We initially bought here to be closer to my mother-in-law (who lives in TV) so that we will be around to help her as she ages. We've only been here a couple of months and we love it here, so why move?

We have traveled the country extensively for the last 15 years keeping in mind, a place where we would like to retire. We visited many retirement communities, saw some beautiful homes but no one has the amenities that TV offers. What we found were not what we would consider an active lifestyle, instead just a bunch of people waiting to die. That wasn't what we wanted at all.! We wanted a place where we can be active and enjoy every minute of our retirement. I plan on wearing my body out completely before I kick the bucket. There are too many nice people to meet, things to do and places to go. In case I'm only going around one time in life I plan on enjoying it until the end. When we came to TV after a full day and evening last February my wife and I looked at each other and said let's do a little research and have a lifestyle visit. It was a no brainier. We close on December 5th. Believe me when I tell you there is no other place like TV in the USA. If there is we couldn't find it. We've been retired for almost 3 years now. We believe that we have found what we have been looking for. Not saying that TV is perfect but close enough.:wave:

:wave: Allus70,
Welcome to TOTV!

For us, it wasn't Florida we didn't like, it was retirement communities. Never pictured ourselves in one. We saw some beautiful ones, to be sure, where the one or two golf courses were pristine and saw plenty of activity; but, the one community pool was empty, the gorgeous clubhouse was unused, the other fabulous amenities were... um, there weren't other fabulous amenities.

No lifelong learning college. No clubs for every hobby, art or sport you could imagine. No free music and dancing on the squares seven nights a week. No bustling neighborhood pools and rec. centers. No movies, live theater, concerns, restaurants and shopping on site and golf cart accessible. Not too many people outside waving and smiling and looking like there's nowhere on earth they'd rather be.

You see, this isn't a place to grow old! It's a place to stay young.

I agree!

And no "Talk of (insert community name here)", either!!! :pepper2:

Bill :)

Ditto, ditto, and ditto to everything that's been said here.

But you know what my 'tipping point' was? We had spent the day looking at everthing, and going to all the open houses, and we were exhausted. We stopped at the Canal Street rec center to use the um, facilities, and I smelled coffee. "Do I smell coffee?" I said. The rec center person said, "Yes, we always have coffee. Help yourself." I know this might not sound like much to you, but it was then and there that I KNEW that this was the place for us. Rec center coffee was my tipping point. :mornincoffee:

Since I love to play tennis and golf, I originally thought of moving to Pinehurst, NC. I bought a plot of land with the idea of building when we retired. I even joined the Pinehurst Club as out of state member. I love the quaint small village of Pinehurst BUT we stopped by one winter before heading to TV. We were shocked to see the town deserted and even the club house bar was practically empty. The rest as they say is history.

Agree, agree, agree. We visited other retirement communities in Florida and found the same thing. They seemed dead compared to TV. When we visited The Villages, we felt we were among people who were full of life and enjoying every minute of it instead of waiting for the grim reaper.

Jim

Couldn't have said it better!!:BigApplause:

Bug Guy
 

My bug guy talked about TV. It sounded good to me.My wife and I were in Ocala and saw a sign.Stopped the whole time she told me I was crazy to listen to the bug guy.HOWEVER the minute she saw the place she was SOLD.At that time I wondered what if I dont like it worried for nothing looking forward to the move

It sounds like the buy guy planted a bug in your head. :)

I see you are a fairly new member so :welcome: to TOTV.

I glad you checked TV out and best wishes on moving to TV.

Keep on posting!!!!!!

Elegantly stated.

You see, this isn't a place to grow old! It's a place to stay young.[/QUOTE]

As they say, used it or lose it.

:BigApplause:

I grew up in St. Petersburg so I knew I wanted to return to Florida. My parents retired in 1984 to Timber Pines, a 55+ community in Spring Hill, Florida. That's about an hour north of Tampa/St. Pete at Weeki Wachee Springs. When I visited my parents I liked the fact my dad owned a golf cart and could drive it from his house a few blocks to the course.

Timber Pines is much smaller than TV, it's 1200 acres with 2000 homes with two golf courses and was built out about ten years ago. I could fine masonry resale homes with a full 2 car garage in the low to mid 100's and was considering moving there. However, I wasn't as crazy about the town of Spring Hill. Timber Pines is a true private community with a six foot wall and security gates but no stores inside, meaning trips into Spring Hill everyday. After we visited TV last April for a week we decided this was the place for us and we moved here July 5th permanently.

No Regrets
 

We actually bought into Hot Springs Village, AR a few years before we retired. We even had our house plans drawn up and our lot was located in an area that had land behind us that would never be developed as housing. With hubby being several years older, I drug my feet about relocating until I could at least have SS widow's benefits (60) knowing that employment opportunities would be pretty much nil there and I could return to my old employment if something should happen to him before then. He gave in and decided to go back to work.

In 2002, he saw the ad for TV on the golf channel; we came and decided that it was for us. Hot Springs Village couldn't even come close!! HSV was more money and much, much less for what it cost. You can't drive your cart anywhere except on the courses and had to trailer it with you to get there. Golf was not included and the one and only country club was separate and expensive. There were no rec centers or pools all over the place...nada. We moved in in 2004, later sold our lot in HSV, and as the saying goes, "the rest is history". Best thing we could have ever done for ourselves with absolutely no regrets.

How did you like Solivita????