[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

If people visited me before buying, most properties in the area would be vacant.

I like your style Bill ...............

NO, I don't want anyone visiting me and I will not be visiting them. The only time I made an exception was when I was actually forced into it by someone walking my backyard!!! My gut was right on .... so happy they have moved.

I have GREAT neighbors, they are all in the Witness Protection Program and half the time I don't know if they are dead or alive.

I pick my friends, not my neighbors. I do not have an open door policy. I am a "good morning" and "good evening" person and I am a very private person, people know where I live if they need help and they know they can call me.

[MEbner2805]

[QUOTE=Patents111;1715347]Given the population density of TV, it would seem that the neighbors adjacent or near the home you are considering to purchase could be almost as important as the actual features of the home itself.

The question then is: Did you meet any neighbors before you purchased?

Not sure why you bother with neighbors here buying in a retirement community??? this isn’t the evil real world where you can’t trust anyone and you worry about awful neighbors. We don’t get any of that here honestly! If it happens it’s very very rare!!! All my neighbors are quiet and not home much either and I am a young 57 year old and so don’t bother anyone! Nice breeds nice here. It’s all I see! With that, I don’t expect neighbors to talk to me at all as everyone minds their own business and does their life on their own terms. It’s totally fine! Everyone takes care of their property upkeep and Follows the rules and that’s all I care about! Now I got hate from couples who hate singles next door because they make dumb assumptions about us that somehow we are going to have lots sex partners over - Uhhh NOT!!! So discrimination and ugly false old school perceptions We can’t control Dumb perceptions, so I just ignore them and live my life! Who says Single people Can’t live here like anyone else anyway? Big Eye roll 🙄

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by brianherlihy

we have a place in the villages and we have had 4 and we live next to sumter the day we moved in my next door to came over to tell me my lines and my gates now I wont even talk to him / I still like the villages and I just stay away from him /

Wow! Friendly...not!

I think good neighbors are important. Up north there was a guy who kept encroaching my property, then eventually told me I can’t drive down my own driveway! He had a construction company and he put up a fence to block me from my driveway. I got the local counselor involved but....

Eventually I moved to another house in another neighborhood. There my neighbor did my lawn and shoveled the snow free, all year long. I bought the equipment, the salt etc. for both our properties. The difference between neighbors was day and night.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

Just keep your eyes peeled...for any confederate flags.

I'm still trying to figure out though, how one thinks they can 'evaluate' current neighbors in what would be the most basic of ways...and make a decision based on the flimsiest of research?

Neighbors can change but not the whole street, for example. One does not go knocking on doors, that’d be a great way to make people dislike you right away.

I went to where the people on my future street hang out. (I did a bit of research.)

[Madelaine Amee]

I can see driving the neighborhood to see what the homes look like and how they are kept. Also check out the amount of traffic coming through your particular area. To me, that is the way to check out whether a neighborhood is going to suit me.

[REDCART]

We can tell you from personal experience this past fall, if you find that perfect home at the right price you will not have the luxury to think about it overnight and survey the neighbors because someone else will have already made an offer.

[joshgun]

Originally Posted by Patents111

Given the population density of TV, it would seem that the neighbors adjacent or near the home you are considering to purchase could be almost as important as the actual features of the home itself.

The question then is: Did you meet any neighbors before you purchased? If you did, did it assist or influence your purchase decision? If, not, do you wish you had?

I had home built in OBG two years ago. Before building disruption I apologized for the noise, dirt and disruption they would experience for a couple of months. I, also, explained that the developer said three massive oak trees would have to come down because they would impinge in the foundation. Both are great neighbors.

[Villagesgal]

We went around and talked to neighbors, we chose not to buy in one neighborhood because of very pretentious uppedy people, we asked people if they would buy in the neighborhood again, what they liked about the neighborhood and what they didn't like. Also asked about barking dogs. Been here in this house 19 years now and would buy it again. Lots of turnover over 19 years, but the location is great and the overall feel of the neighborhood remains the same. Always knock on doors and ask questions to see if the neighborhood is a good fit for you.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by REDCART

We can tell you from personal experience this past fall, if you find that perfect home at the right price you will not have the luxury to think about it overnight and survey the neighbors because someone else will have already made an offer.

Always have alternative homes you would be interested in besides the one you’re talking about. Otherwise, they have you over a barrel. With thousands of new homes being built what are the chances you won’t find a better one than what you are considering now?

[MollyJo]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

In my opinion location is way more important than the home itself. The primary criteria in our home search was privacy in our back yard, which we found abutting a preserve. We spent several evenings sitting in the back yards of our final two home choices before we ultimately bought our home. We are very happy with our choice, but do have one neighbor that is very disruptive with constant turnover of AIRBNB rentals. Over time neighbors will come and go, but location never changes.

With all the rules of The Villages, I’m surprised rentals can be less than 2 weeks.

[Nell57]

I looked for things like how well they kept up their yard and I didn't want to be next door to an established Live Oak. They drop leaves and tiny acorns all over your property.
You are right, some neighborhoods are very social and friendly, others not so much

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by PersonalChoice

Don't let the "kissing lanai" scare you off. We have wonderful neighbors.

Not everyone does.

to the OP: I didn't really need to check out the neighbors before buying. They checked me out while we were looking for our home. It's one of the (many) reasons we picked this area. We have awesome neighbors; every single one that I've seen on our street outside their houses, are people i would pick to be my neighbor, if they weren't already.

We'll be getting a new neighbor soon, as a house on the street is for sale. I hope they will consider us to be as good a neighbor to them, as all the other folks on our street have been to us.

Originally Posted by REDCART

We can tell you from personal experience this past fall, if you find that perfect home at the right price you will not have the luxury to think about it overnight and survey the neighbors because someone else will have already made an offer.

Agreed! When were first shown the home we're now living in (purchased spring 2019) the TV sales robot said that if we're interested in this home he'd call in the office to see if it was available. We were then given an "opportunity!" for TV to "HOLD" it for us for 2 whole hours! We went out to lunch and made our decision quickly. We've all experienced that if we bought new from TV. What a learning curve for us! What a business model for them!

[charmed59]

I first met the neighbors at the open house when I was walking through. They were all there chatting and were very friendly. Then, as we were checking out the mailboxes one of the neighbor’s asked for our email and we were invited to the monthly neighborhood social, which was the night before closing. While we were in escrow our neighbors threw a cocktail party for us and another couple who had just moved onto the street.

By the time we moved in we knew all the neighbors. They are great!

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by charmed59

I first met the neighbors at the open house when I was walking through. They were all there chatting and were very friendly. Then, as we were checking out the mailboxes one of the neighbor’s asked for our email and we were invited to the monthly neighborhood social, which was the night before closing. While we were in escrow our neighbors threw a cocktail party for us and another couple who had just moved onto the street.

By the time we moved in we knew all the neighbors. They are great!

Makes sense to me. The neighbors would be as interested in the new comer as you would be in them. Are you social? Would you prefer to be left alone?