[New Englander]

I'm coming down to visit in a couple of weeks to see if I might like to relocate to TV.

For those who have lived in TV for a while do you find it expensive to live in TV compared to other retirement communities in FL?

Or do you consider it not overly expensive and you are satisfied?

[John_W]

If you own your home like we do and more than half of the Villagers you've eliminated that expense. We don't have that many other expenses, the biggest expense we have is our Directv, and that's because I like watching sports and having every movie channel and every other channel available.

With the home, if you have SECO Electric like we do and everyone in Sumter County, it's the cheapest. We have not had a bill over $90 month in six years we've lived here full time. We have a 2 BR 2BA masonry courtyard villa (CYV). In Maryland that was our biggest expensive, electric ran $250 to $400 a month. Amenity Fee was $135 a month, I just noticed it's now $147. That comes once a month on a bill with drinking water and irrigation water and garbage and recycling. The last bill was our highest ever and that was $240 with all those things included. Other than in November when you get one bill for property taxes, bond and maintenance, that's about it for us.

Around town, I paid 2.33 a gallon yesterday for gas. Groceries we get about 75% at Walmart and the more day to day stuff at Publix or Winn Dixie. They are nice stores and have higher prices in general but between the two you can find sales. It's the day to day stuff anyway, like if I need bananas and have to pay $69 cents a pound at Publix, I'm not going to wait a few days just to save 10 cents a pound at Walmart. Plus a new Walmart Grocery store is under construction right now in Colony area, that at CR 466 just off Moyer Loop.

The only thing I noticed that was higher here than in Maryland was my car insurance. I'm with USAA for veterans, so it's the cheapest. I had two cars insured in Maryland for $900 a year. Here it costs just over $800 for one car. My homeowners insurance started at $503 a year when we bought new in 2011, the last two years it has been $711 a year. Property Taxes in Sumter County are also cheaper than in Lake County.

If I was moving here now, I would buy a resale home in Sumter County. A central location between Brownwood and Lake Sumter near Buena Vista Blvd, that makes for easy travel in your golf cart. I would look in Villages Gilchrist, Pinellas and Collier and then spread out from there.

[TheDude]

if you have a reasonable newer home, 2000$ a month will handle everything (mortgage, utility, cable net, land and pest and extras). On top u have to pay for your car, etc... but you know those numbers already. $2000 is maybe overkill here. Have 25k$ in bank incase of sinkhole.

[pauld315]

Not everyone in Sumter County has SECO. Just bought a house in Santo Domingo in Sumter County and it is serviced by Duke Energy.

[thelegges]

The villages actually has numbers for everything that you should counter per month except for your mortgage. Our first house which is a patio villa ran us approximately $10,000 per year for everything except our mortgage.

[JoMar]

The costs we anticipated before moving here from PA have either been right on or slightly lower EXCEPT food and entertainment. We eat out more than we anticipated and between The Sharon, Savannah and Straz in Tampa our ticket expenditures are up there.....

[The Buckeyes]

Whatever you think it will cost you...double it, and you will be safe.

[Chatbrat]

compared to NJ, we're living for free

[rubicon]

I have a running total of my utility expenses for the last three years. TECO charges are in line. SECO charges are in line but the cost of water compared to gas and electric in my view is out of whack. The water utility company will notice you if your usage is more than what they profile for an average home. Well my first question is what is average?

Secondly...that written notice they send you is self serving. Why? Because it gives them an excuse to say we told you so when they decide to raise their rates again.

Yet they find it in their hearts to allow at least two water bottling companies to help their selves to our water..I suspect we are subsidizing those projects.

Try and get a reasonable explanation from them as to why we have such high base fixed charges, and on top of that a three tier rating system. Compare the costs of what it takes to produce electric and gas to that of water diverting a natural resources that belongs to everyone and you will understand my question.

As to the amenity fee. I have lived here 11 years and in total my amenity fee has increased by 14%.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by rubicon

I have a running total of my utility expenses for the last three years. TECO charges are in line. SECO charges are in line but the cost of water compared to gas and electric in my view is out of whack. The water utility company will notice you if your usage is more than what they profile for an average home. Well my first question is what is average?

Secondly...that written notice they send you is self serving. Why? Because it gives them an excuse to say we told you so when they decide to raise their rates again.

Yet they find it in their hearts to allow at least two water bottling companies to help their selves to our water..I suspect we are subsidizing those projects.

Try and get a reasonable explanation from them as to why we have such high base fixed charges, and on top of that a three tier rating system. Compare the costs of what it takes to produce electric and gas to that of water diverting a natural resources that belongs to everyone and you will understand my question.

As to the amenity fee. I have lived here 11 years and in total my amenity fee has increased by 14%.

The "they" is not our water utility company.

[Bay Kid]

Very reasonable, but it is what you make it.

[mic4me]

I recently retired here and have a mortgage, a designer home and a corner lot. There are no stock answers to what it costs to live here, but for my wife and myself, we run about $4k per month for everything, food, utilities, entertainment, insurance, yard (corner lots are more to take care of), golf, etc. We bought a new home, so landscape, blinds, and other one time expenses add up for sticker shock. My one suggestion, regardless of what or where you buy, before you move in, have your garage floor painted. Always more challenging, and most folks I know say they wish they did it first.

[Fraugoofy]

Originally Posted by thelegges

The villages actually has numbers for everything that you should counter per month except for your mortgage. Our first house which is a patio villa ran us approximately $10,000 per year for everything except our mortgage.

I agree with this. It costs us about $9k a year with no mortgage. Sumter County...

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

[gap2415]

Originally Posted by rubicon

I have a running total of my utility expenses for the last three years. TECO charges are in line. SECO charges are in line but the cost of water compared to gas and electric in my view is out of whack. The water utility company will notice you if your usage is more than what they profile for an average home. Well my first question is what is average?

Secondly...that written notice they send you is self serving. Why? Because it gives them an excuse to say we told you so when they decide to raise their rates again.

Yet they find it in their hearts to allow at least two water bottling companies to help their selves to our water..I suspect we are subsidizing those projects.

Try and get a reasonable explanation from them as to why we have such high base fixed charges, and on top of that a three tier rating system. Compare the costs of what it takes to produce electric and gas to that of water diverting a natural resources that belongs to everyone and you will understand my question.

As to the amenity fee. I have lived here 11 years and in total my amenity fee has increased by 14%.

I agre with you about the water. Their limits are not sufficient and we are dinged monthly, yet our grass takes a real beating. We almost had to replace it once and 75% now has stones and gardens that require less water. To see water being sold when we are penalized not having enough is outrageous.

[daveczo]

Being retired Navy we have lived in California, Ma., RI, Virginia, TN, MA, PA and NY. All the northern states are awful price wise. This is by far the least expensive area I have lived. Taxes, housing, food etc.