That trail will be good for bird watchers period. Have been on it very disappointing. Too narrow and you only see a tad of the Lake. In the rains of the past week it did not survive the dirt banks which washed right over the path. Also if you are handicapped forgetaboutit. Very narrow for a wheelchair and a person to walk side by side than you have to pass others? Very poorly designed.

Ding!!!!
 

start filming and incessantly talk and get your own youtube site, wait!!, someone's already been there doing that

Because they are not "minor" in any way shape or form?

I moved to Marsh Bend and am very happy with my decision. What was significant to me was the MMP's that are in the south minimizing how much travel I do on the streets in my golf cart with the vehicles. We have Edna's Sawgrass, and Fenny Grill which are very nice quiet venues to sit under huge trees and listen to music. It is a short golf cart ride to Brownwood from my place anyways. As far as going to the squares, I know a lot of people make a big thing out of bringing their golf cart to the Square. However if you really look golf cart parking is limited and I would say the vast majority of the people go to the squares via automobile. The other thing that was an important factor was the homes are obviously of newer construction and more modern. My home is considered a "smart home" which means it was all pre-wired for the latest conveniences.

I'll disagree on a couple of points... When I go to the squares, most of the side streets are filled with golf carts, as well as much of the parking behind the stores...

And most of the homes built after 2015 or so are also smart wired...

North vs South
 

Yep, war all over again and it took a while but economically the South is now winning! Wait, it ain’t over till it’s over.

Also reminds me of a person who buys a Lamborghini and even though it’s not practical and rides terrible especially on trips over 50 miles - he tells everybody that he loves it and it’s the best car he has ever purchased. Every area and Village has its pluses and minuses but it’s all good.

True, they all do have good and bad points, the difference being that the villages south of 44 have been continually bashed for over 5 years. How long did it last when they built the 3 villages that you lived in. I personally get tired of hearing it from people that don't live here since I've been down here for over 5 years. I wouldn't mind hearing south of 44 residents complaining as they have the right to do so, those north of here that wish they were here do not.

We can debate that first point for quite awhile. I seriously doubt any resident from the N. would drive their golf cart all the way to Brownwood and vice versa except to say they did it. I used to have a house in Dunedin and there was no way I would be driving my golf cart at night to see a show in Spanish Springs, or even in LSL. I can count the times on both hands I actually took my golf cart to Brownwood for a show or dinner and never once was I able to find a parking spot in the inner circle streets.
As for the second.... I'm pretty sure 100% of the homes south of 44 are smart homes. Agree 2015 was probably the cut over a year for the smart home. The following question is then…how many homes built after 2015 are located north of Hwy 44?

In the parking lots I see twice as much space for golf carts as there is for cars. On the streets I see four times as much space for golf carts.

I also question that "vast majority" statement. There *might* be more cars than carts but I don't believe there is a vast majority.

Count me as one of those residents you seriously doubt exist. I regularly drive my cart past Dunedin on my way to Lake Sumter and Spanish Springs (unless I hop up to Pinelas first). Other than when I've had three others with me, I don't believe I have ever gone to a square for music in my car - if it's nice enough for music then it's nice enough for the cart.

I’m not jealous or even envious of the area south of 44. I get to use it all just like you do. We live in Orange Blossom and travel all over The Villages by golf car.

Strange question. I’ve been in Monarch Grove for two year. Haha. We are a golf cart community and most of us use them constantly. Someone is fooling you.

Thank you for the information.

Which trail are you referring to? You didn't use the quote feature. My guess is the trail that is being build by Lake Miona Rec Center. Is that correct?

What do these smart wired homes accommodate? What am I missing? Our home was built in 2007. We have Alexa and also a new smart HVAC system that can be programmed from anywhere as long as there is internet.

chacun à son goût!

The Villages is not one thing. It is many things. We very much enjoy our little corner here in the "north", one way in and out of our Village, quiet day and night, good neighbors and very little to upset the sleepy day-by-day routine. We are no more than 15 minutes by golf cart from virtually any and every business we could ever imagine needing except a funeral home but should that need arise I imagine one or the other of us would fire up the Rav4 and take care of business. But that is just us. Others may desire a bit livelier life-style--more shopping variety maybe. A neighborhood with a bit more space between homes. Better access to restaurants. Whatever.

But--as mom used to say--"you'd complain if you were hung with a new rope". You can't please everyone all of the time. But the list of the good things here far exceeds the list of the not-so-good.

The key to finding a parking spot for a cart is not to keep circling the 4 streets that physically surround the squares. There's always cart spots open on the streets right before the square.
I'm am also curious what these "smart homes" have that makes them smart ?

Just now thought.........my sister who lives in a 30+ year old townhouse in NY has all sorts of plug in devices that work with her Alexa unit. Those devices make her home a "smart home". These newer built homes in The Villages would eliminate having to use all those plug in devices. Right?

💡
 

the newer homes have the option to be internet prewired with expanders to get full 5g network access. The home will be using wall mounted tvs with no visible wires and no rip off cable box fees that are payable for each. Unlimited dvr storage in the cloud of your recorded content, home security, entertainment without stereo equipment, wall mounted and ceiling speakers wall mounted amplifiers all controllable from your cell phone.any appliance in the grid is controllable by the internet plus the streaming speeds lead to crystal clarity to bring you content from around the world etc etc

I'd say many, if not most of the houses below 466A... But, for sure, those below Hillsborough, and those off Moyer Loop...

That is where I was looking to buy and they all had "smart home wired" as a selling point...

I have most of that now without using the "smart wires" in my house. My router does 5G, I use firesticks on my TVs, Bluetooth or WiFi for everything else. The only wires are power cords...

Provide a list of your priorities of likes and dislikes and the TOTV could provide some good recommendations.

The biggest draw for me to the new sections would be the bicycle/pedestrian paths. The next would be the improved designs that they should have added to many of the houses up north and the wider selection of models.

The one killer for me would be significant road noise from the turnpike. I could live with the power lines.

As long as your happy then that is all that counts.

youtube tv about 65 to start. Again its not just tvs. Its wired for sound with no stereo equipment all controllable from a phone

Our home was built in 2017 (Pine Hills) and it is not a “smart” home.

A wired smart home is so 2015.

I can control my thermostat, pool filter, lights, cameras, garage door and front door from Pennsylvania when I am not in FLA.
None of them are wired - all wireless.

thank you for addressing the question without engaging in the "war".:BigApplause:

They have ethernet cables pre-wired in every room, including kitchen and Lanai. They are 5G ready. They also have a plate in the living room area and behind that plate is a port to connect a smart home hub. This hub allows a one time connection that links everything in every room together. Essentially a smart home does it all for you, and you have one App that controls EVERYTHING. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UVskU-8_zY

WOW.....really nice The Villages is including all this modern equipment.

First off Brownwood is in the north so why wouldn’t people in the north drive there. When I am in The Villages we go all the time to Brownwood. Takes about 55 minutes from our house up near route 42 and the new First Responders Rec Center. We park the car when we get there and rarely use it until we leave. Everything and everywhere is by golf cart. We like to go to Edna’s and visit family in St Catherine’s and friends all over the north. The main reason for buying was to use the golf cart.

As for smart homes, our house was built in 2018 and there is nothing smart about it other than it has a programmable thermostat in it.

Don't know. Are you South of 44? I ask because I think all homes South of 44 were built after 2018 but am guessing on that. Ours was built in 2020 and I visited a patio villa built in 2021 and both have this feature.

Look up in the ceiling in the living room. If you see a covered wall plate then you have a smart home. This is where the smart hub goes....in behind that plate. You have to buy the hub controller as they do not provide it with the home. . Also look in your circuit breaker box and if your's is equipped you will see a sticker of the vendor who pre-wired your home.
Seem's this thread is getting hijacked....Sorry OP. Hopefully you got enough info from owners WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE SOUTHERN VILLAGES ( From post #1..This is a question really directed to those who actually have moved to the newer areas.):icon_wink:

Where ever you are, that's where your at.....being a Mulberry misfit of sorts, I'd not like where cars and carts share the same space..amen

:BigApplause:

So is this all the houses or just custom houses that pay for it ?

Yes, but we can leave the horrible south any time we want (They built a Bridge for us!) and partake of any of the Everything you have up North. Are your 'pitch and putt' facilities up north better than those in the south? The 'numerous' pitch and putt facilities in the south amount to ONE, but soon will be a 2nd.

Same here. People should buy where it makes them happy. I love travelling the villages by golf cart whether it's golf, food, drink, or visiting. No clock , just fun.:gc:

Yes!

too high
 

From our home in Hawkins (south of 44, off of Meggison Road, near Sawgrass) we have multi modal paths and easy access to three bridges that connect us to any area of The Villages that we want to go. We have not found any area to be inaccessible by cart or bicycle. The only place we ever ran into a problem in our cart was roof clearance in one of the tunnels on the Buena Vista Blvd MMP north of the 466. We have a rather high top on our golf cart and it scraped along the underside of tunnel. Soon we will have a 4th bridge to give us access to everything they are building in the Eastport/Middleton area. There is absolutely no truth to the notion that you can’t access everything by golf cart from the southern areas.

That's a good point and observation. I tend to agree with you. One would only hope that more amenities will work their south but who knows.

What amenities do you feel the south is missing???