[Opulence]

Hi Everyone - I recently returned from my LPP at TV. My head is still spinning! There just wasn't enough time to see and do all that I had wanted. I looked at sooo many homes, both newly constructed & pre-owned in various Villages. I still have sooo many questions. This list has always been so open and warm that I am turning to you now. I am looking for insider information on the following Villages - Bonnybrook, Sable Chase & Hadley.
I found a home in each one of these Villages that I like a great deal (all for different reasons) but I know very little about each of the Villages in question. If you live in one of these Villages I am hoping that you will share information about it with me - either on the list or by PM if you would prefer. I looked at my TV map and it appears that Bonnybrook is closest to major shopping areas, Sable Chase is closest to Market Square and I am not sure about Hadley. Although, I do believe it is one of the newer Villages.

In both Bonnybrook and Hadley I found a CYV that I really like. One is a Key Villa and the other, a Savannah. I love the privacy that the CYV's offer but I want to have friendly neighbors too. Since I will be getting a chihuahua shortly, I think the CYV would be ideal for a pet owner. In fact, I would imagine that many pet owners chose the CYV for this reason. On the other hand ~ I wonder if people pick the CYV's because they not only want their privacy but pretty much want to stay by themselves?? Looking back, I never once saw anyone outside the CYV's while I with the realtor - I find that a bit odd & now I ask myself why?

The designer home & neighborhood in Sable Chase is very different. Unfortunately, the home has no privacy out back at all. I realize I could add landscaping, which could help this situation quite a bit. But I am not sure about sound? I don't want to sneeze in my LR and hear my neighbor say God Bless you <g> I am hoping that if you live in Bonnybrook, Sable Chase or Hadley you can help fill in the blanks for me. This move will be a major life decision and I feel that I need more information than I have on my short 6 day visit to TV. Any comments, suggestions or information you care to share will be deeply appreciated.

Thanking all of you in advance,
Betty
Opulence@Kinex.net

[jeffy]

Originally Posted by Opulence

Hi Everyone - I recently returned from my LPP at TV. My head is still spinning! There just wasn't enough time to see and do all that I had wanted. I looked at sooo many homes, both newly constructed & pre-owned in various Villages. I still have sooo many questions. This list has always been so open and warm that I am turning to you now. I am looking for insider information on the following Villages - Bonnybrook, Sable Chase & Hadley.
I found a home in each one of these Villages that I like a great deal (all for different reasons) but I know very little about each of the Villages in question. If you live in one of these Villages I am hoping that you will share information about it with me - either on the list or by PM if you would prefer. I looked at my TV map and it appears that Bonnybrook is closest to major shopping areas, Sable Chase is closest to Market Square and I am not sure about Hadley. Although, I do believe it is one of the newer Villages.

In both Bonnybrook and Hadley I found a CYV that I really like. One is a Key Villa and the other, a Savannah. I love the privacy that the CYV's offer but I want to have friendly neighbors too. Since I will be getting a chihuahua shortly, I think the CYV would be ideal for a pet owner. In fact, I would imagine that many pet owners chose the CYV for this reason. On the other hand ~ I wonder if people pick the CYV's because they not only want their privacy but pretty much want to stay by themselves?? Looking back, I never once saw anyone outside the CYV's while I with the realtor - I find that a bit odd & now I ask myself why?

The designer home & neighborhood in Sable Chase is very different. Unfortunately, the home has no privacy out back at all. I realize I could add landscaping, which could help this situation quite a bit. But I am not sure about sound? I don't want to sneeze in my LR and hear my neighbor say God Bless you <g> I am hoping that if you live in Bonnybrook, Sable Chase or Hadley you can help fill in the blanks for me. This move will be a major life decision and I feel that I need more information than I have on my short 6 day visit to TV. Any comments, suggestions or information you care to share will be deeply appreciated.

Thanking all of you in advance,
Betty
Opulence@Kinex.net

congrats on your picking TV. I like Bonnybrook for its closeness to shopping/banking etc. And yes you are correct about Sable Chase being close to LSL which I think is a plus. Hadley would be my third choice, with Bonnybrook and SC tied for first. The only real downsides to bonnybrook is that it is kind of a busier area with a lot of other villages close to it. Also you might have some high school noise / night lights in that area. If a villa will work for you size wise go for it. I know that a lot of people come down and then get a bigger home later on. I would not worry about not seeing a whole lot of people outside this time of year. It is hot and all the snowbirds are gone. These opinions are my personal ones . They are in no way set in concrete or designed to hurt anyones feelings.

jeffy

[Opulence]

Thanks for your thoughts & comments Jeffy - I hadn't thought about the heat in reference to people not being outside their CYV's, when the Realtor had me out. Now that I think about it, I am sure you are right.

Here I go,thinking out loud again, but I have noticed that many posters who are moving to TV seem to be buying the new homes in the newer sections or even re-sale homes in the newer sections. I wonder if it is age related in any way? You know - us baby boomers <g>! I did like the area of Heathsprings Dr in Hemmingway - saw a really nice designer there. Since it was the first newly constructed home I saw, I wanted to think about it. Now, it's gone.

Looking forward to my move to TV - and hoping to meet some of the people on this list, who are making the move as well. It's exciting for each of us.
I'm sure I'll make the right decision, when the time comes and that time is coming a lot sooner than I had planned!

Betty

[graciegirl]

Oh Betty. I am so glad you like our nice place, I knew you would and the joy of the answer to your question is that everyone thinks his village is the best. I love Hadley because it is close to Colony and a lot of my art classes are there and my walking group is in Odell Rec center and it is close to Publix where I grocery shop. Hadley is about a year and a half old. We bought last June. I love Hadley because JoJo and Kathie and Iris and the F16's and Coconuts and Johnny Mendola and Donna live there, not to forget..............and .......... then of course Hadley is next to the villages of Hemmingway and Bonita.......and I won't trouble you with all the wonderful folks who live there.

You just can't go wrong.

Welcome to Paradise. YOU are only a golf cart ride away from everything!

[garsha]

From a dog owner in Bonnybrook in a designer. I have a very low maintenance doxie that I can let outside without a leash so it works very well so I sit in my driveway to let her chase the geckos. However, when my mom is here for 4-5 months with her doxie (my dogs brother) I truly wish I had a CYV. He has to be on a leash and I don't think he will ever be any different, so it does create a hassle to take them out. You can work with though. Set your schedule, take them for walks, carry your baggie. It is pretty friendly dog wise.

I've owned in Bonnybrook for 3 years but lived permanently for 8 months. It is very friendly and established. I have a friend that lives in one of the newer villages and the difference I see is that everyone is new moving in and getting to know each other. If I was single, I would probably move to a new area where everyone is new. But in Bonnybrook everyone I have met are very friendly and several have made it a point to get you going into the driveway parties or golf and the pool is the place to meet many. It's an awesome group at all hours.

I love the location of Bonnybrook, but I haven't seen an area in TV that I couldn't live in. Even at the north end, it really doesn't seem that far to Spanish Springs and the trees are more mature.

Have you considered renting. There are alot of rentals for months or a year to do more complete research. I have also heard that alot of people buy 2-3 different homes in TV to go bigger or smaller at a later date.

You can't beat this place anywhere, I don't think. Feel free to email if you have any specific questions. Good luck on your hunt. You're going to love it.

[ijusluvit]

Yes, TV is a uniformly wonderful place and the good news is you found it! But if your head is still spinning you owe it to yourself to come back and soak up the lifestyle. Rent for a while - it's the best advice a prospective owner can get. In the TOTV archives there are literally thousands of suggestions residents have passed on to folks like you. "Rent awhile" is far and away #1. You will be able to answer virtually every question about costs, villages, houses, activities, etc. Your head will stop spinning and you'll be left with only one: "will my neighbors be friendly?" Let me join the others who will tell you that you will be so thrilled at how friendly virtually everyone is in every village. Take it on faith now, but you'll see! Good luck!

[imbrennan]

Hi,

I hope the following will help you make a decision as to which type of house you buy and where in The Villages.

We own an Anna Maria courtyard villa (3 beds - vinyl sided) in Sabal Chase and are very happy with it. Keys courtyards have a little more room space than the stucco versions because of the size of the concrete block it is built with - just a few inches but, as they say, size matters!! (ha ha).

It originally had quite a small lanai at the side of the house at the back but we have built a large birdcage lanai at the back of our home and took down the back of the original lanai so we have an L shaped one now which goes half way along the back of the courtyard. It could have gone all the way along over the main bedroom but we ran out of money!!! If you want more space for your dog then look out for a corner lot or one with more back yard to give you the space to add to your lanai if you want to. Not all the lots have the same yard size.


If it helps another thing we learned was to watch where the golf cart paths go through a housing development. (We don't have any in Sabal Chase where we are) but I do feel sorry sometimes for people who live close by to the golf cart paths which people use to cut through housing developments to get to the golf courses or other activities. This was particularly noticeable in the courtyard development at the rear of Savannah Centre where there was a constant stream of golf carts cutting through the development to get to the centre or short cut through to other places.

We chose our courtyard villa it because although we liked the designer homes - in Lucky Lane in Sabal Chase for example - we didn't like the lack of privacy and the fact that you got all the noise when someone was having a party or the screaming grandkids came down. Sorry about that attitude folks - I guess it's our old age and the fact that we don't have any kids ourselves!

Neighbours are friendly all over the villages and there are several people with dogs in our street. There is a Sabal Chase Ladies club that organises various events. There is also Sabal Chase Noodles - which sounds a silly name but I think it evolved from a group who used to regularly use the Sabal Chase Pool. Talking of which I think there is regular water aerobics taught at that pool each morning around 10 am.

We have had 2 block parties in our street organised by one of our neighbours (but that's in the last 2 years). Our street doesn't seem to have become involved in the regular driveway parties that lots of other areas (such as Virginia Trace and Mallory Hill have), but that doesn't bother us particularly. We have always made our friends in other places, such as on the golf course or at dancing classes and wine appreciation classes!

We are near to Lake Sumter and can, if we want, do grocery shopping in the Sweetbay supermarket just on the outskirts of Lake Sumter and we only seem to be a short way too from Publix and Colony Cottage Rec Centre.

Also we are ideally placed for Lake Miona Rec centre and the restaurant at Cane Garden (though we would personally give Mallory Hill restaurant a miss after I had an upset stomach after their white chicken salad! We are also midway really between Canal Street Rec Centre and Bacall Rec Centre for other activities.

If you are a golfer, then you will find you are midway in the Villages as regards golf courses, which is why we moved to Sabal Chase from Chatham which was way too far north. That was convenient for Nancy Lopez but not for much else really.

From what I can remember (though some people may tell me I'm wrong), the Bonnybrook area is where everyone coming from south of the 466 cuts through Belvedere gate(?) to get to the shops and restaurants. The entrance gate near the library gets extremely busy. In our courtyard villa area in Sabal Chase we don't get any of that traffic even though the entrance to our villages comes out onto Canal Street.

I know I have talked far too much but I hope this will help you make your decision.

[imbrennan]

By the way, I forgot to mention the cost of maintenance. The designer homes have quite a bit of grass area to be maintained, which can be expensive. Also the grass needs a lot of water (water charges going up this month apparently). The grass they put in our villa originally was Zoysia which is supposed to not need much water, but it was rubbish and all the gardens looked dreadful - yellow!

I don't think you can make a designer home low maintenance with stones and rocks etc. You can, however, do that with a courtyard villa if you want to, though we are not allowed to paint our driveways like the designers do.

You may want to consider this too.

[imbrennan]

Sorry - where was my brain when I wrote all this stuff. Another tip if you want a designer home with privacy is to look for one that backs up to a courtyard villa development. That way you would get more privacy than if you bought one with other designer homes behind.

I promise you this is my last message but hopefully it might help other people too.

[champion6]

No apology necessary, imbrennan. Those are all good thoughts. Thanks for taking the time to post them.

[Opulence]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Oh Betty. I am so glad you like our nice place, I knew you would and the joy of the answer to your question is that everyone thinks his village is the best. I love Hadley because it is close to Colony and a lot of my art classes are there and my walking group is in Odell Rec center and it is close to Publix where I grocery shop. Hadley is about a year and a half old. We bought last June. I love Hadley because JoJo and Kathie and Iris and the F16's and Coconuts and Johnny Mendola and Donna live there, not to forget..............and .......... then of course Hadley is next to the villages of Hemmingway and Bonita.......and I won't trouble you with all the wonderful folks who live there.

You just can't go wrong.

Welcome to Paradise. YOU are only a golf cart ride away from everything!

Hi GG - every village that I visited was lovely and unique. I think I know why everyone feels his/her/their village is the best - because they are. Not being familiar with all the ins and outs just made me curious about the "pulse" of each Village & what it would be like to actually live there. Gee, I didn't realize that Hadley was 1.5 yrs old already - I could have sworn I saw building going on there. BUT that could have easily been another Village . . . we covered a lot of ground while looking at homes.

Checking back on my notes (yes, I took notes <g>) I just realized that the new construction home was in Bonita NOT Hemingway, as I had originally posted. I loved the Allamanda on Heath Springs Drive - and that home is now sold. I just really liked that street - it had such a good vib.

Can't wait to meet you when I get down. Thanks,
Betty

[Opulence]

Originally Posted by garsha

From a dog owner in Bonnybrook in a designer. I have a very low maintenance doxie that I can let outside without a leash so it works very well so I sit in my driveway to let her chase the geckos. However, when my mom is here for 4-5 months with her doxie (my dogs brother) I truly wish I had a CYV. He has to be on a leash and I don't think he will ever be any different, so it does create a hassle to take them out. You can work with though. Set your schedule, take them for walks, carry your baggie. It is pretty friendly dog wise.

I've owned in Bonnybrook for 3 years but lived permanently for 8 months. It is very friendly and established. I have a friend that lives in one of the newer villages and the difference I see is that everyone is new moving in and getting to know each other. If I was single, I would probably move to a new area where everyone is new. But in Bonnybrook everyone I have met are very friendly and several have made it a point to get you going into the driveway parties or golf and the pool is the place to meet many. It's an awesome group at all hours.

I love the location of Bonnybrook, but I haven't seen an area in TV that I couldn't live in. Even at the north end, it really doesn't seem that far to Spanish Springs and the trees are more mature.

Have you considered renting. There are alot of rentals for months or a year to do more complete research. I have also heard that alot of people buy 2-3 different homes in TV to go bigger or smaller at a later date.

You can't beat this place anywhere, I don't think. Feel free to email if you have any specific questions. Good luck on your hunt. You're going to love it.

Thanks! I think I did read somewhere that it is a little easier to bond with your neighbors when you all move into a new area together - each starting out new, fresh and exciting. Sounds good to me.

I do have concerns about starting off with a new puppy and not having a fenced in area - I REALLY want this option. I did think about renting, but after reading posts to this list and checking it out for myself - I haven't been able to find anyone who rents with pets. I believe Jeannie Beannie is going through the same thing and facing the same issue.

Two of the homes I had right up there on my list are already sold - just in the last two weeks, since I have returned. It does make me nervous - I Just found out I will be closing much sooner than I had thougt and I don't have a house yet! I am not complaining mind you - better to have my house sold & wanting to find the right place in TV than to be waiting/wanting to sell and not having a buyer!

Thanks again - would love to meet you and your little Doxie after I move down!

Betty

[Opulence]

Originally Posted by imbrennan

Hi,

I hope the following will help you make a decision as to which type of house you buy and where in The Villages.

We own an Anna Maria courtyard villa (3 beds - vinyl sided) in Sabal Chase and are very happy with it. Keys courtyards have a little more room space than the stucco versions because of the size of the concrete block it is built with - just a few inches but, as they say, size matters!! (ha ha).

It originally had quite a small lanai at the side of the house at the back but we have built a large birdcage lanai at the back of our home and took down the back of the original lanai so we have an L shaped one now which goes half way along the back of the courtyard. It could have gone all the way along over the main bedroom but we ran out of money!!! If you want more space for your dog then look out for a corner lot or one with more back yard to give you the space to add to your lanai if you want to. Not all the lots have the same yard size.


If it helps another thing we learned was to watch where the golf cart paths go through a housing development. (We don't have any in Sabal Chase where we are) but I do feel sorry sometimes for people who live close by to the golf cart paths which people use to cut through housing developments to get to the golf courses or other activities. This was particularly noticeable in the courtyard development at the rear of Savannah Centre where there was a constant stream of golf carts cutting through the development to get to the centre or short cut through to other places.

We chose our courtyard villa it because although we liked the designer homes - in Lucky Lane in Sabal Chase for example - we didn't like the lack of privacy and the fact that you got all the noise when someone was having a party or the screaming grandkids came down. Sorry about that attitude folks - I guess it's our old age and the fact that we don't have any kids ourselves!

Neighbours are friendly all over the villages and there are several people with dogs in our street. There is a Sabal Chase Ladies club that organises various events. There is also Sabal Chase Noodles - which sounds a silly name but I think it evolved from a group who used to regularly use the Sabal Chase Pool. Talking of which I think there is regular water aerobics taught at that pool each morning around 10 am.

We have had 2 block parties in our street organised by one of our neighbours (but that's in the last 2 years). Our street doesn't seem to have become involved in the regular driveway parties that lots of other areas (such as Virginia Trace and Mallory Hill have), but that doesn't bother us particularly. We have always made our friends in other places, such as on the golf course or at dancing classes and wine appreciation classes!

We are near to Lake Sumter and can, if we want, do grocery shopping in the Sweetbay supermarket just on the outskirts of Lake Sumter and we only seem to be a short way too from Publix and Colony Cottage Rec Centre.

Also we are ideally placed for Lake Miona Rec centre and the restaurant at Cane Garden (though we would personally give Mallory Hill restaurant a miss after I had an upset stomach after their white chicken salad! We are also midway really between Canal Street Rec Centre and Bacall Rec Centre for other activities.

If you are a golfer, then you will find you are midway in the Villages as regards golf courses, which is why we moved to Sabal Chase from Chatham which was way too far north. That was convenient for Nancy Lopez but not for much else really.

From what I can remember (though some people may tell me I'm wrong), the Bonnybrook area is where everyone coming from south of the 466 cuts through Belvedere gate(?) to get to the shops and restaurants. The entrance gate near the library gets extremely busy. In our courtyard villa area in Sabal Chase we don't get any of that traffic even though the entrance to our villages comes out onto Canal Street.

I know I have talked far too much but I hope this will help you make your decision.

Your posts contain a wealth of information! I can't thank you enough - in fact, you've mentioned things I never would have thought of. You were able to do this because you live here and you KNOW. First hand knowledge & experience are such wonderful teachers . . Exactly the type of information I was hoping to receive.

The home in Sabal Chase is a designer which backs up to someone elses lanai. It's a fantastic home in every way, I just love the spacious LR and long wall space on either side of the LR . But the lack of privacy is a major factor for me and a could be a deal breaker. It had not even occurred to me about loud parties or noisy kids. I know privacy has to be an issue for many buyers, as the developers are now building & selling much larger courtyard villa homes. People love to get together but privacy is so important on so many levels.

Once again, thanks so much - your three posts have been extremely helpful and very insightful.

Betty
Opulence@Kinex.net

[Bettiboop]

From one Betty to another...Hi!

I'm with ya on the privacy issue! I don't have many concerns, but that is one of them...especially privacy off the back of the lanai.

That is good thing about the CYV's - the fence. We are leaning more toward a designer at this point, but some of the ones we've looked at have what seems like little or no privacy from the neighbor behind you.

I've been taking notes for for a long time too, so I'm always happy to read everyone's opinions and suggestions.

Good luck!

[Opulence]

Originally Posted by Bettiboop

From one Betty to another...Hi!

I'm with ya on the privacy issue! I don't have many concerns, but that is one of them...especially privacy off the back of the lanai.

That is good thing about the CYV's - the fence. We are leaning more toward a designer at this point, but some of the ones we've looked at have what seems like little or no privacy from the neighbor behind you.

I've been taking notes for for a long time too, so I'm always happy to read everyone's opinions and suggestions.

Good luck!

Hi Betty - I've learned a great deal from reading this list. And I think we are lucky that so many are willing to share their experiences (good or bad). I looked at a ton of homes while I was visiting TV a few weeks ago and I was amazed at what I noticed. Many of the new designer homes that are now discoundted - i.e. the Allamanda priced at around $191,000.00 right now are actually the exact same floor plan as one of the ranchers (the Amarillo) which costs a whole lot less - now selling new for around $179,000. So you need to be on the lookout for this. In fact, the new cottage villas have the exact same floor plan as the Patio Villa - both the Colony and the Cabot Cove. Although, the new cottage villas do have different outside layout. Instead of the lanai being in front like it is in the Colony or Cabot Cove, it has been redirected to the side of the house now and a deck has been added. I guess what I am saying is - you can pay for a "designer" house but if it is the floor plan you really like, you MAY be able to get the same thing cheaper in something else. You just need to do your homework. I discovered this on my own while looking at all the different homes, just two weeks ago. I can't say it holds true for all of the designer homes, because I wasn't in all of them.

Betty