[Laurawilcox]

Hello, I notice many move multiple times even within new homes, where in theory you had what you wanted built for you. What are your reasons?

[Vetter]

Hard to answer -- i looked for the garage, my wife to be at the yard and being a reasonable distance from the tennis club. We were lucky that we lived close already (Mt Dora and Tampa) so we looked every weekend and it was a scene form the Three Stooges! Decided to rent for 90 days and I scanned the computer and then drove to see some while she still worked full time. Then on Saturday we had a list to go actually visit with a realtor (never found a used home listed with The Villages so that split realtor issue never came up). Two months in we found the house we both liked and it was close to tennis so we bought. I suggest the rental if possible just to see what it is like actually living here and traveling by car and golf cart in the various areas. We are in Chatham so we cannot cart to the 441 businesses, but carts are too slow for me so I wouldn't do that anyway, otherwise we are happy where we live. Just one experience of thousands.

[Mustagotlost]

We rented north of 466 the first time and liked the convenience of shopping and eateries. We stumbled on a house to our liking and closed in a week. That was 4 years ago. Very happy with our decision. Now if only the virus would go away.

[Curtisbwp]

This is your decision to make. I have been in tv since 2003. I live in sable chase. Very close to sumter landing and i love it. Consider the bond. A preowned home may have no bond. The newer section has a heafty bond.and for the most part have many upgrades.

Originally Posted by STLRAY

I have been trying to schedule a LV for almost a year but a combination of elderly parents and adult children and COVID have derailed my plans. So I have been scouring the internet for everything I can learn about TV. One thing I remain curious about is how to determine where to live. Some say live in the established areas because there is so much more to do and some recommend the newer areas because there will be more people my age (I'm 57 and single). Any thoughts, suggestions or smart ass comments are welcome.

[Skoego]

Location - Proximity to Lake Sumter Landing and Spanish Springs

[Jim1mack]

Not south of 44. A Publix May open by the end of the year and then slow infill of the retail. There will never a square like those north of 44. It’s not the villages lifestyle like you will find north of 44. We live near Brownwood and feel it’s a great location. Lots of golf cart accessible shopping, medical, dental, rec centers, golf.

[Villagesgal]

Find a model you like, then look to see where that is available new and resale. Take into consideration upgrade costs if buying resale. Golf front homes are much less north of 466, so consider that too. You might be able to afford a golf course or lake front resale home after all. If you take your time and buy what you really want the first time no need to ever move again. We did our homework, waited for a lot on a championship course with a lake view 19 years ago, made changes to the plans of the Designer home we wanted and are as happy 19 years later with the house and lot as we were when we bought it. You could be too. Take your time, you'll be happy you did. Neighbors come and go, but your home and view lot are a constant. All Villages have their pros and cons and their great and not so great people. Buy the house and the lot you want and you'll be happy. Welcome to the Villages, life is good here.

[Tom M]

We wanted to be between Sumter and Brownwood and reasonably close to shopping. But, it was also important (for us) to have natural gas. Ended up in the Village of Largo.

[jebartle]

The beautiful canopy of trees reminded us of North Carolina, our former home, for some that would be a negative, but we are tree huggers, lol. After looking at many homes, this one said, "You are home". My husband walked in to lanai before seeing the house and said "I'll take it!" And here we are.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Jim1mack

Not south of 44. . There will never a square like those north of 44.

[CarrieOn]

Depends if u want a new home or older home is what it comes down too..the newer villages tend to have younger crowd as well..

[tedquick]

Originally Posted by STLRAY

I have been trying to schedule a LV for almost a year but a combination of elderly parents and adult children and COVID have derailed my plans. So I have been scouring the internet for everything I can learn about TV. One thing I remain curious about is how to determine where to live. Some say live in the established areas because there is so much more to do and some recommend the newer areas because there will be more people my age (I'm 57 and single). Any thoughts, suggestions or smart ass comments are welcome.

My wife and I visited 5 or 6 times before we bought. Each time we looked at homes and how we would live once here. We selected a plan that would accommodate family and friends and an area where we would be “living’. We do theater, movies, restaurants, health clubs, church and shopping. We wanted to be close to The Sharon and the Savannah Center so we ended up buying the plan we were after (it was an 18 year old home) and completely redid it. By golf cart we are 5 minutes from Spanish Springs and 10 minutes from Sumter Landing. We could not be happier. We’ve been there 6 years now and wouldn’t consider moving.

[bpascani]

I would suggest that you do the Lifestyle program once Covid19 is gone. Everything is pretty much closed now. Then, after that, when we were ready, we rented a house down here for 6mos 7days, with month to month extension if needed, giving our landlord at least 60 days notice. That gave us plenty of time to get to know the areas and find the house we wanted. We had our preferences of areas, but house wants were more important, except that we did not want south of hwy 44..that's the newer areas, but no access via golf cart to anything north of hwy44. by doing this, you can join several clubs, get to know people in different areas, etc.

[Burgy]

There appears to be a trend toward less golf in the area south of 44. There are I think 4 exec eg. par 3 courses but only 1 championship[ to be built it would appear. There are 12 championship courses north of 44 so I think that difference is quite significant

[pbedell]

Please write that book!!!