[jalopy54]

No more squares needed!

[Xavier]

Another Town Square would be nice, but not in the North end. From Savannah north is truly God's Country. We wouldn't want to mess it up. It is the IDEAL for some of us. In fact, I was on a few of the Real Estate websites this morning. Zillow predicts home values up our way will increase 8.2% next year, compared to a 7.6% rise for The Villages as a whole. I would recommend that, if you haven't already done so, you should take a relaxing golf cart ride up Buena Vista to Mulberry Grove Rec. Center located at Route 42. Don't forget to drive through a few of the Villages in Marion County along the way.

Maybe a Town Square near Colony would be a better location!

Xavier

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by Xavier

Another Town Square would be nice, but not in the North end. From Savannah north is truly God's Country. We wouldn't want to mess it up. It is the IDEAL for some of us. In fact, I was on a few of the Real Estate websites this morning. Zillow predicts home values up our way will increase 8.2% next year, compared to a 7.6% rise for The Villages as a whole. I would recommend that, if you haven't already done so, you should take a relaxing golf cart ride up Buena Vista to Mulberry Grove Rec. Center located at Route 42. Don't forget to drive through a few of the Villages in Marion County along the way.

Maybe a Town Square near Colony would be a better location!

Xavier

Your point is well taken, except for relying on Zillow for pricing.

And since you're concerned about the home values and like it that they're going up, I would caution again to look at the area thru the eyes of potential buyers, who will, in the end, decide what is true market value when they write a check for it at closing. Age 55 or 60 is looking younger and younger all the time as people are living longer. The appeal when we came a few years ago was that The Villages did NOT look like a sleepy "retirement" community deserving the name Geriatric Estates.

The nightly music, dancing, retail and bar-restaurants open etc. at the town squares is a big draw for potential buyers who are about to retire and finally are gaining the freedom to go out and have fun, not go to bed at 8:30pm because they have to get up at 5 to commute to work and get home after dark--too tired to go out and too little time before bedtime anyway.

I think The Villages has been extremely wise in marketing to the 55-60 age group (even the music on 640 am radio show this). They've been wise in knowing buyers are looking for activity and vitality, NOT "heaven's waiting room" as some characterize TV without ever having been here. Homeowners hoping for rising home values would be wise follow The Villages' lead and think about what buyers are looking for as they retire.

P.S. Skip2MySue just put the perfect example of what buyers are NOT looking for, at this thread, "Another Retirement Option":
Another retirement option

[scarecrow1]

I would think that they would consider another town square over near Fruitland park. It's going to be quite a ride for the people down that way even to get to Brownwood. As they get more shopping and activities at Brownwood it will become a zoo like the rest of the squares.

[Bogie Shooter]

Give it up. There will not be anymore town squares.

[Xavier]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

Your point is well taken, except for relying on Zillow for pricing.

And since you're concerned about the home values and like it that they're going up, I would caution again to look at the area thru the eyes of potential buyers, who will, in the end, decide what is true market value when they write a check for it at closing. Age 55 or 60 is looking younger and younger all the time as people are living longer. The appeal when we came a few years ago was that The Villages did NOT look like a sleepy "retirement" community deserving the name Geriatric Estates.

The nightly music, dancing, retail and bar-restaurants open etc. at the town squares is a big draw for potential buyers who are about to retire and finally are gaining the freedom to go out and have fun, not go to bed at 8:30pm because they have to get up at 5 to commute to work and get home after dark--too tired to go out and too little time before bedtime anyway.

I think The Villages has been extremely wise in marketing to the 55-60 age group (even the music on 640 am radio show this). They've been wise in knowing buyers are looking for activity and vitality, NOT "heaven's waiting room" as some characterize TV without ever having been here. Homeowners hoping for rising home values would be wise follow The Villages' lead and think about what buyers are looking for as they retire.

P.S. Skip2MySue just put the perfect example of what buyers are NOT looking for, at this thread, "Another Retirement Option":
Another retirement option

We do our share of activities in and around The Villages. As someone mentioned previously, all of the Town Squares are with just a few minutes of us by car and SS and LSL are within easy Golf Cart access. Hanging out at bars is no longer that important to us, but we know that others may enjoy just that. The beauty of our area and it's lack of day-in and day-out hubbub provides the perfect balance. All amenities and material needs are close by. We are still young - I retired at 52 years old. I can believe that many of the potential buyers are looking for the availability of activities. I cannot believe that all of them want to live in the middle of it all day and night. One day last week we took the cart on a 15 mile trek to the Library located on 466A. We just couldn't believe how busy each intersection was on the way down and the way back. South of 466 every intersection had golf carts and automobiles backed up. We'll have none of that up in God's country! We believe we made a wise choice.

Xavier

[LndLocked]

I would venture to say that 98.765% of all of us up in the Northern Hinterlands do not want a town Square built here!

It is peaceful with a fraction of the traffic to the south. Here in the drama free noth, I never hear anyone complain about dog poop or pop a blood vessel if a golf cart goes over 20mph.

It might be nice to have 1 or 2 more restaurant options ... but every time I am forced to endure the insanity that is the Colony Publix .... I am ok with what we have.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by scarecrow1;84***1

I would think that they would consider another town square over near Fruitland park. It's going to be quite a ride for the people down that way even to get to Brownwood. As they get more shopping and activities at Brownwood it will become a zoo like the rest of the squares.

The new homes in Fruitland Park are contiguous to the present homes in Sanibel and Charlotte. If people in Sanibel and Charlotte can get to Brownwood then it will be doable for the new "Fruitflies".


I think some people must think the new homes are going in way down 466A near 441 or something.


Fruitland Park very neatly moved their boundaries right smack dab up against Colony Plaza some time ago.

[ettojr]

We did our homework before buying in the Village of Woodbury. It's quiet. We have larger lots, mature landscape. Excellent neighbors. Few if any traffic problems and access to off campus highways...42, 441, 301, so no crawling down Buena Vista or across El Camino Real.

We don't need a Square, thanks anyway. When we need to 'party down' there are rec centers minutes away in every direction, and 2 Squares five miles away.

When asked where I live, I say Woodbury, then I smile when that person says, I've never heard of it.

[rdhdleo]

Originally Posted by ureout

I hope not!!!! its nice and quiet here keep all the winter congestion to the south...btw its about 12 1/2 miles from lopez to brownwood not really a long travel

[Dpost]

I am 52 can retire in 5 years and am thinking this exact way

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Dpost

I am 52 can retire in 5 years and am thinking this exact way

???

[Barefoot]

I have a close friend in Piedmont. I love the north/west quadrant. Lovely mature landscaping and quiet neighborhoods, yet shopping at Mulberry and Southern Trace is close by. Spanish Springs is also close. I think it's a real bargain to purchase there right now.

[TednRobin]

Love, Love, Love the North end of TV. Have owned in Hemingway and now in Springdale. Not a bit sorry about the move. But original post was about another town square, any chance one will go up in Fruitland Park area or is it too close to Brownwood?

[rdhdleo]

Originally Posted by TednRobin

Love, Love, Love the North end of TV. Have owned in Hemingway and now in Springdale. Not a bit sorry about the move. But original post was about another town square, any chance one will go up in Fruitland Park area or is it too close to Brownwood?

I think the current town squares are pretty evenly situated and doubt another one will happen, but one never knows what might come next. Just my opinion