We have family here in the villages, for about 10 years. We've been here about 3 and 1/2. We are all very concerned and unhappy about the huge amount of "development", especially remembering the promise it would never go south of 44. We are in a pandemic and see greater crowds, more traffic, harder to find tee times. Just wait til things return to "normal". Apartments being added both in and out of the villages will add to these numbers as well. No more town squares are being added...yes, they are adding some rec centers and other amenities in the south, but it will be quite some time before there will be a sufficient amount, if ever. (Comments like, then move, or growth is inevitable" don't help by the way). Absolutely, there are many positives about living here. But it will not be the same. Frankly, we are leaning towards moving because of these changes.

So when you moved to TV were you under impression you were last person to buy a home and the developer was going retire and TV would stay exactly the same. People who move to Florida always seem to think it's going to stay the same and not grow or get any bigger. When Walt Disney bought all that land in Orlando, it was small town about the size of Ocala is now, and had a military base and the Navy conducted their basic training there.

I grew up in St. Petersburg, we didn't have interstate through town until the end of the 70s, everywhere you went you traveled by surface streets. This is how downtown looked in 1965, the tallest building was a 7 story hotel built in the 20s.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/02...g?v=1497471125

This is downtown St. Petersburg now, and I can't begin to tell the difference in Miami then and now. You could drive on Hwy 19 from St. Petersburg to Clearwater 15 miles and not see a building. Today Hwy 19 is non-stop big box stores, malls, restaurants, fast food, all the way for 60 miles to Spring Hill.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=1500w

except I would hazard that every one of us was told that "build out" was in a few years....

Sorry but some of this info is not correct. We moved out of TV last year after being there 12yrs and now live in OTOW.
We do own the house and land
Golf membership is around $3,400 a year but you then do not pay green fees
Without a golf membership the green fee on Candler Hills is $34
Our monthly amenity fee is $280 which includes items not included in our amenity fee in TV

Lastly someone else mentioned the size of OTOW, while they do have quite a bit of land left to develop and I remember hearing population should be 20-30,000 when done.

From OTOW's website:
Annual World Golf Membership Fees
Single $4200 | Couple $6300
Cart Lease – Single $800 | Couple $1215

Golf would be $525/month for a couple, on top of the $280 amenity fee per month.

Friends of ours looked at other places over the years but bought in The Villages when it was time to. Since they were here we did not look at anything else as we wanted to hand with them. Plus, no place has this many miles of golf cart driving.

Better go home son and make up your mind.

At least that is what we learned in the glorious 60's.

Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind - Lovin' Spoonful 1966 {Stereo} - YouTube

I have been looking for a place to get away from the cold winters up north. My wife and I are boaters and beach people we love the ocean etc. etc. We love the west coast of Florida, the beautiful sandy beaches and the blue water. Clearwater beach is our favorite.
We decided on The Villages because of the low cost of living, all of the 100's of activities and clubs available, the beautiful landscape and the entire concept of town squares with music and entertainment almost every night. There is NO PLACE THAT CAN COMPARE TO THE VILLAGES!!!!! Clearwater does not have any community that compares to the Villages. I searched condos for 2 years only to find small condo's that needed big updated renovations and high common charges and higher taxes, usually in unsafe neighborhoods that I would have a concern leaving for several months. Oh and lets not forget the HURRICANES. No hurricanes here in TV. The only thing missing here for us is the white sandy beach at Clearwater beach. Only 1 hour and 45 minute drive away we booked a few days there in February. Very Happy here in The Villages.

I agree. If I was going to relocate closer to a beach it would be on the Gulf Coast. Probably Naples.

OTOTW drone footage
 

Found this on youtube. Looks pretty nice. If all I cared about was golfing once or twice a week I'd seriously consider it.

The Villages Florida vs On Top of The World - YouTube

Sailfish Point in Stuart is my idea of a nice downhome beach community.

Sailfish Point

Those golf membership fees are for the two private 18 hole courses in OTOW.
Candler Hills, which I was referring to, has a membership fee of $3,400yr for a single or $35 per round without a membership.
Cart Lease is if you do not own an electric golf cart otherwise there is no cart fee.

The Gulf of Mexico is not as desirable as the Atlantic. It’s just a gulf not an ocean.

Nowhere in the world can compete with villages when it comes to golf courses. TOTW will never compare to villages in golf.

So how do you know the difference? You can’t see across it? It’s all water out there.