[ConeyIsBabe]

I finally got the good TV map and am most interested in the Village of Caroline because of its proximity to LSL and closer to stores, etc.

What can y'all tell me about Caroline ?

[graciegirl]

The village of Caroline is almost identical to all other villages south of 466 and it is close to Lake Sumter Landing and the stores and entertainment there. However the stores there except for the Sweetbay Grocery Store are not the ones that you will need for your day to day living. The stores that are chains and we are all used to; Kohls, Walmart, Target, Publix, Lowes, Home Depot, TJMaxx, and Furniture stores and a large amount of restaurants are on one of the three main arteries that are in TV. The top one (North) is 441/27 that goes around to be the right perimeter. The middle one goes fairly straight east to west and is 466 and the bottom one (for now) is 466 A. 466A doesn't have as many commercial locations yet, but does have Publix, Used Book store, Bealls Outlet, Hair Stylist, barbershop, Chinese restaurant, McDonalds, Walgreens, Dollar store, Cici's Pizza, a couple more womens stores, and Subway. ( I think it has a Subway Sandwich place....anyone?) Colony Plaza is the newest shopping area and the furthest south for now. But south across from the Colony Plaza and continuing along 466A they already have the roads and a lot of the infrastructure to the third phase leading to the much talked about Brownwood.

The stores at Lake Sumter Landing are the kind of touristy places that you would expect. It does have the movie theatre and some good restaurants at LSL.

Dear Coney. Please come and see.

[Russ_Boston]

CIB - I agree with Gracie.

Why don't you come down for yourself? You've made lots of friends here on TOTV who would be glad to show you around.

The cost is very reasonable during April - December to rent a house and golf cart for a month and live the life. Seems like a very small price to pay to determine what your next move will be.

Very difficult to really picture TV without an in-person visit.

[nONIE]

CIB,

Russ is so right. Living in TV is more then just the great golf courses, Recreation centers, activities, restaurants, and an endless list of classes and clubs. It is an inner feeling of joy and happiness that can only be experienced by physically being here. Try to sneak away for awhile to see what we mean. it is almost unexplainable. How can one explain heaven if you have never been there????

[784caroline]

ConeyIsBabe

WE live in Caroline (North end) and in fact we can walk to Lake Sumter Landing if need be or it is a very short golf cart ride to practically anyplace in The Villages. I use Sweetbay as our 7-11 because it is so close and in 10 minutes or less we are to and from to grab something we may have missed. Graci is correct about the stores in LSL but we do use Subway, Bravos, Starbucks, Borders, and such eateries as Urban Flats, Red Sauce, Gators and hopefuully the new Sonnys. BUt the key is that the LSL town square is minutes away and easy to get to to see what is happening at the square in the evening. Becasue of our location we can use the golf cart easily to go to Bradys \ Publix\ Cicii's etc in Collony COttage or to Wal-mart in Buffalo Ridge...again we are almost dead center. Each VIllages has its pros and Cons but I can tell you we are more than pleased with Caroline. Caroline has an organized Golf Scramble every month and there are a number of street(s) groups that have formed that would be easy to get into..ie Caroline 7, Ft Lawn Loopers, Caroline at Lake Sumter etc. Cocunut Cove rec center has proven to be a great meeting place and center of activity with a family pool and there is also a village pool near the mail boxes.
The one thing we do lack is an Executive Golf Course within the confines of Caroline but again you will have access to all the golf you want with a short golf cart ride.

If you have any specific questions about Caroline feel free to ask or even stop by but as others have suggested you have to visit and get a feel for the area yourself. I would not let access to stores be a main decision point for you have access from practically anyplace in The Villages

[ConeyIsBabe]

I AM considering a TV visit for the month of August and am inquiring about rental properties in the Village of Caroline from Thevillages4rent.com . My comfort zone is to live within one mile of commercial activity so that's why I chose that location. I guess it's because I lived for 40 years in downtown Coral Gables, Florida and enjoyed it immensely (until it "changed") and I moved out west to the boonies of s/Oregon.

THANKS for the information so far. If anyone knows of any nice rental homes within one mile from either square I'd be interested .

[JTW]

We have lived in the Village of Caroline for 10 months now and TOTALLY love it! The neighborhood is great and we've made so many wonderful friends here. And the proximity to the Square is a definite plus. Several of us gals walk into town a few times a week and do some shopping or just go to the Veranda for a cup of coffee and watch all the folks mulling around at the Square. We wouldn't live anywhere else and even though there is not an executive course right here in Caroline, we can get to all the courses south of 466 within minutes by cart (and it doesn't take much longer to get to courses north of 466 either). I do know some folks who might be open to an August rental so send me a private message and I'll give you that information. I agree that you need to be here for a while first before making such an important decision as to where you want to live...but ANYWHERE you choose in the Villages will be a slice of paradise!!!

[katezbox]

Originally Posted by ConeyIsBabe

I AM considering a TV visit for the month of August and am inquiring about rental properties in the Village of Caroline from Thevillages4rent.com . My comfort zone is to live within one mile of commercial activity so that's why I chose that location. I guess it's because I lived for 40 years in downtown Coral Gables, Florida and enjoyed it immensely (until it "changed") and I moved out west to the boonies of s/Oregon.

THANKS for the information so far. If anyone knows of any nice rental homes within one mile from either square I'd be interested .

CIB,

Please let us know when you plan to visit. We would love to meet up in person.

Kate (and Jim)

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by katezbox

CIB,

Please let us know when you plan to visit. We would love to meet up in person.

Kate (and Jim)

Alright Kate!!!!! You haven't even moved in yet and are showing The Villages beautiful hospitality.

I can't wait to meet BOTH of you.....except...sob......I will be in Cincinnati until the fall....


Don't do anything fun until I get back!

[ConeyIsBabe]

Originally Posted by katezbox

CIB,

Please let us know when you plan to visit. We would love to meet up in person.

Kate (and Jim)

When my first visit plans are definite I'll post all the details and start collecting phone numbers of all the nice peeps I've been communicating with at TOTV and it will be my greatest pleasure to meet y'all in person.

I'm still in the "planning stage"

[dadspet]

Live in Caroline and its great. So central and close to everything. Sweetbay is so close and easy to get to as you go to and from LSL. The entry gate is always manned. But I would bet most people have advantages in the area they are in. Come on down kick the tires and find whats the most inportant to you! We rented for 3 yrs before we finally decided to buy!

[katezbox]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Alright Kate!!!!! You haven't even moved in yet and are showing The Villages beautiful hospitality.

I can't wait to meet BOTH of you.....except...sob......I will be in Cincinnati until the fall....


Don't do anything fun until I get back!

Gracie,

I promise...

If we have any FUN while you are gone - we will have a do-over come fall.

Kate

[BobKat1]

Earlier this month we rented a house in Caroline (on Maybank Loop). The location was great and we really enjoyed it there. Previously, we rented a house in Santo Domingo and enjoyed that location too. Each of our rentals were short ones, and we'd really like to come down for at least a month to really get the feeling of living in TV.