And those who frequent the forum know the agendas of those who introduce the same tired topic in every response. I hope there is a community and message board for those who believe that everyone who drinks is a criminal and danger to society. Please find a community with no alcohol and move there. The vitriol is getting very tired.

One can always move to dry counties in the south.

First..............congratulations on starting a great thread.

As with any where in the world, there is the good, the bad and the ugly. A lot depends on if you are a half full, or half empty person. From 10,000 feet, something must be going good..........look at the explosive growth in TV.

One of the most amazing things about TV is the people (yes, the properties, the squares, the golf cart style living are all amazing but, ). People from every where, with amazing backgrounds all come together to enjoy the next phase of their lives. Some living 100% on Social Security, some on pensions, others living off their millions. Doesn't matter, we are enjoying the next phase.

Sure, there are some who don't like it here. Is it the place or the person, we will never know. I pray for them. Life is too short [ mostly at our old ages ;-) ] not to be happy.

I watched this place grow for 15 years before we purchased. I enjoyed the video's, but it's better than the video's. There will be some of the half fulls who attack me, but again..........all I can do is pray for them and their happiness.

Hope you come and join us, you will not be sorry.....I can tell.

Good Luck.

:super:

:super:

:super:

Cmgregory: The question you pose can only be answered by you and based on your situation as respects family, finance, health, personality and temperament.

Here are some of the considerations we had that may mirror yours also. We moved to Florida because of the tax advantages;albeit property taxes are higher than what we expected. The last six summers that we have lived here have been very hot and humid especially for my wife. It use to be that there was some relief from congestion in off season but no longer. We adjust .

There are plenty of things to do here but again it depends on the person which carries me to the amenities. You need to consider how active you desire to be given your interests and your health because you will be paying a monthly fee whether you use any amenities or not.

We live in a very friendly and active neighborhood and that is a blessing because without family around they in a limited sense become your support system

I knew The Villages expansion would become a victim of its own success but then reasoned that it is a well planned community with rules that assist in keeping properties from deteriorating .

Some residents here compare The Villages to that of an adult Disney World which they view as a positive. Again because we are all different that concept to me translates to not real and not real translates to artificial

Finally The Villages is marketed as an 55 and over retirement community but it is increasingly becoming a vacation destination for many and that also tempers the meaning of community.

To my wife and I this is not a right or wrong, love it or leave it thing, it just is and we adjust.

The best of luck with your decision and your decision will be the right one.

Personal Best Regards:

Make the move!!!!!! You will not be sorry.

The villages is now a small city(some indepentent census companies are estimating 120,000 to 150,000 current population) in season, going to rec center clubs, restaurants, tee times & have to be carefully planned to try to avoid excessive wait times. Colony plaza(one of our favorites since we moved here 3 years ago) is off limits many times of the day. When walmart & bob evans open i can't imagine the traffic.
But developer decision to accept only medicare advantage at tv health centers is an extreme insult. On lifestyle visit guides touted shiny new health centers accessible by golf cart. For 3 years we used these centers & developed great relationship with a good doctor. Current insurance way superior to med advantage 2017.(med advantage 2018 will have new rules you may not be happy with) agent at unitedhealthcare medicare store spent 3 hours with us. Final result keep current plan. So much for golf cart accessible health care. Now may have to travel several hours to find doctor. Please no "when are you moving" comments.

I understand your distress with the VHS changes, but don't you think the "several hours" is a bit of an overstatement? All my neighbors who are affected have found new doctors within the area and most are cart accessible. Gainesville and Orlando are not that far away and even Mayo in Jacksonville is manageable.

Anyone who moved to tv & tv health didn't accept your insurance were lucky. They had a chance of finding a doctor within reasonable geographic distance. Now there are about 15,000 villagers looking for doctors because their current excellent health insurance is no longer accepted at tv health. The rumor that developer was loosing money on tv health is just a rumor. Developer found a way to make more money. Don't care how much money developer has. However using tv health centers as a selling point then changing rules really defines his character. Health care is vital to retirement community.

On the issue of "build out" have heard this phrase since moving here. As long as developer can get land to build on & sell homes he will continue. Developer has no regard for quality of life in villages.

Just a little hint, but if you quote someone else it really helps if this...[/QUOTE]...is after the quoted persons post

That way we can see where the quoted post stops...and yours begins. :ho:

Very true, everything you said. There has been a group (called "the posse") that has regularly attacked people who post their opinions that are not favorable to The Villages. If I were looking to move here, I would rent for a few months during the high season to try it out, and talk with as many people as possible - neighbors, folks you golf with, etc. to try and get a better feel for the place and whether or not it would be a good fit for you. As far as research, TOTV is a starting point, but is not the end all.

I agree with your comments about the people! There is such a nice variety of folks here from all walks of life. We have found it very enriching.

Gimme a T! Gimme a T! Gimme a T! T! T!..............
 

The Villages is the world's biggest high school.

And all that entails.

Everybody is here.

You can find your people and your way.

Boomer

In an earlier post on this thread I wrote: "This forum has a long track record of verbally attacking anyone who says anything negative about The Villages. The standard response to negative comments is generally some version of "If you don't like it, leave". Spring_chicken's latest post is an excellent case in point. I now reiterate: Posts on this forum do NOT reflect a representative sample of all Villagers! Take them with the grain of salt.

I bought here about two years ago when the "build out" was a few months away. I enjoy being able to go to the town squares and have two-fers. On many occasions, we are treated to live entertainment in the form of a street fight exhibition. I have learned many self defense techniques from these exhibitions (free, of course). Then I can drive my golf cart home without worrying about a nuisance DUI like with an automobile. I also like standing in line for 45 minutes to play water volleyball. I have met many nice people standing in lines waiting for my free activity that only costs $150 per month whether or not I use the activities. I do enjoy the free golf, although the 2 hour rounds on a 9 hole executive course are a little long. Fortunately, I can sit in my golf cart on each tee for 5 minutes watching the "beginners" hit their third shot from the bunkers and walk out the other side, stepping over the rake. I pay another $150 per year so I can use my golf cart on these "free" courses that are also maintained with my $150 per month amenity fees. I have lost 10 pounds since I moved here, primarily from skipping dinners when arriving at a restaurant only to be told there is a 45 minute wait to be seated. But it was fun to drive my golf cart to the restaurant after having a few drinks to take the edge off of my 2 hour 9 hole golf round earlier that day. As for doctors, there are many. Just not too many from US medical schools, but if you enjoy other perspectives and alternative medicine, this is the place for you. I am still looking for a primary care physician that takes medicare and is a graduate from a top 50% US medical school. I have found recommended doctors who graduated from medical schools in Peru, Poland, Nigeria, Mexico, England (this school was under investigation as a diploma mill), South Florida (at least it's in the US), Spain, Philippines, China, etc. The good news is that I can drive to all these doctors in my golf cart! How cool is that? And anyway, if you get really sick, you can always go back north to your previous doctors. So come on down. If you are from a big crowded city, and are used to waiting in lines, you will love it here. If you live in a high cost area, you will think it is very cheap to live here.

:jester:

I enjoyed that.

:pepper2:

I guess this is getting offtrack, but how do you know that United Healthcare of the Villages Medicare Advantage Plan will have new rules? Of course, all plans can change provisions every year, and the 2017 policies are out, but what and where did you hear about 2018 - is this just rumor?

I hope you don't mind but we didn't make your 2 to 5 years designation. We landed here in June 2016 and are thrilled fully. There is no Hocus Pocus with anything, the thing is we live with other people in a community and may be interrupted in our travels slightly and travel to a doctor may not be the perfection that was envisioned. I believe it's the way we all handle these ground shaking horrific challenges. It is better than we imagined before we arrived. Our expectations have been exceeded. You'll be fine in The Villages, the sky is not falling.

I suggest to go elsewhere for negative opinions about The Villages, because this forum does not want to hear them. Be aware that The Daily Sun is owned by The Villages, so their news is biased. Be aware that very little in life is free, most especially in The Villages. Be AWARE.

I love this post! I am laughing so hard I am crying! Btw, I told you where to find $5.75 pitchers, right?

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Just returned from doctor's office located on 441. Receptionist put our names on a waiting list about 10 pages long with about 50 names on each page.
Developer touted the tv health centers (that took my insurance at the time of home purchase) as a selling gimmic. I have health issues & this figured into our decision on whether to buy in the villages. Were members of tv health for 3 years. Now we are forced to choose between my excellent health insurance and medicare advantage(2017 version). Medicare advantage(2018) plan is in the works but agents say they are not privy to the details.
Medicare advantage agent said it would be unwise to drop my plan & go with tv health plan. $0 copay is too good to be true when you analise all the delails of the plan. Moving at this time is not an option.

First off, 'paragraphs' should be your friend.

Second, there's a counterpoint to many of your observations. Fights at the squares, the only ones I've heard about were the woman line-dancers at Spanish Springs. I don't line dance, really don't dance much at all, and most times when there is trouble at SS, the Lady Lake Police will step in, or at least give you a ticket for going 26 in a 20.

Standing in line 45 minutes for an activity, doesn't happen at MVP. Of course it's not free, but it's the best $100 a month I pay for my wife and myself. There's plenty of classes and equipment for everyone to find something to do.

The 'beginners' at the executives holding up the regular golfers, don't you know the regular golfers are at the championship courses. We leave all the execs for the hackers. You have to spend a little money to get what you really want.

Long waiting lines for dinner. It's never happened to us. Then again, we never eat dinner out. We eat lunch out at least 3 to 5 times a week. It's cheaper, it's when I'm the hungriest, less customers, you have the rest of the day to burn it off.

The problem with doctors isn't just a Villages Health situation. My first VA doctor at the Villages VA almost killed me. He took me off of my Plavix (blood thinner) medication. He said, after 18 months you don't have to take Plavix anymore after getting a stent. He didn't know they have two kinds, a metal stent which is what he was talking about and a chemical stent, which is what I have and requires Plavix the rest of my life. My second Villages VA doctor was a 6'6" red hair woman from the Ukraine, but she was actually good but had to return to her homeland. The third and current VA doctor is from India and knows very little about anything I have a problem with. I usually have to do my internet research so when I see him, I know what to ask for.

Dear outlaw loved,loved,loved your post listing all the "wonderful???" things about the villages. I have lived here 3 years & things have changed & not for the better. I expect to be stoned to death by the paid i.e. Janet tutt & unpaid lakeys of the developer when i go to one of the squares for agreeing with you.
Do you know where i can buy a pair of rose colored glasses? They must come with blinders like horses wear so i can pretend the villages is perfect. Please keep these posts coming. Can't find a competent doctor either. So have to rely on the old adage "laughter is the best medicine" for now.

Dear outlaw p.s. I'm sure some retired english teacher will review my post for improper spelling,punctuation etc. I don't care whether you used paragraphs or not. Your post was truthful & entertaining.

Just think. If the developer wanted to be "greedy" he/they could build homes on all of the golf courses. Even if you don't play or it takes you two hours to play nine, they are a lovely thing for your eyes to behold.

What is the Villages Wine? A nice mellow glass of vinegar with your beef.

My sincere sympathies.

We lived in The Villages for 5 years to the day. Build out was promised, but it won't happen. We had a great time until it became a major metropolitan statistical area with too many people for us. We moved to a smaller development in Ocala and we are very happy here too. The Villages is a great place with a great business plan. I am not saying anything bad about The Villages. Enjoy it. We miss our wonderful neighbors, but we have wonderful neighbors here too. To each their own.

You're so right. The sky is not falling. The Morse bridge foundation may be collapsing, or another section of TV roadway may disappear into a sinkhole, but definitely the sky is not falling.

$5.75 pitchers of beer in TV!? Where?

No one wants to be greedy. They just are. There's nothing lovely about watching beginners play golf unless they're behind you. Waay behind you.

Where are those specifically ?

I received this as a private message from somebody I will not name, that many on this forum would recognize, when I asked why he and his wife left The Villages in 2010. I didn't write it so take it as you want

After about 5 years, we felt that The Villages was aging us. That may sound funny because there are so many youthful things to do there. For us, however, every place we went, theater, grocery store, restaurants, golf courses, stores, there were old people just like us. We craved a little youthfulness around us once in a while. Even now, when we go back to The Villages to visit our friends, we sense the constant age grinding at us all the time.

There was another complication for us. Golf carts everywhere. There are 80,000 residents and about 35,000 golf carts. They zig zag everywhere. People don't consider them to be cars. To most, they are toys. It is a constant assignment to watch for golf carts. Some guys soup them up to double speed. Others have never had a license in their life, but now drive a golf cart. Then there are those who are legally blind or too old to drive cars, but they drive their carts. It was getting to be a real annoyance to us. But, there 79,999 other people who don't mind.

Since our home in NY was 2 acres, we really felt hemmed in at the Villages. Deed restrictions keep the community looking beautiful, but also keep active residents from being the "kings of their castles."

Most residents call The Villages, "The Bubble." They joke about "drinking the Kool aide" Honestly, I don't want to live in a Bubble. I am my own person and want to live that way. I want to live in the "real" world.

We built in Plant City on 1 1/2 acres. I can do pretty much what I want and when I want to.

For most folks, The Villages is heaven on earth. But it wasn't for us.

1. Honest John's at LSL has $1.50 pints on Monday, so that's $6 pitchers 2. Right outside of TV in Wildwood at a place called O' Shucks at 1016 Main Street. Great wings, too. Not cart accessible...$5.75 pitchers... check it out and let me know what you think!

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First ask yourself why do I want to leave where I live presently?
 

Expectations -expectations- expectations it all begins with expectations and of course your frames of reference. I believed the area I moved down from was the best place in this nation and national survey after national survey supported my belief rating this city the highest and the state the second best in quality of life. A large metro area but so well designed and planned that traffic moved well and the area always kept in pristine conditions. So we were use to a large geographical area and large population but one that was well managed and well planned

We never viewed The Villages as some sort of Disney World, in fact thought such an idea should be discouraged because its a fantasy and sooner or later all fantasies disappear. Nor did we believe all the hype about living like a millionaire on retirement income. We focused on the tax situation and the restrictions that preserve properties. Golf carts for us are used for golf nothing more .

So when I would read these glowing almost mystical reports about TV and the developer my thoughts moved to their disappointments when they discovered this place wasn't built just for them and that the incremental crowding in and around TV would eventually put all those expectations to rest.

Indeed the poster referencing a large homogeneous population as a problem is correct something also we took into consideration

The aptly termed "posse" is correct;albeit my belief is that they believe they are taking the high (positive) road blunting negative and unfair comments. The saying a pessimist is an optimist with experience comes to mind .

Love it or leave it" well in my view when one retires savings/replenishment's become almost impossible so financial decisions must never be taken lightly . We made our move with both eyes wide open weighing out the pro and cons . I miss the place I moved from but one always has fonder memories of the past. So we adjust because the most crucial aspect of life is adaptation

Those who ask should we move to The Villages ought to first ask why is it I want to leave where I live presently?

Personal Best Regards:

Good post.

I would just reiterate what others have already said...rent for a while first.

Still loving TV!

[QUOTE=Cmgregory;1307156]For those of you who have been residents of TV for at least 2 to 5 years:

Is it as good as you thought it would be?

If you had it to do all over again, would you still buy in TV?

We would like to hear both the positives and negatives of living in TV.

We have visited TV several times and walked around the squares but have never stayed there. We have heard nothing but good comments but wonder if it as good as everyone says it is.

Well the community is great in many ways. But for a bicycle person it is not good, not at all. After what happened to me yesterday which is a major thorn in the side of the exercise world of enjoying a bicycle. We do not feel we fit in here and will proceed to make some adjustments. Let me add. There is a bike lawyer named Dotson, if you need help.
Unfortunately it is going to take a major lawsuit and or accident or death to bring this item up for action.

bbbbbb

the villages
 

Yes, rent for about 3 or more months, maybe stagger some seasons, a month or so and then more at a different time. We came here three times for a month each, it was not enough. You have to be here awhile to get the real picture. Only one example, we were told you can ride on the sidewalks when it is safe and unoccupied. Well that is not the truth. We were told that the Multi Modal paths are for bicycles, well not so much folks. So if you are considering this, make up your mind if you do like to see a lot of drinking, excessively or not,,,,,,,,,, then decide.
bbbbbb

There are always pro's and con's. People are different and have different ideas, feelings, life-styles, taste's, etc. But they have it everywhere they live.
For us, when we visit the first time TV, it was like a dream and we want to make it like the dream came true. Yes, we checked out TV completely, lived for several month there and found the uniformity, the strict rules and we missed some culture events like going to museums, National sites, zoo, etc.
But we know also that it will be impossible to find a place which can fulfill ALL expectations at once people can have. Living before coming to USA at overseas for more than 25 years, then California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Missouri, we found the place "The Villages" and we did find out that WE have to change and adapt a little bit more, OPEN the eyes wide and see the BEAUTY of the place, the WONDERFUL PEOPLE (including all what might be different in each person - which make a person wonderful).
We found the best solution for us (in can change of course when we are getting older), living at two (special for us :Wonderful-) places, The Villages and St. Louis, and we still traveling around the world.
May you find your place you like when you are READY for it.
Yes, some people saying it's a BUBBLE, if you want to you can see it as that, others saying it isn't the REAL world, and my answer to that is:
IT IS THE REAL WORLD LIKE PEOPLE CREATED IT, IT IS THE REAL WORLD YOU WANT TO LIVE IN.
Other places might be dirty, full of crime..... call it 'real', it isn't for me and it isn't the natural world either.