[booboo1964]

Thank you for letting me join the forum, it has been very helpful. My wife and i just returned from a 5 day visit in The Villages. Here are some of the impressions we got from our visit. I had researched quite a bit on the internet before we arrived, so i was eager to see if it lived up to the hype.

We arrived Saturday afternoon and as we drove by the first golf course I thought "that golf course looks good", but that is probably because it is the first one you see. I was wrong. All the courses we drove by while we were there were in good shape.

My wife's first impression was "wow, the houses are close together" (We live on 14 acres in a rural area). By Tuesday her opinion was "It is great that the houses are close so you can get together with your neighbors and you don't have a lot of yard work."

We took all 3 tours, the whole development is beautiful. Fenney is especially impressive with the newer amenities, putt and play, pitch and putt, and others. Everything was clean, well kept, and we saw several crews out trimming grass or bushes. We think the water bottle they give you on the tour has the "Kool Aid" in it."

The biggest surprise to both of us was the people. Everyone we met was extremely nice and friendly. Any questions we had they were glad to answer and tell us what a great place this was to live. At Brownwood Square Sunday night we met several people and everyone was friendly. I am not naive enough to think there isn't someone in the villages that isn't friendly, but we didn't meet him.

My wife and I have been planning to look at moving to the villages in 2 years, on the way back home she discussed calling a realtor to see what we need to do to sell our house in March. (I don't retire until then.)

Overall, all of you are very fortunate to live in The Villages. Of course you have worked hard for it and deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor. We were very impressed, it was everything and more than we expected. This was mainly due to the friendly people we met. Hopefully, we can join you in the near future.

Realistically, our plan is to come down in September and rent for 2 months, and pick out something to purchase at that time. Unless the wife sells the house before that. Looking forward to visiting again.

[Tom C]

Thank you from all of us who can not be there. We know what we hear from those who live at TV, but the value of an “objective” eye is always needed. Sounds like you had a great visit! Thanks again for sharing.

Originally Posted by booboo1964

I am not naive enough to think there isn't someone in the villages that isn't friendly, but we didn't meet him.

I think he was away last week but maybe you will meet him next time.

[Nucky]

Originally Posted by Tom C

Thank you from all of us who can not be there. We know what we hear from those who live at TV, but the value of an “objective” eye is always needed. Sounds like you had a great visit! Thanks again for sharing.

We need both of you, today, let's go time is precious. Tom C you gotta be in the starting gate ready for the big move. I heard they are running a half-price sale since a friend of mine is in town. New homes only. Tomorrow only!

[bagboy]

That was an extremely nice first post. You and the Mrs. will be a welcome addition to The Villages.

[Taltarzac725]

Unfriendly people are very few and far between here in the Villages and they usually are stuck to watching their TV sets or bothering other people using their computers.

Just make sure you find a neighborhood you will like living in for a long time. That seems to be one of the most important decisions.

[BK001]

Originally Posted by bagboy

That was an extremely nice first post. You and the Mrs. will be a welcome addition to The Villages.

You can say that again. Ok, I'll do it. You and Mrs. BooBoo will be a welcome addition to The Villages

Now for some reality:

Originally Posted by booboo1964

Thank you for letting me join the forum

No big deal since TOTV lets anyone in but we prefer the nice ones and, despite our flaws, in my opinion, the overwhelming majority aspires to be helpful and nice!

Originally Posted by booboo1964

it [TOTV] has been very helpful.

So much so that it was near the top of reasons why we moved here - seriously.

Originally Posted by booboo1964

... All the courses we drove by while we were there were in good shape.

I don't golf but occasionally there are issues -- sometimes about people not fixing the holes/marks they made. Also people carry sand, for the life of me I don't know why.

Originally Posted by booboo1964

My wife's first impression was "wow, the houses are close together"

That was my exact first impression. And then I realized we are not getting any younger or healthier and it is almost with a sense of relief that I know, in an emergency, I can simply run outside and within minutes contact 5/6 or more neighbors. Yet, when we are inside, we feel totally private and never hear any neighborly noise. Due to Landscaping, when you sit on our Lanai you feel as if you are sitting on 14 acres LOL.

Originally Posted by booboo1964

We took all 3 tours, the whole development is beautiful. Fenney is especially impressive with the newer amenities, putt and play, pitch and putt, and others. Everything was clean, well kept, and we saw several crews out trimming grass or bushes.

I've only been in Fenny once but I can tell you our area is the same.

Originally Posted by booboo1964

We think the water bottle they give you on the tour has the "Kool Aid" in it."

There is no way you could possibly have known this but the expression "drinking the Kool Aid" is probably no longer politically correct because of an insensitivity to the victims of the Jones Town massacre based upon some passionate posts I read a year or so ago.

Originally Posted by booboo1964

The biggest surprise to both of us was the people. Everyone we met was extremely nice and friendly. Any questions we had they were glad to answer and tell us what a great place this was to live. At Brownwood Square Sunday night we met several people and everyone was friendly. I am not naive enough to think there isn't someone in the villages that isn't friendly, but we didn't meet him.

Well you may if: you have a dog and he poops on someone's lawn, you save seats at the Town Square; you park like an idiot and ignore the white lines; if you don't learn how to negotiate the roundabouts; or if you talk politics. I may have left somethings out but I'm ok with this list.

Originally Posted by booboo1964

My wife and I have been planning to look at moving to the villages in 2 years, on the way back home she discussed calling a realtor to see what we need to do to sell our house in March. (I don't retire until then.)

It took us an incredibly long time to close on the sale of our NY house for a variety of reasons, so I would get that house on the market asap. Or at least start downsizing and consolidating all your stuff.

Originally Posted by booboo1964

Overall, all of you are very fortunate to live in The Villages. Of course you have worked hard for it and deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor. We were very impressed, it was everything and more than we expected. This was mainly due to the friendly people we met. Hopefully, we can join you in the near future.

Amen!

Originally Posted by booboo1964

Realistically, our plan is to come down in September and rent for 2 months, and pick out something to purchase at that time. Unless the wife sells the house before that. Looking forward to visiting again.

Good plan.

[eweissenbach]

Very common first impression. I remember our first trip to TV in 2010, we went to Sumter Landing the first night and I commented to my wife that I felt like a freshman in college again. Went to the bathroom across from the sales office and met a guy outside who said he was from New York - said he rented for four months in TV and had for a couple years. I asked him how he liked it and he replied "what's not to like?" That became our catchphrase for the rest of our Lifestyle Preview week, anything we observed would cause one of us to say "what's not to like". There was never any doubt after the first day where we would want our seasonal retirement home to be. Your wife sounds like there is no doubt in her mind either. Good luck!

[queasy27]

The tidy, manicured landscaping really is remarkable. I nearly gasp if I ever see a bit of litter thrown on the side of the road.

The online Villages News has a crime section that shows some of the same social problems here as everywhere else, such as drunk driving and family disputes that reach the level of calling the police. There are neighbors who don't get along with each other. But overall it's a very small percentage.

Even the common gripes on this board are more letting of steam than anything else. Renters, seasonal residents, traffic, adult children living with their parents ... all pretty minor in the scheme of things and at this point in our lives. Any posters who might come off as perhaps a bit crabby or overly critical online are very likely to be quite open and helpful in person.

Hope you make it down here soon! The only regret for the vast majority of us is that we didn't do it sooner.

[asianthree]

Many things have changed since we came in 07. We rented 3 times in different areas befor we bought.
Take your time find what model you love, that has all your needs, there be be a place for you no matter when you arrive

[Debfrommaine]

Welcome soon to be new Villagers. This is a fantastic place to live, been 8 years for us and seems like yesterday. Kudos to the Morse family for keeping the community top notch. We feel lucky to be here. Is it for everyone, no, but the beauty is folks can move if it doesn't work out, at least they tried it. Are there grumps, sure, but they are everywhere, not just The Villages. See you in March and enjoy the adventure!

[graciegirl]

What lovely posts, one and all. You know how I feel.

Hurry Home, new ones. We'll leave the light on for ya.

[villagetinker]

We came for a week, fell in love with TV, every house we looked at was in the process of closing, tried for another month by phone and email, no luck, finally bought a lot and built our dream house. We are planning on being the exception to the rule 'most villagers move 2 or 3 times'. Moved from PA and never looked back. Hope to see you (OP) soon.

[npwalters]

Thanks for taking the time to post your comments. I live on 20 acres at my "other" home in TN and the houses are close together here. Not a problem if you have good neighbors, like I do, but I wouldn't mind a bit more elbow room.

Your comment "Realistically, our plan is to come down in September and rent for 2 months, and pick out something to purchase at that time." Good plan. You will learn a lot in 2 months (or more).

[Packer Fan]

Originally Posted by BK001

You can say that again. Ok, I'll do it. You and Mrs. BooBoo will be a welcome addition to The Villages


There is no way you could possibly have known this but the expression "drinking the Kool Aid" is probably no longer politically correct because of an insensitivity to the victims of the Jones Town massacre based upon some passionate posts I read a year or so ago.

Great Posts BK001 and BooBoo... just want to clarify something she said - One of the best things I have found about the villages is you don't need to be politically correct - so we don't really need to be snowflakes - feel free to say you have drunk the Kool-Aid - everyone else does, and nobody cares if you do.

TV is not filled with Snowflakes, and not run by the same idiots who run the cities up North.... One of the reasons I have a home there.