I live near Sumter but I like being close to the shopping. My brother lives south of 44 and goes to Leesburg. There is a super Walmart and AMC and Aldi and a gym

I do most of my shopping on line like you, but it's nice to be near a Home Depot or Lowe's when you need something quick.

I live in the “south” and I don’t hear the turnpike or the prison or the quarry. I don’t see the allure of putting perishables in a golf cart and driving around for 15/20 minutes, so I don’t have any issue with the proximity to the grocery stores by car. I am 4 minutes from Magnolia Plaza (if I get the red light) and 7 minutes from Lake Deaton Plaza by car. Magnolia Plaza will have a CVS and gas station very soon. Lake Deaton already has a gas station (with car wash) and Walgreens. I go to the grocery store nearly every afternoon for dinner items and never see an inconvenience. I am happy to patronize the independently owned ACE hardware on 301 when I need a hardware item over the Lowes, but Lowes is still only 15 minutes away. I have had no trouble finding a doctor (Lake Deaton), dentist (Magnolia), or nail salon. The only provider that I “travel” to is the vet twice a year 15 minutes away but my vet has always been 15 minutes away. The south is closer to the “better” hospital in Leesburg (15 minutes which will go way down when Meggison connects to the turnpike) and there is an emergency room 7 minutes away by Brownwood. The south is much much closer to the airport and Orlando and will be an even shorter distance when the Meggison connection opens which again should be very soon. I have zero desire to wait on the checkout lines at Walmart, but I do wish a Target was closer (and I’m fairly certain one will come with the Middleton construction). We have 1 car and 1 cart. We go to dinner by cart all the time and there are many restaurants within a 20 minute cart ride and more to come soon too. The TOTV posters always south bash because they are worried how great it’s going to be down here very very soon!

I live about a mile and a half to Lowes, Publix and Aldis on 466A. I really love being that close......

Spanish springs area is a mess. Traffic on Morse going north is very slow, golf carts sharing the streets, no multi-modal paths, and then it gets worse at 441. I get my sams club items delivered to me.
South of 44 is within a golf cart away from lake Sumter and Brownwood, then the new sawgrass grove and soon the new bridge will lead to the new square. We have many executive golf courses all around us within a 30 min golf cart drive. Publix, soon a 7/11 with gas, marathon gas on 44 near the chatty chatty bridge, lowes on 466a, Walmart neighborhood store, and many restaurants. In a few years, south of 44 will be the center of the villages the way it’s growing

Of course everyone’s needs are different so nobody can really answer for the OP.
But I think it’s a lot more than just grocery shopping to consider when choosing a place to live.
In a typical week or month between the two of us we make:

- 2 to 3 trips monthly to Walgreens for medications
- Maybe 2 Dr appointments monthly on 441
- 2 to 3 visits to the gym weekly
- Trip to gas station every couple weeks for car and every month for each golf cart
- softball games near 466 two times a week
- monthly club meetings at Lake Miona and La Hacienda
- golf 2 to 3 times a week
- trip to Sam’s every 3 or 4 weeks
- trip to Lowes every month or so (or 3 times in a weekend if doing a project!)
- dentist is on 466
- Savanah Center or The Sharron for show every month or so
- Out for dinner once a week
- Walmart once a month

All these things can be done from south of 44, but for us it would much less convenient. To each their own.

Most of those things can be done south of 466a, a few of those things can be done at sumter like going to new movies or the square.
Check out the golf cart paths south of 44, check out the bike/walking paths we have south of 44, no other place in the villages have these types of paths. Most golf cart paths south of 466a are off the main road whereas north of 466: aren’t. Brand new health care centers are aplenty around 44. The only establishment that is on the north side in Spanish springs are 2 bowling alleys, so we go to leesburg which is closer and faster to get too.
The op needs to spend a week with a golf cart/bikes/car and check everything out.

South of 44
 

I would be more worried about Freeway noise, prison noise or quarry blasting noise than shopping issues!?

In person shopping may not matter to you but it does to me. Sometimes I need to shop in person; on line shopping often doesnt work.

I have to try on shoes before buying bcs I have foot issues. I like to try on clothing bcs clothes look different on me than on the model & I seem to be btwn sizes.

The Millennial Mall is near Orlando but my house is near LSL so its a long drive.

The Tampa Bay Internationa Mall is nice then the Mall at Millenia.

It's important to me to be near shopping, because I enjoy the adventure. I don't buy much, ever. I'm not a big-time consumer, I make whatever gifts I give to people rather than buy them (most of the time). But I love window shopping, people watching, the experience of shopping in and of itself.

I love parking my golf cart at Petco and walking all the way down to Ulta, stopping in the different stores that have interesting things for sale just to see them. I don't need to fill my house with doodads, when I can see them on display for free.

Coffeebean, this is so true. I have always lived in the NYC metro area. I take the subway or walk bcs both are faster & more pleasant than driving

Thanks!
I didnt know about the Tampa mall. I have a friend who lives near Tarpin Lake so I will take a look next time I go to see her.

We spent a month before buying and could have easily doubled it

I agree - that’s why we live just south of 466A

Shopping was 5 min away north or south where I had lived before TV. The bottle water refill station was a traffic light away. That was a huge convenience. I don't feel like driving 16 min to walmart in comparison, or 24 min to Lady Lake. Before I could just go for a quick run, now I have to time it so I'm not wasting gas going as often or my food isn't running out. Love living here so won't complain too harshly, have to adjust the best way possible. But I just get lazy and have to manage my food stash better to where if I want something I have it and don't have to make a special trip more than 1 a week.

We chose…
 

For us what made the difference was the design of the kitchen counters where the sink and dishwasher are, the home sizes, the new design of the floor plans, the number of bedrooms, being able to have a new home with new appliances, a new roof, new HVAC system, and the chance to expand the rooms, lanai, and garage. A new house also comes with more energy efficiency as the technology gets better. This includes more efficient appliances, windows, and HVAC including the air conditioner. We are south of 44 and love it here!

I live near 441 and SO happy to be near everything. Especially when I was updating my home. Couldn't imagine having to drive 40 minutes to get to a Home Depot. Especially with the cost of gas now, you may regret being isolated from shops and restaurants.

shopping...
 

I don't live south of 44 but right near Sumter Landing. Shopping isn't important to me at all anymore and with you Michael on line does it.

Sometimes we'll take the trek to Ocala for Hobby Lobby or whatever is there but as long as I can get to the WD I'm happy! I'm with you...close to grocery but a bit away from plazas!

I'm in the middle to Publix and Walmart Grocery on 466A one way and Winn Dixie the other way at LSL. Hubby teases me that if I miss a couple of days going to Publix, they are going to get a search party out for. LOL. I feel your pain.

At Magnolia Plaza you have a Publix and soon a 7 Eleven Gas Station and a CVS. Also a few places to eat. At the intersection of Morse and 44 (next to Rohan Rec Center), you have another Publix, Gas Station and Walgreens plus some places to eat as well. If need/want to just google Walmart and you will see your options in terms of distance but in my opinion is not that far.

By car it takes about 35 min from the Fenney Pool area to US 27 Spanish Springs where a lot of shopping options are available (and yes, lots of traffic and congestion). In between you have 466a and 466 areas where there is quite a few options as well.

For basic needs, I think you are covered. The rest I do not think it's a major issue, based on your post.

Saludos !!!

Very Important! when you buy a home!

My house is S of 466A and N of 44. It is 10 years old. People are saying that it will be a year or two before shopping is S. It took until last year for a lot of things to open N of 44. So I think the time frame will be longer. I use my car for shopping. I never use my cart. I will say when there is one store close and they keep building it can get crowded

That’s really a personal question only you can answer. Personally, I want to be close to the squares and restaurants and medical. It’s going to be awhile before the area south of 44 will built up with these amenities. Who knows how long I have for that to happen. Right now I’m a golf cart ride away from all the squares.

Travel time
 

From south of 44, travel time to Home Depot in Lady Lake was 24 minutes at 8:26 a.m. and 26 minute to Home Depot in Leesburg. We go to Ocala for some doctor’s appointments, shopping, and a mall and it’s 30 minutes. We go to Orlando for some doctors, a hospital, some shopping, and it’s 55 minutes. It is working out very well for us! And we have a new house that no one has lived in with more energy efficiency and items that may not have to be replaced as quickly. That Includes a new roof which is important for insurance purposes.

I live in Marsh Bend and even with traffic cat get to Kohls in Lady Lake in about 30 minutes. When I lived in the burbs of Minneapolis it would take roughly the same time to get to MOA or any of the other large malls. With online shopping such a convenience it pretty much does not matter anymore.

Yes!

cost, health, matters,
 

north of 446 is less taxes closer to all doctors and stores, but harder to find a house that you want, they go fast, also some homes need update, I would rent for awhile and look around
:posting:

Do not understand why some people buy without spending the time to understand the area and figure out what is really important to them.

Increasing Cost and interest rates
 

For us, we bought when a lot became available that we didn’t loose to someone else. We built. The driving factors were that we were daily watching, for 10 months, as the prices were increasing a lot. Also, we didn’t want to chance having to pay a higher interest rate which would mean we could buy less house and fewer upgrades and extensions. I found out my body could not bend in the direction to put dishes in the dishwasher, without pain. The design was so inconvenient. I needed a straight not angled counter, sink, and dishwasher so we bought a new house with a straight island. We are fortunate to have more space behind our house. I guess what I’m saying is you can make an informed decision if you drive to and from the locations from the various areas, do your due diligence about the surrounding area, looking at where the water treatment plants are, the highways including the turnpike, read this website and next door for comments about the prison, find the limestone quarries, and read about the areas impacted by this and keep an eye out for the distance to high tension wires. We moved 17 times in 27 years as we were in the USAF so we were used to having to evaluate living areas quickly. One time I chose our area based on reading the properties for rent on the drive from Denver to Sacramento. It was confirmed when we got there. I picked the perfect house in a few hours. But I don’t take the credit for this. A lot had to happen, including a war, for us to get this house.

For me the further the store the more golf cart driving I have.

Living Close to Shopping
 

It's a personal choice - my choice was to live very close to the store and the doctors. As we age - we are less able to get around. My husband has Parkinson's. So living within walking distance allows me to leave for short trips (only have 1 vehicle and a golf cart) and also you'd be surprised how often you do need things - and you don't have to plan for your trip to the stores:welcome:. Many of our neighbors walk every day to the shopping plaza (WD- PUBLIX) to get exercise and/or shop. Target is close by and SAMS just a hop away. I get SAMS fuel between 7-8 at night especially during the busy season with no lines. I doubt I would plan this if I had a longer way to go. Most of the houses are older over here - so that plays into your decisions too. Just a few thoughts....

Shopping
 

Yes, I am fine with being near a grocery store.
QUOTE=Michael 61;2123171]Looking to buy very soon south of 44. I know shopping is limited (for now), but outside of a weekly grocery run, that is usually the extent of my shopping (buy everything else almost exclusively online). I only shop with a purpose, do not enjoying just casual, browsing and window shopping. To me, being near the Big Box stores just creates more traffic and congestion. Are you OK being a bit away from major shopping plazas, as long as you are close to a grocery store?[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your service.

I am sure you are better at finding a good location for a home after doing so many times than we would be.

Living by the Arnold Palmer area, most shopping done by us is by golf cart to the Southern Trace/Buffalo Ridge areas. Not that big a deal.

Perhaps. I just used a lot of the same resources that all of you do. But living in so many different properties helped know what I did & didn’t want in a house in Florida. The biggest thing is to read peoples comments, evaluate them, go on google earth together with maps, view the u-tube videos, and keep up on The Villages website including homes and prices. It’s extremely time consuming but in the end it is helpful when you visit.

My husband was active duty. I was the support person. It was our pleasure and a great honor! Thank you for acknowledging his service!