Why not? Just passing on information that I had gotten from folks who actually do live close to those areas that were mentioned.

Math Lesson
 

I have 5 Championship courses, 8 executive courses, 2 Regional Rec Centers, and 2 town Squares within 3 miles of my house. You?

You must live in a very busy and noisy neighborhood with lots of traffic. I have lots of nature, peace, quiet, and plenty of amenities and entertainment, too much to even thing about using and no traffic.

Traffic?? We are close enough to take our golf cart almost everywhere. We are only minutes away and parking is easy breezy.

Noise?? We are on a tranquil water and golf front lot with an amazing view. The birds and ducks are noisy, not to mention the alligators during mating season, but we grin and bear with it.

I love your response
honest and appropriate

That should be the Number 2 Reason

And cell Towers , which are worse... DOUBLE TROUBLE. you are spot on

No, I think pickleball sounds more like: pock, pock, pock, pock, pock.... :duck:

No one knows to what you are alluding. When remarking on a certain post, hit the “quote post” box in that post. That will put it in your response post as a reference point.

I lived on a championship course for years and know how tranquil they really are NOT.

Close to a tee or cart path can be bothersome. I have a body of water between me and the fairway more than 100 yards away. Can’t hear a thing.
As I said in my original post:
LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

There are those people who will direct you AWAY from new builds because it may be they are MLS realtors who CANNOT sell you new builds.

I agree with the fact that most areas are very desirable. No one needs to "sell" any part of The Villages. People are lined up to buy here, for very good reasons.

Use your common sense. You can never have enough storage space in your home and almost everyone wants a golf cart garage. Buy what fits your pocketbook. I don't know a single person that judges you on where you live here. It is all good.

Quarry blast only once a month and NOT felt every time. Prison is not a problem. If they do manage to escape they are not heading inland when 75 is so much closer. Do the life style visit, tour the villages you are thinking of by yourself. Talk to people at the pools, mailboxes and in the rec centers. Listen for road noise, but mostly have fun with the process. Don't forget pre owned homes.

Good points! It really does come down to personal choice. I know my parents live there and their house backs to a street, so they are looking out their lanai at a street, they LOVE it, me I need privacy that comes with a courtyard villa, but that's just me! My wife and I live in Maine and we are a few yrs from retiring, every Sunday morning we sit in bed with our coffee and take a "golf cart ride" and look at open houses. This familiarizes us with the app (which has improved greatly I must add), so we know what we like/dislike in our selection of houses, areas and proximity to golf courses and rec centers and town centers.

My suggestion, use the app to review homes on the market, use the "switches" in the app to narrow your choices...someday I'll see in the Villages! (...still America's Favorite Hometown!).

Clinton - Freeport, Maine

I wouldn’t live south of 44 if you gave me a home, any home. Less amenities, just getting around to putting in 2nd championship golf course, minimal shopping, gas station or bank.

When I was shopping lots I gave my agent a short list of don’ts.

Keep me away from Turnpike (noise)
Keep me away from high voltage power lines
Keep me away from ponds (snakes)
Keep me away from forest or preserves (more snakes)
Keep me away from pickleball (noise)
Keep me away from dump (odor)
Keep me away from being at the bottom of a hill (drainage)
Keep me away from nearby sinkhole (insurance)
Keep me away from neighbor’s pool pump being right behind my bedroom wall (noise)

There may have been one or two more, I don’t recall.

He found a building lot for me in village of St. Catherine. I’m happy with the lot selection.

No. It is mis-information gotten from folks who want to pretend that there is something wrong with the new area. Because if there is not something wrong with, then it is better.

Guess what, it is better. That's why we are here.

I have all the things that I want near me. And lots of other things just a little farther away.

And, I get to live in the fresh, new area. Way, way better.

I still vote for ping, ping, ping.

We back up to a road with pond across the street. Since we are not home for most of the day, we may miss most traffic. But then again, that split window, or any vintage car would never be seen if elsewhere. The golf cart conversation, on what were they thinking when they bought that color. After 4pm sitting in the birdcage is quite, no neighbors behind, and watch the birds fly. Later the frogs, and normal pond noises. But don’t have to worry about anything crawling in our yard.

Some not a fan, but even our parents love the ever changing view

I think you are ill informed but we're all glad you choose not to accept a free home south of 44.

You mean those people were lying? Color me surprised.

*** Places to avoid buying due to location?
 

I don't live in TV but I read this forum almost daily. Why? To learn. There are some genuinely great people on here that look to help people. People like my wife and myself. We have visited TV for a number of years and have watched the amazing growth. We are about 2 years out and honestly can't wait to retire and buy our dream home. There are so many wonderful attributes to buying in Fla., the weather, the beauty of it all - but especially TV lifestyle. Several close friends of ours live in TV and just as they described, as soon as you get off of the tpke., all the stress leaves. We are NYer's / Long Island and can't wait to leave all the grind, the taxes and the traffic behind us and start living. And yeah - It's the golf carts!
But the tone of this thread has me SMH. What started out as someone looking for help turned into??? Remember how happy and excited you all were when you first made the move? Enjoy what you have and be happy for your friends and neighbors. We are truly looking forward to our years ahead - No matter if it's 466 - 466A or south of 44. You are all truly blessed. HR Dave from Chitty Chatty, you've got it right.
Good luck, God bless and stay healthy and happy.

There is a St Catherine’s closed Facebook page if you’re interested in joining. Lots of good info and a way to meet your new neighbors!

New house considerations
 

Also consider the direction of your new home. South facing lanai will get a lot of sun most of day, other directions partial depending on season.

Spend time in different areas you like at different times of the day and days of the week to get a feel for the noise(s) in that area. Even that's not fool proof.

When you narrow it down meet some of the people in the neighborhood and get their likes/dislikes.

If you decide to build find someone that has built a couple houses in TV for recommendations and things they have on their do's/don'ts list and whys. Its really not as hard to find these folks as you might think.

Sadly there are realtors that give doom reviews on new areas. Why because they can’t sell new homes. Have had multiple mls agents at open houses tell us about the horror of the blasts cracking windows, and walls. The noise from the prison is so deafening that you can’t sit outside. Plus you need black out curtains from the bright lights. So yes misinformation is coming from those who don’t live in the new areas.

The only residents I trust are those who live there. Here say, doesn’t work for me.
If I don’t know the person who is posting, I don’t spread maybe untruthful posts

In the eyes of any future buyers the ‘fresh new area’ you live in is now a neighborhood full of pre-owned homes with few amenities

Be sure to consider how difficult it would be to drive to the places you want to go.

For example, the neighborhood along Ternberry Forest Drive near the Palmer Golf Course has some beautiful and very expensive homes, but to drive anywhere south you have to turn left onto Buena Vista without the help of a traffic light or a roundabout, and that could be very difficult if the traffic is heavy.

In the newer areas, the neighborhood of De Luna is a long way from CR468 (Warm Springs Avenue) and I think it would be a pain to make that drive all of the time.

I think Chitty Chatty is the worst because it is very difficult to turn south on CR468, and it will continue to get even worse as more houses are built in Southern Oaks.