[btwalker]

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

I am a non resident, not yet visited. Have spent some time poring over TV maps, looking at neighborhoods and roads. Paralysis by analysis has set in.

Trying to identify neighborhoods to avoid (turnpike noise, industrial plants/jails nearby, apartment complexes and high rental proportions, etc.), but still be relatively close to shopping and entertainment.

I understand the majority of new construction is occurring in the south. In 10 years, what will be a central location in the (fairly) newer areas of TV? Assuming "build-out" is actually defined and not changing all the time due to new land purchases and on-going construction, where might the northern part of the southern-most section of the Villages be? Before the recent large shift in southern growth, the most desirable area was near the center of 466a and 466. Where do you think that area might be in 10 years (which are probably being built now or recently or soon)?

Thanks.

We visited spanish springs first then south of 44, and all the town centers. I suggest you try to do the same. We purchased just north of 466a because we like both Lake Sumter and Brownwood and are now equal distances from both. We are interested in the eastport lifestyle center and may consider purchasing their when complete in a few years. I don't think there are any "bad" areas of the villages, so I suggest you focus on the amenities that you are interested in. We would like to be a little closer to shopping by golf car (1.5 miles by car and 3.5 by cart due to having to navigate around to the 466a tunnel) but mostly use instacart now anyway.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by butlerism

Lately, the Riff Raff is creeping in all over many retail areas near SS.
Stay away from Walmart stores on 27/441.
I do all my shopping in the Southern areas.


Maybe, breaking it down by age group is another criterion,
Spanish Springs has older residents .
Lake Sumter Landing bit younger.
Brownwood younger again.
Fenney is (will be?) youngest.
Not a rule set in stone, but a guideline.

It's Walmart! The "riff-raff" have been there for 50 years

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Laker14

Wow. How friendly and helpful!

Angry, bitter people do make their appearance around here from time to time...

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by La lamy

It's hard to go wrong with your choice of Villages. The developers have made great efforts to make it an active retirement paradise everywhere. If extraneous sound is a concerned you may want to not be near railroads (west side), pickleball courts, town squares (music finishes at 9 though), and yappy dog neighbours. The north has more mature trees, the south has more nature trails. But as it has been said, take your time, visit all around for a month and you'll figure it out.

Chacun a' son gout.


In my opinion that is the strength of The Villages. Overall is it huge (and getting even more huge) but each little corner has it's own personality and homogeneity. There's a lot to be said for purchasing a home of a certain style and knowing that some McMansion won't be going up next door.

...Or, if McMansions are more your style, being pretty sure that somebody isn't going to park a manufactured home with a carport down the street.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Boston-Sean

Having not visited yet I'm curious what about Fenny makes it too noisy. Can't be the turnpike. What about the location of your friends home makes it noisy?

Noise is a major concern of mine and until I visit all I have to go by is looking at a map and speculating on what might be a problem.

Having said that I've lived near Logan airport for 20 years and I barely notice the planes unless they are flying right over head.

Re: Fenny and noise.
I do not live in Fenny, however, people are people. many of these posts are my place is better than your place. You need to decide what to make YOUR PLACE.

Noise? As a kid we were in New York in an apartment building. The elevated trains ran right past my bedroom window. Good training perhaps. I can sleep through anything.
Wife is a light sleeper. If, the world ends I do hope she will wake me.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by DAVES

Re: Fenny and noise.
I do not live in Fenny, however, people are people. many of these posts are my place is better than your place. You need to decide what to make YOUR PLACE.

Noise? As a kid we were in New York in an apartment building. The elevated trains ran right past my bedroom window. Good training perhaps. I can sleep through anything.
Wife is a light sleeper. If, the world ends I do hope she will wake me.

True story...some years back my wife and I were guests at my sister's home in Las Vegas. The conversation we had on our second morning...

(She) "What did you think of the earthquake we had last night?"

(Me) "Earthquake? What earthquake?"

(She) "The one we had about midnight. It shook things for over a minute."

(Me) "Why didn't you wake me up?"

(She) "I didn't think ANYBODY could sleep through that!"

[kkingston57]

Need to do a good assesment of your needs/desires. IE If you are a golfer, most of the golf courses are in and around Sumter Landing and north. Appears developer is not interested in building new courses in the south area. Bet they can make more money selling homes. Before the pandemic demand for golf was dropping and might have been a factor in their decision to not build golf courses in the South.

We live 1/2 mile from the Spanish Springs square and almost everything is less than 1 mile from us. Houses are older and smaller.

Can not predict future but there are still some areas in the north that developer might buy. Suspect that if price is right they will buy this land and develop it.

Good luck

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by kkingston57

Need to do a good assesment of your needs/desires. IE If you are a golfer, most of the golf courses are in and around Sumter Landing and north. Appears developer is not interested in building new courses in the south area. Bet they can make more money selling homes. Before the pandemic demand for golf was dropping and might have been a factor in their decision to not build golf courses in the South.

We live 1/2 mile from the Spanish Springs square and almost everything is less than 1 mile from us. Houses are older and smaller.

Can not predict future but there are still some areas in the north that developer might buy. Suspect that if price is right they will buy this land and develop it.

Good luck

Courses north of LSL: Orange Blossom, Hacienda Hills, Tierra del Sol, Lopez, Glenview, and Palmer.
Courses SOUTH of LSL: Mallory, Havana, Cane, Evans Prairie, Bonifay, and Belle Glade
Looks like 6 and 6, HOWEVER:
South of 44, Southern Oaks to open soon, with 3 more championship courses planned down around route 470.

So, if you are a golfer, most of the courses WILL NOT BE north of LSL, and as far as the insinuated developer bashing goes, they certainly ARE INTERSTED, and in fact ARE building golf courses in the "southern areas".

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Courses north of LSL: Orange Blossom, Hacienda Hills, Tierra del Sol, Lopez, Glenview, and Palmer.
Courses SOUTH of LSL: Mallory, Havana, Cane, Evans Prairie, Bonifay, and Belle Glade
Looks like 6 and 6, HOWEVER:
South of 44, Southern Oaks to open soon, with 3 more championship courses planned down around route 470.

So, if you are a golfer, most of the courses WILL NOT BE north of LSL, and as far as the insinuated developer bashing goes, they certainly ARE INTERSTED, and in fact ARE building golf courses in the "southern areas".

Perhaps the poster should have said the most Championship golf courses, relative to the number of residential rooftops in that area, are in and around LSL and north. Seventy five percent of all the currently operating courses are north of 466A.

There is no arguing with that statement.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Perhaps the poster should have said the most Championship golf courses, relative to the number of residential rooftops in that area, are in and around LSL and north. Seventy five percent of all the currently operating courses are north of 466A.

There is no arguing with that statement.

Yes, 466A, but not 466

[RICH1]

depends what your looking for.. several you tube videos out there! stay away from Round a bouts , busy streets " cut thru streets" , Pickle ball courts, baseball fields, Patios that face West. its all about your preferences, cart distance, young people, old people, Squares, singles, drinking, adult pools, Family pools, etc... Take your time and have a nice visit!

[Boston-Sean]

Originally Posted by RICH1

depends what your looking for.. several you tube videos out there! stay away from Round a bouts , busy streets " cut thru streets" , Pickle ball courts, baseball fields, Patios that face West. its all about your preferences, cart distance, young people, old people, Squares, singles, drinking, adult pools, Family pools, etc... Take your time and have a nice visit!

A question about the west facing patios ... is that an issue during the winter months or only during the heat of the summer?

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Yes, 466A, but not 466

True, but there are 5 courses north of 466, and three (Palmer, Mallory, and Cane) just below 466. That easily makes the 466 area the place with the highest Championship golf density. And the two newest courses which are south of 466A, Evans and Belle, seem to always be closed after heavy rain.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

True, but there are 5 courses north of 466, and three (Palmer, Mallory, and Cane) just below 466. That easily makes the 466 area the place with the highest Championship golf density. And the two newest courses which are south of 466A, Evans and Belle, seem to always be closed after heavy rain.

Don't forget Bonifay. And Cane is probably just as close to 466A as 466. But yes, BG and EP do get flooded---I live on Egret and there is a perpetual pond in front of the 8th tee and by the right 150 stake.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Dear OP:

The Villages is currently approximately 70 square miles in size. It really doesn't matter AT ALL where the center will be in 10 years, since it isn't likely you'll care enough to visit the "edge" of the Villages in 10 years. It's big enough now, that it really doesn't matter. If I never had need to go to Brownwood, I wouldn't miss it. And I'm sure there are people who live south of 44 who will never miss the Historic Section's existence.

There are stores and shops and boutiques and places to visit and outside towns and non-Villages stuff all around us, in every direction. No matter where you choose to live, either now or 10 years from now, you will be less than 20 minutes from anything you could possibly need, and less than an hour from anything you could possibly want, other than family.

If you want the latest and greatest, you'll want something either south of 44, or near 44. If you like a more comfortable cozy "lived in" neighborhood type experience, anything north of Sumter Square will do you just fine.

I would personally recommend you rent for 2 weeks just slightly south of Sumter Square, somewhere between Buena Vista Blvd and Morse Blvd. Take a look at the Villages Homefinder website, just so you can follow the map. Zoom in just a bit so you can see major street names. When you see Sumter Square, look for Canal Street, which runs through it in the middle southward. Follow that down through the northernmost part of O'Dell Circle, to Bonita Boulevard. Then stop.

Somewhere between O'Dell and Bonita, between Morse and Buena Vista, will be plenty of rentals available. You can check with "Hometown Property Management" which is the Villages rental division, and they can find you a nice place for a couple of weeks.

Make sure you rent a golf cart while you're there, and spend some quality time getting to see the Villages - from every edge inward. Pick out what you absolutely love, what you absolutely hate. Then throw both ideas away. You might end up in something you never would've thought you'd ever want, and it turns out to be amazing.

That's what happened to us. A "manufactured home" was a deal-breaker. We moved in to our manufactured home 2 years ago. How did the deal breaker end up not being one anymore? A bunch of things:

1. The neighborhood "felt" more like a typical New England suburban neighborhood to us, and that was very attractive.
2. The landscaping is fully mature, plenty of tree-lined areas.
3. Away from the crowds.
4. No "kissing lanais."
5. More square footage per dollar.
6. Looser deed restrictions. We still have standards, but our area isn't quite so snooty about them - which means there's enough whimsy and color and decorative touches that we don't feel like Stepford.