[TraceJustice]

Originally Posted by Oldragbagger

Richmond is coming along beautifully and the location is awesome. So close to Brownwood, and with the new Lake Okahumpka rec center across the way, and not very far from Sawgrass Grove either. The developer has left a lot of green space and trees which seems to create a really nice buffer from the turnpike.

Good points! We didn’t get to check it out very much because there was so much construction traffic and activity we couldn’t get up in there. Can’t wait to see it!

[Marykess1802]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

I've spent a lot of time in DeLuna photographing homes and shooting videos and talking to both residents and the workers building this village. This is the first I've heard such a disparaging remark about this village. I've had two conversations that were not positive and more neutral about DeLuna, one was concerning the power lines and the other was about the Turnpike noise, both conversations ended on a positive note focused on the fact that the home prices directly affected by these items reflected a savings that couldn't be passed up.

The wetlands within and around DeLuna not only help temper the din of the turnpike noise but also bring with them an abundance of wildlife that will rise quickly after the construction in the area is completed (ask the folks of St Catherine about their many visitors these days). Don't be fooled to think that the view you have today of the wetlands will be the same in years to come, these areas are active and growing areas, and the vegetation will grow quickly higher than what you see today. Per your deed restrictions, you may NOT enter these areas or perform ANY maintenance on the vegetation without specific permission (which you won't get) from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). The district office has had many dealings with SWFWMD over the years due to residents entering these areas and damaging or clearing the growth; to date SWFWMD has been cooperative and worked with the district staff on mitigation and restoration of these violations, but the tolerance for these violations has been lowering quickly. It won't be surprising if heavy fines are levied by SWFWMD on future violations, fines that will be the responsibility of the homeowners.

As several have stated, there are many colloquialisms used here in Florida to describe our wetland: prairie, marsh, everglades, estuaries, natural habitats, preserves, and many more. All of these have three things in common: water, vegetation, and wildlife in a subtropical climate. The must abundant of the wildlife will be the bugs, and these pests will ultimately lead to the occasional utterance of the less flattering nomenclature of these areas, S...p.

Don't be discouraged by the naysayers among us, while many times they are very vocal, they are actually few in numbers and you'll rarely run into them in the real world as they tend to congregate in their on-line world at

websites.

Thank, Don. Appreciate your feedback.

[Robin Hardwick]

We live in Marsh Bend that is the village that connects to DeLuna…we have been here for three years and cannot believe the incredible beauty that the areas south of 44 provide…we enjoy our evenings out on our lanai listening to the sand hill cranes that nest in Hog Eye preserve just outside our back door (still waiting for the turnpike noise to arrive)… we love the beautiful walks around the preserve and the pitch and put as well as the golf course Lowlands too…of course you will adore the musical venue of Edna’s on the Green with its open bar And three food truck options open year round where you sit under the giant southern oaks and relax under the most beautiful of locations (a fun alternative to the 10 minute cart ride to Brownwood square). We also love that the new Southern Oaks shopping is now open five streets away with all the extras you need…your home will have all the newest of hurricane protection, roof, appliances, plumbing, electrical and a smart home for technology too! Welcome to paradise and may you love being here as much as we do…We do not have green swamp men but they may be somewhere with the truck drivers…we will keep watching and listening for them LOL!

[village dreamer]

Originally Posted by D.Bolen

How does The Villages prevent alligators from wandering into DeLuna and other newer residential areas where the beauty of nature is a large part of the appeal? I live near LSL but have friends looking into DeLuna and other newer sections. They have heard comments by those fearful of alligators causing them to hesitate considering these areas.

I assume any needed measures are in place to ensure safety but would like to know (and be able to share) the particulars.

safety would be to keep 100 feet away from any alligators and your little dog too. and dont walk that little dog near the pond.

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by D.Bolen

How does The Villages prevent alligators from wandering into DeLuna and other newer residential areas where the beauty of nature is a large part of the appeal? I live near LSL but have friends looking into DeLuna and other newer sections. They have heard comments by those fearful of alligators causing them to hesitate considering these areas.

I assume any needed measures are in place to ensure safety but would like to know (and be able to share) the particulars.

you don't stop them, they were here 1st. any pond you see, expect to find one in there.

[Tom359]

Alligators are literally everywhere in Florida. They were here first, so learn to live with them. 99% of the time, they are more afraid of you and will leave you alone. The issue in Florida is that people start feeding them and they lose their fear of humans. My wife and I love the gators. Literal dinosaurs that have as much right to be here as you do. One thing I want to make very clear is that they do NOT "relocate" them. If people feed a gator and it becomes a nuisance, they will trap it, and kill it. I've had neighbors tell me they "saw a gator and called FWC to relocate it". Nope. That gator is now dead because humans wouldn't leave it be. The only exception to this I can think of is the famous Villages resident, Larry the Gator. He was relocated to Gatorland because he had a social media page and was beloved by Villagers. I've actually seen Larry at Gatorland, and he is a big boy! Every other gator is killed, so please, do not feed them and do NOT call FWC just because you saw one.

[richs631]

Been in The Villages for 4 years. Never heard Deluna called a swamp. The only thing to look for is that some areas of Deluna are close to the Florida Turnpike and could be noisy

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by clouwho

Not only would this NOT scare my husband and I, this would make us more GRATEFUL that while we live in a congested place, the developer also leaves space for NATURE in all her glory to flourish and coexist with us. It is literally the main reason these two native Lousianans moved here. It upsets us greatly when people from other regions come here wanting to kill or remove everything that makes this place so beautiful.

Every yes is a thousand nos. YES to The Villages is NO to a sterile, clear cut, lifeless, paved community. If you say YES to Florida, with her bugs, reptiles, and wildlife that may not be YOUR cup of sweet tea; her snowbirds and her hot, muggy weather six months of the year— you also get to say YES to keeping more of your retirement income, YES to her six months of glorious weather, ABUNDANT natural springs, rivers, lakes and TWO oceans; over 800 miles of beaches, FOUR cruise ports, countless amusement parks, museums, and attractions; hundreds of terrific state and national parks and monuments; the kind of show-stopping natural beauty everyone wants (Sandhills and eagles, anhingas and ospreys, herons and hawks, tortoises and turtles, beautiful butterflies and fabulous frogs); and so much more!

And if you say YES to The Villages, with the inherent challenges of a fast-growing BIG city, regardless of which village or region you buy into, you are saying YES to what is most assuredly the MOST convenient, safe, abundant retirement lifestyle bang for the buck you will get anywhere in this country.

No person, community, city, state, or country is perfect; but we have SO much collective awesomeness here I can hardly believe it six years after moving here!

We are happy just being in our own home on our LOVELY little street with our amazing neighbors. We are happy when we leave our little street and walk over to one of three rec centers within a 5 minute walk. We are happy when we walk to the two golf courses adjacent to our street. We are happy when we hop on the cart and enjoy the squares, restaurants, entertainment venues, and our hobbies and activities. We are happy when we get in the car and venture to new areas in TV and explore the ever-evolving amenities and offerings. We are happy when we explore the neighboring small towns and communities and enjoy their dining and entertainment offerings. We are happy when we spontaneously grab our paddle boards and fishing gear and head for the springs or a beach. We are happy when we take short getaways to explore a bit further afield and discover wonderful state and national parks. We are happy when we score a killer deal on a last minute cruise and take off on strange tides for new destinations at bargain prices. We are happy we get to see rocket launches from the golf course by us, or just drive a couple of hours and see history live and in person at Canaveral.

It was really good to write this even if no one reads it or agrees. With all the negativity in our country and the negativity that has arrived in The Villages in the past few years it was REALLY good to say out loud and commit to print that while the negativity brings me down and weighs on my heart, it does NOT stop me from having a good life. My hope is that all of us work hard to not just remember the sad and the bad, but to also celebrate the glad! (Does anyone other than me remember Pollyanna and the glad game? It might be time for Disney to re-release that movie. The book series was most excellent as well).

My daily journalling is done, and I thank you for your tolerance. Have a great day!

WOW! This is amazing! You just made me 100x more excited to move to TV in just a couple of months. I want this life. 😍 Thank you!! What village do you live in? We will be home shopping when we arrive, so I always love to hear what villages others live in. I have a cousin who has lived in Amelia since 2007 when it was brand new. He and his wife are still so happy there. 😊

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by Oldragbagger

Richmond is coming along beautifully and the location is awesome. So close to Brownwood, and with the new Lake Okahumpka rec center across the way, and not very far from Sawgrass Grove either. The developer has left a lot of green space and trees which seems to create a really nice buffer from the turnpike.

We are hoping to buy in Richmond. We’ve been watching it for many months. We’re open to a courtyard villa, veranda, or designer home. We just have to get our home here in Calif sold so that we can get there and be ready when homes are released. We do want to be closer to Meggison than the turnpike though, so our location choices will be limited. Our agent keeps us updated, and told us recently that when she and her husband were in Richmond recently at night the frogs and other critters were so loud they completely drowned out the turnpike noise. We love nature sounds. 😊

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by Robin Hardwick

We live in Marsh Bend that is the village that connects to DeLuna…we have been here for three years and cannot believe the incredible beauty that the areas south of 44 provide…we enjoy our evenings out on our lanai listening to the sand hill cranes that nest in Hog Eye preserve just outside our back door (still waiting for the turnpike noise to arrive)… we love the beautiful walks around the preserve and the pitch and put as well as the golf course Lowlands too…of course you will adore the musical venue of Edna’s on the Green with its open bar And three food truck options open year round where you sit under the giant southern oaks and relax under the most beautiful of locations (a fun alternative to the 10 minute cart ride to Brownwood square). We also love that the new Southern Oaks shopping is now open five streets away with all the extras you need…your home will have all the newest of hurricane protection, roof, appliances, plumbing, electrical and a smart home for technology too! Welcome to paradise and may you love being here as much as we do…We do not have green swamp men but they may be somewhere with the truck drivers…we will keep watching and listening for them LOL!

Thank you for this lovely comment. We loved Marsh Bend and Edna’s when we were there on our LSV in June. Our Villages agent, Sally Selvaggi, lives in Marsh Bend and absolutely loves it. We would definitely consider it if we found the right home. Richmond is first choice mainly because we prefer brand new, but we’ll be considering all options. There are so many wonderful and positive comments in this thread that make me so excited to move there.😊

[thelegges]

Originally Posted by Nana2Teddy

We are hoping to buy in Richmond. We’ve been watching it for many months. We’re open to a courtyard villa, veranda, or designer home. We just have to get our home here in Calif sold so that we can get there and be ready when homes are released. We do want to be closer to Meggison than the turnpike though, so our location choices will be limited. Our agent keeps us updated, and told us recently that when she and her husband were in Richmond recently at night the frogs and other critters were so loud they completely drowned out the turnpike noise. We love nature sounds. ������

The lots to build on in Richmond sold in minutes, with upwards of 30 plus names on a list per lot, either on the preserve, or near the turnpike. So you may not have a choice where you get to buy in Richmond, but be very happy you if get a home.

So those who lost the lottery to build in Richmond, now will be on the lists as each section of spec homes are released. The amount of newly started spec homes looks to be about 15 per day.

Richmond is moving quickly, the designer lots to build on should start in couple of weeks.

Pitch and putt looks very close, but can’t imagine it opening until the construction is not so crazy. Fun fact there is a walled site that a home sits on near the bridge and turnpike, not owned by the villages.

[Regorp]

Originally Posted by bsloan1960

Was watching Jerry and Linda's latest show. Someone wrote them, "I live in DeLuna- The Swamp"... The hosts simply said Deluna is a nice place and didn't address the nick-name. We just bought a house in DeLuna and will move to TV in about a year. Is The Swamp a well known nick-name for DeLuna? and if so- why?

Thanks

Just moved into DeLuna in August, so definitely not a swamp, a construction zone-yes, but not a swamp. Although the Villages required flood insurance,maybe because of the constant rain storms. Glad we chose this area and easy access to so much via 301. Peace!!

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by Nana2Teddy

We are hoping to buy in Richmond. We’ve been watching it for many months. We’re open to a courtyard villa, veranda, or designer home. We just have to get our home here in Calif sold so that we can get there and be ready when homes are released. We do want to be closer to Meggison than the turnpike though, so our location choices will be limited. Our agent keeps us updated, and told us recently that when she and her husband were in Richmond recently at night the frogs and other critters were so loud they completely drowned out the turnpike noise. We love nature sounds. 😊

we are in McClure, & there is this 1 rooster, who lives a few blocks away on 1 of the farms. he crows every morning when i take the dog out, & this guy has become beloved to me-- i now consider him part of the 'landscaping.' he's not loud or anything, so you can't hear him except when you're outside. he hides any traffic sounds or disturbances coming from the dreaded turnpike.

[Lottoguy]

Their making good money on their Youtube Channel.

[Luggage]

toms river nj built on bogs that grew blueberries.