[Sandtrap328]

By all means, use a golf cart to get around as much as possible!

As for houses, do not just go to new homes or homes South of 466A. Great homes in Villages of Caroline, Mallory Hill, Bonita! The bond on older homes is a lot less than on new homes. You will have a bond of $25,000 to $55,000 on new homes and you will be able to find homes with no bond on older homes.

Homes in established neighborhoods hold no surprises on what might be built close to you or what a neighbor might add to his home. You will have established landscaping, do not have to pay for extras like downspouts, etc.

Use BOTH Villages realtor and outside realtor. You can be open about it as both realtors know smart shoppers do this.

Go to Lake Sumter Landing for the evening music. Enjoy a cold beer at RJ Gators overlooking Lake Sumter and an outdoor dinner at The Lighthouse. Talk to Villagers!! We are all happy to share our stories of how we came here!

[HimandMe]

Four days will just give you a hint. We did the Lifestyle visit then came back and rented a patio villa for a few weeks and then, we finally got a sense of TV. It's different when you actually leave your garage on your golf cart, head for breakfast on the square and have the entire day upon day to leisurely get around like you belong. Tim Harding at timharding@thevillages.com went way beyond the call of duty in helping us....and we did take our time. He is absolutely no pressure and eager to be of service. A longer stay will allow you to enjoy a few shows, go to the squares, take in a few parties, see houses and visit as many rec centers and pools as you would like. You still won't see it all but you will have fun and meet lots of friendly people. Welcome!

[goodtimesintv]

Talk to people at the town squares and at restaurants and pools. And because you have little time here, use the car to see more distant areas of TV. Getting lost (which is extremely easy in this huge place) is a waste of valuable time, as is trying to learn when you need a golf cart tunnel under major avenues, and how to come out of them and still be on the right track.

In shopping for a home, consider that the house itself is not nearly as important as the neighborhood and the visible activity level and interaction of the neighbors. (That can be observed by going for a walk or lounging at the pool and talking with people in a neighborhood where find a house you think you'd like.)

One reason I say the house itself is not as important as the neighborhood and neighbors is that the houses/villas are available by the dozens in all regions of TV. But not all neighborhoods are prone to being interactive and connected.

Our friends bought a pristine ranch style home in a beautiful neighborhood near Glenview, because of its uniquely private back yard. Now that they live there, they see they have none of the neighborhood interaction we have because their neighbors (original owners of the homes) are mostly either dying or headed for (or are in) the nursing home, with the spouse having to go there every day/evening, which is exhausting and extremely saddening. That happens in most neighborhoods, but not in numbers at a time as our friends are seeing.

Lastly, don't agonize over the "perfect house". Just get here. Every day, people learn the lesson that our days are numbered, when a newly retired or about-to-retire couple has one of them die of cancer or something like that when they're just getting started in their hard-earned retirement years. Many don't think that will happen to them at age 57 or 61 as we have seen, but it does.

Getting here is more important than buying the "right house" right off the bat. Selling and moving to a different home is easy here, as evidenced by the norm of "on average, villagers move 3 times while living here".

[2BNTV]

All posts have given you good advice. My suggestions are in no particular order are:
1. Take the trolley tour.
2. Visit the squares for dancing, (just show up).
3. See the Eisenhower Rec Center, as it is impressive.
4. Talk to anyone and everyone.
5. Don't stress yourself by trying to see everything in 4 days but relax and enjoy your visit.
6. There is no bad section to buy a house in.
7. Look-up other posts on new vs pre-owned.
8. There will be no pressure from sales people, as The Villages beauty sells itself.
This place is immaculate.
9. Most of all, enjoy yourselves. You are in for a treat.

BTW - Bring your checkbook.

[charmed59]

We are here now and I am extremely disappointed in the "Lifestyle Preview" program.

We are in a bungalow in the Alden section, which is south of pretty much everything. There is tons of construction going on here, and we are, by golf cart, 30 minutes away from Lake Sumter and at least 30 minutes away from all activities our realtor has signed us up for.

Unless we pack a suitcase for the day, we can't get more than two activities into a single day. We had to cancel a tee time to be able to try out the center closest to here, the Eisenhower center. Tennis on a clay court is 18 minutes by car.

The realtor showing us around told us the only homes available, new or pre-owned were near here. (Which a quick jump onto either the villages website or the MLS tells me is just not true.) However, what I did learn about the villages is if the only option is to live this far south, near a partially built out square where the only place to get a morning latte has lines out the door, I'm thinking the villages is not for me.

We did learn to play pickle ball, and that was great fun. I can see how people get addicted. The line dancing on the squares is extremely fun, though, in our case, hard to get to. Everyone (save the very grumbly realtor/lifestyle counselor) we meet here is very nice, and extremely happy here, though when we mention where we are located they cringe. I feel like we missed the opportunity to find somewhere in the villages we would be able to live that life we keep hearing about, as attempting it from here is just exhausting.

[goodtimesintv]

Originally Posted by charmed59

We are here now and I am extremely disappointed in the "Lifestyle Preview" program.

We are in a bungalow in the Alden section, which is south of pretty much everything. There is tons of construction going on here, and we are, by golf cart, 30 minutes away from Lake Sumter and at least 30 minutes away from all activities our realtor has signed us up for.

Unless we pack a suitcase for the day, we can't get more than two activities into a single day. We had to cancel a tee time to be able to try out the center closest to here, the Eisenhower center. Tennis on a clay court is 18 minutes by car.

The realtor showing us around told us the only homes available, new or pre-owned were near here. (Which a quick jump onto either the villages website or the MLS tells me is just not true.) However, what I did learn about the villages is if the only option is to live this far south, near a partially built out square where the only place to get a morning latte has lines out the door, I'm thinking the villages is not for me.

We did learn to play pickle ball, and that was great fun. I can see how people get addicted. The line dancing on the squares is extremely fun, though, in our case, hard to get to. Everyone (save the very grumbly realtor/lifestyle counselor) we meet here is very nice, and extremely happy here, though when we mention where we are located they cringe. I feel like we missed the opportunity to find somewhere in the villages we would be able to live that life we keep hearing about, as attempting it from here is just exhausting.

This makes me sad. The salesperson assigned to you during your stay sounds uninformed and disinterested in helping you get the most out of your stay.

I would call the TV Sales Office at 352-753-2270 and ask for the office of Jennifer Morse Parr, VP of Sales & Marketing. Insist on speaking with her assistant, or the Sales Manager to whom the sales representatives answer.

Tell them you want to stay in a more central location such as the preview-stay villas at Lake Sumter Landing, or at the Waterfront Hotel right there which has been done before when all the preview-stay villas are full.

Also tell them you want a different sales representative to host you for the rest of your stay. They leave it up to the customer whether you want to continue with the same sales rep or get a different one, but you have to initiate the change.

Tell them (or copy and paste in an email to them) what you've said here. This is not how it is supposed to be for you.

Also, call an MLS realtor to look at homes you see advertised in the newspaper that are not Villages listings.

I hope somebody in Ms. Parr's office is reading here and contacts you by Private Message here, to rectify this.

Best wishes and please give it another try, maybe by renting a couple of weeks or a month in a more central location.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by charmed59

We are here now and I am extremely disappointed in the "Lifestyle Preview" program.

Four days is a short time, especially if you are in a far-south location.
IMHO, it would give you an entirely different perspective if you came back for a month
and rented a house in a convenient mid-Villages location.
Time to chill and golf and visit all three squares and enjoy some activities.

[PammyJ]

When are you coming? If possible we can put together a meet and greet happy hour.

[charmed59]

This is our last day here. But my hubby has convinced me to give it another try. If we rent through for a month, how does the visitor passes work. Can we get them ourselves? Or does the owner need to get them for us? Would we then be able to make tee times and attend all activities?

Are there any recommended rental agencies?

I think I can rent a golf cart for a month from one of the dealers at the squares, is that true?

[looneycat]

Originally Posted by charmed59

We are here now and I am extremely disappointed in the "Lifestyle Preview" program.

We are in a bungalow in the Alden section, which is south of pretty much everything. There is tons of construction going on here, and we are, by golf cart, 30 minutes away from Lake Sumter and at least 30 minutes away from all activities our realtor has signed us up for.

Unless we pack a suitcase for the day, we can't get more than two activities into a single day. We had to cancel a tee time to be able to try out the center closest to here, the Eisenhower center. Tennis on a clay court is 18 minutes by car.

The realtor showing us around told us the only homes available, new or pre-owned were near here. (Which a quick jump onto either the villages website or the MLS tells me is just not true.) However, what I did learn about the villages is if the only option is to live this far south, near a partially built out square where the only place to get a morning latte has lines out the door, I'm thinking the villages is not for me.

We did learn to play pickle ball, and that was great fun. I can see how people get addicted. The line dancing on the squares is extremely fun, though, in our case, hard to get to. Everyone (save the very grumbly realtor/lifestyle counselor) we meet here is very nice, and extremely happy here, though when we mention where we are located they cringe. I feel like we missed the opportunity to find somewhere in the villages we would be able to live that life we keep hearing about, as attempting it from here is just exhausting.

did you take the trolley tour? that would have given you an idea of the area, plus according to old plans, you will be right next to 500,000 sq ft of shopping mall. i look at every ride as a chance to enjoy the beautiful place we live. i hated the idea of moving to Florida, having only experienced the southern end of the state, but fell in love with this place and moved here 2 months after the preview. we took a 1 year lease in springdale and eventually bought in hadley which over the last 2 years has become more central. with the hop across 44 perhaps with time, you will be more central. you can move to a more advantageous location in 6 months when your current home increases in value.

oops, you're on a visit, I am surprised that lifestyle visitors would be put there. anyway you don't have to buy there, there are homes sold in every village.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by charmed59

We are here now and I am extremely disappointed in the "Lifestyle Preview" program.

We are in a bungalow in the Alden section, which is south of pretty much everything. There is tons of construction going on here, and we are, by golf cart, 30 minutes away from Lake Sumter and at least 30 minutes away from all activities our realtor has signed us up for.

Unless we pack a suitcase for the day, we can't get more than two activities into a single day. We had to cancel a tee time to be able to try out the center closest to here, the Eisenhower center. Tennis on a clay court is 18 minutes by car.

The realtor showing us around told us the only homes available, new or pre-owned were near here. (Which a quick jump onto either the villages website or the MLS tells me is just not true.) However, what I did learn about the villages is if the only option is to live this far south, near a partially built out square where the only place to get a morning latte has lines out the door, I'm thinking the villages is not for me.

We did learn to play pickle ball, and that was great fun. I can see how people get addicted. The line dancing on the squares is extremely fun, though, in our case, hard to get to. Everyone (save the very grumbly realtor/lifestyle counselor) we meet here is very nice, and extremely happy here, though when we mention where we are located they cringe. I feel like we missed the opportunity to find somewhere in the villages we would be able to live that life we keep hearing about, as attempting it from here is just exhausting.

WELLLLLL. We didn't access anything in a golf cart first visit and that was nine years ago, when things were smaller but we still used a car because it was so big then. We didn't experience a lot of things but saw what was available. We walked in and out of rec centers, took the trolley car, sited the tennis and golf and chatted with tons of people who all, like Stepford wives, chanted in nearly the same precise words how they loved it here.


I am amazed that any lifestyle package still exists. I thought they discontinued that because of the droves of eager buyers coming in without any perks.


Have you looked at any of the model homes? What did you think? I guess you have decided not to look where there is building but they build and move on quickly and sprinkle some fairy dust on whole streets at a time that make them look like the landscaping has been there for years.


Hope you feel differently your next visit. I can't imagine a village sales agent being bad tempered. I wouldn't buy a lottery ticket. I think you are more interested in preowned, so take your time next time and look at a lot of homes. It is pretty overwhelming that so many things are presented the first time you are here and some things don't register or don't register correctly. Your sales agent can show you new and preowned homes that The Villages listed. MLS realtors can show you only preowned.


Please come back. It is all too good to be true. I love this place and I don't work for the developer. I don't work at all. YAY!!!

There are sinkholes, and more lightning than anyplace in the country and we are all largely conservative and there is an amenity fee that other places don't have and have you had any cold refreshing drinks that are red or purple???

[goodtimesintv]

Originally Posted by charmed59

This is our last day here. But my hubby has convinced me to give it another try. If we rent through for a month, how does the visitor passes work. Can we get them ourselves? Or does the owner need to get them for us? Would we then be able to make tee times and attend all activities?

Are there any recommended rental agencies?

I think I can rent a golf cart for a month from one of the dealers at the squares, is that true?

Do give TV another try. It takes awhile to get oriented here, with hundreds of options to consider that are unheard of anywhere else.

For rentals, most landlords sign over their own TV resident ID's to the tenants for the timeframe of occupancy. It costs the landlord $50 for the temporary transfer of ID's, and this gives you all privileges of an owner. Many roll that fee into the rent, and some might have the tenants pay the $50 when they pick up their IDs at the sales center upon arrival.

There are various rental property booking websites you can google, but I think I'd first start a thread right here, telling people what type of place and the timeframe you are looking for. Many landlords are probably reading here right now, and bookings for next winter are probably full or going fast.

One thing to avoid: I would avoid rental listings that do not include a cleaning fee for professional clean out at the end of the rentals. I've been hearing that more and more, some landlords are claiming to "save you money" and "give you a better deal" by letting tenants do their own final clean out instead of paying $80-$100 for professionals to do it right. What some landlords and tenants would call "clean", most of us would call it a "pigpen". As always, remember the trusty saying "you get what you pay for".

Also, do not rent without seeing photos or ideally, seeing it in person. Some places are out-dated and depressing, but most are nice.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by charmed59

We are here now and I am extremely disappointed in the "Lifestyle Preview" program.

We are in a bungalow in the Alden section, which is south of pretty much everything. There is tons of construction going on here, and we are, by golf cart, 30 minutes away from Lake Sumter and at least 30 minutes away from all activities our realtor has signed us up for.

Unless we pack a suitcase for the day, we can't get more than two activities into a single day. We had to cancel a tee time to be able to try out the center closest to here, the Eisenhower center. Tennis on a clay court is 18 minutes by car.

The realtor showing us around told us the only homes available, new or pre-owned were near here. (Which a quick jump onto either the villages website or the MLS tells me is just not true.) However, what I did learn about the villages is if the only option is to live this far south, near a partially built out square where the only place to get a morning latte has lines out the door, I'm thinking the villages is not for me.

We did learn to play pickle ball, and that was great fun. I can see how people get addicted. The line dancing on the squares is extremely fun, though, in our case, hard to get to. Everyone (save the very grumbly realtor/lifestyle counselor) we meet here is very nice, and extremely happy here, though when we mention where we are located they cringe. I feel like we missed the opportunity to find somewhere in the villages we would be able to live that life we keep hearing about, as attempting it from here is just exhausting.

Forward this post to Villages Sales to see how they reply. We also have met several sales reps that weren't very pleasant. They are under pressure to sell, sell, sell. Their jobs may be on the line and that may translate into attitudes for the unprofessional one's. Our lifestyle rep we learned was fired 2 months after our first visit. He had sold only 2 houses in 3 months.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

Forward this post to Villages Sales to see how they reply. We also have met several sales reps that weren't very pleasant. They are under pressure to sell, sell, sell. Their jobs may be on the line and that may translate into attitudes for the unprofessional one's. Our lifestyle rep we learned was fired 2 months after our visit.

It is their JOB to sell. OBVIOUS Pressure isn't encouraged by the ummm family, is my best guess. You don't often hear of it and you don't often hear of sales people giving misleading advice. Those sales folks must not last long.


People very rarely have anything bad to say about the sales folks who work for The Villages because they aren't like the people in our past that tried to sell us houses.


I couldn't work for anybody dealing with the public here. I would be arrested and put in jail for decades. At least if the folks here act like some of the posts you read on TOTV.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

It is their JOB to sell. OBVIOUS Pressure isn't encouraged by the ummm family, is my best guess. You don't often hear of it and you don't often here of sales people giving misleading advice. Those sales folks must not last long.


People very rarely have anything bad to say about the sales folks who work for The Villages because they aren't like the people in our past that tried to sell us houses.


I couldn't work for anybody dealing with the public here. I would be arrested and put in jail for decades. At least if the folks here act like some of the posts you read on TOTV.

I agree. I've never dealt with the public and never will. My patience would be tested with the very first wrong glance. However, this is the occupation they have chosen and the public is the public.