[KEVIN & JOSIE]

Just wondering if anyone, after just one lifestyle visit, moved to The Villages and regretted it later. Was one visit enough? Should you have visited more often before making the big decision? I hear of people visiting for years before moving there. Do you think that is the wise thing to do? Thanks

[asianthree]

I think it depends on you. Some visit for years due to still working and can not take on a second house. Some buy the house thinking selling theirs is not a big deal and then when they don't sell they sell in TV. And then there is the people who come have a payment and their spouse dies suddenly and can't stay here on their own income. We came three times my husband always knew this was the place, me not so much. We bought on the third time, he will be semi retired this year and will be spending as much time there as possible. I well have four years to retire. If you look at all of the possible reasons as to if you regret it, I think you will find very few people who are unhappy, just their life changed.

[jimbo2012]

We spent 3 days here at separate times in March, plus spending time on this forum.

If for some odd reason we decide to do something else it appears we can get our most of our investment back if we sell.
So we see regret a low risk.

Plan on selecting a lot this summer

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Ditto what asianthree said: "I think it depends on you".

You've got to do whatever it is that makes you feel comfortable in the decision making process.

Bill

[keithwand]

Jan. 2012- FIRST time visiting TV and visited friends that were renting.
Feb. 2012- first LSV. Purchased a lot in Fernandina.
March 2012- came back and picked out our options for the house.
April 2012- house construction starts
May- house is up, painted inside and out, pool is in, driveway is in and landscaper called to see what we want and ready to landscape now!
May- invited to 3 neighborhood partys already; thanks future great neighbors for thinking of us.
June- Closing and moving in.

Long story short... when it feels right why wait?

[bluedog103]

Originally Posted by KEVIN & JOSIE

Just wondering if anyone, after just one lifestyle visit, moved to The Villages and regretted it later. Was one visit enough? Should you have visited more often before making the big decision? I hear of people visiting for years before moving there. Do you think that is the wise thing to do? Thanks

I would advise some caution. While most like it in TV, some do not. Many residents in surrounding communities such as Stone Crest and Spruce Creek are former TV residents. I play golf each summer in NY with a former TV resident. He loved it, not his wife. As they say, "if Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy". It's very easy to get caught up in the hype of TV on the initial visit, I'm positive that if he had the chance my grandson would highly recommend living in Disney World. In our own situation, while we really like TV, we also really like our NY home. We had to figure out how to make snowbirding work for us. Being full time in TV is just not an option at this time.

[Zoomie1955]

We did it and did not look back! Sure we question ourselves afterwards, but it is all worth it. You have to remember, everyone has their "story" on what it took for them to get to TV. We moved in 1/1/12 and are very happy with our new life!

[Bobcuse]

We bought a lot and waited a year to build back in 2001. Our only regret was the lot location because when you pick out the lot you cannot envision how tight the homes are behind you as well as next to you. We moved to a larger lot after three years and built a 2nd home. We sold the 1st home at a nice profit and reinvested in the new home (new house prices were up but we covered the increase with our profit). So, our only regret was not taking more time thinking about the lot location. Nothing else about moving here is regrettable, except the slight population increase from 16,500 in 2001 to 90,000 now, but we still wouldn't move anywhere else.

[graciegirl]

I think...that you will be happy here if you are fairly happy "there".

I think that your chance of happiness is greater if you have decent health, enough money to get by and enough put by to feel "secure"...and if you are able to see the folks you left behind frequently.

I think that if you have an open mind to differences in other people, their attitudes, politics, ATTITUDES, POLITICS, and if you can forgive others their foibles and try not to have too many irritating ones yourself, you will be happy here...

But be prepared to be VERY HAPPY here and **** off the people who are not, due to NO fault of your own.

[skyguy79]

We closed on our home the day after we arrived at TV for the very first time and moved in within the week. We've had no regrets so far except for not having a golf cart garage. Thankfully though, not having the GC garage hasen't cause the earth to shake for us! It's no big deal!

[Taltarzac725]

Know some couples who have loved the Villages and others who have moved away for some reason or another. It seems to depend on good neighbors being available, relations with other family members, health of the homeowners, accessible quality medical professionals, etc.

Not sure if you can discover whether or not you will get along with your neighbors in just one visit. My parents visited for a weekend here in the Villages but actually bought a home a good 5 miles from where they stayed during their first visit.

[Mikeod]

It depends on the individual for sure. We visited TV one day in 2005, came back for a second look a couple of days later and told the agent what we were looking for. We closed on our home a few months after that and wound up in a great neighborhood with fantastic neighbors. We came from CA so we were used to smaller lots and neighbors close by. Some of the people we have spoken to who were not so happy came from areas where the home sites were around an acre or more, so they had more space than they have here. They were not used to hearing their neighbors' parties, TV, radios, etc. and were bothered by that at first. Either you get used to it or you don't.

There was a couple in our neighborhood also from CA who left after a year or so because they missed CA. We sometimes miss CA, but have many, many more friends here than we ever had there. So far, it's been the best move I have made.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by KEVIN & JOSIE

Just wondering if anyone, after just one lifestyle visit, moved to The Villages and regretted it later. Was one visit enough? Should you have visited more often before making the big decision? I hear of people visiting for years before moving there. Do you think that is the wise thing to do? Thanks

Since you're asking the question, it strikes me that you are possibly a cautious type of person. If you have a tendency to worry about things, then perhaps you should rent a few times rather than making a rush decision. The Villages is becoming a large, busy city, which isn't for everyone.

We came for a lifestyle preview in 2007 and returned to Canada without purchasing. Then we threw caution to the winds and bought a month later over the internet, sight unseen. We figured we'd save our rent money and buy. No worries, no regrets.

[looneycat]

Originally Posted by KEVIN & JOSIE

Just wondering if anyone, after just one lifestyle visit, moved to The Villages and regretted it later. Was one visit enough? Should you have visited more often before making the big decision? I hear of people visiting for years before moving there. Do you think that is the wise thing to do? Thanks

never regretted it for even a second!

[784caroline]

Where else have you looked??? We were looking off and on from all along the east coast to Arizonia...of course we were never moving to Florida. Then on a lark, we visited TV and you ask were you sorry you bought "after" you first visit ? Since we were looking for 2 plus years, we came to TV on a 5 day preview visit and we bought ,not after, but during our first visit. This was 2006 and TV was only selling spec homes , already built and selling neighborhoods. The Square at LSL only opened about 9 months earlier and things were actualy quiet. You could pick out nothing for your home, you had to pay closing, no discounts, no furniture incentives no golf carts thrown in to sweeten the pot. Finaly moved here permanently the summer of 2008 (could not sell up north for 20 months) but looking back...best decision we ever made. We still know friends who are waiting to sell at the right price for they dont want to give their home away while we have been growing with a new community and with many new founded friends and neighbors. Friends and former neighbors (notice I didnt say former friends) all come buy to visit and we still cruise and meet up with our friends of 40 years from Va at least 3 times a year. Life is good!

Bottom line: Hope you have been looking at other locations and have something to compare TV with. If not you should before you buy, I know you have heard from many people that few if any "over 55 active lifestyle" communities will compare or even come close to what TCV offers but you should determine this for yourself. We have found that many people who hestitate moving to TV ...its NOT TV that is the problem...they would have concerns that need to be resolved within themselves if the move was only 100 miles from home.