What? Don't you know that all the "young, hip people" are all moving south of 44?

Get with the program! :thumbup:

P.S. I was 63 and my wife was 62 when we bought in the "old folks section", north of 44... We have neighbors both older and younger than we are.

We looked south of 44. Not much was finished there that interested us. Chitty Chatty and Bradford were the new villages being built. Fenney, Monarch Grove and Marsh Bend were pretty much done (I'm sure I'm forgetting a village or two, was DeLuna done at that time? Linden? McClure?), but there was no Publix yet, and the rest of Magnolia Plaza was still under construction, and there was no gas station. There was no golf cart access to the north from those areas, as the Waterlily Bridge had not been finished, so you couldn't cross the turnpike... For us, the answer was a re-sale in the Osceola Hills area...

Of course, things have changed a bit and access is better. So that's a plus.

I hope Eastport is everything everyone hopes it will be. But it's still years from being "finished"... I'm sure we'll visit often. Just like we visit Sumter Landing and Spanish Springs (we're closest to Brownwood).

And many of them are moving on... Being replaced by the next generation of retirees...

That info is easily accessible on TV website. GoldWingNut's videos also show their progress and planning. IIRC, it's 3 more Championship courses and 4-5 Executives...

One Championship (Shallow Creek?) is set to open this summer, along with an executive course...

:beer3:

Well THAT sucks... Is it possible to feel 150? :icon_wink:

No different from the "anti-north" comments posted. It's all just silly...

You have been given advice by many posters. Do not buy in Denham and Dabney because it is isolated and will remain that way. Lake County has the hghest taxes in the Villages. The sales in that area are moving at a snail's pace. The developer is having a heck of a time unloading those homes.

If you are placed in a NEED TO SELL position, you may have a difficult time. At our age, expect the unexpected. Most of us are not willing to place ourselves in a difficult position. Especially when there are much better buys throughout the Villages.

As it stands today, homeowners who paid full price in the Dabney area are already in a precarious position. Neighbors are moving in at discounted prices. Some savings as high as $30-50K. Homeowners who paid full price are experiencing depreciation. How bad will it get? Looks like the Developer is willing to slash prices until ALL are sold.

Actually, the tax rate is higher in Marion County, The Lady Lake portion of Lake County and the highest tax rate is in Fruitland Park. The lowest tax rate is in unincorporated part of The Villages in Sumter County, followed by the area in Wildwood and then unincorporated Lake County.

Thanks! We were told differently by a sales rep when we looked at homes in Lake Denham. I will be certain my daughter checks before buying any home outside of unincorporated Sumter County.

There are no courses in Eastport at the present time. However, there are three Championship courses planned. One is supposed to open this year. I have heard from a starter that it is supposed to open in the summer.

There are also at least four executive courses planned. They are Beautyberry, Bellaire, Honeysuckle, and Laurel Oak. There are rumors that the Villages might build one or two more. I think Laurel Oak and an adjacent pitch & putt may open this year. I crossed Bexley this weekend and they are working on it. There is also supposed to be a driving range and a golf teaching facility in Eastport.

And if you are in Eastport, you will be fairly close to Loblolly and Longleaf.

I do find it frustrating that the developer isn't more transparent on their plans. Supposedly, these things are planned years in advance.

Map of Eastport attached.

Eastport Area Booklet Moultrie Creek - 9

Plenty of pitch and putts though, LOL

We missed that memo too. Wife and I are in our mid 50s, bought in 2020; own north of 44.
When we started looking, I would have guessed we ended up near LSL…. But we spent a week near Brownwood, and that’s where we bought.

Love to golf, so access to courses now was important. Also, didn’t want to wait for things to get built. It’s another 2/3/4 years.

I live in Mallory Square, so very close to where you will be moving to. You are going to love it in this area of The Villages. Welcome!

Thanks for all the good discussion and opinion. Looking forward to our visit for the month of May. Enjoy all the special things TV bring as you are truly blessed to live there. I hope to be blessed with you all within a year.

Agree. I'm seeing that happening in my immediate neighborhood. Sad in a way but good in a way too.

My comment was regarding a comment about an additional turnpike bridge being added that someone seemed to think was very likely.

Truth!
 

We are considered 'young' retirees, 54/55 yrs. We only have an interest in the North. This is something we've gone round and round for months after many visits to TV but we absolutely love the North. It's beautiful, the yards are larger, it feels more cozy and more like home. We realize the pros and cons but for us, the pros outweigh the cons. I don't want to be referred to as a zombie. 😄

I live in Virginia Trace. Welcome!

Denham
 

Lake denham is great, pool is 5 minutes by cart, Eastport will be 20 mins by cart with more golf options. No traffic down here. The future of the Villages is Eastport and south of the originals

But, how far in the future can you wait? Many of us are "been there, done that." Believe us when we tell you, 100% open for business takes MUCH LONGER than you think. Sure, you will have many amenities. ALL will be crowded.

Until Eastport opens, enjoy your no traffic. Once the square opens, everyone will want to experience it. Villagers, outsiders, travellers, families from Middleton, sport enthusiasts, you name it! As you know, the squares are PUBLIC.

Those of us who have been here awile, will watch the congestion from afar. Spanish Springs and LSL is where you will find me. Those are the places where there will be NO TRAFFIC.

My original question was a rhetorical one, directed at a comment that tried to suggest that the availability of golf in Eastport would approximate the availability of golf north of 44.

many, many, many newer homes in the southern area are for sale already. You have got to ask yourself WHY? Just pickup the Daily Sun any day and see for yourself how many are selling

Two Sources for Preowned
 

The Villages real estate company, Properties of The Villages, does not participate in the local mls. To find all the available preowned homes you need to engage both a Villages real estate agent for the homes listed with The Properties of The Villages AND and outside agent who can show you the homes listed for sale that you can find on Zillow.

How many times are you going to ask this???? Let me give you the same answer that you have gotten before. It is because owners are selling for big profits after one or two years and buying in the next new villages as they are built. I know several people who have done just that, and plan to do it at least one more time. One friend is on his 8th house. Four of them south of 44.

Really you are frustrated about not getting invited to developer table to learn their plans 20 years from now.

It could all be in your wheelhouse if one of your offspring marries into the family:1rotfl::clap2:

You forget many don’t read threads, just post:clap2: I don’t understand why one can’t just read the posts, but that may be expecting too much

The “Zombies”?
 

I am in my 50’s and live near LS. These “zombies” have tons of energy and kick my butt on the PB court.

470 goes over the turnpike so that’s why it is very likely. They are expanding that bridge anyhow. Wingnut just said this on his video 2 days ago. It will be years before it happens, if it happens.

I was in LSL for lunch yesterday and it was packed with lots of traffic.

LOL. I already bought. Anyhow this is all silly advice. I still haven’t seen any evidence that we are isolated apart from less golf. I’ve mentioned all the things we have but that keeps getting ignored. My generation doesn’t care about shopping. Brownwood shops are bore city unless I need a sea turtle painting. We have everything we could want only minutes away.

Look at the map of Dabney and Denham now. Houses are going under agreement quickly for January. Northerners don’t sell in winter. I’m betting spring market will see a big increase. One house in my neighborhood in Denham is under agreement for 200K more than it sold for a year ago. Preserve sites here are not a bad investment. They are all sold already.

Apart from that I bought for the lifestyle and retirement. It’s not an investment property for me, so any advice based on future value has little affect on my decision.

I live in Dabney, and you are correct in some respects. The distance by CART to Eastport is a pain, since you have to go North to Sawgrass to cross the TP. However, by car it's only about 4 miles and a very fast run from Dabney over 470. Sawgrass is an easy run, but not much there, IMO. On the bright side, Dabney is only a few miles by CAR to Winn-Dixie, Publix, Wendy's, McD, etc along 27, which also makes a run to Walmart, etc. easy enough. I do wish getting over the TP by cart was easier, but access to anything by cart is really just a TV thing, lol. Bond prices near Eastport are higher, don't like being that close to the prison (lights/safety/etc), and if Eastport ends up being a major hub of activity, that's going to mean traffic, noise, probably a lot of rentals rather than steady neighbors, and all the ball fields, lake, etc activities, probably year around congestion. In Dabney, I can drive over in minutes for anything that interests me and drive back to peace and quiet just as quickly.

^^^^^

Some really good points. According to others we are too isolated in Lake Denham/Dabney but also shouldn’t want Eastport because it will be busy and loud. So weird and the post above is correct. We have peace and quiet but are so close to the action of we want it.

Fact is that wherever you land in The Villages is where you make your friends and get involved in activities which is not far or isolated from anything. Enjoy your new home and the beautiful nature in the southern area. When people say that’s way too far, the response should always be too far from what as everything you do is right there 😊

The home insurance market is another factor to consider. Especially when buying pre-owned

I sold at the two year mark as I made twice what I paid. Pretty good investment! Guess you didn’t know or consider that’s the case south of 44?

Built in Dabney
 

We built in Dabney, but I can tell you it really isn’t the Northern or Southern Villages experience. The plus is I think we found a long term renter! If we were to do this again, maybe we would just buy near a town square or build in Eastport? We like the Villages, perhaps we should be renters instead of landlords though and enjoy when the weather is optimal. If you enjoy peace and solitude without anything else including amenities, Dabney is for you.

That is not really true, I have lived in the Villages southern area for 2 years and I do pay Wildwood city tax but the actual tax assessment didn't change and the actual tax rate went down slightly this year.

Since you own in Dabney, what amenities specifically are missing?

Updated the question to clarify for some that didn’t understand my question.

Taxes of Wildwood are stupid high and should be eliminated? Wildwood does nothing for them. We hope to see court action on the whole issue soon. The Villages should be its own incorporation. Dissolution should be moved on.

The post was referring to AFTER Eastport opens.Everyone will flock to Eastport to enjoy something new. During this time, the older squares will be less crowded.