[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by JoeC1947

Downside.....1 hour happy hour at LSL and a 2 hour happy hour at SP.
As you can see, if that's all I have to complain about, then there really is no downside.

Bingo!!; that's my biggest complaint also. I'm not usually an early supper guy, so the 5 to 6 pm happy hour at LSL doesn't suit me as well as the 5 to 7 pm happy hour at SP, and I live closer to LSL. OK, really it's no big deal.

My only other want here would be a really good Italian Deli. Why oh why can't I get good deli here in The beautiful Villages?

[skip0358]

Didn't do their homework

We researched and looked at other retirement communities before buying here. We're coming up on 3 years. We moved to a new neighborhood,have made great friends,have a great time. We've met and seen on here of people who aren't happy. They claim they didn't know this or that, to many people and crowded ( true in the winter it's busy). My taxes are cheaper,my utilities are cheaper,my insurance is cheaper,food I find about the same. I don't pay state income tax so our pention goes further, all our bars,resteraunts,movie theathers, my doctors etc. are within 5 miles of my house, I only need the car for off property chores.I can take a shuttle to the airport anytime I need to.As for the house construction and price you can deff get a bigger house for a cheaper price elsewhere but you'll be coming to TV for a lot of your entertainment. I still think they build a darn good home for what we pay for them. They do use roof trusses and OSB instead of plywood but so are a lot of other builders today. All I can say is ask questions on TOTV and do your homework. One thing I did find more then up north was mr car registration which was a 1 shot deal. Good luck and don't worry about the small stuff.

[daryll40]

These are great answers. I appreciate your candor. Keep 'em comin'

[jane032657]

The Villages in my eyes is a tourist area. People are coming to see what it is about. It is talked about as Adult Disneyland. Lifestyle visits are inexpensive. People enjoy being snowbirds or coming down to visit in their hometown winter months. So yes it will get crowded. I lived on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia for five years, another paradise, fabulous. Quiet, goregous, peaceful, only access was ferry/boat and sea plane. Then summer comes. Population doubles. Traffic lines coming from ferry (no street lights on island so now you might have five minutes of summer traffic figuring out the roads). But that crowdedness creates jobs and income and vibrancy for the community. Same for TV. All of us were a part of making The Villages crowded before moving there because we came to visit and experience everything. It just is how it is because of what it is. That is what makes it The Villages.

[asianthree]

my sprint service sucks

The days are too short!!

[ssmith]

From a Wannabe...We have visited many times (too young to retire) and have found only 1 unhappy couple. You see they are not the type to join -in. They don't take advantage of what TV has to offer in clubs or activities so for them living somewhere else would have been better. They did admit that they both lost their health shortly after they moved in and that may contribute to their opinion of the place.

Also there is another thread you should check out that has about 50 pages to it ...look under search above ...someone else help me with the name of it....something like what do you hate about TV.

[jebartle]

, Hmmm!, I'm thinking....Hmmm!, Let's see, What Downsides in TV, I know, you have not moved to the Villages yet!

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by ssmith

From a Wannabe...We have visited many times (too young to retire) and have found only 1 unhappy couple. You see they are not the type to join -in. They don't take advantage of what TV has to offer in clubs or activities so for them living somewhere else would have been better. They did admit that they both lost their health shortly after they moved in and that may contribute to their opinion of the place.

Also there is another thread you should check out that has about 50 pages to it ...look under search above ...someone else help me with the name of it....something like what do you hate about TV.

Here you go with the title and link.

Everybody seems to love TV I would like to hear what you hate besides

Everybody seems to love The Villages, I would like to hear what you hate beside

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by jane032657

The Villages in my eyes is a tourist area. People are coming to see what it is about. It is talked about as Adult Disneyland. Lifestyle visits are inexpensive. People enjoy being snowbirds or coming down to visit in their hometown winter months. So yes it will get crowded. I lived on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia for five years, another paradise, fabulous. Quiet, goregous, peaceful, only access was ferry/boat and sea plane. Then summer comes. Population doubles. Traffic lines coming from ferry (no street lights on island so now you might have five minutes of summer traffic figuring out the roads). But that crowdedness creates jobs and income and vibrancy for the community. Same for TV. All of us were a part of making The Villages crowded before moving there because we came to visit and experience everything. It just is how it is because of what it is. That is what makes it The Villages.

Bingo...its why this place does not feel like my home. TV's form of government is also a concern, county Property and School taxes are high, utilities are high especiallty water, insurance is high. I paid half as much for my insurance in the Minneapolis area for a house that was double the square footage.

[jgbama]

I'm wondering if once TV finishes building new homes, if some of the "tourist resort" feeling will subside some. The lifestyle visits will end as there will be no more new homes to sale. I realize everyone will not live here full-time, and some homes were purchased for investment and for rental.

The only downside we found out after several years of visiting, was the residential areas aren't truly gated. We fell in love with TV in April 2005. Our week down in 2006 was to ask, in person, just what you are asking here. We found one gentleman who said, "it's getting too big".

We soon will be "FROGS"! From TOTV and our many visits, we have seen and learned some the annoyances, which some have posted here already. Even knowing that, they are things we are prepared to deal with. No matter where you live, there are things that drive you crazy (loud music from the car next to you, inconsiderate people, people driving too fast, etc.) I don't think you will find any "surprises" that you haven't already experienced.

Make sure you understand what living in a Community Development District means and what additional expenses you'll have. If you find them acceptable, then get rid of your junk (like we are doing) and COME JOIN US in lower paradise!!

We are absolutely GIDDY ABOUT BECOMING FROGS!

[ilovetv]

If TV feels like a "tourist area", it is because everyone comes from somewhere else.....none of us was born and raised here. "Tourist" communities I've lived near are termed "tourist" towns because the majority of people go there to vacation, spend their money, and leave. Tourists do not care about taking care of the properties they are using for lodging, recreation, golfing on, etc. That is not the case with TV.

Here in TV, people come here to live.......on a permanent vacation. We've worked like animals for 40 years to finally be able to take a vacation that does not end in a week or two, and that does not require us to "clean out and empty the condo completely" (translation: Mom spends the last 48 hours of "vacation" cleaning and doing 15 loads of laundry so the car/van trunk is not full of stinky, moldy beach towels, t-shirts, etc. upon arriving home after driving for 20 hours). It's also a permanent vacation because we go places and do things without getting a babysitter or listening to little kids crying, fussing and running around wearing us out.

I really don't see how comparisons can be made between TV and, let's say, Minneapolis. The reasons for locating in TV or the other location are like night and day, starting with the weather.

[njbchbum]

we're another couple who finds that the biggest thing wrong with the villages is that it is too far from new jersey!

and as for being snowbirds rather than frogs - not a problem - we love our winter reunions with our frog friends - i don't think we eat home for a week! we spend the summer at the jersey shore so we know all about the reputations of part-time residents [we call them bennies because they come here for the benefits of sun, sand and surf!] - we are invaded between memorial day and labor day - problem is we don't get to meet a lot of them and the ones we do meet are rarely here for more than a two week vacation. i have NO qualms about returning to my florida real estate and adapting my life to its wintertime cycle! and to those that DO complain about us snowbirds returning i simply reply "pfft!" or suggest that they find another community.

[jbdlfan]

Well, we have tried The Villages and have found that it is not for us. We will be buying property outside and building instead. Now, I must admit, we are much younger than most here and that is part of the issue. Another issue is that we just can't justify the cost. We can build a better home on more property for less costs. I figure I can have my own pool and still pay to golf in TV for what I am saving. This is a personal thing for us. We came, we tried and will be leaving.

[kentucky blue]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Most of the people I know who have moved from the Villages wanted to be closer to their family, or had moved into a neighborhood with bad neighbors and did not want to stay any longer in the Villages, or lost an important part of their family and could not take the daily reminders of their grief, or really missed the excitement of a major city like NY, Chicago or LA. Some also moved because of a promotion in their work life to some other city and state.

.

TV is terrific,but i could never be a frog.I need to have the second home so i can travel back and forth and be close to family and friends,and enjoy the best of both worlds.I just wish the airports were closer to TV, need the Morse's to build one in TV, i would be one happy dude.