😬 buying the dream
 

As has been pointed out MANY times how stupid people are to not do their own research…. Instead of actually helping, thanks so much for your input 🙄
THIS ⬆️ is significant. If you golf, buy a pre-owned home. Sure it’s fun to buzz around in ur golf cart but if you are interested in PLAYING golf you should look much further north than the ‘new’ areas

The plaza is about 35 minute by golf car. We have a house in Dabney and it takes a while to get there. The golf car thing wears off quickly. The area is too far from everything.

I have some advice you, wait till more opens up in the new Eastport area.

I was just looking at it on the map and I think I was there once. Is it really 35 min? Seems closer to me than Brownwood and that only takes 29 minutes. :D

Yes 35
 

Yes, maybe a couple extra minutes depending on cart traffic. It’s only about 15 to Sawgrass. After Sawgrass though it’s another 20 through Chitty Chatty and whatever to get to Kristine Way where the the center is. Then, there’s the return trip to consider. So yes, well over an hour is required just in cart time to make a trip by golf cart. It’s better to use a car.

We found Magnolia a little farther.

If you are ever bored, try the tip sometime just to get out. It’s a pretty long drive.

^^^^^

Yeah, pretty much how I do things is use the cart if I'm bored or heading to a few places. But if I just need a quick Publix run I take the car. I don't find Brownwood to be much faster by car than cart, maybe 10 minutes at best.

That research would include the many complaints about the conditions of the courses. The five execs and one champ course south of 44 are in great shape. We rarely have trouble getting a tee time down here. Plus, there are additional courses being built right now. Golfers should absolutely include the south in their list of possible locations.

You have a third option in your Lake Denham vs Eastport decision - Richmond! The last part of Richmond (east of Meggison) will come on-line, maybe by end of this year. Cart ride times are approximately 5 minutes to Brownwood (I’ll often walk over in a little over 10 minutes), 5 minutes to Lake Okahumpka Rec Center and the future Harry and the Natives restaurant, 9 minutes to Edna’s on the Green, 12 minutes to Everglades Rec Center and Magnolia Plaza, about the same to Eisenhower Rec Center, 20 minutes to Sawgrass, should be about 20-25 minutes to Eastport, and is about 30+ minutes up to Lake Sumter Landing. As the Villages grows, Richmond is a good, central location to access most of the community within about a 30 minute cart ride. The only area that is a bit of a hike is the Spanish Springs area, though I seldom have the need to go that far North.

Magnolia Plaza will be about 4 mi from Sawgrass once McNeil/Corbin open. So about the same as Lake Deaton.

Is Lake Harris faster by car than Lake Deaton?

Previous Villages sales maps show footprints for a Publix at Eastport and a Wallmart Market at Middleton. If and when those might materialize is unknown.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...stport-348268/

Three new golf courses will open over the next 9 months for the Southern folks

Downside: It's not shopping friendly for golfcarts. There are no big box stores nearby (30 minute drive).
Upside: Walk to Pitch and putt. Nice paths along ponds I walk and ride my bike (gators and tropical birds all the time; sometimes wild turkeys, armadillos, opossum). Infrastructure is great. I get 5 bars 5G everywhere I ride (500 MB/s downloads outdoors). Super close to Florida turnpike. Good tennis community and of course huge pickleball community.

I go to Costco and replenish supplies every week or two and make frequent trips down 470 to Publix, Winn Dixie or Ace Hardware (8 to 10 minutes). I have Centric Fiber and pay $65/mo for 1 GB symmetric speeds. I could get Comcast or Spectrum if I wanted too. Comcast just sent a flyer for 1 GB speed for $60/mo with a 2 year contract. Having competition is great.

I got a whole-home water filter. I don't know that I needed it, but the water is hard. All my clothes come out clean. I added a gas line for a couple grand (Fireplace installers) and bought a natural gas grill and now I can grill any time without bottle gas hassles. I get to Wildwood Aldi's about once a week in less than 20 minutes and get good value there. And, the neighbors are all new to the area too and want to make friends, so it's super friendly.

I like Lake Denham, but I'd sure like a big box store or Aldi's a little closer. Also, I got a lithium ion Evolution D5 cart from Botero in Ocala, in part because there are no gas stations easy to get to with a golf cart. I recommend Botero. I got Dean's for lawn care and they seem reliable and easy to work with.