New siding option
 

One of the new siding options on certain homes south of 466A is Mastic Alcoa Mastic Solutions by Ply Gem I suspect this is the siding on many of the commercial buildings being constructed in Brownwood. It is a very durable siding. My bet is that when the Brownwood designers were researching new materials for this newest town square they investigated many products currently on the market. If the siding it good enough for the millions of dollars of new commercial buildings at Brownwood, I conclude it is certainly a good option for my new TV home. In fact, I had initially thought I would only build a block and stucco home, but now I'm actually re-thinking that decision because I like the durability and "never need to re-paint" Mastic Alcoa siding option.

Great post hotrodgirl
 

And we can't wait to meet you....You said everything I wanted to say!...Attagirl!

I'm Tired Of Being Criticized By Political Correctness Types
 

If you went back and highlighted every post on this thread wherein the poster criticized another poster for being concerned regarding some aspect of living in The Villages then you will have found some of those folks living in The Villages that depend on political correctness to stem any criticism. The primary one being "if you don't like it then move". I won't venture an opinion as to their motivations. Political correctness was devised by marxist to prevent people from speaking up about injustices

I am certain some folks have rushed into buying here. However my guess is that most have had perhaps two visits or more and have taken a year or better to decide but then some couples have lived together for a few years before getting married and discover after said marriages that it just isn't going to work out.

Like divorce finding out that you may have made a mistake can be costly and painful.

So IMHO offering potential buyers the benefit of your point of view is the right thing to do. After all all you are doing is simply offering an opinion and then it is up to the potential buyers to decide.

I offered my opinion concerning the issue of amenities payments and was prepared to be attacked . I defend my statements based on a very basic economic principle entitled "utility for my dollar" or inelastic/elastic demand or if you will simply "bang for the buck."

Once people buy here they are obligated to pay $135 per month for amenities, an amount that over the years will continue to rise. I like many don;t use those amenities but that expense will continue for as long as I live here. And obviously the political correctnes group will shout back then "don't live here". I have a response for that also. But first let me propose a solution to this dilemma.

What if instead of paying a flat monthly amenity fee, user fees would apply. So that those choosing to utilize the rec centers paid a daily, weekly (you choose the periodic ) fee. The same would apply to other amenities such as pools etc. Wouldn't that be fairer and wouldn't that clarify the desirablity of these facilties. The fees would cover the use and maintenace of these facilities. It would also be fairer in that the more frequent users paid more because they are using them more.

Now back to the "don't like it leave crowd" Like the above-stated divorce
sceanrio leaving The Villages can be economically devasting and very very messy. Most people who move here are retired. This means that they live on amounts that are not easily replacable. When these residents were engaged in their work lives they had the opportunity to make more money to cover any economical mistakes they had made. However retirees are no longer in that position, absent the very well to do that move here, most folks really can't afford to make an economic mistake. So when you purchased that home you spent a good portion of that limited supply of savings. Suppose it cost you an additional $100,000 tin order to move here. You can never make up that amount again unless of course you have a very profitable investment portfolio. So to have someone suggest that if you don't like it leave is to suggest that you rush in to another bad economic decision.

Whether the political correctness group here like it or not or even grasp it The Villages has a number of flaws and unless people speak up they will never get sorted out.

I opine others can decide

Your point about amenities is well taken.

We have old friends who have lived in Heritage Oaks in Sarasota for more than ten years.. It is a development of homes built around a very nice golf course, it is TRUELY gated and walled. They have to pay a very large initiation fee for the golf course. Everyone has to pay it that moves there, even if you don't play golf. The homes are single or doubles or condos and they all cost more than homes here for the same size. They pay around six hundred dollars a month for privileges including golf, even those who do NOT play golf and have to pay over a hundred dollars for a guest to play there and have to also pay to rent a golf cart , golf carts are not allowed in the development except on the
course. Some of the monthly fee is a restaurant charge and they need to use it or lose it.

It is truly gated BUT they have had thefts from their homes and ascertained it was the lawn service people who did it.

It is a PRISTINE, first class, country club course and the restrictions and charges are similar to those that many of us have left behind. You REALLY get to know the other inhabitants and other golfers, it is the same people all of the time. People live there who do not play golf but they still have to pay the large fee montly, exactly the same as golfers...and sometimes familiarity breeds contempt. You have paid a lot and you aren't really too shot down with playing other courses much.

The houses are not nearly close to as easy to sell as the ones here.

A couple of years ago they had a major redesign of one of the nines and each resident was assessed several thousand dollars.

A grilled cheese and fries costs around thirteen dollars at the club house.

I consider THAT being stuck.

I know you are very sincere Rubicon and I hope you aren't yelled at. You are very right that people need to know what they are getting into.

I personally think the predominance of a certain political atmosphere may be the real reason a lot of people here sell and leave.

It is true that politics may not be spoken aloud in most places, but politics here is FELT.

It is a reason for prospective buyers and lookers to think and think again.

The amenities fee here is not just for golf as you know... and we are not assessed nor does the amenity fee rise with each new golf course built and each new rec center and pool added. We are getting value for the golf courses as they add value to our homes and also the beautiful club houses and the beautiful green spaces. We pay a bond for the infrastructure and that is not an initiation fee. The amenity fees here are based on the cost of living and have gone down once in my memory, they assuredly will creep up as we creep out stage left to the village of heavenly..

There are thousands of homes for sale in Florida. They all have the blue sky and sun and some have the ocean. There are posh places to live and many, many without amenity fees or restrictions on fences and flamingos. There are many that have a lot of the other political party being in majority.

I hope people will read your post and think about it. The Villages is NOT for everyone.

And one of the downsides to living here is that people get all snarly when you say there are downsides to living here.
(especially me.)

graciegirl thank you for that reply. I can't live in an absolute world. However I always accept the responsbilites of my decisions and make the best of them. The Villages is a nice place to live but even in shangri-la its inhibitants found flaws. Speaking about flaws leads to education and education to solutions even if that solution is that at its state it is the best to be expected
For instance a person is hurting he/she goes to the doctor and explains the pain that visit could well save that person;s life...it is the way nature intended. Do you recall when people thought it impolite to talk about or with a person striken with cancer? Today we find speaking right up has healing porperties we never thought existed

The real issue is that too many Americans have forgotten how to debate with any amount of restraint or civility, the Wives of...reality shows come to mind. When I speak up I am not seeking agreement but only understanding of my position. It is why I often end with I opine others decide.

You are a thoughtul individual and have a good outlook on life and represent the best quality of The villages and that is its residents.


Personal Best Regards:

Rubicon, your opinion was very insightful, thanks.

I have a question about the older neighborhoods. Don't you think some of them will turn over, just like the neighborhood I live in up north is doing now? The houses on my street are 20-30 years old and suddenly instead of 55-65 year old neighbors I have a bunch of young families. I would think some older villagers will end up moving in with Children, to assisted living or to their final destination as the years go by. That kind of seems inevitable- despite the ability to stay very active I would assume that people in TV do pass away eventually.

S


So what to you tell the people that came here on a budget.Who came here to live a life style they thought they could never afford?I want out because I came here knowing I had to pay but no longer want to.So you all have to pay my share.Very selfish on your part.My advise would be pay or move.I do not use much either but I know it's available to use.And we new we would paying til we are gone.

graciegirl said a lot of things that make perfect sense to me. She pointed out that the amenities fees are for things other than just golf.
One thing that I think folks miss when considering the fees ..... the whole of TV is kept up very well. Grass cut, trash seems to be quickly removed from paths and common areas, etc, etc. It has always looked parklike to me. Those areas cost money to keep looking the way we like it, where does that money come from? I presume the amenities fees pay for that too. So, if you like the squares clean and if you enjoy the nightly music ...................
Don & Kaz

I understand the logic in that statement. Those who use the facilities more, pay more. Those who use them less, pay less. But can you imagine the difficulty getting a large crowd into a rec center when each person's personal account must be accessed and the appropriate fee charged, collected, and processed? And imagine trying to manage the facilities with varying resources, especially in the summer when our seasonal residents are gone? Will the quality of the facilities suffer, further eroding the desire to utilize them? And the income from our seasonal residents who now pay all year round will be irrevocably lost. Thus all fees will have to be increased substantially.

But the most frightening part of your proposal is that changing the way amenities are paid for will eliminate the CPI/3% cap on increases, as discussed in the last POA newsletter. Then, we can expect the daily, weekly, monthly fees for using the facilities to rise far faster to ensure adequate income to cover the debt service and maintain the facilities.

I don't play shuffleboard, bocce, horseshoes, billiards, cards, or other activities. I do golf. I understand that I am paying part of my amenity fee for others to enjoy those things in which I don't participate and they are paying something for me to play golf. Is this any different from my paying my taxes in my old community to pay for libraries, which I didn't use, tennis courts I didn't use, etc.?

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Everyone needs to make informed choices and then accept responsibility for those choices.

I have never felt pressured to buy or move here by any of the developers agents. Both my Villages agent and independent broker were helpful and attentive but never pushy.

I believe the amenity fees are a bargain for the services provided and would hate to see what they would cost in the way of tax funded municipal services. I admire the business and lifestyle model created here. I don't use all the services, but they are available if I want them.

TV is vigorously promoted as an active lifestyle community and anyone moving here should have no other illusion.

:wave:

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