the answer is very simple:

TV is primarily attractive to an over 55, large part retirees with a life savings from an existing home, downsizing can easily afford moving from a higher cost of housing location to a lower cost of housing location, marketed towards the national active retirees looking for an active retirement.

Middleton, with the school district, not a 55+ community, is priced for people who are not retirees, many who are moving laterally within a cost of housing location, and starter homes. . Middleton was always marketed towards working families, especially to support the trades and services within the villages, so wasn't designed to support the retirement lifestyle

I wonder if the developer missed the mark there. 1. Not many "starter homes" to speak of. 2. A lot of retired people including Villagers choosing to buy in Middleton as opposed to working individuals who serve the community.

I guess the answer wasn't so simple for me. I don't see the value in buying the same product that provides the same return/perks in an area that costs a significant amount more just to say I have that perceived level of exclusivity or amenities (which I pay extra for anyhow) or just to own that specific "label". I suppose that's just me looking at it from a pragmatic standpoint. Obviously, there is the demand to be inside those walls, so to speak.

Works for you but wouldn’t for me. As a retiree, I don’t know why I would buy next to a community with amenities rather than in that community - there are other places to live in Florida. I use the amenities a bit, my wife more, and others use them quite a lot. Middleton wasn’t an option when I moved here but I still would have paid the premium to be in the Villages.

Which isn’t to say no one would buy in Middleton. Someone with ties to the area (such as a job in the Villages) might like the close proximity, access to the schools, a planned community, and some nice amenities more oriented towards those who are busy during the day would find Middleton a great place to live.

I hear ya, I see your point. Part of it is my not loving it here. Don't get me wrong. I love The Villages and the perceived lifestyle driving up the price of my Middleton home. Trust me, I'm going to be smiling all the way to the bank when I sell.

You are right. There are other places in FL. Places that are very rural and you don't have close neighbors. That is where I'm hoping to move to, if not out of FL all together. I just have to wait a few years for my boys to graduate. Them being able to ride bikes to school sure is one of the few perks I see to living this type of lifestyle in Middleton. And the school itself being so good. I can't in good conscience put my boys back in public school.

Yo
Where I came from, I lived in a beautiful, safe rural area, but I could easily go a week or two without talking to anyone. In The Villages I perform in seven or eight musical jams or performances a week in rec centers, and I have at least a hundred acquaintances to talk with. Plus, The Villages is constantly beautiful, manicured, and safe. There’s so much more I could do if I wanted to or had the time. I love it here. A similar home not in The Villages would cost much less, but I definitely get my money’s worth. When I moved here, I bought a house on a golf course with a pool and a mortgage. After two years, I downsized to a lovely courtyard villa with lots of privacy, no pool or golf course, and no mortgage. $225,000 less. That was a great decision. The more expensive house was worth it, but this one is. Even more worth it. I wouldn’t want a villa with “kissing lanais,” though. I love my private courtyard.

Amenities. Middleton doesn’t have access to over 700 holes of golf essentially for free (comparatively speaking).

Interesting points of view to read. As a professional Real Estate Appraiser Licensed in Pennsylvania for over 30 years I have only just begun to study the Villages. My wife and I bought two years ago. We are in the Northern end in Marion County. People make markets. Our neighborhood is 20+ years old. Perception by the participants of a market dictate what is beneficial from a value perspective. Once the sparkle of the "Lifestyle" wears off then you have the things you need balanced by the things you want. Many things can be quantified such as Bedroom Count, Condition (renovations you like compared to things you are willing to accept) Location, corner location vs inner lot, View, Pool, Extra Cart Garage, Privacy ( back up to a Villa Wall, Storm Water Retention area, Golf Course, other homes and roads) and so on. Age of home can determine location. Size can be deceiving, larger home can sell for more unless you are looking to downsize into a home that has the features you want. Would you pay a premium for a smaller home that offers' all that you want? This listing is only the beginning of an analysis. There are micro markets within the markets (neighborhoods). Each can be unique to them selves. Yes I tend to ramble but only you can determine what you value the most in a home. A home is worth no more than what someone is willing to pay.

You can buy a 4 bedroom two story home with 2 bonus office spaces in Middleton for $425,000 at 3000sf. If you want 3000sf in The Villages you have to build a Premier home at way over $1M. Big difference.

So you or your spouse are obviously a Villages employee, or employee of a business that supports the Villages community in some way, so hopefully you or your spouse are happy with your job and it’s secure since your kids going to the charter schools are dependent on it. Personally, I don’t know why anyone with kids would buy in Middleton if they aren’t a Villages employee (or retiree), and able to send their kids to the charter schools. This major detail IMO makes the buying pool for Middleton fairly limited.

As a retiree I would only want to live in The Villages, not Middleton, because we love the amenities and golf cart lifestyle, not because we don’t want to live near kids. The lifestyle is the only reason we bought here (definitely not for the weather, lol). I have personally never seen living in the Villages as a status thing, but maybe that’s because we moved from a very upscale community in SoCal, which affects my perception of status, lol.

I would just be worried about resale in Middleton due to the restriction of being a Villages employee to attend the charter schools there, and the fact that if a parent suddenly loses their Villages employment their kids have to leave the schools. That would’ve been too stressful for me as a parent back when my three kids were in school.

I moved from a community with three recreation centers.
The Villages has 100 recreation centers.
It is not just the quantity of activities.
It is the diversity and quality of activities.
The squares seem to be unique to the Villages.

This Enhanced Membership is only good for the Championship Courses and pools and you still pay for the golf. The website states you must be a resident of The Villages to be eligible.

Have you compared the bond amounts as well? In the newer sections, the bonds can be considerably higher.

I’ve come across many who think that they have the world by the short hairs just because they are in the Villages. That doesn’t mean that someone who chose to live in a different community has a “less than” lifestyle. The Villages is nice; it’s why we’re in this part of the state. If you’re willing to pay a significantly higher price for a home inside the bubble, plus a bond, more power to you. If you are on board with the “lovin’ the lifestyle” selling point, more power to you. I can tell you that one does not have to live inside the Villages to be active, engaged, and invested in community. Many folks on this forum seem to take it personally if you don’t profess love for every aspect of Villages life.

One thing that the Villages does extremely well is marketing their product. They create tremendous buzz, especially in the new build sections. They were pushing Fenney really hard when we were on our lifestyle visit almost 9 years ago. Fast forward to the present, and those areas have a lot more houses, but they still seem remote. Moving the high school to Middleton was a stroke of marketing genius, which has acted like a magnet drawing families down there. I’m sure everything down there will be nice when it’s built out.

It all comes down to what’s important to you. Enjoy your home, wherever it may be!

Home Construction Materials
 

There could be internal upgrades or something as easy as one home being made out of boards and siding and the other home is made of bricks and stucco.

The Market Determines the Value
 

The market determines the value and not the seller and not the buyer. Some of the factors influencing the market's value determination are supply, demand, and location