[Russ_Boston]

All this info is just that - INFO.

I can't imagine that any reader of TOTV who doesn't live there yet is going to let anything said here on TOTV deter them from doing their own investigation.

Yes there are people here on TOTV who drank the Kool-Aid and promote TV and the lifestyle. And yes there are people here on TOTV who are doing viral marketing for other nearby retirement locations by putting down TV. And yes there are people who lived in TV and it wasn't their cup of tea.

But all this is to any wannabe like me is INFO

If you are thinking of TV for your retirement location then by all means spend some time down there. Go in the busy season to see the 'sprawl'. Go during the hot season to see if you can take it. Most of all just go and see for yourself. I think when you are done with that last day of the visit you'll wish you didn't have to go back 'home'.

Russ

[Dirigo]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

I think when you are done with that last day of the visit you'll wish you didn't have to go back 'home'. Russ

I agree with you Russ...we didn't want to go home after the last day of our LSP. Good thing I brought the duct tape and clothesline rope or I would never have got my wife on the plane home.

Dirigo

[Dirigo]

Originally Posted by TVWannabe

This is my first post, but I’ve been lurking for awhile. I appreciate all of the good information available here. My wife and I made a lifestyle preview visit in July 2008. We loved it. We loved it all! The Villages blew away everything else we had looked at up to that point. We plan to visit again this summer.

I’ve noticed people here at TOTV aren’t shy about bragging about Florida’s friendliest hometown, but I was hoping you could share your thoughts on a couple of other communities, using The Villages as the benchmark. Our priorities are friendly people and access to golf.

Spruce Creek is a Del Webb community just north of The Villages. Friends of my parents live there, and they prefer it because it is smaller and they feel they get more for their money. Any comments?

Also, what can you tell me about Sun City Center? Their own website isn’t even very informative.

http://suncitycenter.wcicommunities.com/

Thanks!

We visited SSC several years ago and forfeited our third day to drive to TV for a day trip. TV is a feeling as well as a place. To say SSC didn't "do it" for us would be an understatement. That said, we had older relatives that lived there for a quarter of a century and loved every minute of it, but I don't think they ever visited TV, either.

[jinker]

There is another website for Sun City Center. www.suncitycenter.com
I followed the real estate market when my sisters were living there, but we are no longer considering that area. Like most of the country, the values have dropped. If the RE ad says gated community, it is probably in Kings Point. See my previous post.

WRT On Top of the World, I was put off by the traffic in Ocala. By the way we were there in August, so you can't blame the snow-birds. Most shopping and restaurants would require about a 15 minute drive into town.

[Army Guy]

First, thanks, Sallyjo & Russ Boston! The Army is all I have ever wanted to do and for me was a true "calling".

Barefoot, you mentioned fenced in yard. You must have a CYV, correct? Just checking cause we know that in most if not all of TV, no fences are allowed and we are dog folks too, even though our dog is a Cairn, just like Toto in The Wizard of Oz!

Yes, even though some would say after reading my posts that me and the wife, "drank the cool-aid of the TV". We did have concerns before we totally committed to it. One was the build-out population, but it has 70,000 now and we were there for a week in Feb, and still thought it empty, even after talking with current residents about it. So another 30,000 should be ok, and hey I know 100,000 sounds like really a lot, but to put it where you can understand, The Auburn football Stadium fits 92,000 on game day, so basically that is the built out village population. For the amount of acres it is, 100,000 is not that bad at all! And we checked out a good number of the golf courses and did not see a real crowding problem, especially if flex with time to play, and if you plan to join the Priority Membership like we are, then it is not a problem at all, even with 30,000 more, cause everyone of them are not going to be golfers.

Me and the wife do have to laugh though about some of the comments on the summers at TV! I have been stationed in the Southeast US for a good part of my 30 years unless I am deployed, etc and TV in the summer is nothing like a 105 degree Alabama summer day with 100% humity and NO BREEZE!!! TV in the summer is cool to us!!!

By the way we will be down at TV, 14-17 May.

Army Guy

[Sally Jo]

Army Guy, You are right. The summers here aren't any worse than back home. There is usually a breeze. I sit on my lanai all summer, any time of the day. We play golf in the afternoon, all the time, in the summer. Speaking of golf we have only not been able to get a tee time twice in almost eight years. You won't have a problem.

[senior citizen]

x

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Not the paid or volunteer hosts or cheerleader types please.

Who are the paid hosts and where can I sign up?

I do appreciate what you are asking but the only real way to see if TV will work for you is to rent for a length of time. Take in any activity you'd like. See what your life would be like on a day to day basis after the newness wears off. It's what we (the lovely Linda and I) are planning on doing.

I've lived in New England my whole life and it's a great place to raise a family but I need a change. Maybe TV won't be my cup of tea but I'm going to give it a try!

[graciegirl]

Methinks that by nature dear Senior Citizen that you are well thought out and not impulsive, not the person who wears the lampshade at the party and probably has worked hard all of your life and saved carefully.

Well then, I would also say that that description is of most of us here. It is so hard NOT to be a cheerleader.

I did NOT want to retire to Florida. I liked Ohio just fine. I loved the house we designed ourself in a low crime area with fine medical and social amenities closeby, not to mention the greatest one, our daughter and grandchildren.

It was a last minute thought to stop at an old friends house in The Villages a year ago, we had flown to Orlando and planned to drive to Ft. Myers where some of my high school classmates were gathering to get away from chilly Ohio in January.

The first thing that struck me when we drove in The VIllages was the beauty of the place, the landscaping was lush and beautiful and the flowers were brilliant and artfully placed. There was no ugly architecture and the buildings other than the homes were soft and .......set a stage of elegance against a PRISTINE backdrop. NO paper on the ground. There was the cheerful look of people riding around in multicolor golf carts and folks out of their homes everywhere going somewhere. The recreation centers were beautifully done inside and each represented a different type of decor. From Colony Cottage's Victorian profusion, Laurel Manors Antibellum spectacular, Lake Miona's magnificent Naval decor, Odells African intensity, Even Bogie himself standing inside...........(can't remember which rec center...Bacall?)

Then there were the choices of restaurants where the food was good and the prices were....................cheap to cut to the chase.

The houses were on iddybiddy lots though and most of them looked alike. I was drawn to the ones in the new sections because no outdoor statues are allowed. (Some people kinda overdue that, but that is MY opinion) I didn't like the closeness to each other and they all looked so small.

However, once inside they were quite spacious and once you got used to the lots being close together, you recognized that the lawns weren't going to be a full time retirement occupation.

Well the people were unlike any group I have ever met. We are all "of an age" to be sure, but that age taught manners and rules and ....yet there were so many smiles, the body language showed.........happiness and purpose. People were friendly and before you knew it, they were telling you how they got here and why they liked it. They all couldn't have been hired by the developers could they....? Had they all been....... Stepforded? Strange. Very strange.

My husband was checking out the eight championship courses and the 27 executive courses and I was really reading the courses available at the Lifelong Learning College...........and the clubs? One even called "The Village Idiots" who go to breakfast in their pajamas? We saw Red Hat ladies dining and everyone playing Pickleball, Bocce and shuffleboard. The pools were lovely and there were two to each village. One for grownups over 30 only and one for kids.

I could go on and on.

I didn't like some of the driving. I was unsure of the traffic circles. I was astonished to see so many.................old people.lol I don't feel old at all although I was born in 1939.

I thought that people from the east coast talked funny. I was a little taken aback about so much hugging on greeting and leaving groups that I observed. I was afraid I would run into a snake or an alligator................

I am having a hard time telling you what I didn't like. This place is not to be believed and it is so hard to describe.

Please come on down and see. We have fewer years ahead of us than those behind and we don't want to waste them..

Sorry. I just couldn't help being a cheerleader.

[senior citizen]

x

[JohnN]

ArmyGuy, there are a few (very few) ranch houses in Hemingway with fences.
It was an experiment and I don't know if they'll do more. There are a few of these units remaining.

[senior citizen]

x

[katezbox]

Hi Senior,

I have lived the entirety of my life in NE - until 2 months ago. Our home in Conn sold quickly - and we did not want to rush to buy in TV so are living in SC til the end of the month.

I grew up in Holyoke, Mass - a far cry from rural Vermont. After living in a small city, my first move after college was to northern Connecticut. I loved the rolling hills, the farms with barns, the country roads. Due to job transfers and such, we moved around Connecticut a bit - but always in communities where there was plenty of green space around us.

I was introduced to TV by a friend from Connecticut. When we watched the video - our thoughts were UGH! When we visited, like Gracie, we a lot to like.

In a community of 75,000 people, not everyone is dancing every night at the squares and seeking out the happy hours. I am someone who, like Gracie, looks forward to meeting our new neighbors and forming friendships. My friend says that some of the folks in her neighborhood participate in very little - but are friendly - just not huggers and joiners. TV is big enough to offer something for (nearly) everyone.

We chose a homesite with a villa wall at the back and a golf course to the side as I didn't want to back up to a road or someone's home. That was just our preference and there are many here who like the opposite for good reasons of their own.

Russ gives good counsel to come and visit before you make a decision. I would add that you may want to rent a couple of different types of homes in your price range and in different locations - to get a better feel for what best suits you.

As to the crime, my husband also reads the local papers of places we plan to visit. I think that to say crime is lurking just outside TV and that lots of children go missing is misleading. The Caylee case is very sad - but we probably would not know her name if the media had not swooped in and covered every aspect of the story. Because she seemed so very sweet and was so adorable - it made good news. Children go missing all across America every day - but not every one gets the type of press Caylee got. Horrible crimes happen everywhere - Columbine, CO is an incredible beautiful place.

TV is far closer to Ocala than Orlando - and Ocala DOES look a bit like Vermont. Granted - not so hilly - and you see more horses than cows. It is also one of the highest-income areas in the US.

So from one NE person to another - come see if it is right for you. If it is, you have found a home. If it isn't, you now know more about what you don't want.

Kate

[Bogie Shooter]

Senior Citizen, after reading all the posts to your question the folks are telling you how it is. You continue to want more. Unfortunetly no one is guarteeing that you will be happy......that you will have to find out for yourself.
PS: What does crime in Orlando, over an hour away, have to do with crime in TV.

[Whalen]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Methinks that by nature dear Senior Citizen that you are well thought out and not impulsive, not the person who wears the lampshade at the party and probably has worked hard all of your life and saved carefully.

Well then, I would also say that that description is of most of us here. It is so hard NOT to be a cheerleader.

I did NOT want to retire to Florida. I liked Ohio just fine. I loved the house we designed ourself in a low crime area with fine medical and social amenities closeby, not to mention the greatest one, our daughter and grandchildren.

It was a last minute thought to stop at an old friends house in The Villages a year ago, we had flown to Orlando and planned to drive to Ft. Myers where some of my high school classmates were gathering to get away from chilly Ohio in January.

The first thing that struck me when we drove in The VIllages was the beauty of the place, the landscaping was lush and beautiful and the flowers were brilliant and artfully placed. There was no ugly architecture and the buildings other than the homes were soft and .......set a stage of elegance against a PRISTINE backdrop. NO paper on the ground. There was the cheerful look of people riding around in multicolor golf carts and folks out of their homes everywhere going somewhere. The recreation centers were beautifully done inside and each represented a different type of decor. From Colony Cottage's Victorian profusion, Laurel Manors Antibellum spectacular, Lake Miona's magnificent Naval decor, Odells African intensity, Even Bogie himself standing inside...........(can't remember which rec center...Bacall?)

Then there were the choices of restaurants where the food was good and the prices were....................cheap to cut to the chase.

The houses were on iddybiddy lots though and most of them looked alike. I was drawn to the ones in the new sections because no outdoor statues are allowed. (Some people kinda overdue that, but that is MY opinion) I didn't like the closeness to each other and they all looked so small.

However, once inside they were quite spacious and once you got used to the lots being close together, you recognized that the lawns weren't going to be a full time retirement occupation.

Well the people were unlike any group I have ever met. We are all "of an age" to be sure, but that age taught manners and rules and ....yet there were so many smiles, the body language showed.........happiness and purpose. People were friendly and before you knew it, they were telling you how they got here and why they liked it. They all couldn't have been hired by the developers could they....? Had they all been....... Stepforded? Strange. Very strange.

My husband was checking out the eight championship courses and the 27 executive courses and I was really reading the courses available at the Lifelong Learning College...........and the clubs? One even called "The Village Idiots" who go to breakfast in their pajamas? We saw Red Hat ladies dining and everyone playing Pickleball, Bocce and shuffleboard. The pools were lovely and there were two to each village. One for grownups over 30 only and one for kids.

I could go on and on.

I didn't like some of the driving. I was unsure of the traffic circles. I was astonished to see so many.................old people.lol I don't feel old at all although I was born in 1939.

I thought that people from the east coast talked funny. I was a little taken aback about so much hugging on greeting and leaving groups that I observed. I was afraid I would run into a snake or an alligator................

I am having a hard time telling you what I didn't like. This place is not to be believed and it is so hard to describe.

Please come on down and see. We have fewer years ahead of us than those behind and we don't want to waste them..

Sorry. I just couldn't help being a cheerleader.

We're only here 3 weeks, closing on a home in 2, but couldn't have said it better.

However, being from New York it's really all those Midwesterners who tawk funny!