[rjn5656]

Just bought a new Lantana in Bonita and will be down 5/15 for a week.
What are all the things we need to get done quickly: cable tv, lawn services, caretaker etc. Any help so we don't forget something will be appreciated.

Bob from upstate NY

[marianne237]

don't forget to take a little bit of time to just sit down and enjoy yourselves! All the hustle and bustle will get done.

[redwitch]

Number one thing is to call to have the sprinklers checked out. This should be done in the first 30 days to have any sort of warranty (which is minimal, at best, but better than nothing).

If you haven't called for cable already, the odds of you getting it while you're there are pretty slim -- ComCast has no qualms about keeping you waiting.

For lawn service, check with your neighbors and see who they use. You can usually get better service if the mower does more than one home in the neighborhood, especially if at least one homeowner is here fulltime. There are a few "all-in-one" companies, but few really do a good job. I've found PTL to be about the best for mowing, fertilizing, weeding and trimming; but most of us hire different companies for each of these services.

Don't forget pest control. This is really a biggie in Florida -- you should have a 5-year warranty on termites, but not bugs. You can use your termite company or hire someone separately -- some will do both yard and house; some will fertilize as well as spray for bugs; some are bug control only.

If your home is unfurnished, you'll obviously be spending a lot of your time shopping. Even so, do try to find some time to have some fun. It's really not easy the first few times you're down, but you can usually find a way to get in a round or two of golf; a dip in the pool; a lunch and dinner or two; an evening at the Square; and maybe even a polo game.

Welcome! And congrats!!!

[philnpat]

Bob,
The advice so far has been excellent!...relax, have a good time and most importantly - buy your friends dinner at Red Sauce!
Phil and Pat

[CSilvestrucci]

Congrats and welcome to Bonita

[kfierle]

Welcome to Bonita.

Like you, I was only able to be in my new home for a week after I purchased it. I tried to make sure I covered all my bases in that short period of time. I met with my builder, met with someone to explain the irrigation system and check the sprinklers, met with the air conditioning people, scheduled pest control, had cable installed, (I scheduled this several weeks before I closed to make sure it was done when I was at my villa), installed gutters, and hired a home watch person. All the advice Redwitch gave you is excellent. If you are able to schedule any of these ahead of time to take place when you are there, all the better.

I still made sure I found some time to enjoy myself by going to the pool, taking an exercise class, played a round of golf, and went out to dinner a couple of times.

Congratulations and welcome to The Villages! I know you will love it here.

[Niels]

Congratulations, Bob. We came down for about a week and a half when we first closed on our house. We didn't get cable TV installed until we came down permanently. We were so busy we had no time to watch TV anyway. Not having the Internet was a pain but we just went to the library.

Several people have made good suggestions - irrigation walk thru and A/C orientation should be scheduled that first week. Pest control is a must in Florida. Our new house already had fire ants in it when we closed on it. Lawn pest control is also required and is separate from house pest control.

Two things I would add to my list to do right away. One is to put donuts on your sprinkler heads. It helps protect them from damage when mowing. Another good idea is to contact SECO about getting a lightning surge protection device for your electric meter. It helps control electrical surges from the very frequent lightning storms in central Florida. Most people in my neighborhood have gotten it. You can either rent it or purchase it from them. Electrical contractors also sell the devices. It installs on your meter and they did mine when I wasn't home.

One thing I wanted to clarify is that you do not have a five warranty on termites. While the pretreatment on the wood may last five years, they only give you a one year warranty. The Villages pays for the first year on new homes but you have to renew your termite bond each year after that (it costs about $125 to $150 a year). The termite bond is separate from your other household pest control contract.

Welcome to Bonita. It's a great neighborhood.

[memason]

This is all great information to know, in your first couple weeks. Does anyone have a checklist of these types of issues they could share?

If not, maybe I'll start one with the info. from this thread and it can be shared online. It might be something we could add to, as new items come up.

My next question...is there a place on TOTV where we can share files, like spreadsheets, etc.?

Ideas ??

[Niels]

Zcaveman has already put together an excellent list of all the things you have to do when you move to The Villages. It's a three part posting that can be found in the Nuts and Bolts section of TOTV. All someone has to do is look at his listing and pull out of there anything you think needs to be done in the first week or two.

I highly recommend that anyone purchasing in The Villages take a look at his list. I used it when I moved and found it a very valuable resource.

[rjn5656]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Closing on the 10th and will be down on the 15th with so much too do. But I will take your suggestions and enjoy myself some too.