[champion6]

Originally Posted by JGVillages

This website would be: talkofwildwood.com

[thelegges]

We would be at the beach

[vintageogauge]

After several years of traveling around Florida we had two finals, The Villages and Vero Beach and the only thing they have in common is that they are both in Florida. If there were no Villages we would have settled in Vero.

[Northwoods]

We would be in AZ. I never thought I'd retire to FL. To much humidity!!! We decided to look at The Villages and we couldn't believe that such an amazing community even existed. I had NEVER heard of The Villages!!!
I love this place. We continue to pinch ourselves because we can't believe we're "living; the dream."

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by Nucky

I'd be in Arizona which is not my first choice. I love it here. Even with the lumps and bumps it really is nice. We are fortunate. Thankfully the entire family is into keeping the operation growing. I don't begrudge them anything they work hard to give us what is available here. Can you imagine the sleepless nights they have had in the past when big decisions were coming up or big checks needed to be signed? Thank God for Mr. Schwartz. Some of the original people who are still here that knew him said he was a peach.

We would have been in AZ. also, probably the Surprise area; visited there numerous times.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by DeanFL

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Looking thru the Sun paper this morning, and the photos of continuing expansion of the Industrial Park, 'What If'?

Sometimes I ponder things in my mind (no comments please). Along with 'does the Universe end', I have thoughts 'What if Harold Schwartz did not start The Villages'

Like 'Back to the Future', WHAT IF? The impact he had is nothing but tremendous. What if? We all probably would not be enjoying our lives here. The employment that resulted and continues. The growth of the surrounding towns and areas. And on and on...

Founding of The Villages
In the early 1970s, Schwartz turned his focus from mail-order land sales to land development. Schwartz, along with business partner Al Tarrson, founded Orange Blossom Gardens, a mobile home park in Central Florida located off of US Highway 27-441. Using land leftover from his mail-order land sales business, Schwartz began selling homes to retirees. Initially, sales were slow, with only about 400 homes being built in the original development.[2]

In 1983, Schwartz, unsatisfied with the progress, bought out Tarrson's interest in the business and brought in his son, advertising executive, H. Gary Morse as a business partner. Together, Schwartz and Morse increased sales at Orange Blossom Gardens exponentially and created interest in the growing community.[3]

In 1992, the name of the development was changed from Orange Blossom Gardens to The Villages.
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Perhaps we should have a celebratory day each year "Founder's Day".
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Anyone who wonders what The Villages COULD have become or MIGHT have been if it were like a great many attempted real estate developments all over Florida should read the wonderful novels of Carl Hiassen. They are satirical, funny, and sometimes wild, but they always reveal Florida as it is.

I used to teach a class in college I called “Comic Crime Capers.” It was entirely novels by Floridians and set in Florida about idiotic or nefarious criminals of many sorts trying to take advantage of people like you and me. No state can match Florida in this sort of novel and author. Perhaps I should start a book club to read these books.

I think The Villages is remarkable in avoiding the corruption, hucksterism, and broken promises that have been so much a part of those who prey on the Florida Dream and take advantage of those who want peace, pleasure, and prosperity for a decade or two before they shuffle off.

[Dilligas]

My parents retired to Sun City Center, FL (south of Tampa) in 1974. It was a very early Del Webb community, play golf, tennis, etc and drive around in golf carts. They loved it and my family loved it, and I always wanted to retire to a place like that. When he built out Del Webb left and turned the community over to the residents (about 20-25 years ago) and it went down hill from there. The Villages is Sun City on steroids, Mitch better amenities and more well thought out. Thankfully the family has enhanced and furthered our founders’ vision.

[rjn5656]

Would still be in Florida, probably south of Tampa.

[Mohawksin]

Couuld yo drive your golf cart in your pocket?

[La lamy]

I'd be in Clearwater area. But so nice to have a thread that has a positive spin about TV. Thanks!!!

[Bay Kid]

I would just be cold sitting along side the beautiful Chesapeake Bay in the winter, dreaming of a place to go called The Villages.

[kendi]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I would have stayed in Ohio, the heart of it all. We had been to Florida many, many, times to visit, almost yearly to see the mouse when our kids were little and our grandkids too. Husband had business dealings frequently in Florida. We had vacationed and stayed on all the famous beaches and driven through a lot of residential areas and I never wanted to LIVE here until a friend bought a place here and raved about it like a maniac. We were planning to visit some school friends in Fort Meyers and our friends INSISTED we stop by and see their new home in The Villages.

We stayed overnight and I had long quenching drags of the Kool-aid.

Both of us couldn't get it out of our minds and here we are second house here in fourteen years.

We STILL just love it and thank all of the Morse family for their wise decisions and amazing ideas.

We also would still be in Ohio. We are here for TV, not because we had a desire to live in Florida

[DeanFL]

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I retired from MA in 2004. Newly divorced, and not wanting to live in the NE, I considered San Diego, Las Vegas, AZ, or FL.

After a lot of thought, decided FL as I know it best and thought cost of living etc is better. Wanted a 55+ community. Did a lot of online research and decided Orlando area for various reasons. Saw that the N<>S corridor between Ocala & Orlando had tons of 55+. Narrowed my search down to 6, and flew down for 10 days. Visited each for a full day - liked TV, but being single thought it was hugely married folk - and was concerned about the building quality (unfounded now) and house prices seemed higher (the TV experience surcharge).

So bought a lot in a 55+ community very near TV (1,000 homes) and had my home built. Moved down, and the locale was fine - but then the economy dropped (2008), and new commercial building around stopped. We (new GF in 2008) always came up to TV -30 min drive- to eat or movie, or plays, etc.

LOVED TV. So in 2013 we bought a lot in TV, had our home built, sold our individual homes and here we are - thoroughly HAPPY.

I often wonder, "what if", I moved directly to TV back in 2005. oh well, that's life. Happy ending tho,
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[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I probably would either be living in Miami Beach or Hawaii , I still alternate most winters between the two from Jan through Feb and home to Boston for large part of summer , but who knows when now?

[coconutmama]

Originally Posted by rjn5656

Would still be in Florida, probably south of Tampa.

Us too. Lots to do in St Pete area or Venice. Still thinking about downsizing our home here & getting a condo on the beach in an artsy, fun location