But much, much better than the North and snow.

:clap2:

No worries if you don't buy at the time of your LSP.
You may well buy later after you get home and think about what a fabulous life style The Villages offers.
We had a LSP in 2007, and we bought sight unseen a few months later. We knew exactly what we wanted from the LSP.

What? Food out of a family’s mouth? What?

This is good advice, and I would advise taking it. Of course, a Villages agent is going to try to talk you into just using them, and maybe a MLS agent would do the same. But the wise option is to use them both plus for sale by owner, to see all that is available.

So first visit, play some golf, try couple of rounds. Go to couple of different pools, relax, you are on vacation. Drive around to see how well kept this place is, pretty, and you can relax or be as busy as you want, kind of like Disney.

You do not need to run around to look at houses, there will always be something available. First see if you would love TV, then start making smart decisions.

PLS RECONSIDER advice on just going with a VLS agent .. ESPECIALLY if you're not interested in being down further south in new construction .. MLS agents have a very good pulse on resales .. Most folks recommend using one of each .. which is what we did

I took a look on a couple of MLS agent websites. After a few views, one required me to register to see any more. The other required me to register to see the details on the very first home I wanted to look at.

The first one started pestering me the same day with spam e-mails, welcoming me to his site, offering to help me buy a new home, telling me to fill out my profile (all of these were separate e-mails) - and then the next day I started getting daily "new homes" e-mails, many of which weren't even in the Villages. I tried filtering out how many e-mails I get from them, and it just sent me MORE e-mails.

I responded to one asking him to stop, and telling him I didn't appreciate being trolled by a bot when I'm not even in a position to buy anything, and have zero interest in anything outside the Villages.

He responded, insisting that he answers all of these personally, and he doesn't bot.

And then I started getting MORE e-mails.

I had to unsubscribe and clear my cookies just to get rid of him.

The second one sent my info to its finance company, which started pestering me to get a loan from them.

So no thanks. If that's what I can expect from going MLS in your area, I'll take my chances with the VLS services.

Interesting! I worked with Lyle Gant for 8 years. I signed up and set the parameters of what I was looking for on his website. I got an email from his anytime a new listing fitting my specs hit the MLS market, and about once monthly with everything in the MLS inventory within my specs. He never called, and never got mass emails from him. When I looked at properties with him, he never pestered me afterword, and was always courteous, never pushy, and a fine representative. I never bought from him as I finally bought directly from an owner, but I would use him again in a heartbeat. I could say the same for Tony Trussler, our Villages rep.

That's the thing. I'm not looking FOR anything, at the moment. I'm looking AT. I'm looking at pictures on websites. If any of them seem to look interesting enough to me, at a price I can afford, I'll look at the details for that home. I don't want strangers on the internet selecting things "based on my interests." I'll speak with someone in person, when I'm ready for that.

[QUOTE=Jazuela;1586208]That's the thing. I'm not looking FOR anything, at the moment. I'm looking AT. I'm looking at pictures on websites. If any of them seem to look interesting enough to me, at a price I can afford, I'll look at the details for that home. I don't want strangers on the internet selecting things "based on my interests." I'll speak with someone in person, when I'm ready for that.[/QUOTES]

So go to Zillow.com

I'm not sure why people have a problem with my preference to stick with a Villages-centric realtor. They work exclusively for the Villages, they are basically specialists. We have specialist realtors here too, we have some agencies that specialize in "vintage" or historical homes, they know more about what's involved in buying, selling, owning, and maintaining them than other agencies.

The comment about Zillow seems trollish to me. If I have a problem with a neuroma on my foot, I would go to a podiatrist, not a general practitioner. If I'm looking specifically for a home in the Villages, I'll go to someone who knows the Villages, not some generic website that exists for no other reason than to list every home in the entire country that has ever been sold or might possibly be on sale.

He wasn't trolling you. He was making a suggestion. You had issues with realtor-specific websites. Zillow is a wealth of information and doesn't spam you afterwards like some agents.

If you only use a Villages realtor you won't know about houses that are only available through MLS agents, one of which might be that perfect house. Obviously, your Villages guy doesn't want you to see MLS properties because ... you know ... he won't make any money if you buy one.

Happy house hunting.

kathy

You really need to come again and see an MLS agent as well. You are leaning toward resales so you should have both. I suggest Lyle who posts on this forum or Mary Grant. We used Jim McLaughlin, a Villages agent, both times we bought. He was just right for us. Low key, white hair, a gentleman and honest.

I think you really should come and rent for a couple of weeks. Use a car and a cart to explore and ask questions of anyone you see. People enjoy telling people of their views about The Villages. You are in the stage of "what's the catch". I remember it well. Been here for more than ten years and there isn't a catch...except I hope you noticed all the old people? ;)

Kathy is right. RIGHT!!! Very right. Super right. When shopping for a home you need to gather facts, facts, facts, before you come to a trial conclusion. Some of the things that really matter can only be perceived after being here for awhile. Every place in The Villages is beautiful and well maintained. They all contain amazing people who are a joy to know. One common mistake that people make is trying to live close to a square. Try to live close to groceries and the hardware store and to doctors. We spend a lot of time at all three places. My husband enjoys hardware stores just for the ambiance...I don't get it exactly but we rarely have to pay for anything to be fixed around here.

There are a lot more pools south of 466 if you are a swimmer. The most beautiful pool in The Villages is in the historical section. The performing arts center, The SHARON is in Spanish Springs. The most comfy seats at a movie theater are in Brownwood. There are bars and churches all around. Some use both. The Synagogue is slightly north of 466. All regional rec centers have art rooms and kilns and work out centers. (Wait, not all have work out centers, someone will tell you where those are) The biggest gym is near Brownwood. The best neighbors are in the Village of the reader of this forum.

OP..........If you are still out there and are still coming in January.............Let us know how it goes and what you would dew differently.

We have a tendency to get off track on ToTV.

Good Luck.