[samhass]

Do you ever wish you hadn't sold the "old homestead"?

[villages07]

Having just sold my house after 18 months on the market, the answer is definitely NO. We had no desire to maintain 2 homes. That house was 3 levels, over 4,000 sq ft, 10 years old, a one acre wooded lot, and a small neighborhood of less than 10 houses. Way too big, starting to require too much maintenance, and more lawn care than we wanted to do. But, it was a great home and a nice way to spend 10 years and a good investment.

It was a chapter in our lives that is now closed and TV, with all that it has to offer, is now definitely home.

[784caroline]

Comming from the Virginia side of DC my story is similar to villages07. After living in my Va home for 26 years it is time to move. We have been trying to sell for 1 1/2 years finally found a buyer and now trying to clear contingencies to settle next month. WE live in a beautiful development with a lake, golf course , tennis courts etc but to be honest with you, most if not all of our closest friends have all moved away. The families in our immediate cul-de-sac are all very nice but they are a new generation with children ages 4-9. WE did that and now with retirement being a new venture for us we want to start fresh meeting new people and try different things. DONT LOOK BACK....look forward. I dont think we would grow if we stayed put....besides we can visit anyone we want and are extending our new florida home to friends and family who want to visit......if we are home!!

[dianerk]

No regrets. This is home -- probably for this last chapter of my life. In fact, I get annoyed with folks who when they travel back for a visit say they are going "home." My home is where I live now -- not where I previously lived.

[samhass]

Interesting point, jbsmom. I have to plead guilty to doing just that. Maybe when we sell the place up north then I will finally be "home" down here.
Caroline, I loved your answer, and 07, I identify well with what you are saying.

[chelsea24]

The only thing I miss about "back home" is my hubby working! LOLOL I really do not miss Illinois. I love waking up to palm trees, spacious beautiful skies. I love our home and wonderful new friends. And our friends from Illinois have visited or will be visiting, I talk to them constantly on the phone, so we are very much in touch. Our kids are all over the map, so they weren't in Illinois for many years. We've been here 8 mos. now and it really feels like home and more. I still wake up asking myself how I got this lucky. (Especially when I heard about the horrendous weather Chicago had this year!)

[swrinfla]

No way!

I've way more friends here in TV. The weather's way better (or it is at least 90% of the time). I don't have to cope with a three-storied house plus basement. I don't worry nearly as much about possible burglars or muggers or other threats. Even at the busiest of time, the traffic here is way less!

And, my younger daughter who still lives in the metro area, approved of my move here wholeheartedly, and wondered why I would even think she might not like the idea!

So, I've not been back in three years and have no rgerets whatsoever! ;D

SWR

[johudd]

We are in the process of selling our home and moving to The Villages - reading everyone's comments has truly made me feel like we are doing the right thing. I'm glad there are few regrets. I haven't even left for TV yet and already am feeling sad - 22 years in one house and neighborhood.

We are so anxious to sell the house here and get on with our lives in TV.

Thanks

[nONIE]

I havant even left for TV yet and already Im not missing it. Home that is ,which never felt like home to me from day 1.

Back home to me is not the place I have lived in for the past 37 years. Back home is the home of my childhood in Chicago of which I have nothing but happy memories. So leaving here will not be upsetting to me in the least. Of course I will miss the grands which Im sure will visit often, or we can fly back to see them. I will also miss my friends but they can visit often.

Actually, I never thought it possible to make such wonderful new friends elsewhere in such a short time.Just knowing the great new life that is awaiting me in TV is tremendously exciting and it cant happen soon enough!


just a sidenote: Its amazing to think that our ancestors came to this country not knowing if they would ever see the familys they left "back Home" in Europe again. That must have been a bittersweet journey.

[beady]

Home to me is where I raised my kids and lived for 23 years. It was a wonderful old house(Built in 1832). It creaked and groaned , and every repair was a major project. But we loved it and both kids were born there,grew up there and left there to start their lives. When we sold it was a bittersweet feeling. All the memories and all the struggles, but we new we didn't need 10 rooms for 2 people and so we left the creaks and groans. The folks that bought it from us have done wonderful things with the house and we love to drive by and see how wonderful it looks. That was 14 years ago, 2 moves in between and now I am home again in TV. I finally feel like this is where I should be. ;D ;D

[chelsea24]

Very interesting sidebar Nonie. I never thought about that. :bigthumbsup:

[Caroline Rose]

As we are packing up to move to TV, we are looking forward to making our house in TV a home. We look forward to new friends, new adventures, and a new way of enjoying life.

Our home here in VA. served us well for 26 years but now that journey is coming to an end. The community is still nice but a new generation of people are moving in and my husband and I are looking for new adventures.

[jadebox]

We moved here after living in Northwest Florida for almost 40 years. 18 years in a large brick home with hot tub and inground pool. My husband was molding it for retirement. Found The Villages and sold the house. Neither of us have looked back. The Villages is our home.
OH and since moving here we do go on TRIPS but no vacations---living here is a year round vacation.

[Village Kid 2]

Unless one is from an old neighborhood where time has stood still, it seems there is no real "back home" in the true sense of it. Families change, neighborhoods change. Most of our "back home" neighborhoods look totally different from when we started there. Mine surely has. It started out with all the neighbors staying put until our generation became of age and moved on to their adult life. Then all the "parent" generation passed on. New young people bought the houses in the "old neighborhood" and made them into a newer version. My extended family has passed on or moved on. Suddenly I am the last one in town! Is it hard to leave? Heck no! Show me the nearest Villages pool and put a margarita in my hand. TV is the gold at the end of the rainbow.

VK2

p.s. Don't need no stinkin noodle, I float - that fluffiness comes in handy sometimes.