Yep, you're living right where you need to be. Not everyone is built for an interesting and varied life. Of course, there are all different clubhouses, golf courses and pools. :wave:

Sorry your sister made a poor choice on the development she choose. Most have better planning than that. Do people sneak in and use their amenities also?

That is just the one you heard about...

On the whole, this thread is about "bang for the buck" for all the fees, taxes and charges in The Villages. I don't understand why hearing about another scenario would be so upsetting unless is the great deal for the money vs here that's annoying to those here. Everywhere has it's pros and cons.

It is definitely a place for old people, enjoy!

One has to look where much of the population that moved here came from and hope that shortly, Florida doesn't look like the rest of those cities. Florida is cheaper that some states cost of living but definitely not one of the cheapest.

It's a variety of things. That's a part of it, sure. It's also the weather. I hate Florida weather. My body hates Florida weather, my arthritis hates Florida weather. I have a personal aversion to really big cockroaches. Strangely enough, I don't skeeve out upon seeing a scorpion in my shoe (that happened when we visited Corpus Cristi, TX one year). But if I saw a cockroach in my shoe I'd be traumatized for at least a couple of weeks after the incident.

The division line between the haves and the have-nots. It's so wide. The folks living between "have" and "have not" are few and rare. I find that pathetic, and that window of "inbetween" is growing thinner every week, it seems.

The food. In some small areas of cities near the coast, you can find decent ethnic food of ALL sorts. But from the Everglades to the Panhandle, (except for Orlando), Central Florida is an ethnic food desert. And apparently, the overall population of this region is fine sticking with their choice of Chili's style chain restaurants, or $300/couple ultra-fancy "American wagyu" steaks with truffle sauce and braised avocado with wilted purple kale and shallot foam monstrosities.

I love this country, you are free to say what you want, think what you want and leave when you want.

Please inform us about what Illinois has to do with Florida
 

Please inform us about what Illinois has to do with Florida. Personally, I’ve always wondered what Ohio has to do with Hawaii. Secondly would be West Virginia with New Mexico.

Maybe it’s just the massively different infrastructures, roads, lights and their maintenance? Maybe it’s the totally different economic situations and costs of living?

I thought the heat was supposed to be good for arthritis? Is that wrong?

Florida overall is diverse, but the Villages seems to be quite homogeneous. Not many "haves" or "have nots". Its mostly all middle class. 90+% of the homes cost less than $1M. So I don't think the in-between group is small within the Villages.

Dry Heat is best
 

Dry heat is better for arthritis. Humidity can actually cause flare ups.

There are lots of retirement communities in AZ.....

I agree with about 90%. I would rather have perennial plants in the round-abouts. Also, I would rather have the money for community watch used for more REAL Police and more neighborhood cameras. Personally, I don't believe that the community watch is effective at all. My house was burglarized about 7 years ago when I was away. And I read about many such a crimes happening daily on NewsBreak.

The people committing crimes in those cities are not the ones moving here.

20 Years ago, I thought Portland, Or. was a great city. Winter was difficult with cold and too much rain, but summers were outstanding. Unfortunately, it attracted too many people and a lot of crime and that changed it. California was wonderful in the 60s and 70s. Basically, locations change. Increasing summer heat and hurricanes are making year around living in Florida less pleasant.