[Peggy D]

Darbyduff so happy for you.
So happy I found this site! We fell in love with TV last Oct. Just the lifestyle we are looking for. I don't feel so bad after hearing the stories about everyone that has a house up for sale. Ours went up in April, sold for a little less in June, and going to settlement Aug 23. HOWEVER, we also have a beach home on the Delaware shore to sell before we can get to TV! The market is crummy so it will be awhile Let's hope next spring.
Getting so much info from all of you. Thanks

[nanci2539]

Darby - I sent you an email some time ago - wonder if you ever received it????

Congratulations and I'm jealous! But so happy for you. Take it slow, it will fall into place.

On downsizing, I am having nightmares about that! I have such a big home now that I love by the way. Especially in the summer when I'm sitting out in my beautiful gazebo sipping a glass of wine and looking at my landsaping and flowers.

BUT, when I have to take the screens down and lug it all downstairs to the basemet, cover the furniture with tarps, close down my fountain and put away all my decorative yard art to prepare for winter, I dream about TV and having a life style where I can enjoy the outdoors all year long!

[Villages Kahuna]

We lived on an acre in the woods in a Chicago North Shore suburb. We loved our gazebo in the woods, my wife's "water feature" pond and the patio overlooking it all. But you're right--come the fall, it was replace the gazebo screens with plexi panels, clean and carry all the patio furniture for winter storage in the gazebo, clean the pond and catch all the fish for their winter home in the basement aquarium, etc., etc. Then in the spring, reverse the process.

We don't miss any of that since we moved to TV. Oh, we loved our woods and gazebo and all, but the lifestyle in TV more than makes up for it all. We are currently in our other home on Lake Michigan in Michigan's Harbor Country where we planned to spend June-July-August and early September. We've already concluded that we miss TV so much that our trek north in 2008 may not begin until just before the Fourth of July with a return just after Labor Day. In the years after that, who knows, it may even be a shorter northern stay.

[nanci2539]

In the years after that, who knows, it may even be a shorter northern stay.

That's what we're tossing around - do we give up the big house and downsize here and spend our winters in TV. The issue is my husband doesn't want the expense of two homes nor does he want the taxes in IL. And we don't want to rent.

Granted our families are here, son and daughter and both have children and of course, I would miss my grandchildren a lot but my husband feels that the kids have big homes, bigger than our present home so there is plenty of room for us to visit. Why own another home. Of course VK, you have a summer home on the lake so that's different but I pretty much convinced myself that owning two homes doesn't make sense for us financially. If we were millionaires, maybe!

[lin]

That's what we thought also Nancy. We are in the woods of the upper peninsula, way up by Canada. Michigan is beautiful, but the cold season is way too long!
I'm sure once our kids visit they will return every few months.We start our new life in TV on 9-01

Say is there a limit as to how often they can visit? Anyone know?

[darbyduff]

Nancy, did not get the Email!!! ??? Don't know what happened....Here's my Email address for all who want it. It's darbyduff11@hotmail.com!

Thanks guys for all your support and boy did we learn ALOT from all of you. Will be taking all your suggestions to heart but first..........

Realtor will be over within the hour. Lets take it one step at a time...The offer may be cruel and unusual punishment for all the bad things I've done in life!!! :redface: I'll let you know when we start packing!!!!!!! !!

Said Novena already today so I'm ready!!!!!

[kar guy]

DON"T FORGET MY DADS ADVICE. IT"S ONLY MONEY. IF THE DEAL IS ANYWHERE CLOSE TAKE IT. YOU ARE TRYING TO GET DOWN IN FLORIDA, NOT KEEP YOUR HOUSE YOUR IN NOW. TAKE CARE, THE KAR GUY

[Becky]

Darby, have you read anywhere that St.Joseph can be used more than once? I'm thinking maybe you would like to sell him to me??? I'm not ready to sell yet so maybe we could pass him around to those that are. Then when my turn comes..........

Becky ;D

[darbyduff]

Kar Guy - Got the offer...It was a lot higher than we were expecting (we were bracing ourselves for something really low) We countered with a couple of thousand higher and our realtor kicked in a little off his fees. That was just 5 hours ago so we won't hear until tomorrow. The buyer's wife is so emotional about the house and she told me it was her decision so we'll see. ??? But your right, life is too short and it is only money!! (Did I really say that??????)

Becky,

I understand that you have to dig up St Joseph and put him in a place of honor in your home which would be in TV........However....Kar Guy said we should take the offer even though it's a low offer....well, maybe we don't have to lose any money after all...... I can be bought...What's the offer???? ;D ;D lol Maybe we can work out a "rent to own" kind off arrangement :joke:

[Villages Kahuna]

...it looks like the taxes will possibly get even higher in IL based on the budget standoff between the Governor and the State Legislature (and they're all Democrats...unbelievable!)

If your kids have plenty of room for Grampa and Gramma to visit, check out the air fares between Orlando and Chicago (or Orlando and Milwaukee if you live north, or Midway if south). We don't hesitate to fly more frequently than we might given the cheap air fares to and from Orlando. This year we're flying up for a four-day Thanksgiving, then again for Christmas, then to New York for a neice's wedding in mid-January. Spend a few minutes on Kayak.com to check out future fares.

All told, for my wife and I the air fares for those three trips totals not much more than $1,100. The long-term off-airport parking at Orlando is only about $7 a day. So calculate a few trips back to Chicago and then figure that as a percentage of the taxes, insurance and utilities on a second house in Chi town. Then there's maintenance--something will certainly break whether you're there or not.

Good luck with your decision. One thing is for sure--there are plenty of brand spanking new houses available for immediate move-in here in TV. On my daily bike rides, I see whole blocks of empty houses in and around Mallory Square (south of Mallory Hill CC between O'Dell and Morse). And from what people are saying, maybe even a break from TV management. Might as well ask.

[nanci2539]

Thanks VK - hubby doesn't want two homes and based on friends of ours that did this when they retired, we're told not to go that way. So for right now, we're looking at retiring and moving to TV as our perm. residency. You are correct on the taxes - we're paying $12,000 annually and it's going up. We're both working so not feeling it like some of our neighbors but it's ridiculous that we;re paying for all these new schools going in and our kids are adults!

I posted about using other Realtors other than TV reps but didn't get any response. Should I just shop around for local real estate people and use both, TV and outside of TV?

[F16 1UB]

Hey VK,

Is Mallory CC open yet? Having dinner with snowbird Sable Chasers tomorrow night that took us there last Jan. Great food with party atmosphere. We loved it.

Steve

[F16 1UB]

I am still in KY but saw the devastation from the twister that wiped out Mallory CC. I said I'm having dinner tomorrow night with friends that are Snow Birds that live in TV. They're in KY now.

I'm going to a Gallatin County KY meeting tonight regarding Sunday liquor sale. The local political fathers want to stop Sunday sales. DUH! Nothing like turning back the clock. Another reason to move to civilization. Also couldn't believe last week while in San Francisco my wife ordered some wine from 2 of the wineries we toured in Napa Valley and one said NOPE, Can't ship to KY. Guess other states have similar laws. Not sure about florida but don't think there's too many vinyards either.

:welcome

My sister and I visited TV last October and we looked at various homes. We are still working back here in Hamburg, New York (land of Taxes) so we told the realtor that we did like it, but we are not ready yet. Well, we saw that the homes in Duval, south of 466, near 466A were being discounted by 18-20,000. We flew down on Saturday, Dec. 9th, looked at a few ranches and signed the papers. Came home on Monday and said - What Did We Do?? We are very happy that we DID. We bought furniture and fans and a screen door and had them installed this week. We will be coming down in October for 1 week with friends to finally relax. We are planning on retiring in 2008, but we will still keep our house in Hamburg for the summers for now. We are very excited that we decided to buy and look forward to meeting all of our neighbors in Duval. We looked at pre-owned homes and Designer homes, but we did not want to be house poor also. We have a 3br ranch and it will be big enough for us. Good luck with your househunting. JanetandCarol

[darbyduff]

We countered the offer and GUESS WHAT....They accepted!!!!! For the price we wanted!!!! (I know, I know) Anyway, we close on September 30th BUT we will rent back until September 27th. We will be coming down real soon (haven't decieded when) to pick out a home. You can bet it won't be in Jan's neighborhood!!! Sorry Jan!!!

Don't forget those drinks in the square!!!