Talk of The Villages Florida

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-   The Villages, Florida, General Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/)
-   -   What made you choose the village you live in? (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/what-made-you-choose-village-you-live-49026/)

Don Dukes 02-18-2012 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schaumburger (Post 455266)
One of the great selling features of TV (at least for me as a wannabee) is the huge variety of clubs, social activities and volunteer opportunties that are available. Also from what I have heard, TV for the most part is a safe area (also important to me as a single female). I walked through the squares at LSL and SS at 9:00 pm and later last year several times and never felt unsafe, although I always keep aware of my surroundings. I'm sure TV residents will post more feedback.

That's what my friends are saying.

lanabanana73 02-18-2012 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Villages PL (Post 455263)
I lived in a manufactured doublewide on the east side of 441 for about 5 years. Then one morning, while reading my newspaper, I noticed a patio villa in the classified section. I wasn't looking for a house but it caught my attention. I had never seen the inside of one and was curious. But I didn't want to bother the occupants just because I was courious. Well, I thought, I'll just call and ask some questions. I ended up on the phone with the owner for about a half hour.

The owner was so friendly that I couldn't resist going to look at it. It was less than a year old and in a great location behind the Villages High school. This was before the Villages library was built and before Walmart.

So here's what happened: After about 10 minutes looking at the house, I gave the owner a deposit. There was no realtor involved. I bought the house and have been living in it since 2005.

:)

That's a great story. So, you didn't care which village it was in. It was the right place at the right time!

jgbama 02-18-2012 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Dukes (Post 455231)
Ed and Beth Sterling. Do you know them? They are moving down next week! It's all they talk about! They told us to come on this site and thevillages.com.

I've been looking at the "pre-owned" homes and the new homes on thevillages.com. Nice homes, but many of the homes in Florida are a lot less expensive with more options. I'm not sure I get it. I don't mean to be rude. I'm just trying to figure this out.

Sometimes folks assume you are more familiar with The Villages (TV) than you may be. If you are comparing TV to other retirement communities, you may be right about home prices. One thing you have to consider at TV is it is larger than any other. When you factor in the two, soon to be three, town squares with free nightly music and dancing, plus the shops, restaurants, bowling alleys, movie houses, professional services, doctors, banks and much more can be reached in your golf cart, well no other place compares. Being a Community Development District (CDD) there are some additional expenses you don't have in a regular city or town, but we learned all about that several years ago and it is all doable on our modest budget.

Add to that the unbelievable number of social clubs and activity groups, you won't find another place like TV. It is all about staying active and enjoy as many of our remaining years as the Lord will grant us. No other place has 10 championship (27-hole) golf courses and over 30 executive (par-3) courses to choose from. The person in the lowest priced manufactured home has the same privileges and access as the person with a million-dollar home.

It is a lifestyle change, not just another retirement community. A chance to do the things we all wish we could have done when we were younger. For example, my DW (darling wife) always wanted to be a chorus line dancer (when she was younger). Once we get moved, she'll have a chance to make that dream come true.

THAT, new friend, is why 80,000+ folks call TV home, and another 30,000 of us "gonnabees, wannabees" want to join them!

As many have stated on this forum, it is "lower paradise" (implying it is the greatest place this side of heaven)!! Is it perfect, maybe not, but neither am I and once some friends told us about TV and we saw it in person in 2005, we stopped looking at any other location. It is the place for us - - hands down!!

Hope this helped a little.:) Also, I'm one of those, like Ed and Beth, you can't shut up about TV. I'm been accused of being an undercover marketing representative for them!! The best advertising is word of mouth, and after 7 visits, we are "big mouths" about TV!!!!:MOJE_whot::MOJE_whot:

HEY. . WAIT, I forgot to mention the Broadway caliber shows at the Savannah Center, their own hospital, TV station, radio station and newspaper.

OH HECK. . .then there is the solfball complex and polo grounds! Whew, let me catch my breath. The new assisted living complex and Hospice facility just means that when I can't golf any more she can take me to the assisted living facility in our golf cart!! :coolsmiley:

I'M THROUGH! MY LIPS ARE SEALED (for now)! :icon_wink: :clap2:

Don Dukes 02-18-2012 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbama (Post 455282)
Sometimes folks assume you are more familiar with The Villages (TV) than you may be. If you are comparing TV to other retirement communities, you may be right about home prices. One thing you have to consider at TV is it is larger than any other. When you factor in the two, soon to be three, town squares with free nightly music and dancing, plus the shops, restaurants, bowling alleys, movie houses, professional services, doctors, banks and much more can be reached in your golf cart, well no other place compares. Being a Community Development District (CDD) there are some additional expenses you don't have in a regular city or town, but we learned all about that several years ago and it is all doable on our modest budget.

Add to that the unbelievable number of social clubs and activity groups, you won't find another place like TV. It is all about staying active and enjoy as many of our remaining years as the Lord will grant us. No other place has 10 championship (27-hole) golf courses and over 30 executive (par-3) courses to choose from. The person in the lowest priced manufactured home has the same privileges and access as the person with a million-dollar home.

It is a lifestyle change, not just another retirement community. A chance to do the things we all wish we could have done when we were younger. For example, my DW (darling wife) always wanted to be a chorus line dancer (when she was younger). Once we get moved, she'll have a chance to make that dream come true.

THAT, new friend, is why 80,000+ folks call TV home, and another 30,000 of us "gonnabees, wannabees" want to join them!

As many have stated on this forum, it is "lower paradise" (implying it is the greatest place this side of heaven)!! Is it perfect, maybe not, but neither am I and once some friends told us about TV and we saw it in person in 2005, we stopped looking at any other location. It is the place for us - - hands down!!

Hope this helped a little.:) Also, I'm one of those, like Ed and Beth, you can't shut up about TV. I'm been accused of being an undercover marketing representative for them!! The best advertising is word of mouth, and after 7 visits, we are "big mouths" about TV!!!!:MOJE_whot::MOJE_whot:

HEY. . WAIT, I forgot to mention the Broadway caliber shows at the Savannah Center, their own hospital, TV station, radio station and newspaper.

OH HECK. . .then there is the solfball complex and polo grounds! Whew, let me catch my breath. The new assisted living complex and Hospice facility just means that when I can't golf any more she can take me to the assisted living facility in our golf cart!! :coolsmiley:

I'M THROUGH! MY LIPS ARE SEALED (for now)! :icon_wink: :clap2:

Our friends tell us we just need to come down and see it to believe it! You sound like them. Hard to believe anything that "perfect".

Thanks! It's nice to hear this from someone other then just one couple!

keithwand 02-18-2012 02:41 PM

We wanted new to get exactly what we want and to be in a newer area and chose The Village of Fernandina.
They found us a staggered lot large enough for a pool and a 3 car garage that we wanted.

jgbama 02-18-2012 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Dukes (Post 455291)
Our friends tell us we just need to come down and see it to believe it! You sound like them. Hard to believe anything that "perfect".

Thanks! It's nice to hear this from someone other then just one couple!

You do have to see it in person. When you drive all throughout TV and see a place as well maintained and as beautiful as Disneyworld, you just have to admire the unbelievable vision that Mr. Schwartz had 40 years ago when it all started as a trailer park. Their social activities were only on Saturday, and that was under a tent! An look at it now! Truly remarkable.

Give it a try. Also, as you are learning, this forum is an invaluable source for making friends and gathering information that would take you years to find out on your own!

jebartle 02-18-2012 03:52 PM

Just dumb luck brought us to LaZamora
 
We had considered the condos (no maintenance) that surround Spanish Springs but as luck would have it, I noticed a home for sale online and the rest they say "Is History"......Love love love our neighbors and the beautiful trees...

janmcn 02-18-2012 04:05 PM

When I made my first trip to The Villages in July 2000, they were building CYV's in Santiago. Two months later the sales person I had met called and said they had one lot left and were offering one million dollars in incentives, either 5% in upgrades to your house or 5% in furniture from Southern Lifestyles. I took the upgrades, but some of my neighbors were able to furnish their entire homes with this deal.

This was back in the day when everyone got to design their own home, from patio villas to premiers. Also back in the day when everyone visiting The Villages got picked up at the airport in a big white limousine with a fully stocked bar and two free nights in the villas at Spanish Springs.

This was when Harold Schwartz was still alive, and he and his son, Gary Morse were extremely customer service oriented.

jgbama 02-18-2012 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jebartle (Post 455321)
We had considered the condos (no maintenance) that surround Spanish Springs but as luck would have it, I noticed a home for sale online and the rest they say "Is History"......Love love love our neighbors and the beautiful trees...

That area just above 466, off Morse Blvd, is pretty. We are thinking courtyard villa, because we are bringing a yorkie, and like the fenced backyard. I like villages off Morse, because my favorite golf courses are along there, i.e. Hacienda, Tierra del Sol, Mallory and Havana. I understand it is easier to get to the new course Bonifay off Morse, than Buena Vista. Haven't been down in a year, so I'm going on what a friend told me.

Being social creatures, and loving to dance, I'm thinking we don't want to be too far from a town square. A 30 minute plus cart ride at 9PM doesn't exactly excite me.

We once rented near Lopez course, and that is a long ride from Spanish Springs in a golf cart. Would never venture to Lake Sumter from that far North.

jblum315 02-18-2012 04:35 PM

Chose Hemingway. Wanted to be near family in Hadley without being "in their pocket."

graciegirl 02-18-2012 05:07 PM

Chose Laurel Valley because it and Pennecamp were the only places available to build the Seabrook model we liked.

I really like it here because we are convenient to many places and especially LSL living off 466. I still love Havana Trail and Hadley.

PandG 02-18-2012 05:18 PM

Hi everyone!

This is our first foray into TOTV! We've been reading TOTV for a couple of months now and have enjoyed the many conversations. We first visited TV in July 2011 as part of a short "tour" of 55-plus communities. (We honestly thought we wouldn't like TV because of its size. We were wrong.)

We returned in November for a 4-day Lifestyle Preview visit and completely fell in love with the surroundings, sense of community, and friendly people.

Now we're figuring out how to accomplish the next step: buying in TV! We are leaning toward buying a lot and building, although if we find that "perfect" house we might go that route.

A new unit has opened up in Fernadina. We would like to see those properties, plus the Sanibel and Charlotte villages, in person. We are planning to come down for another week, and would appreciate any suggestions, ideas, thoughts, experiences, etc., from the collective wisdom of TOTV.

Ohiogirl 02-18-2012 05:32 PM

bought where building new was going on
 
but would have considered resale also; however, at the time (2006) the Florida buyer boom was almost at its height. Resales were quite a bit more expensive than new. Had to get on the waiting list for a 3 BR CYV, took about 2 weeks, then 4 hours to take it or leave it. Know people who only had 2 hours.

Those wannabes or mightbes are correct in that homes are more expensive here than other parts of Fla., and some places don't have a bond (infrastructure cost is built into the home price, like most places up North).

But - and this is a big BUT - you aren't nickel and dimed to death to join activities and golf - unless you play a lot of championship courses. The current amenity fee is about $139 - for almost everyone (OK, a few from the historic side may be grandfathered in), no matter the value of your home.

Can't tell you how many people I've met who moved here from other parts of Florida, many from other retirement communities, who have told me they could not afford to do all of the things where they used to live that they do here. Or have the expansive choices.

For instance, if you golf, belong to an art league and want to go to zumba classes, you might have to pay country club fees, an art assoc. fee, and a gym fee plus class charges. Plus you'd probably have to drive to some of these thru heavy traffic in season. Plus homeowner insurance is cheaper than on the coast, and probably auto insurance too (but I'm not sure). For sure, we spend less on gas for our car and minimal wear and tear because we drive our golf carts most of the time. And - when we get older and really don't want to drive much in traffic, we will still be driving our golf carts here (I know, I know, but let's not go there right now).

Schaumburger 02-19-2012 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PandG (Post 455352)
Hi everyone!

This is our first foray into TOTV! We've been reading TOTV for a couple of months now and have enjoyed the many conversations. We first visited TV in July 2011 as part of a short "tour" of 55-plus communities. (We honestly thought we wouldn't like TV because of its size. We were wrong.)

We returned in November for a 4-day Lifestyle Preview visit and completely fell in love with the surroundings, sense of community, and friendly people.

Now we're figuring out how to accomplish the next step: buying in TV! We are leaning toward buying a lot and building, although if we find that "perfect" house we might go that route.

A new unit has opened up in Fernadina. We would like to see those properties, plus the Sanibel and Charlotte villages, in person. We are planning to come down for another week, and would appreciate any suggestions, ideas, thoughts, experiences, etc., from the collective wisdom of TOTV.

PanG, Welcome to TOTV! Read and post questions and you will learn so much about moving to and living in The Villages from the wise people who post here. :welcome:

Barefoot 02-19-2012 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lanabanana73 (Post 455105)
There are so many CHOICES! What influenced your decision on where to buy/build?
Alanna

We based our decision on the following:

We wanted a pre-owned house because we think you get more for your money that way. We wanted something built in the last five years because we didn't want to have to worry about replacing roofs or furnaces or air conditioners. We wanted to live mid-town with easy acces to both Town Centers.

We wanted to be minutes away from the following by Golf Cart:

Library
Publix
Fresh Market
Urgent Care
Vet
WalMart
Bealls
Perkins
Crispers
MacDonalds Golden Arches
Bob Evans
Olive Garden
Bonefish Grill
Red Lobster
and many other restaurants and stores

We wanted to be within 10 minutes of the dog park called Doggie Doo Run Run, because we take our dogs there for an off-leash run every day.

So we live in Belvedere Village, just south of CR 466 and The Villages Charters School. We are very close to Southern Trace, Buffalo Ridge, etc.
For us it is the perfect location. As a matter of fact we sold our CYV in Belvedere Village and bought a Designer in Belvedere. That is how much we like it!


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