[Bruiser1]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Been here for almost three years. We have a very small manufactured home that has been updated and is very comfortable. I love my neighbors and the whole feeling of quietness on this side.
Orage Blossom Gardens is one of the three villages over here. The other two are Country Club Hills and Silver Lake. It is somewhat difficult to tell where one ends and the next begins. It all look the same.
Some areas are older than others and some homes are older than others. Some of the older manufactured homes have been torn down and replaced with either newer, larger manufactured homes or site built homes. The Villages is currently performing a rehab of the area and are buying up manufactured homes and replacing them with cottage style homes. These range in price from $180,000 to about $220,000.
It's called the Historic Section because this is where The Villages began. Back in the eighties, Harold Schwartz bought a small mobile home park called Orange Blossom Gardens. He began expanding it with little success. He brought his son, Gary Morse on board to help with marketing and development. Gary decided that all successful developments had amenities and built the first golf course and rec center. Eventually, they built pools and a country club. The oldest rec centers, golf courses and country club are in the Historic District. The Orange Blossom Hills Country Club and it's golf course , Silver Lake Rec Center and South Side Pool have recently undergone renovation.
The Historic District is very nice and getting better all the time. Yes, the homes are small. I think mine may be the smallest in The Villages at 756 sq ft, but there are only two of us and it's easy to maintain. There are much bigger manufactured homes and of course the site built homes as well as the brand new cottages that are much bigger.
The great thing is that those of us on a limited income have the ability to live in The Villages and have access to all of the same amenities as everyone else down here.
The thing that I find nice as well is that when I tell other Villages residents that I live here, I never feel looked down upon. Everyone seems to mix well and simply accept everyone for where they are in this time of their life.

I concur ! Originally the "historic part " was the initial Villages.

It is common lore that it was stated that "(The Villages) will NEVER be more than 15,000 population." While other parts of the country watch as housing construction and sales decrease we have robust growth. "Build it and they will come". Come as see it for yourself !

[billethkid]

when all gets said and done it is the people that make up TV....not the differing homes.....those same homes could be anyplace.....but not us residents.

[Wandatime]

I have made friends in The Villages from all across the socio-economic spectrum. It is what is in the heart, not the wallet, that counts.

[redwitch]

ValerieJo, I'm guessing you're looking at this to rent, at least for the high season. Obviously, the rents are much lower here. Your expenses aren't all that much lower, though. Amenity fees are the same throughout TV. Since manufactured homes are known for good insulation, the electric is not as low as you might think. The homes do rent and renters still expect the same items in the home.