[tomwed]

One day a new golf coach in my league told me that her father moved into a Florida retirement community where “There are 50 golf courses, all for free and you will love it there.”

When my wife and I were in Hilton Head I Googled what the new golf coach said and we drove here for an overnight trip. Two years ago that overnighter turned into a week and that turned into many weeks renting and that turned into a house.

What’s your story?

[KayakerNC]

The "BOOK".

[obxgal]

Golf channel.

[DigitalGranny]

The commercials on Fox and Friends every morning, followed by a feature in our newspaper, turned into a quick trip here on our own ( no lifestyle preview). The Waterfront had just opened, so we stayed there for a long weekend and fell in love with the place. Everyone we met was so nice and people were out playing and being active all day. Finally just bought this year, and we are so glad we did!

[Northstar]

Surfing the Web for Retirement Communities in Florida........

[lanabanana73]

An older friend started renting here during the winter months and she continually RAVED about how active everyone was! We came two years ago for a month to try it on and LOVED it, as well. We love seeing so many people out and about, living life. Not sure when we can get here for real, but I sure hope it's soon!

[Colts Fan]

I hadn't played golf for many years. Decided that since I was retired I'd take it up again. We went to Dick's here in Indianapolis. I had a good salesman who suggested a sale set of clubs to start back into the game. I was talking about enjoying retirement, and he told us about The Villages with the free executive courses and the many activities. He had worked as a pro in TV at one time. A few weeks later I started researching TV on the internet, and it sounded even better than he had said.

TOTV was really, really helpful in learning about TV. We made our lifestyle preview visit in Sept. and ended up buying our home on the second day. We working hard to get ready to move by the end of the year. Coming back week after next to get blinds, furniture and our golf cart.

I'm still enjoying TOTV!

[Gary7]

Same as Northstar .... "Surfing the Web for Retirement Communities in Florida"

[Doro22]

We are from Hollywood (S. Fl.), & used to drive up to Inverness to see my brother & family who live on a small ranch just 20 miles west of here. We would see the signs & really not pay much attention. Then a teacher colleague of mine mentioned that she & her hubby were seriously looking to retire here, & we decided to take a look. We were very impressed by our sales person's low key approach. Wow...no high pressure- what is that all about?!? So we liked it & kept coming up here for weekends on Lifestyle stays, & @ The Waterfront Inn. We did this for two years & got to know this place like home. We finally retired & bought our forever home 3.5 yrs ago.

[tomjbud]

As a high school band director in Indiana, I would bring my band to Disney World every few years. On our last trip, I mentioned to our bus driver that my wife and I were looking for a retirement community in Florida. It just so happened that he lived in The Villages. He spent the next week telling me how great it was. My wife and I went home, got the DVD, went on a lifestyle visit and bought after 2 days. We haven't regretted it for a minute!

[Medtrans]

Visiting our friends the first time a few years ago and then by we visited for the third time we knew. We aren't there yet but we just bought our forever home in June. Funny though we always said we weren't going to retire in FL, that we would probably go to Arizona. Never say never...now if next spring would just get here quickly.

[2newyorkers]

A coworker would come to TV for vacation and she suggested we visit TV. The rest as they say was history.

[Doro22]

In response to what Lanabanana said, I like how active everyone is. They are out & about, living life. It is wonderful to do that & see that all around us. Being from s, Fl, we do drive down often to see relatives & old friends. And, every time we drive back here I see all the people out & about. They are walking their dogs, biking, driving their carts to the pool or golf, or to a rec center for a class. It is so refreshing. Honestly back in s. Fl, where I was born & raised...people are not out & about like here. There are so many choices & experiences here. Luv it!

[DonH57]

Well. First this big black van pulls up to the curb and 4 men jump out and I only remember a rag placed over my nose and mouth and I blank out. Oh wait. That describes the beginning of my first marriage. Seriously. We visited my father who was living in a retirement community outside Ocala at the time. My initial thought those many years ago was " I'll never be doing this". Look at these older farts running around in golf carts. Years later after checking this place out, I'm now later running around in a golf cart. Best form of karma I can think of.

[xcaligirl]

We were going to FL during July because my hubby wanted to check out retirement communities and I wanted to go to DisneyWorld. In looking for a place to stay near DisneyWorld, TV came up as a place to stay. I went on ****, found a house to rent, stayed for 2 weeks, left TV for ONE day but never got out of the car, stayed at TV for the rest of the time, had a blast, fell in love with the lifestyle and loved how people are so active, happy and upbeat, my husband decided that maybe he'd retire in 2 years instead of 3. That was July of this year and we bought our villa in September. He is still working for awhile more but I'm here full time, permanent!!