Thanks!
 

Thank you so much, NavyJ! We got your PM. Will check out your recs. Paula & John

Glad it helped a little
 

Hey - saw you had NE Ohio listed in your signature block on msgs. Where exactly? I grew up in Warren, had relatives in Youngstown/Boardman area and cousin now in Port Huron.

We are from the Akron area. Currently live in Tallmadge, but spent lots of time in Cuyahoga Falls. I had some relatives who lived in Canfield in the 60s, but nobody in Youngstown.

Memorize this. If you need to, write it down and study it every day.

"When approaching a round about, if you intend to take the FIRST EXIT, you MUST use the RIGHT HAND LANE.

If you are going straight though by taking the SECOND EXIT, you may use EITHER LANE. (If you are in the left hand lane, be very careful of people on your right who may not know the next rule.)

If you intend to take the THIRD EXIT, you MUST use the LEFT HAND LANE.

And at all times, especially in a round about, keep your head on a swivel. Be aware of everything and everyone around you.

Thank you!

Hello, I just joined your site today and until I get used to searching the questions I will be having, I could use some help.
I will be coming to TV in April or May to look for a home. Is it better to use the Villages realtor office or go to local Weichert or etc?
If you could tell me which forums to look up, it would be appreciated.
Thank you.

You should have both a Villages sales agent and a realtor. The Villages has its own listing service, called VLS, and Villages sales agents can show you those houses. The new houses are all VLS. A realtor from a firm like Weichert can show you the MLS houses. Then there are the FSBO houses, and a website called, I believe, VillagesFSBO has some of those.

I would say do nothing in terms of upgrades for the first year. You jump into doing things because you're excited and or perhaps of friendly competition with your neighbors (look what the Jones' are doing). You may realize that after a year you do not like your street, or do not like your neighbors or you may want to move. Drive around to other sections and see what people have done to their homes. Get quotes first and sit on them.

Thanks for all the great advice. We're newbies and appreciate the experienced opinions.:bowdown:

Your best investment will be a NO SOLICITING sign to post prominently in your front door window. That stopped the pesky solicitors who lie about who they represent and what they sell. The "Welcome Wagon" lady was really a water treatment saleswoman who wisely did't make her pitch when I spoke about my desire to draw and quarter all the solicitors who were bothering me. One of the "landscapers" was just arrested for grand larceny after he ripped off lots of my neighbors in Dunedin who got a group together to implore the Sheriff's Office to take action. Beware of new construction in your neighborhood. The Villages Management does give a damn about all the flat tires on cars and golf carts that result from aluminum screws and nails left in public roads by building contractors. Not to mention dust and dirt and lots of noise.

I use cart world for my electric cart. It has a aluminum frame and is rated the best electric cart, and most reliable by golf courses.

Cart World will come to your house, pick up your cart and bring it back at no charge!
They are very reasonably priced.

We too are in Rochester and hopefully moving to TV in the future. What town are you in? We are currently in Gates near Elmgrove Rd.

Beware of some of the larger cart dealers and the brand of seats you buy.
I found out the hard way the warranty does not always mean what they say

Don't prepay for any services unless you get an excellent reference!

Street legal or modified?
 

We are new and have bought our sellers' 4-person electric golf cart which is street legal. We are not sure we want to remain street legal, though we may need to in order to haul 4. Any advice/suggestions?

Your post raises several questions:

1. What do larger cart dealers do that is unaccptable to you that smaller cart dealers do not do?

2. Did you have a problem(s) with a specific brand of seats and what was the problem(s)?

3. What did you find out was not covered by the warranty that you expected to be covered?

Looking forward to hearing your answers since they could be useful to many future and current Villagers.

Your answer
 

Here is the answer to your question. The conversion is simple and inexpensive. The 4 seat issue has nothing to do with street legal. The "catch" in the law says the title holder must apply for the conversion to "NOT STREET LEGAL". Go to the County Motor Vehicle office in Pinellas, the lady there is very helpful and will guide you thru the process.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...ght=conversion

Even then I would not prepay any significant amount.

I may be interested in moving to the Villages. I am looking to rent a room in the Villages from December 2015- February 2016 to see if it is for me. Can anyone tell me how to go about finding a room to rent. I don't mind sharing a place as I don't need a whole house.
Thank You
Ellen

Anyone have any Experience with Villages Insurance homeowners policies or ASI (American Strategic Insurance)?

I'm about to become a Newbie, sorta. Been a snowbird renter for 5 years and have learned to rely on TOTV for advice. Will soon close on a new home in LaBelle.

USAA has been my log time insurer but Villages Insurance beat USAA by a mile on premiums. Villages Insurance is actually now using ASI to underwrite policies. I checked ASI on the Better Business Bureau website and there are nearly 200 complaints. Most say ASI is famous for lowball premiums, but terrible on claim service.

Have any Villagers experienced this?

Great idea to run a thread for newbies. As one, I wonder what banks you prefer to use for checking account. Must be cart able from Spanish Springs. Thanks!

I agree.Some tree trimmer truck came to door and Said if I do work tomorrow ill give you such a deal!!!!! I said come back Monday and I know if I can arrord it ... he never came back.. Just wanted my money

What does cya stand for

CYA - Cover your a##.

Courtyard villa.

I think this is great advice. When my wife and I moved to Cary, NC about 16 years ago, we found the layout of the town (if you can call a sprawling area with a population over 100,000 a "town") confusing as all get out. The roads just go every which way and no road goes straight for more than a block or so. We quickly decided to go for a drive every night for the first month or so we lived there. We'd pick a destination and try to find a new way to get that and to get back home, all the while trying to use the maps as little as possible (and no GPS's either!). At the end of the month, we really knew the layout of the town well. We figured we'd do the same thing when we move to The Villages (homeowners but not retired yet). The main difference is that we'll be doing it from a golf car (and boy, am I looking forward to that!).

We've only been to TV four times. The first time, we were hopelessly lost the whole time and our GPS really wasn't up to date on the streets. The second time, we started to know the general areas we were in and the GPS was getting a little better due a recent map update. This last spring we felt far more comfortable getting around to the major areas and the GPS (after another update) could get us to the exact streets to see the houses we were checking out. We came back to close on a house we'd bought and still required the GPS to find our house but not to get back out to the town centers or shopping areas. Progress!

My son lives in Holly Springs, NC. TV is MUCH easier to navigate than Cary. Welcome!

Thanks for all of the great advice! It's very helpful for soon to be TV'ers like myself and my husband. We're trying to learn all we can.

This is very interesting. We are moving down in October and will need all the help we can get!

Thank you..The other day a lawn maintenance guy wanted $2500.00 up front. Is he kidding they must think we are all idiots..I guess they don't know how smart we are making that long living to save the retirement money to live in this wonderful community. As a newcomer I just look at them and say nothing but have that amazed look in my eye as if I am telling them "You have to be kidding", a former NYer

I would say, pay no attention to the negative posts on this forum.

I learned the hard way that if you have a cat, a court yard villa is no assurance that it will be inside your wall if you leave it unsupervised for long periods. Mine climbed atop the air conditioner and jumped atop the fence and into a tree on the other side never to be seen again. Also, some of the latches on the court yard gates are at least ten years old and the springs or whole assembly should be replaced to assure that the gate stays latched when the wind is forcing it to open.

While, or shortly after, you are moving in, a person will come by to ask you questions in order to get your $25 country club gift certificate. You will assume they are a representative of the Villages. They are not. They are there to get your information for a water softening system. They will call you the next day or so to set up an appointment. If you go for it, their salesperson will desperately try and talk you into purchasing a system. We have had a water softener for many years and I highly recommend it. But these folks are ripping many people off. They are telling people that the cost of the system is anywhere from $3900 to over $6000. If you pay any more than $2000, then you've been scammed. And, to top it off, they'll tell you not to tell anyone what you've paid! We know the system and it is good, but don't get taken for a ride. You can also buy a water softener in Home Depot or Lowes and have a plumber install it for a lot less.

I would strongly suggest you reconsider keeping USAA. If they will sell to you in TV. They are a very strong (financially) company and they have an excellent customer service record. The fact they are members only they don't have some of the costs other insurers have so they are usually very competitive price wise. If someone is much less expensive that to me would be a very large red flag. At least IMHO.

Dr. Winston
 

Dr. Winston, I see it's been nearly 6 months since you posted this. I'm wondering if you have seen much improvement or any improvement at all? I'm not a fan of round a bouts in general but I know they're very en vogue right now. I'd be OK with them if people just knew how to drive in them.

Is Southern lifestyles still in business? Their web site says they have shut their retail locations.

I am a 40 yr member of USAA . They woild not write homeowners for me in TV. I think the will only cover active service members in Fl .

If this were not the case I would renew with them in a minute.

We will be buying a water heater in October. We're planning on getting it from Home Depot or Lowes. Any suggestions on plumbers or do we just let them arrange installation.

Looking for furniture but a little nervous as we just had a bad experience trying to buy a golf cart.How do keep safe.People wanting money sent without seeing it.What do others do?