Thank you. I am starting to feel better. My husband is moving with me. I think we will be fine. I spoke to one of my doctors and he said go for it. I have been going to him for 25 years.

We have two kitties at our house. I see you like them too. When you get settled, P.M. me and come by for coffee.

Thank you. So nice of you! Yes I like cats, but I also like dogs. I have a Miniature Schnauzer right now. I grew up with a cat. My mom named one of the cats that we had Tom. He sort of looks like the picture.

On the other hand...we were certain we wanted to be in The Villages for the rest of our lives. Nothing would get us to move. Then we started traveling and started to realize we wanted something different. We loved The Villages and still love visiting friends there. But we wanted to be near the water with a view and in a smaller community. We had no problem selling our house and after a year of traveling around the country bought a condo on the beach where we now spend a lot of time watching dolphins and pelicans.
Nothing in life is certain but it sure is an adventure.

Hello Tomcat, Since you like both dogs and cats, when/if you move to The Villages, it sounds like the animal rescue groups and animal shelters always need volunteers.

Can you visualize youself lying next to a Village pool or playing pickleball in January? What are you doing up north in January -- shoveling snow, scraping ice off of your windshield?

Keeping good thoughts for you :)

Only thing about volunteering at animal shelters, I might want to bring them home and then my husband will divorce me. lol!! Yes I do visualize what the winters would be like. How great it is!

We're in the same boat. Coming tomorrow to design a home in Desoto. We sure hope we're doing the right thing, but hey, we didn't know anyone in the town we're in now 30 years ago, and got to know just about everyone. Good luck on your decision

Getting to know people in TV is the easiest thing you will ever do, so no fears there. Best wishes to you on your new home. The area you selected is just beautiful. In my short time visiting around there last month I can tell you there are already a lot of welcoming and friendly people living there. I think you will love it!

Our door is always open. P.M. me anytime. NO. I don't sell homes or get a dollar for every new Villager like friends in Ohio think.

Whether the glass is half full or half empty is irrelevant. What is important is understanding the glass is refillable. 😎

I think it's great here but It's a ACTIVE lifestyle, if you want to sit in a rocking chair this is not the place to be

What about being single?

I like TV, but why would anybody say they don't like it here or they wouldn't be living here. I would think if you could find anybody that moved from here ask them why they moved, then you could hear both sides. I could say both pro's & con's what I like & don't like about TV but that's not what you're asking. If you like it here move here!

You won’t regret moving here
 

I am a recent widow. I literally came here with my car, clothes and shoes.
I rent in The Village of Duval. I absolutely love it here. Yes, I miss my family but it was a great decision.

You need to get involved in a few clubs (if you chose) or do nothing. It’s much easier to come here as a couple but all of my friends (and I truly mean friends) have embraced me. They call and say, we are going to a Square, out to dinner, a movie or to Mystic Ice Cream (you must go here).

Trust me, you will not regret it.

Marathon Man's advice is spot on. We bought a house there recently and spend part-time there. We have been visiting The Villages for some years however. If we decide it does not work out for us, we will sell and move on. We do love it there tho.

Good advice above. We moved here in January and wish we had done this years ago. You must be open to new friends, new adventures, new interests. If you're moving from "up north" the heat may bother you...or not. It is a factor, just like the cold is a factor living in other states. One thing I must mention: you won't find friendlier or more welcoming people, because everyone here was new when they came, so they know how it feels. Good luck!

Oh my. My only child was recently married. He told me he might move back to Long Island from Maryland. But I want to move to the Villages. This is bothering me. I told him he can come and visit. Go to Disney and everything. It has been 10 years since he lived in Long Island and I have been dreaming of living in the Villages almost that long.

///

I can promise you that TV is everything as advertised and more, a beautiful place with people of like mind in that they want to be here in the sunshine enjoying retirement in style. Unfortunately for us my husband was dying so we could not participate as fully as we would have otherwise. It's hard to adjust to the medical community here after becoming accustomed to personal, high end care at "home". Our medical journey was distressing and horribly disappointing. I'm a hillbilly and I missed the four seasons so thank God, my dear dear husband somehow got us moved and back "home" where I feel safe and sound again.
I wish you the best in your decision whether to go or stay where you are. I think there are always regrets, for sure, but....if clear, blue skies, activities, music and lots of opportunities for swimming and play, shopping and fun places to dine...? The Villages is it and it's a good deal, a lot of great living for your money!

The key word here is might.....

Follow your dream if that is what you really want. I have an only too. When he moved out to Indiana for a job some years back all on his own and knowing no one out there, he would have loved for us to move out there too. He knew it wouldn't probably happen but tried to convince us anyway. Long story short, we didn't go and 6 years later he's back here due to a job transfer.

A lot of people want to live near their families and that is totally understandable. But if you have a strong desire to do something different in your retirement years, I don't think you could pick a better community than TV for several reasons -

• So many friendly people who understand what you're going through because they've done it too.
  
• So much to do - you will be so busy you probably won't have time to miss "home". The days will fly by and you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.
  
• It's not that far from an airport that goes almost anywhere and transport to and from is easy.
  
• When the "kids" come to visit, they'll probably love it too. It won't be like going to a typical 55+ community that isn't very lively, especially from a young person's perspective.

From what I see with young people today who aren't afraid to move around for better employment, they are often here one day, gone the next. That just seems to be the nature of the job market anymore. This scenario is happening to almost all of my friends and their children.

The bottom line is, it's your decision to make. The worst that could happen is if you move to TV and don't like it you can move back, especially if you were planning to downsize anyway. Chances are you won't have a problem selling your property in TV. Wishing you all the best in this process.

You will always miss where your roots are and moving to a new area is an adventure that most people wonder if it's right for them. The convenience of everything here is awesome and neighbors to be very friendly with plenty of activities to participate in. I lived here a short time and definitely not turning around! Good luck with your decision.

Points to ponder.........
 

Yes, move to the Villages
 

We moved to Villages in '01 and left in 2010, went to Hendersonville, NC, nice place - then moved to Del Webb Charleston, also nice place - then we realized that there is absolutely no place like the Villages and we returned in 2017 and are very happy - you can't go wrong.

I think it depends also where you are moving from and the reasons why you're moving. We were excited to move here but after 4 years, I'm more excited to move back.

We moved to The Villages full-time in 2012. One of the best decisions we have made. We're busy, happy, and loving our lifestyle here. We had the interior of our home painted before we moved in, our mistake was using many of the colors we had used in our Western New York home. We've just repainted with light bright colors, which fits with our Florida life. My advice is to think carefully about decorating decisions. We found our health care professionals by asking friends and neighbors for recommendations; we do go to Shands in Gainesville for some of our health care (ophthalmologists, spinal surgery). It is a wonderful place to live, with more activities than you could do in a lifetime.

We moved here 9 years ago. While looking at houses I got a bad case of the jitters as to if we were doing the right thing. I kept asking for A "SIGN". The next house we walked in to had 3 signs, the biggest one being a campaign poster of Obama that said "Yes we can".

I am Linda, the wife of JimCurl. We moved from Ohio to TV in 2014. He was happy in Ohio and happy in TV. I, on the other hand, missed the beautiful changes of seasons of Ohio. The cheerful newness of plantings in the Spring, the lushness of grass and trees in the Summer, the beautiful colors and smells of Fall , and the crystal snowflakes and warm glow of a fireplace in the chill of the Winter (I have always been okay to shovel the snow for us). I am so grateful that he was willing to move back here to Ohio. I missed the warmth of Summer where one can be outside when it is 90 degrees and still feel a cool breeze through the trees. The season of Summer is meant to be outside and enjoy everyday pleasures of nature. I, now, don't have to run from air conditioning to air conditioning to be comfortable in the warm weather. Ohio may have rain showers, or be cloudy for a few days -- but changes in weather are like enduring changes in life. The comfort of knowing, in an emergency, we have the ability to get out of the state driving any direction: North, South, East or West --- unlike Florida where your only exit is NORTH --- when everyone else is frantically trying to drive North. I am so lucky. After 44 years of marriage, Jim and I feel love is when both partners are equally happy -- I am doing my best to make certain that he is happy back in Ohio. Things are looking good. I left Florida to make room for others who want to live in Florida - in The Villages. P.S. I was born and raised in Michigan -- but I LOVE OHIO! My best wishes to all of you who love The Villages!

Just out of curiosity, is this potential move to be closer to you, for better job opportunities...or to possibly move in with you?

It's my opinion that at some point, you need to live for yourself and do what YOU want...not what your child wants.

All too many parents (and certainly not saying you're one of them by any means), have been 'emotionally blackmailed' (even if it's subtle) by their children who don't understand that the parents job on raising and supporting them is over when they become adults ...and it's now their time to go out in the world and make their mark on their own.

It might be a good idea to at least think of talking to a professional, explain your entire personal situation...and then really listen to their objective comments. :shrug:

Now THAT'S funny! :1rotfl:

I, too, miss Ohio
 

We have lived full time in TV since 2005, and I still have to go back to get my "Ohio fix" for a couple of weeks every summer or fall. If I had it to do over, I would have at best been a snowbird because I have found that the brutal summer heat of Florida is intolerable and for me is a trigger of migraine headaches. What fun is it to stay indoors and run from air conditioned building to air conditioned building for 5 or 6 months? I often think about possibly moving back north, but my spouse likes it here, and I don't want to be selfish. As one of the other responders said, 90 degrees in Ohio doesn't feel nearly as oppressive as 90 degrees in Florida. We could always count on a cold front coming through and cooling us off during the summer. Not so in Florida, where the summer heat and humidity are constant.

I would advise anyone thinking of moving to TV to think about their heat tolerance and love of changing seasons, especially if moving here full time.

From the time we first visited The Villages to check it out 6 years ago, we came back yearly for the next 5 years for 3 days to one week each time. Finally one year ago we decided to rent for 3 months in the summer to see if we would like it. We moved here from the beach from the west coast of Florida, so we were accustomed to Florida summers, but not middle of the state summers. We did a "Deal Maker" list regarding where we wanted to retire (even though we both still work), and really looked at what were the top 15 most important things to us for the next 20 or more years of our lives.

The things that were tops on our list are not found many places outside The Villages. High on our list is to live in a safe, well-maintained community with plenty of easily accessible activities that we want to explore. On my Deal Maker list are values such as a warm, sunny climate; low crime rate; affordability; lifelong learning opportunities in close proximity; clean, well-maintained neighborhoods & common spaces; lots of active adult amenities; like-minded people; cultural events & entertainment; affordable fitness classes and clubs; easily accessible (within 15 minutes) walking & cycling paths; dance classes; live theatre; and opportunities for other future interests that I'm bound to develop with more time to explore.

After those first 3 months, we extended our lease, continued to rent for a year, and finally will be closing on a house on August 20, more than a year after we got to The Villages. My recommendations for finding your best place to live - 1) Rent as long as you comfortably can before you buy - that way you'll not only know if you love The Villages; you'll also know WHERE in The Villages is best for you. 2) Do a "Deal Maker" list of the top 15 things that are most important for where you want to live.

To get what we want and where we want to be in life, all of us must make choices. Those choices may mean giving up something that you have in order to get something that you want even more. Although The Villages is not for everyone, it sure is for me.

Children can drive us crazy. No, my son does not want to live with us. I think his new wife who grew up in Long Island does not want to leave her family. I do not know if it is a subtle hint to be closer to us either. He says he can come down and visit. My son is a golf player. He has been in the military for 10 yrs and might leave, when he can, he is a Major, get a job here and live. Like you said we cannot live for our children. On the other hand, my daughter in law likes family around. It is confusing. But we will have to decide for ourselves.

I have lived in The Villages for almost 2 years. I moved here from the NW mountain states leaving behind long, rough, winters. The Villages has much to offer but in the end it’s not for me. That being said one word can sum up the greatest advantage here: convenience. You can ride your golf cart to the supermarket, doctor, dentist, bank, shopping, dining, entertainment and more.

They say that it’s common for people to go into a home sales contract on their first visit. But that’s easy to understand. If you live out of state and have a limited amount of time to visit, The Villages holds all the cards. Their bus tour followed by a Villages realtor home tour, along with the multitudes of country clubs, rec centers, hobby clubs, 3 squares, can be a compelling experience for a short period of time. But after living here I really don’t care that there are 15 country clubs or 40+ pools within 5 miles of me. All I really care about is what is close to me. The Squares included.

With a population of over 150,000 retired residents, there is a massive service machine that has grown to meet the demands of people that no longer want to do yard work, home repairs, insect treatments, lawn treatments, and nearly everything else. The hundreds of yard crews (which the owner must find themselves) fly around like bumblebees to each house in each neighborhood (Village) mowing, edging, trimming, fixing, cleaning, and blowing. It can get noisy early in the mornings and since most homes are very close to each other even your neighbor’s crew can wake you at times. The Villages can be a VERY busy place.

The location in the state is very rural. Landlocked of course. The Villages border 3 small towns, Wildwood, Lady Lake, and Fruitland Park. It is somewhat close to the larger city/town of Leesburg. But the Villages based on its population and size takes the spotlight. There is very little local “culture” here besides what is driven or flown in. They do have concerts, shows, and festivals on their squares. But all of it might as well have been airdropped in. There is no indigenous city to go to to enjoy yourself or participate in any of their activities or festivals unless you drive 30-50 minutes away. Outside of the entertainment, shows etc, chain restaurants like Bob Evans, Golden Corral, & Red Lobster are the mainstays.

During “snowbird” season November-April the population grows by about 40%. It gets very crowded as golf vacationers come down and during that period many bring their sons and daughters and their kids down during many parts of that period to visit them as well. This results in large increases of traffic, wait lines for restaurants, driving accidents, even DUIs in golf carts, and just crowds for nearly everything can be tiresome. There can be some contention/resentment between the visiting seasonal “snowbirds” and the “frogs” (full-timers). As stated, it is a substantial population increase and subsequent demands on the available facilities.

In terms of homes if you like varieties of earth tones cast in siding and stucco you’ll like it here. Uniformity is key. But many homeowners have large disposable retirement incomes so outdoor projects from driveway designs, to edging creations, bird cages with swimming pools and much more drive the Jones to try and outdo one another. The Villages IS NOT a controlled entry gated community. The gates are primarily for traffic and flow control. Simply press a button and you’ll be let in. No questions asked.

In summary, there is much to do here. But as many have coined the term, it’s a “bubble” and many residents would have it no other way. If/when you come to visit don’t let the hoopla overwhelm you into a rash decision. Florida has numerous 55+ communities many that are closer to the coasts and larger cities. While 150,000 residents may sound appealing the “bubble” can get tiresome. Driving through traffic circles back and forth to get nearly everywhere amongst many elderly drivers can get old quick if you are planted by living there. There is a lot of like for sure but for me a lot to dislike also. The entire state of Florida is popular for retirees look around carefully. Bigger is not always better.

Hi,

We've been here for almost twelve years and have loved it. There are so many activities that you'll have a hard time keeping up with it all. Enjoy a little or enjoy a lot. The unknown
is finding the right neighborhood. We have moved once, which is very easy with there being a realtor representing The Villages. There is a club for just about everything you could ever be interested in. If not, form one of your own. The landscaping and upkeep is outstanding...similar to Disney World. There is a shortage of fine restaurants but we are a bit picky, so see for yourselves. Good luck!

I rented for a year as I was uncertain I would fit in. The longer you’re here the more diversity you’ll notice. It’s not just old white couples (no offense). Is also been helpful to experience a neighborhood.
I landed in a wonderful spot. Bought after that year.

Considering a Move ??
 

[QUOTE=TOMCAT;1567536]Can anyone relate about moving

I doubt if anyone can really give meaningful advice to you on this. Those who stay here, mostly like it. Those that have moved or are considering a move have a different story and or they took their story with them. Best we can say is step very carefully and perhaps the best advice is to talk to homeowners who are selling and see if they will give you a realistic answer. There are many sides to this story, some good, some not so good.
:pray:

[QUOTE=bbbbbb;1569752]Thank you for using this word. It is rare that this word is used within this context in these forums.

Excellent post. Thank you!!

Thanks
 

TOMCAT,
Thanks for starting this post!! Perhaps one of the most interesting and introspective ever posted, truly causes all of us to pause and think about the various open and honest comments. Time is limited and thanks to all the open comments as for me enabled a reflection on what's important in life, values and the process for making decisions and how we are all different but yet so similar. Great post!!!

I'm going to boil it down. Rent during the shoulder seasons. The weather is better, the rates are lower, the risk is minimal.