[rrlavigne]

Totally agree, we were sold and literally promised full connectivity ... from the promise made to me from my sales person in November of 2017, we should have been fully connected as of last May. We were also sold a lifestyle on the lifestyle preview trip and if you live south of 44 we get only a small portion of that golf cart community life style, but we pay a full amenity fee each month. We can't shop, go to stores on our golf carts, we can't go to our doctors on our golf carts, we can't or go to nightly entertainment on our golf carts, we can't go to most restaurants on our golf carts. Doing everything on our golf carts is a huge part of the villages lifestyle that we don't get to enjoy. Do we get reduced amenities fees for living with very limited amenities? NOPE!!! If i knew they would be so far behind I would have never bought in Fenney, I would have bought in Pine Hill or one of the other connected villages. Some people say "if you're not happy move" like selling a house and moving to another is both easy and FREE, it's neither. I love my house, we had it built, and we have good neighbors, I DON'T love the facts that the villages didn't deliver on the direct promise their salesman and official representative gave to us, that we're paying full amenities fees for partial amenities, and IMO their biggest "sin" is a total lack of official honest communication regarding why they are so far behind. If they told us what was happening, why things are way behind schedule and told us when they foresee actual connectivity happening that would go a long way to quelling some of the anger regarding this issue. Instead we hear rumors and gossip and end up venting on forums like this. Generally speaking the villages is wonderful, we ARE lucky to be able to retire like this, but shame on the Villages for making promises they can't keep and then remaining silent rather than communication with those effected. And one more point, why don't the Villages have their lifestyle preview visits people stay in their newest most beautiful homes south of 44? Answer ... because they are selling a "lifestyle" and we south of 44 DON'T really have that golf cart lifestyle. I don't give a rats butt about their potential issues with the state, their politics and business matters are not my concern. I was promised / sold a lifestyle and a date to be fully connected and after going all in financially and emotionally I only got a fraction of that lifestyle with no explanation why they have not yet delivered on their promises.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I feel like the sales pitch for the southern part of the Villages was misleading. I feel like the sales folks were given this sales pitch by their employers (the developer), and perhaps they themselves believed the pitch and were able to emphasize it with sincerity as a result.

The developer knows from one week to the next, what the *approximate* month, quarter, year, the connectivity will be completed based on whatever information they have at the moment. Of COURSE that information is subject to change.

But if the sales office was insisting last year, that the completion was due before 2020, then the sales office would have been misleading potential buyers (investors).

From what I'm seeing in the news, and here on this forum, with links to official and unofficial sources - they didn't have all their ducks in a row when they made these promises. Some permits were ready, some were not. Some were pending, and some were being contested. So they weren't anywhere NEAR an expected date, when they gave an expected date to buyers.

As Richard Marx said: it don't mean nothin' til you sign it on the dotted line.

The sales crew made promises without even knowing whether or not there was a dotted line to sign yet.

Result: there's no dotted line yet and buyers have already bought, and want what they were promised in a reasonable amount of time.

[NotGolfer]

Everyone, take a deep breath! I don't see anyone starving or being all that inconvenienced---just impatient. This site and others all seem to feed on rumor and speculation and NOT facts. If you all would speak to people who've lived here for years (say the 1990's or early 2000's...they would say that T.V. didn't offer the amenities we now have. There's a comment to such in another thread. If amazes me that people who have no idea what it takes to build a community like ours offer their own solutions to how things should be done and run. We've lived here 10 yrs and those years sped by (it seems) with break-neck speed. To see the growth we've had is amazing! It won't be long that all the nay-sayers will be satisfied but will have other things to complain about.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Everyone, take a deep breath! I don't see anyone starving or being all that inconvenienced---just impatient. This site and others all seem to feed on rumor and speculation and NOT facts. If you all would speak to people who've lived here for years (say the 1990's or early 2000's...they would say that T.V. didn't offer the amenities we now have. There's a comment to such in another thread. If amazes me that people who have no idea what it takes to build a community like ours offer their own solutions to how things should be done and run. We've lived here 10 yrs and those years sped by (it seems) with break-neck speed. To see the growth we've had is amazing! It won't be long that all the nay-sayers will be satisfied but will have other things to complain about.

Another post with really low standards. Also entirely subjective. "not all that inconvenienced" and "not starving" is not what was advertised. It also doesn't matter how long it took for the first Villagers to get what they got - if they weren't promised those things within a reasonable timeframe in the first place.

The current wave was promised certain things, and advertising advertised certain things. Over two years later, they still haven't delivered on those promises, and people chose THAT section of the Villages based, partly, on THOSE promises. The primary promise being: 100% golf cart connectivity to the entirety of the Villages.

Yes they have beautiful walking trails. Yes the homes themselves are lovely. They even have a couple of nice golf courses down there.

But anyone who bought a brand new golf cart based on the promise that they'd be able to USE it to leave their neighborhoods, now owns a golf cart that is out of warranty - and they haven't been able to use it to leave their neighborhoods.

They could've chosen a different location. They chose that location because they were willing to wait a reasonable period of time for all the stuff that goes with that location. Two years for golf cart connectivity to your own amenity-paid community, and still no end in sight, is not a reasonable period of time.

If all you want is a brand new home - and you aren't looking for anything large (under 1700 sf) AND you want golf cart connectivity - which is something you have every right to expect in a golf cart community - then look into buying a run-down single-wide in Silver Lake, have it razed to the ground, and build brand new there.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I feel like the sales pitch for the southern part of the Villages was misleading. I feel like the sales folks were given this sales pitch by their employers (the developer), and perhaps they themselves believed the pitch and were able to emphasize it with sincerity as a result.

The developer knows from one week to the next, what the *approximate* month, quarter, year, the connectivity will be completed based on whatever information they have at the moment. Of COURSE that information is subject to change.

But if the sales office was insisting last year, that the completion was due before 2020, then the sales office would have been misleading potential buyers (investors).

From what I'm seeing in the news, and here on this forum, with links to official and unofficial sources - they didn't have all their ducks in a row when they made these promises. Some permits were ready, some were not. Some were pending, and some were being contested. So they weren't anywhere NEAR an expected date, when they gave an expected date to buyers.

As Richard Marx said: it don't mean nothin' til you sign it on the dotted line.

The sales crew made promises without even knowing whether or not there was a dotted line to sign yet.

Result: there's no dotted line yet and buyers have already bought, and want what they were promised in a reasonable amount of time.

What sales pitch are you speaking of?? Usually the sales conversation is just answering questions asked by the buyer. I think of a pitch as what a used car salesman does when he licks his thumb and says "Tell ya what I am gonna do".

There is no need for the staff to make any claims at all. People are quickly buying homes here.

[xcaligirl]

I think we've all bought on "promises".....

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by rrlavigne

... from the promise made to me from my salesperson

Your post is based these two words in the same sentence.



How old are you????


President Reagan, "Trust but verify."

[CandB]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

The 441/27 corridor of retail store and restaurants, medical facilities and TV Regional hospital is further than that. Sorry. So glad to be living within 10 minutes of the corridor. But.....to each his own. South of 44 is more lovely and out doorsy than north of 44.

Your right while staying in Osceola Hills it seems like it only took about 15 min when we did use car. I did not take into consideration Fenney area is a bit further south and may take twice the time to reach north end . I stand corrected...

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by CandB

Your right while staying in Osceola Hills it seems like it only took about 15 min when we did use car. I did not take into consideration Fenney area is a bit further south and may take twice the time to reach north end . I stand corrected...

To get from the northernmost end of Buena Vista to Red Fox Executive Golf Course is approximately 35 minutes by car. You can take 301 instead and shave off 14 minutes if traffic is light.

By golf cart it takes - never mind. You can't get there by golf cart. If there was connectivity, however, it would take approximately 2 hours to get there by golf cart.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

To get from the northernmost end of Buena Vista to Red Fox Executive Golf Course is approximately 35 minutes by car. You can take 301 instead and shave off 14 minutes if traffic is light.

By golf cart it takes - never mind. You can't get there by golf cart. If there was connectivity, however, it would take approximately 2 hours to get there by golf cart.

Those who are upset have not had the pleasure of riding 2 hours in a cart instead of 30 minutes in a car. We are 5 minutes to a grocery, that I don’t shop at. I drive a car out of the bubble. You are correct when those figure out some destinations are a one and done. I can take a cart to Lopez, did it once, now I drive and rent a cart. That was our One and Done

[charmed59]

I think we were all surprised that published dates came and went on the connectivity and Magnolia Plaza. I think they are reticent about putting new dates out there in case whatever messed with their dates before happens again.

That said, assuming connectivity doesn’t happen. It sounds like lots of people who actually live down there would be very happy. I think they should just change their marketing. Drop the connectivity talk, offer lifestyle visits in villas south of 44, and sell them as they are now. Future connectivity is an added bonus.

For those that are upset about published promises they couldn’t deliver on, perhaps offer them a one time only trade option for a preowned house of equal value without commission fees. The Villages could then resell the southern houses to folks that like the area for what it is. I suspect the number that would trade their custom home in for something already standing would be small. I overwhelmingly hear people are very happy with their choice of neighborhoods south of 44.

[CarlNads]

I have talked to dozens of people who are not happy, there have to be hundreds of people south of 44 who are not happy with the connectivity/plaza delays.

I was told in May 2019 that by January 2020, it was documented in the sales map. When deciding between 2 houses my realtor said: "what is 6 months", the short amount of time for connectivity was one of the factors in my decision.

There is one way to get the attention of the developer, and that would be a class-action lawsuit. A quick google shows many successful lawsuits against developers for failing to deliver promised amenities.

Any semi-retired lawyers out there?

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Some people sink a hefty chunk of their retirement savings into their retirement home. Some people would LOVE to move to a different part of the Villages. Perhaps you can start the line of those willing to donate to the cause.

The bonus of living here is you can sell quickly, make a profit, and buy in a different model, or different area. It not about their retirement money, it’s your investment. We have bought and sold homes here, and always made a profit. People move here multiple times. They have never on this site asked someone to donate, to their cause

[thomp679]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

If anyone believes that...I have this bridge for sale.

By chance is that the Morse Bridge???

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by thomp679

By chance is that the Morse Bridge???

Nahh, my personal morals and ethics would never allow me to sell something, where the island that the abutments sits on...was inadequately built and is eroding.

Kinda like the roads that are now failing prematurely.