The Villages Lifestyle
 

What you lose in January you gain in June. So goes the logic if your decision on where to live is based on weather. Most of us acclimate quickly. Ilooked here in 2004 and was concerned about the government model. I looked again in 2006 and reluctantly moved down from Minnesota. To this day I prefer Minnesota to The Villages but having made those financial adjustments and since there remains a bad housing market I dare not move.

There are many things to like about TV and its residents are at the top of the list. It is true that we have pretty much a homogeneous group but that can be a good thing. This is a healthy lifestyle but one which could be replicated eleswhere. Ownership and tavel by cart kicks as much as it cuts. But the biggest drawback to me is till the government model but I will adjust.

Being discouraged to be moving to the Villages
 

Rubican,

I just visited MN for the first time 2 weeks ago, the people I visited were born and raised there and were not planning to leave but were quite upset with the taxes and fees, 12% state income tax and 800.00 a year for a car registration. These numbers are far worse then NJ. I could not believe the numbers but that is what I was told.

Although we are not in TV, but just south of you, we have had many "talks" with folks not understanding our love of our Florida home.

Sometimes it can be attributed to jealousy. Sometimes it is the crab bucket mentality of not wanting anyone else to get out of the crab bucket, so they pull anyone down who tries to escape.

We have heard, "Have you been DOWN there in the SUMMER???" I reply, "Yes, and I like it more then the bone chilling frigidness of 6 month Buffalo winters".

I've heard, "How selfish of you to leave your kids and grandkids".

I've heard, "How wrong you are to take your fancy NY Gov't pension and not stay to spend it in NY".

In the end, I realize it is foolish to argue. Everyone is different. I do not WANT everyone I know to follow me to Florida. Like they say....the best revenge is living well. I'll just sell our NY home, retire quietly, leave without fanfare and enjoy the good life in my wonderful Florida home......and smile when I read about the high NY taxes, bad winters, potholes. etc.....

I'll live in a land where the only gloves I own are golf gloves. I'll never use a snow blower or a snowbrush or snowshovel again. The only salt I'll own will be on my table.

There is a Bible verse that says, "Consider the birds". I have done that and discovered they are smarter then I am because they LEAVE NY in the winter. Soon, I'll live in a land where seeing my breath outside is rare. I"ll trade my E_Z Pass for a SunPass........Florida, here I come!!

Frank

I agree with Faithful Frankie 150% Most people just don't get it and unless they see it for themselves the'll never understand it. It is their loss.

I believe Tom and Frank are right...people don't get it unless they have experienced The Villages. I have heard "I can't believe you want to retire to FL in that weather...it's SO HOT down there!" from so many people...and 99% of them have never been to the state...and the one who had was at Disney World for 5 days in July! It's like they forget that Indiana is hot and muggy in the summer, too...but also cold and snowy in the winter. I don't know if it's all of the years I spent skating outdoors in Iowa...but bring on the heat!!!! I believe the luxury of air conditioning is available everywhere in FL if I get too hot.
Many of the people I have talked to about retirement that HAVE spent some time in FL react much differently. I have had several say "Take me with you!" and "We'll come and visit!"
I can't wait to be in a place where it is GREEN all the time and not gray, brown or white six months out of the year! :sigh:

Right on!
 

You are so right. Amen I say to you!

People who haven't been here can't imagine it because they have no accurate frame of reference.

If I'd never been to TV and perceived it as "a retirement community," I wouldn't get it either. If I perceived it to be like central FL, I surely wouldn't get it.

TV is like.. no other place. How can we expect strangers to this strange and wonderful place to understand? All of my friends and family who have visited us in TV get it totally. My youngest brother spent a day here with me and wishes he could move here now!

If I had never been to TV, I might wonder why friends would uproot their lives and move in haste. Being lucky enough to be just a snowflake in TV, it's harder for me to understand why anyone who has been here would not make haste to spend the rest of their lives here!

I know someone who recently just built their home and moved to upstate New York, where it is cold and snowy during the winter. :cold: I do not think I would lived there. I wished them good luck and never said anything else. Hey, to each his own.

Perfect. Well said. :clap2:

I think that is correct!!!

Congratulations Kelsie52. My husband and I did a little comparing also when we were down in Florida. We know taxes are lower just what you said. Long Island taxes are the worse. I agree with you, everything is cheaper, food is about the same, but it depends on what supermarket you are shopping in. Just like NY. I think King Kullen is more expensive than Path Mark is some items in NY. Where I think Publix might be cheaper than Sweet Bay.

I hope you enjoy your life in the Villages!!! Right now I still have to rush around and work and have other people rush me around.

Long Island
 

Amen to the big bank account for LI. All of our friends and relatives that have visited TV love it here and can't wait to retire to be here. With or without them its beautiful and paradise.:pepper2:

We visited the Villages 3 years ago and were suppose to come down again this past January..But, my husband hurt his back shoveling snow with that horrible blizzard we had right after Xmas!Anyway i really want to move there from NJ ..Only thing is we have 3 grown kids with 5 grandchildren and they all live near us...
What is your opinion??

Rent for a couple of months and invite them down to visit. That should convince them this is the place for you. Good Luck.

Being discouraged
 

I don't know how active this thread is now but for what its worth I wish I had rented here first before buying. This is a very different place:oops: