I was thinking more along border roads like those in the Village of Caroline where there were a rash of burglaries a few years ago. I should have said perimeter roads to be more clear.

Personally, I'd avoid the Village of Polo Field. Security people come knocking on your tent day and night. And the worst part is all the guys on horseback who don't even stop to clean up after their pet.

Places to live
 

Personally I think the taxes are higher in Marion County and the Villages has little control over what happens in Marion county.The flip side homes tend to sell for a little less in Marion County.All the streets in Marion County are private except for Buena Vista Blvd.That means the residents are on the hook for the maintenance.On the plus side they have beautiful big trees. We have lived up in the northern section, central section and now live in the eastern section and we have found them all to be great..
Bob

Very good point. People we know bought sight unseen a lot on the villages perimeter only to find destructive neighbors with kids on the other side of the wall ( outside the villages) who would throw things into their yard. They were seasonal villagers and found all kinds of junk in their yard when they returned.

I have friends who are extremely sorry they bought near the high school. They knew all schools have traffic, and it was not a major thing for them, but NEVER did they even think about the sporting events of each of the seasons, with the BRIGHT lights on, the LOUD SPEAKERS announcing the plays of the game, etc. There are others who don't care, they simply stay off their lanai on game days and nights, they pull down the shades when the very bright lights shine into their bedroom, etc. Have some friends who had no idea how near their home was to busy railroad tracks, they are now used to waking up when the trains go through and don't even become fully awake, it's just a part of 3 a/m and they immediately go back to sleep. Others in the neighborhood have never gotten used to it, same for some whose homes back to the tennis or pickle ball courts. It drives some people nearly insane to hear the "plunk" of the balls beginning early in the morning, others are so used to it they can go back to sleep. Those are some places some (not all) people do not want to live by. Fire houses here are pretty much set apart (visually), but some neighbors are never able to adjust to the sirens that can of course go off at any hours. Some people do not mind at all living in the houses very close to the squares, others just can't bare that it is nearly every night of the year (before the virus of course, quiet now) and finally just move. Some are fine living on the golf courses, for others it is a constant irritation and sometimes there is an accident to a window, screen, roof, etc. It happens ! Some don't mind a location some distance from restaurants and stores, hardware, salons, etc. others want to be within a few blocks at most (in other words, a quick golf cart ride, not a car trip, to go to vet, dentist, etc. Choose carefully, and do what you have already done when you looked over the dog park and didn't like your first impression. If your home backs to a family rec center, and your retirement dream is not hearing the joyful laughing and screaming of children having fun, then that location would not be for you. If you are by a 21 and over neighborhood pool, you'll probably hear very little, if any, sounds. Others will probably be able to add other things you should look for an consider in accordance to YOU and YOUR personality and what you want to live with day to day. If people in your yard, looking for golf balls (even though it is clearly posted this is forbidden!), will keep you in a constant state of irritation or down right anger, why choose that location ? On the other hand, if you are the type to walk off your lanai, hand them a beer or lemonade, and help them look, then it would be a great place for you right on one of the courses. You'll make many friends and enjoy yourself and your home !

I wonder if that is under control of the AAC or the CCD. When the group sued a certain area North is now controlled differently than the rest of us. I bet if you google you can see who is in charge.

I do know that what some find desirable others do not. The price and the size of lots and the mature landscaping is a desirable draw to the areas near Orange Blossom and Country Club Hills. Other people want brand spankin' new. Our homes lanai in back is West facing and we love the sunsets but others don't like the heat. I believe who lives near you and who you become friends will color your opinion of what you like about The Villages. Also it is hard to begin life anew in a new place and we really do have a lot of groups of different "cultures" here that were raised a bit differently than other groups. People from the Midwest and people from the Burroughs of New York City have a lot to share with each other.

I really find all areas have lovely charm.

Curious what village you live in. We are just now buying and have dogs. We bought in Monarch Grove.

Yes, I lived on a golf course for 13 years and will never do that again.

Next door to anyone who fly any political flag or sign

I'd avoid any neighborhood that empties out onto Morse, north of 466, without the help of a traffic light. You could die of old age...oh wait, probably will anyway.

My suggestion to you would be to stay way away from a golft cart cut through path from one village to another. I had no idea what that was when I purchased here, unfortunately I found ou I was living on one. The problem with living on a golf cart path cut through is it brings massive amounts of traffic from all over the area through your village. It should not be a problem, but it is. We find villagers who do not live in the neighborhood hae no respect for your property, they throw their trash on your yards, they speed through to get to where they need to be. On the other hand my neighbors who live in this village treat the area with respect and as their home and not a by-pass route.

Put up a toll booth with a big gate.

The company that is building in the southern area does not supply resources for existing areas. That comes from the residents, and is handled by the various boards made up of elected officials.

I think you need to understand the working of The Villages a bit more. Obviously the southern end of The Villages look newer because they are. The dog park you keep referencing is in the one of the original sections of The Villages. This area is 30 - 40 years old. If you failed to notice, the park is in a grove of very large oak trees. It is difficult to maintain nice grassy areas with all the shade. The dog park is closed routinely for maintenance. It may not be as nice as the newer parks in the southern parts of The Villages, but it is maintained. I bet there are not many of us that can say we look as good now as we did 30 years ago.

The area where the dog park is located is called Paradise Park. Just within the last few years a terrific walking path was installed, the softball and archery fields redone and new pagoda built on the lake. This park is a great place to go on a hot summer’s day and enjoy the cooling shade.

The recreation center is slated to be rebuilt within the next couple of years and one of the executive golf courses updated. The AAC is doing a good job in making sure this part of The Villages is well taken care of.

I don't think the dog park's condition has ANY impact on the homes on that side of 441. Mostly because there aren't any homes immediately adjacent to it; the closest home to it has a parking lot and a golf cart path between the two. Even wearing prescription glasses you don't be able to tell what the condition of the dog park is in, from the back window of that house.

I think that very specific area is more impacted by whoever has put the toilet outside on their car port with a "Flush [political candidate]" hand-written with really bad, uneven handwriting with magic marker on it. If that isn't the very description of tacky, I don't know what is. That would be one of the "areas" I would consider least desireable. I would absolutely not want to live next door to that person, no matter what name they had on that sign. It's trashy and low-rent, and I like to think I have higher standards than that.

I'd also think any area that backs up to those huge electric towers would be less desireable (though not least desireable).

For me personally, the courtyard villas are all on the lower end of "desireable" to me. While I love the idea of privacy, I hate the idea of claustrophobia. I don't want to look out my window and see a wall, even if there's a nice little wading pool and jacuzzi between me and the wall.

I also feel that homes more than a 10-minute golf cart drive to the nearest store would be on the low end of desireable.