investigated and figured that the price was soooo good we could not go back to jersey without buying it! we have never regretted that purchase! and our arrival in mid jan cannot come soon enough for me!

We checked out a bunch of 55-and-over places all around FL - all types of housing, price points, amenities, etc. For us, TV provided the whole package - the lifestyle - we concluded we were looking for. Can you get more "house" elsewhere for less money? Absolutely! Can you find the same lifestyle elsewhere..........at any price? Not that we could find. Nothing else even came close!!

TV sure isn't perfect - ANYTHING in life is always a series of compromises. But it fit the 'bill' for us........no pun intended, of course! :a040:

Sandy reminds me of the "countdown" - on nearly a daily basis - of the number of weeks/days til our next trip down there!!! :pepper2: Woo-hoo!!!

Bill :)

Looked at may retirement life styles, condo, houses, over 55 and etc. The other 55 and over had no one there when we visited in the summer-a ghost town...gods waiting room...not the style of living I wanted...I am raring to go and start a new lifet. they were not. The villages is a perfect fit...none like it that I found....will be down to stay permanently soon I hope.....It is a Disney World or adults......so happy I am going to get to start a new life with people who are interested in starting a new life and I do meanLIFE

Herv & Ruth
 

And your still keeping us newbies in line and on Track!

Thank you Gracie

Herv & Ruth

As Gracie has said before, we didn't even like Florida. But TV is a whole different deal. We are not there yet, but will spend Feb and Mar. there hoping to buy. We spent one afternoon looking at Stonecrest, and found the houses there very appealing. However, on a beautiful April Saturday, there was almost no one at the pools or rec center, the golf course was not busy, we saw few people out of their homes, in carts, on bicycles, walking........ We looked at each other and said "why in the world would be move here when we are obviously in love with The Villages? Couldn't think of a good reason, so Stonecrest was/is out of the picture. TV is like no place else that I have seen, my cousin lives in Sun City just outside of Austin, and while it is nice, there is no comparison in my opinion. My motivation is to enjoy the miriad of activities available and no place else has them to the extent of TV.