Retention Pond Concern ( Possible )
 

We are considering buying a home here in the Villages.

Our question is: Are there or should we have any concerns regarding a purchase of a home that backs up to a Retention Pond? The views are beautiful, but are there any potential negatives we need to be aware of i.e. water , bugs, smells when we have a dry spell, critters etc. ?

We really would appreciate your replies.

Check to be sure that you have no liability for accidents in the pond. In Indiana such ponds are attached to a buildable lot and sometimes homeowners end up owning a retention pond that they didn't know they were buying with their lot! I don't know if this happens in Florida or not, but I would check it out. Also your insurance cost may be higher.

also note said retention ponds on any maps...they are usually footnoted to state there may not always be water in them.

There are retention ponds in TV that do not have water in them.

There is a lake in TV (Black Lake) that has/had no water in it for the 9 years we have lived here.

btk

Our first home in TV was on a retention pond. We had water everytime there was heavy, heavy rain otherwise it was dry. You have no obligation beyound your lot line for maintainence of retention pond area. (disregard what happens in Indiana) The privacy of open space forever is very nice. Smells were never an issue. Go for it!

When the water is low, depending on the time of year, and the location, there MAY be smells.

I live on a pond in St. James (Well, Bill-n-Brillo call it an ocean!). I have nothing but positive things to say about the location. The view overlooking the water is breathtaking....especially the sunsets. The birds flying around and swimming in the water are so pretty and entertaining. I have never noticed an odor or increase in bugs, etc. It's all been good. Go for it!

We back on two small retention ponds, about 100 feet from our house. During dry spells, the water level can be low. We have never had any smells at all from the ponds.

Positives:
Peace and serenity.
The frogs sing you to sleep at night.
The birds are amazing! We always have ducks and white birds, sometimes sand hill cranes, we've even had Pelicans fishing in formation.

Negatives:
For us, there is only one negative. Gators can travel from pond to pond. We chose to back on small ponds, hoping there wouldn't be gators. In three years, we've seen one small gator, and he was just passing through, gone the next day. We have two dogs and invisible fencing. If you have dogs, you will need to check the ponds, the lawns and the surroundings carefully, before you let your dogs out.

Everyone on our street and the next who are surrounding our very large pond are complaining about the blind mosquitoes. Had no problem the first year. Loved it. Then we were infested and continue to be every year. Our house is pretty much covered from spring to fall. We have to constantly sweep down the house or have our bug company do so. My husband sprays the front door area when we expect company. They get into everything. After the humidity leaves we are fine and we have a little break. They stain the house and decking with their dead bodies plastered to everything. The Villages, from what we understand refuses to spray these ponds.

[QUOTE=DAWN MARIE;758696]Everyone on our street and the next who are surrounding our very large pond are complaining about the blind mosquitoes. Had no problem the first year. Loved it. Then we were infested and continue to be every year. Our house is pretty much covered from spring to fall. We have to constantly sweep down the house or have our bug company do so. My husband sprays the front door area when we expect company. They get into everything. After the humidity leaves we are fine and we have a little break. They stain the house and decking with their dead bodies plastered to everything. The Villages, from what we understand refuses to spray these ponds.[/QUOTE]

What is the basis for this understanding?

You may see an aligator or rwo.....we have in the new Village of Hillsborough.

I wondered when we visited why the ponds that don't go dry don't have a little fountain in the middle that keeps the water moving and discourages the negatives that come with stagnate water. When we lived in Calif and here in Wa the developments with ponds have a water spout type fountain in the middle to help keep the water clear.

Some of the neighbors called when it first started and that's what they were told. I talked with various bug guys and they confirmed that. The power wash people as well know all about it as they have to clean these bugs off the houses. They must hate to come to our neighborhood.

I've never seen a blind mosquito, do they bite?

Pond or no pond
 

I don't live on a pond or near one but it seemed this summer that when we were on the golf cart paths passing a pond the smell could, at times, be horrible. Some say it wasn't the ponds but it was too coincidental that when near one it stunk. I bet the sunsets are beautiful and the wild life is fun to watch but if you can't go outdoors to enjoy it I might second guess living near a pond if I had other options.

I live on a retention pond (I mean ocean!) in Swimdawg North and we have two fountains in our pond to move the water. I did call TV and suggested a fountain for the pond at "Swimdawg South" and they were adamant that no fountains would ever be installed. Wow!

BTW, there is no odor coming from the pond....and I have never seen a "blind mosquito".....but those ducks do quack and the water fowl are so much fun to watch!