Originally Posted by BobKat1 (Post 479440)

The only (unavoidable) negative we've found with TV is the increasing size, traffic and congestion. Most people adapt to it, but going in, it's good to know about these things.

Originally Posted by BobKat1 (Post 479440)

The only (unavoidable) negative we've found with TV is the increasing size, traffic and congestion. Most people adapt to it, but going in, it's good to know about these things.

Originally Posted by senior citizen (Post 479547)

Yes, it is good to know.

When we were there in October and November, the traffic flow seemed good and the parking availability wasn't too bad, not like it appears to be during the winter months. Only one Sunday we had to wait in a very long "line" on the boardwalk area near The Lighthouse Restaurant, only because we went "after the lunch hour" due to the visiting grandbaby.
Other times we went prior to the lunch hour and got right in. However, the baby loved watching the boat on the lake when we were seated on the outdoor deck.

I've always thought that most of Florida would be busier during "snowbird" season. I've heard, over the years, many of our friends say that their parents were either driving down for the winter......or returning from the winter in Florida. With our children, we always went during Easter or school vacation or in the autumn.........and the coastal towns we went to never seemed crowded like it has been said about TV. Good "word of mouth" as everyone we know has "heard of it"......as everyone says, the place sells itself.

A QUESTION: How many of you have explored other places before settling in THE VILLAGES. How many have explored very small coastal towns????

The reason I ask is that we met a lot of folks at the airport who were from Michigan, etc., etc. and owned homes in The Plantation and vicinity, south of TV, but had their homes on the market as they "missed boating" and were either in the process of buying, under contract, or looking to buy condos or homes on the Gulf of Mexico.....small sleepy type towns.

When we were very young we lived for one year in Satellite Beach Florida a block from the beach, on a canal .........which went out to the intracoastal waterway. We had to cross A1A to get to the beach. We were very close to Patrick Air Force base; in fact our daughter began kindergarten at Patrick Air Force Base. Our son was 2 years old. They both loved the beach.
It was a small very quiet developement which I notice has escalated in price.
Anyway, we were there for ONE YEAR.......ALL THE SEASONS and there was no snow bird explosion of population at all......it was always a sleepy quiet little area..........a few strip malls. Indialantic had the shopping on the beach side..........and Melbourne (which we never went to) on the mainland.

Just curious if a sleepy little town might be better for those who don't like the overcrowding of the snowbirds in the winter time. Nothing was ever crowded there...........Cape Kennedy was a short ride away. We had a dock in our back yard on the canal............just reminiscing. The neighbors were all retired Air Force and very quiet folks. The family next to us did have a teenage son who was very nice but other than our two children, and one little girl down the street whom my daughter swam with......there were no children.............I still remember the church, the swimming lessons for our daughter, the movie theatre where we saw Sound of Music and the Publix, the library, etc. That's about it as it was a very long time ago. When I google it, it seems to have grown a tiny bit. Again, we were only there 1 year. We did return ONCE , many moons later, while staying in Vero Beach and my husband drove right past the gate and entrance......our children have also returned to see it (while staying at Disney) for nostalgia reasons.

THE BEACH WAS TOTALLY EMPTY...........A FEW CONDOS WITH ELDERLY PEOPLE IN IT. MY HUSBAND SAYS A FRIEND OF HIS HAS A CONDO ON SATELLITE BEACH THAT IS A TIMESHARE AND HE JUST LOVES THE PRIVACY AND QUIETNESS OF IT.

So, for those who don't like the high busy winter season.........maybe there are other places with less traffic, etc.

p.s. We were not an Air Force family but rented from a widow who had a beachfront condo; her husband had been a general in the air force, passed away and she didn't want to live in the house.....so moved to the beach condo. Our children remember fun "treasure hunts" and such on that totally empty stretch of beach........the seashells, etc. and the coral in the water. Again, Indialantic was not far away for commerce. The ride to it was leisurely on a back road.

Originally Posted by Army Guy (Post 474288)

Lately it seems like besides our normal circle of friends that we socialize with, all the people we meet are snowbirds. Does anyone know the current breakout of what the percent for each is? I had read in the past somewhere it was 60% fulltime and 40% snowbird. The wife and I feel that this can't be correct.

Originally Posted by champion6 (Post 481192)

I can give you the breakout for a small "sample" - 32 homes along a block in Tamarind Grove: 75% FT, 25% PT.

Originally Posted by Army Guy (Post 482789)

That is interesting, it shows the difference between villas and homes. As I said in my villa community out of 60 villas, only 10 are fulltimers.

Someone asked what personal attacks against us. The attacks have been against our property, by not showing respect for it. i.e. we cam home one day after being out that morning, we come driving up the street and our neighbors who are snow-birds were getting their yard landscaped, they told the Landscaper that it was fine to dump a whole dump truck of gravel in our driveway, so we could not get in to our house. As we have been told by them, "we are not the type neighbors they thought they would have, we were told by our TV Rep, that villas are bought by "older" couples who are snowbirds and not young fulltimers". So all actions such as above are aimed at trying to make us move. They also block our drive so we can't go out, etc. Or how about this, we have a group of friends we socialize with, and we meet at each other homes to have a drink before we go out to eat. I am only talking 2 other couples so 6 people, we sit in our birdcage from about 5:30 to maybe 6:30, the neighbors continually blink their yard lights at us! Speaking of the birdage, when we had it put up and spa installed, they went and tried to get it stopped, cause they didn't want us to have it in the back yard!
Most of the snowbirds around us have mounted these and other attacks against us to get us to move, but we are not!!!

Army Guy

Originally Posted by Army Guy (Post 479812)

we went to SS last night and in EVERY Store and where we ate dinner, all we spoke with and the workers all expressed joy that the snowbirds where gone, because of their attitudes. Once again not all, but enough that they are all tired of it. Not my words but theirs, as it seems some think I am making a one man stand against them with things that I have been told directly by snowbirds.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone asked what personal attacks against us. The attacks have been against our property, by not showing respect for it. i.e. we cam home one day after being out that morning, we come driving up the street and our neighbors who are snow-birds were getting their yard landscaped, they told the Landscaper that it was fine to dump a whole dump truck of gravel in our driveway, so we could not get in to our house. As we have been told by them, "we are not the type neighbors they thought they would have, we were told by our TV Rep, that villas are bought by "older" couples who are snowbirds and not young fulltimers". So all actions such as above are aimed at trying to make us move. They also block our drive so we can't go out, etc. Or how about this, we have a group of friends we socialize with, and we meet at each other homes to have a drink before we go out to eat. I am only talking 2 other couples so 6 people, we sit in our birdcage from about 5:30 to maybe 6:30, the neighbors continually blink their yard lights at us! Speaking of the birdage, when we had it put up and spa installed, they went and tried to get it stopped, cause they didn't want us to have it in the back yard!
Most of the snowbirds around us have mounted these and other attacks against us to get us to move, but we are not!!!

Originally Posted by Army Guy (Post 482789)

That is interesting, it shows the difference between villas and homes. As I said in my villa community out of 60 villas, only 10 are fulltimers.

Someone asked what personal attacks against us. The attacks have been against our property, by not showing respect for it. i.e. we cam home one day after being out that morning, we come driving up the street and our neighbors who are snow-birds were getting their yard landscaped, they told the Landscaper that it was fine to dump a whole dump truck of gravel in our driveway, so we could not get in to our house.

Army Guy

Originally Posted by katezbox (Post 485455)

Haven't posted in awhile, but would like to weigh in on this...

I have lived my entire adult life in places where there was a significant number of seasonal residents/renters/tourists. It makes an interesting dynamic as there has always been a number of the full timers who resent the part timers for various reasons. The most common of these are clogged streets, long waits at restaurants, traffic volumes (it's worth a double mention), rudeness and general noise level. An additional factor in Connecticut is that most of the "summer people" are VERY well off - so a bit of jealousy adds fuel to the fire. It also has driven home prices up dramatically and made it very difficult for the "local's" kids to live in the towns where they were raised.

With the exception of the last point, here is really not all that different.

Anyone buying a home in Florida should be cognizant of a significant percent of the people here being part time. Some "snowbirds" are quite well off, but many have two very modest homes and do so to escape the heat and/or to be close to their children and grandchildren. Others, like our friend Bare, can only stay 6 months (less one day), to preserve their benefits status in their home country. I think that to generalize that the snowbirds are a rude, well-heeled group who believe they are better than the rest of us of people is just wrong.

None of us would be human without some prejudice, but I think it is fair to say that there are a number of Villagers, that are rude and self important. However, like the snowbirds, most Villagers are warm and caring. Frankly, I am happy for the part time residents as they keep our fees down....and the shops in business.

When we began our home search here, my first choice was a CYV. My hubs really wanted a house, so we compromised on a house backing up to a villa wall. One of the factors that won me over was that there were likely to be more part-time residents in the villas due to the lower maintenance. We didn't like the idea of many of the nearby homes standing empty for much of the year.

I can well imagine that the staffs in the restaurants and shops look forward to this time of year when the population drops. Then when the sales slow down and tips lessen, they are ready for the crowds again.

AG, when you first purchased your home, you and Mrs. AG came down when you could - then you were able to do so nearly every weekend. All the workers that you had getting your villa to look as amazing as it does probably inconvenienced your neighbors more than a little bit. And while I do not excuse your neighbor's contractor for dumping gravel in your driveway, I would expect he thought that it would be removed before you returned. We had a similar situation a couple of houses up here with a spa being constructed. Those neighbors are now good friends.

Lastly, the homes in TV are close together - some really close. As a person who is often too loud :shrug: I know that a group of six people laughing and having a good time can be much louder than they realize.

Just my 39 cents...


k

Originally Posted by Tiger Lady (Post 490368)

I've experienced exactly what Army Guy is talking about. The majority of my neighbors are snowbirds and have told me that they didn't want full timers living next to them. They also don't like the fact that I'm a lot younger than they are. I've even had some of the wives tell me that they don't appreciate it when I parade outside in my shorts and bathing suit top. I told them I'm sorry I'm young and built like a brick house and that they are shriveled up old hags, but they'll get use to it. They constantly block my drive by telling their guests they can park there. I confronted them about this and told them they should park in the overflow areas. They said they didn't want to inconvenience their guests. I say preach on Army Guy!

Originally Posted by Tiger Lady (Post 490368)

........ I've even had some of the wives tell me that they don't appreciate it when I parade outside in my shorts and bathing suit top. I told them I'm sorry I'm young and built like a brick house and that they are shriveled up old hags, but they'll get use to it. .........

Originally Posted by Tiger Lady (Post 490368)

I told them I'm sorry I'm young and built like a brick house and that they are shriveled up old hags, but they'll get use to it.

Originally Posted by Barefoot (Post 490421)

I heard the old hags are out digging a sink hole in your back yard.

Originally Posted by bluedog103 (Post 474692)

You get a break when the snowbirds head north. They pay the same fees as everyone else but leave TV for you to enjoy during the warm months. Just think how miserable you'd be if everyone was here full time.

Originally Posted by rubicon (Post 490424)

The seasonal issues makes living here difficult because just when you get comfortable it all starts over again. From a personal prospective I compare prime season here with winter up north. You know the snow is coming and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You know the snow birds are coming back and there is nothing you can do to stop it.

i gotta find a place to go from October to April.