[irishamr]

Where are the people moving to?

[TVQueen]

Could be lots of reasons. Maybe folks who lived there didn't like it and found someplace they liked better. Maybe some bought the homes for investment and then decided it was too much trouble. Maybe the owner passed away. Or maybe some want larger homes. Would be interesting though to know the stats behind the large number of pre-owned.

[villages07]

Livingston covered most of the reasons people sell their homes in TV; also, as we near the end of the high/rental season, you start to see more come on the market. There are a number of people who move multiple times within the Villages...for upsizing, downsizing, or location reasons.

But, for perspective, it doesn't appear to me to be that many homes. Properties of the Villages has almost 500 listings (including the ones labeled pending). Just assuming that they get half the resale listings, that would equate to approx 1,000 homes on the market. There are about 35,000 existing homes in The Villages, so, 1,000 resales is less than 3% of the available homes. That doesn't seem that high to me for a second-home/ retirement/investment community.

[SteveZ]

Retirement communities are an interesting resale market.

I can remember when my folks moved from Boston into one in Hudson, FL in the late 70's. The demographic in the neighborhood was pretty much the same - Late 50's to early 70's, empty nesters, all from north of the Mason-Dixon line (predominately northern border states and central New England.

Within 3 years half of them were gone. The two predominate scenarios were: 1) male spouse died and female spouse said "my kids need me" and headed north again; and 2) both spouses said "it's too hot here and I need the 4 seasons" and left.

Realistically, Florida - just like everywhere else - takes some getting-used-to. If you give it time the body adjusts to the climate and new friends are made.

[DickY]

In my 2 years of looking at homes In TV the pre-owned has remained fairly constant, about the level it is now.

[rekops]

Yes, we've met some people who have lived here a couple years then decided that they miss their family up north,and are selling. Some people decide they need a different model of house - an extra bedroom, bigger lanai, room for a pool, smaller or bigger, etc. Maybe they bought in Duval, then found out they play ball most days, so want to be near the ball fields. I met a lady the other day, who had 2 places for sale. she and her husband had been in the rental business, but were now getting out of it. Also, I imagine a number of people bought houses looking at them as investments, then when the market soured, they found the need to sell. They say the average person will buy 3 times in the Villages (until they get it 'right').

[JohnN]

I've studied the numbers a bit (something I always do) since this question was asked on another Florida board (http://www.city-data.com/forum/index.php).

Like Villages07 says, given the number of homes, the resale market isn't all that big.
TV is a really good sized city unto itself.

[Frangyomory]

Some people as they age, are encouraged by their adult children to move back home to be closer to them. Others, need assisted living. There are also those who live here a while and decide it isn't the place for them. All kinds of reasons, including the demise of some residents. You just notice it here because of the fact that it is a retirement community and the demographics are not like a typical community.

We have a friend who lived over in Silver Lake and was just convinced to move back to Wisconsin by her daughter, who worried about her being alone. This is what heppens sometimes.

[The Great Fumar]

A lot of folks like us bought a house here to be snow birds and then after two years decided to move here full time and wanted a bigger house...........We were warned by friends that this would happen to us and they were right..........Talk to some villagers and they will tell you the same thing.......the average is about two years......
good luck fumar

[Muncle]

I too would love to see stats on why homes in TV are sold. Strictly curiosity. Some people move back north. Some move to newer homes in TV. Occasionally couples marry, sell one or both individual homes, and buy a new one. People croak. (A friend once told me that people are dying now who've never died before.) The various reasons for resales are legion, but I suspect that relatively few are moving to other local developments and that the percentages are not really that high for an area this large.