Hubby and I have friends who told us about TV. We knew we were going to move to Florida as the cost of living is too high here. Of course we didn't want to live in the middle of the state! We want to be on the beach!

We spent about eight years going down to Florida up and down the coast trying to find "that" perfect place to retire. While we found a lot of lovely homes, we couldn't find a neighborhood that we felt was what we were looking for.

One year we decided to stay in our timeshare in Orlando and check out the middle of the state, but NOT TV because their homes are a little more expensive. You know you can buy homes for almost NOTHING in other parts of the state!!!

So..... (to make a short story long) I told hubby... We really should go and see this place. Dan and Bonnie keep raving about it. At lease go see what it's about! So... we go down there! Well... we passed it and had to turn around and while we are diving by, all I could see were people walking, running, and playing pickle ball (I mean... What is that?).

We drive into the town square (there was only one then) and the people are walking hand in hand sitting in the outdoor cafes with their friends and driving around in there golf carts. Does anyone remember the movie with Chevy Chase where the neighbors were all paid to act like the town was a postcard town? Well, that's what I saw!!! We drove straight to the sales office and asked where we sign up to live there!!!!!

Do you know what they told us???? We had to take a bus tour to be sure if we would like it... Are you kidding??? I thought I died and went to heaven!!! Like it???? I LOVED it!

That was eight years ago. I wouldn't come back for the eight years because I knew if I did, I would buy before I was ready to retire. We secured our lot in June and will start building in December.

So... That's my story! *smile*

Golf channel

Excel
 

I have the whole thing planned out in Excel also. One spreadsheet with 7 tabs. I wonder why people called me anally retentive? But the sale purchase and move should go smoothly. :posting:

With alot of coaxing from hubby, I decided to do the Lifestyle visit one year ago. I will say from the moment I stepped into LSL I just had this overwhelming feeling that TV was the place for us. (Sometimes I think fairies fly above TV and sprinkle everyone with pixie dust!) We now have a new home in Tamarind Grove and have never felt happier! OMG I just love this place I now call home! You all have a TV kinda day!:smiley:

Our Friends
 

We bought a land in Pinehurst, NC with a plan to retire there. Our friends are meticulous researcher and went up and down the east coast from NC to Florida visiting at least a dozen places but finally did a life style package and shortly thereafter bought a place at TV. We went to visit them and I liked the place very much but my wife was non-committal. She was initially shocked by just the mass of gray hairs at the restaurants we visited. Pinehurst is not a retirement community per se but when we went there one time in winter, the quaint little town was so deserted. We remembered how active TV was. While we were still contemplating, we mentioned TV to a friend who was contemplating retirement. They visited for the first time for a few days and came back with a grin and told us they bought a model home with all the furnitures. With all these happenings and the great east coast snow storm of 2010, my wife finally agreed that we should be Frogs there. The fact that grandkids moved from NY to Orlamdo this August helped make the decision easier also. Our son says he doesn't mind retiring there when he reaches 55.

July 2010 I was online and googled 'retirement in fl' and I would probaby of bought sight unseen when I saw the website. My hubby has seen it advertised on Golf Channel he said. The place sounded wonderful. We came down for a weekend and stayed at Hamtpon Inn to see if this place was real in Sept. Did a Lifestyle in November 2010 and we will be frogs in June 2011. 9 months 18 days...you think I'm excited????

Freinds
 

a lot of freinds told us about it. It is great

Here are some additional insights/posts from an earlier thread on the topic:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...ad.php?t=35622

Bill :)

What an interesting journey to find the villages. Really liked your story and the horse pic. sounds like they both were well taken care of in retirement. Houdini looks like he was smiling.

Suzanne, I don't golf either (but maybe I would learn if I moved to TV), but my goodness there is so much to do -- clubs, classes, activities -- that if you can't find something in TV that interests you, you better check your pulse. And I hope you do get to move to TV this fall...:wave:

Grannygail,

Congratulations on your upcoming transition to froghood. Do you know what village you and your husband will be moving to? :wave:

Angie -- What do you mean the cost of living is too high in the Chicago area? Cook County sales tax is only 9.5% :( Wow, you and your husband waited 8 yrs. to buy...you must have the patience of saints.

It was a Western Caribbean on Princess. I loved the cruise, but even more since I learned about TV!

I heard from friends who live/own here and from the ads associated with golf broadcasts. Visited a few years ago, came home and told my husband about it; he said he didn't want to live in Florida. Brought him last year and in a couple of days he was a "convert"! We bought in June and are so looking forward to moving full time in about a year. Love it! Also, thanks for all of the info I get on TOTV. And, please let me know if my posts are coming through - I'm not a computer wiz! The Admin has done his best to help me! E.

Our story
 

An Air National Guard friend emailed me saying he would be offline for about 3 weeks and moving to The Villages, Florida. I said, "going to be a beach bum ugh?". He told us no it was middle of the state below Ocala. About a month later, the company I was contracted with had a meeting in Orlando. We went early and spent the weekend in TV visiting our friends. We were hooked!! They actually moved in with his mother-in-law who has lived there for 30 years. After her husband died (about 12 years ago), she told them she wasn't moving back to Alabama. So they moved in with her in Silver Lakes after he retired.

We hope to be there hopefully in about a year. We truly want to live there until we croak!! :D