[angiefox10]

Originally Posted by Schaumburger

EB,

I think that when your wife is willing to look at plans for 90 minutes, that is a good sign. I wouldn't spend 90 minutes looking at something that I was totally opposed to. Keep us posted on your progress.

I agree with Schaumburger!!!

[rubicon]

"C

Originally Posted by notlongnow

I intend on living in TV at some point in my life. My wife and I have been there twice and intend on returning many times before living there.
I love everything about TV.

My parents live there now and both love it. At some point their home will be handed down but hopfully not for a long time.

My wife agrees that it is a wonderful place but is having a hard time seeing us move there, leaving the great state of Texas and her family.
As far as my family goes, I am closest to my father and stepmother and they live in TV so no big deal for me.

All that being said, my question is to those who have had a simular experience with convincing their spouse that all will be fine.
I am 58 and she is 59. we will retire part-time in two years and sell our business so this will not be a move we would make right away but would like to get her moving in the right direction.

So....... what did you do or would you do if you were me.

I think we would live there in the winter first and the move full time later.
We both golf and will certainly play pickleball.
EB

"Convincing my wife" Good Luck. convincing ends up with some form coercison more often unintended. Your wife will have to come to that decision on her own. Why do you want to leave Texas?. What can't you do in Texas that you can do here and vice a versa? What are the economic benefits of living in florida as opposed to Texas? Is the cost saving enough to warrant selling your home which may incur taking less in this market. Also look at all other costs associated with moving. If cost is not an issue than is quality of life. compare the two locations. How deply embedded are you and your wife in your community. Don't be swayed by the so called "Lifestyle". It fades quickly for some people who are not as active.

I moved down from Minnesota. Economically it was a good move. As for weather its a toss up because what you gain in June you lose in January;albeit central florida gets cold for about 8-12 weeks.

There is noting I do in The villages that I can't do in Minnesota except gold in the winter. So if you are a golf nut that is a plus

Keept it real. The villages has many nice things about it especially its population

Essetially what I am saying is that you really can only be happy here if it is really what you and your wife want. and to know what you want will logical cause ypu to look at what you are leaving behind. Good Luck

[ilovetv]

To me one of the greatest things about TV is the adventuresome spirit so many people have---so eager to try something new and different; eager to meet people from dozens of other states and countries; eager to go exploring in varying landscapes of Florida that are so unique to the USA; eager to learn new sports and hobbies; eager to have new social groups and contacts.

All these aspects of villagers are why people here seem so much younger at heart than their age-group peers where we lived before (various states).

Our retired relatives and friends who have stayed in the same place upon retirement are getting more and more sour and stuck in their ways.....while our villages neighbors and friends get younger at heart and more flexible, and flexibility is key in personal relationships.

I think that's why so many people here say they had more friends here in a month than they had in years at previous homes in other places.

The Villages is really about the spirited people.....not buildings/facilities.

[jojo]

I would say almost the opposite of Rubicon. I am from Columbus Ohio which I think ranks 15th in size of cities nationally. To match this lifestyle, I would have to search out all of the activities, pay dearly, and drive across town or some distance and I am certain they would not always be at convenient times. Here they are - tennis, golf, aerobics, zumba, water sports, 1800 clubs just a golf cart ride away and all included in the amenity fee. Add to that the ambience that is unparalleled, the beauty of The Villages, the restaurants and shops available by golf cart and the greatest selling point - the people. Where else can you dance free every night of the year? There is absolutely no place on earth like this.

[notlongnow]

Thanks for all the support. We have been out for the weekend and I thought I would get back with you all.

First to Schauburger, I agree that there must be some interest there or she would have put it all down and gone on to something else. However she always starts this kind of decision making process with a "NO" and then comes around as I make my case. So far she admits that she has never second guessed our decisions even though she was not on board at the beginning.

Ribicon,
Like I said in an earlier post, If she is not with me 100% I would never force her. We are a team and we each get to be capitain depending on the project.
I just happen to be the capitain on this one.
About leaving Texas. I am not a "native Texan" I came here because the architecture program was rated in the top 5 in the nation when I started college. When I graduated the economy was in a recession so I created my own job. It has been my business for 30 years now and I could not move my business. It would mean starting over and I did not want to do that so I stayed here even though I did not want to, sorta stuck myself here. My wife knows this and also knows I don't want to live my life out here.
The weather is and has been hot. It has been over 100 degrees here for about 90 days straight! and maybe would get down to 80 at night. It is always hot here in the summer. The winters are windy and bitter cold. It can be mild sometimes but it is ussually single digit and 20 to 30 mph winds then just as you get out of winter you get the spring winds! Always high winds with lots of dust. The wind blows 40-60 mph and you live with sand in you mouth for a couple of months. The wind blows so much here that the trees grow in a position that makes it look like the wind is blowing when it is calm.

Also we live in the high desert. No natural lakes,mountains,ocean or anything.
I love a change of scenery. I know that Fla. is flat like here but lots of places to get to that are naturally there. We have to drive 4 hours to get to our cabin and that is the closest mountains. The big ones are 8 to 10 hrs away. The ocean is 9 hrs away and the only lakes around here are mud holes and the good ones are hrs away.
Cost, really about the same maybe cheaper there. Property taxes are out of control here and we spend a lot of money on gas getting to all those places that are not around here.
Yes I am a avid golfer. I love it and have played 4 or 5 of the course there in TV. Other than that we love walking, birding and I am sure we will love pickelball. She is the one that found that when we were there and thought that she would want to do that.
You said the lifestyle fades. Did it for you and if so why are you still there?
To sum it up we have both said we are going to move from here when we retire, just did not say where.


ILovetv,
Like I just wrote above we are explorers and I think we would love it there and as a base to explore from.
We also liked that everybody there seemed "like us". Not in a political sense but just in general.
I just don't want to feel stuck here and regret not trying.
Also if our freinds and relatives don't want to come visit us when we are there then how good of freinds were they. I know our relitives would come if only to see why we made such a crazy decision.

JoJo,
Our city is not big like yours but our territory is huge. We have to travel forever to get somewhere. So I know what you mean. The saying here is "you can get to anywhere from here", from here is the key words!


Mary,
I plan on suggesting just that, an extended stay to see if she likes it and not just her but me also. We have been twice to visit my parents and stayed three days each time, so a longer stay would help. By the way we both loved it when we were there.

Just want to say thanks to all and this feels like I just got out of the shrinks office but it also helps to say it and write it so I know why I am doing this. ( no offense meant to psychologist)

Thanks
EB

[Schaumburger]

Keep us posted on your journey. I was in Houston last week for 2 days -- 100 degrees both days...woooeeee!!

[ssmith]

....someone asked why guys, as a rule, get on board to move to TV sooner than gals. I think one of the reasons is the kids. Now mind you, I do have a career but my kids are the biggest gift to me. My husband adores the kids too but it is just easier for him to think of moving away. Now that being said, we have thought all of this through and for us, it is a go anytime the circumstances come together.

We looked at having 2 homes but really don't want the hassle and the expense. With that in mind, that lead us to make the decision that it would be ok to move. We have decided to get the least expensive home we could stand to live in (mind you my daughter has 4 kids under 5 - she has adopted- so the house could not be too small.....because I want the FLA home to be comfortable and open to the fam as well.

Also by buying the least expensive home....we hope to go back to Indiana to be with the kids a couple of times a year....who knows we may have to rent or stay in hotels while up north...and we know the retirement budget will have to accomodate this.

[notlongnow]

ssmith,
I agree that it would be easier for me than my DW. We have one child that lives 8 hrs away by car and we have one grandchild so I believe that traveling from TV to Houston would not be that bad. We see them 3 times a year now (maybe). Once at Thanksgiving once in the summer when our grandchild comes to stay wit us and once in the fall when we can stand the weather in Houston.
We have a home in the mountains in New Mexico that weplan on living in in the summer months. It is funny that when we are talking about doing that my DW does not even think about the fact that it is a 13 hr. drive to our kids house! Also you can't fly to houston from there so really living at the cabin is worse than living in TV when it comes to traveling.
I think it is more that we have had the cabin for a long time and TV is totally new and some place we have only been twice.
I see us being snowbirds because of the weather in Florida vs New Mexico in the summer.
I have no desire to keep a home here in West Texas when I retire. It is on an acre and lots and lots of yard up keep. When we travel it is a nightmare to make sure that all of my wifes plants get water, it's a mess.
I would rather see her have a smaller garden that can be watched after by someone while we are out of town. It takes forever to water the potted plants now and would not feel right asking a neighbor. We could just hire a lawn care person in TV while we are gone.
EB