Anyone out there ever notice how some people(renters) treat this community as a vacation resort?I don't know about anyone else but I for one don't like it. I'd like to see some things change regarding this and also with the ammenities afforded the renters,or as the villages calls them "temporary residents". Giving people that don't own property here the same privlidges as homeowners just doesn't seem right.
When visitors come they get visitor passes that have some restrictionslike pool access,tee time preferences etc:
When someone is on a lifestyle they should be screened better so they show an interest in buying.In turn I believe there should be a categorie for renters whereas their privlidges would have restrictions
I don't know how this would happen but I believe something has to be done....


Thanks for alllowing me to VENT!!!

[graciegirl]

There is a lot of merit to your thoughts. I just wonder how it could be done. And...it may be that the philosophy of sales is to accomodate people who say they aren't interested, because....we all know how exposure to this place can make you fall in love.


I for one had never gone on any kind of "lifestyle" visit until we became interested in The Villages. It just didn't sit right with me to have to listen to some sales spiel to stay somewhere. BOY was I wrong about thinking that would happen here. No one bothered us at all and we had to make an appointment to talk to sales....and they didn't come and pick you up either...lol.

[Janitor925]

My first thought is ... someone must have put a lump of coal in your
Christmas stocking. You sound like a very angry person two days after Christmas.

My second thought is ... an employee of TV shouldn't be examining company files and discussing them with you.

My third thought is ... the Morse family has grown this community to a size unlike anything else in the U.S. I think they've got a pretty good handle on how to sell their product.

My last thought is ... if you want to control who your neighbors are and what they get to use .... buy yourself an island.

[l2ridehd]

The Villages management does a great job of marketing this place. They do it with a no pressure sales approach that has been extremely successful. This helps all of us with property value increases and if and when we decide to sell our home to move to another or a Freedom Point like place. Every once in a while you will get someone who takes advantage of that type sales approach. However 99% of the folks that come through here are potential buyers. And I for one encourage that. It is how I came to TV, and probably most of you. As for renters, I also support that. It has allowed many of us to buy a few years before we retire, it adds potential buyers to the mix, and it keeps our market values higher. Because we have a strong rental market, it provides us all more options should we ever need them. So accept the fact that every once in a while a person slips through the cracks and is using the system. I would guess there are many who have tried to do that only to become owners here.

[Russ_Boston]

I guess I'm a little surprised by the tone of the question. Is there a particular issue that you see being abused? I've never visited during the 'busy' season but when I come in May I would think most residents (and businesses!) enjoy having us renters.

Could you be a little more specific about the abuses that are bothering you and why they are bothering you.

Thanks.

[Janitor925]

The original post was edited by someone to remove the part that she had a friend who worked for the TV sales office who discussed with her about a couple who came on a Life Style visit and crabbed about the unit they were given and were upgraded. The friend looked at the couple's file and saw they had told TV they were not interested in buying here. She felt this was an abuse.

[tpop1]

I don’t know why I am surprised but I am always surprised when someone moves in next to an airport and then complains about the airplane noise.

You gotta’ know the details of where you are moving…the rules, the nature of the place, the types of people living there, the costs, etc., before you buy!!!

I have no knowledge of the % of people who use the Lifestyle visit who ultimately buy a house in T.V. but I remember from my pool visits during our lifestyle visit that most of the people we talked to there were planning on buying. I have not noticed any issues caused by people on Lifstyle visits.

As for renters having the same privileges as residents, that’s the rules that were in place when we bought….makes our place more valuable if we sell or want to rent. T.V. is not a low rent location and seems to attract good people.

[aln]

On my "lifestyle" 1st visit I was not at all interested in buying.
I used it as a home base to travel to Disney, Space Center, Clearwater.
On the last day out of boredom of travel, we stayed in TV and toured.
We hardly used any 'Villages Dollars', we did not golf, we did not swim.
But we saw enough to make us come back for a 2nd visit & on the 2nd visit 'sales' treated us well enough to make us want to buy. We bought a FSBO so 'sales' didn't benifit directly but I am sure I help the local economy. Sales did treat us very well in getting t-times on our 2nd visit. Probably better than even a priority member but if that's what it takes to sell a property - so be it.
Given the 'turnover' here there will always be a need for sales. There will always be a need for the entertainment at the squares and always a need for special events. Just like any other town such as Mt Dora or Leesburg or Ocala with their various themed events, so will TV need such things.
I don't see a decline at 'build-out' but just the beginning of many great traditions.

[Irish Rover]

Wow, Collettemrk - you sound like one of those "old farts" I dread meeting anywhere, especially at TV. We have been renting for two months each year since 2001, and have made lasting friends in TV. We spend a lot of money at the restaurants, stores, and actually try to play golf off campus so we don't jam up your courses. We also don't eat our evening meal between 4:00 and 5:30 PM so we don't mess up your early bird dinners or crowd the regulars. None of the folks we have rented from over the years ever complained about our being there and actually asked us to re-up for the next year. Maybe you should do you venting to your confessor or to someone who really cares
Sorry, but this site doesn't need crabby folks. Find a new cause and embrace it, you'll be happier.
Just a thought and only my opinion.
Irish

[readyornot]

I agree with most of the replies!!! I am seriously considering moving to TV.. I have been up 3 times and once on a lifestyle visit........I am single and scared ....... however, without the generous opportunity of actually seeing TV I could never have even considered it....I have made 2 major moves in my life and this one will hopefully be my last........not cause I am old but hopefully cause I will be able to fulfill my dreams! they are simple........hopefully meet a companion...(gotta be real lucky I know) make female friends, give back to the community, dance, swim, do my artwork and be accepted....Being alone at 60 the need to rebuild a life is a chore.......the fantasy of The Villages hopefully affords me this..............
To you collettemrk, try and recall your 'humble beginnings' everyone is new sometimes and not everyone is perfect.............
just looking to belong to the community..............

[Irish Rover]

Readyornot - it's a wonderful place with terrific people and it has everything you want to do. Good luck and Happy New Year.
Irish

[otherbruddaDarrell]

The only issue that I have with renters is really the fault of the landlords.
When someone rents a home they should give the renters full instructions on the use of golf carts.
Too many times we have seen inexperienced drivers doing things that appeared bone-headed.
Most times it is because they just do not know the rules and are trying the best they can.
So if you are a landlord........give them some good instructions that explain the use of carts in TV's please.

[chelsea24]

I love The Villages just the way it is! I call it a "resort" community instead of a retirement community because that's what it feels like and I think that's great! I love the mixture of ages, the renters, the snowbirds. I can't even imagine living in community that felt like a nursing home! Wow! Not for me!

I've been living here for over two years now and it just keeps getting better and better. My husband and I wake up and feel like we are on a wonderful extended vacation with the added plus of great friends living all around us.

From an advertising/marketing perspective (my background) the developers had a touch of genius when they added the lifestyle previews. The homes in TV sell like hotcakes. We bought on our second Lifestyle preview, but fell in love with TV on the first. We just had to go back up north and sell our house.

I have not witnessed any abuses. I'm sure there is the occasional incident. But the good farrrrrrrrrr outweighs the bad for sure.

[billethkid]

total TV population.

There is no way to ever please EVERYBODY. And I for one don't believe in changing what works and is acceptable to the majority.

There are a lot of non TV choices for those who need to be cloistered more.

btk

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by readyornot

I agree with most of the replies!!! I am seriously considering moving to TV.. I have been up 3 times and once on a lifestyle visit........I am single and scared ....... however, without the generous opportunity of actually seeing TV I could never have even considered it....I have made 2 major moves in my life and this one will hopefully be my last........not cause I am old but hopefully cause I will be able to fulfill my dreams! they are simple........hopefully meet a companion...(gotta be real lucky I know) make female friends, give back to the community, dance, swim, do my artwork and be accepted....Being alone at 60 the need to rebuild a life is a chore.......the fantasy of The Villages hopefully affords me this..............
To you collettemrk, try and recall your 'humble beginnings' everyone is new sometimes and not everyone is perfect.............
just looking to belong to the community..............

Best of luck. I think you are making the right move IMO.