[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Sumter Landing area is definitely beautiful. I personally like the Odell circle and Bonita area just south of the Square, around Mallory.

The prices are much higher, but if I were to move into any place south of Sumter, that's about as far south as I'd go. Zero interest in anything past Colony. Zero interest in Brownwood and points south.

Another possibility if you can afford it would be across from the Polo Grounds off Buena Vista Blvd. A major downside to that area, is that's when they started going nuts with the "kissing lanais." The lanais are mostly in the back of the houses, and just barely 10 feet away from the neighbor's. So you have ZERO privacy, and no fences or privacy shrubs allowed. Trying to enjoy your morning cuppa on the lanai is not much fun if you have to deal with Morty smoking his morning cigar 11 feet away from you in an upwind.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Sumter Landing area is definitely beautiful. I personally like the Odell circle and Bonita area just south of the Square, around Mallory.

The prices are much higher, but if I were to move into any place south of Sumter, that's about as far south as I'd go. Zero interest in anything past Colony. Zero interest in Brownwood and points south.

Another possibility if you can afford it would be across from the Polo Grounds off Buena Vista Blvd. A major downside to that area, is that's when they started going nuts with the "kissing lanais." The lanais are mostly in the back of the houses, and just barely 10 feet away from the neighbor's. So you have ZERO privacy, and no fences or privacy shrubs allowed. Trying to enjoy your morning cuppa on the lanai is not much fun if you have to deal with Morty smoking his morning cigar 11 feet away from you in an upwind.

No shrubs allowed separating the "kissing" lanais in the Polo Grounds area? Really? I'm in Mallory and we are allowed hedges between the lanais. That does offer visual privacy but not audible privacy. This is the reason we didn't purchase a home with a kissing lanai. We are on a caul-de-sac which offers more room between the homes.

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

no... or privacy shrubs allowed.

I think you will find that no privacy greenery not being allowed is misinformed.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Dusty_Star

I think you will find that no privacy greenery not being allowed is misinformed.

As far as I can recall, shrubs can't be more than 4 feet high. The average person, standing up, is more than 5 feet tall.

That means anyone who is standing up on their lanai, will have a perfect view of their back door neighbor's hair curlers. If the person walking out to their lanai (and therefore, standing) is 6 feet tall, they'll probably have a good view of Mabel's droopy boobs as she reaches for the bathing suit she left out the night before to dry.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

As far as I can recall, shrubs can't be more than 4 feet high. The average person, standing up, is more than 5 feet tall.

That means anyone who is standing up on their lanai, will have a perfect view of their back door neighbor's hair curlers. If the person walking out to their lanai (and therefore, standing) is 6 feet tall, they'll probably have a good view of Mabel's droopy boobs as she reaches for the bathing suit she left out the night before to dry.

You lost me at ‘droopy boobs’!

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

As far as I can recall, shrubs can't be more than 4 feet high. The average person, standing up, is more than 5 feet tall.

That means anyone who is standing up on their lanai, will have a perfect view of their back door neighbor's hair curlers. If the person walking out to their lanai (and therefore, standing) is 6 feet tall, they'll probably have a good view of Mabel's droopy boobs as she reaches for the bathing suit she left out the night before to dry.

So is the 4ft height the maximum? Is it monitored or enforced?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Shipping up to Boston

So is the 4ft height the maximum? Is it monitored or enforced?

You may find this site helpful……….
VCDD Community Standards

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

As far as I can recall, shrubs can't be more than 4 feet high. The average person, standing up, is more than 5 feet tall.

That means anyone who is standing up on their lanai, will have a perfect view of their back door neighbor's hair curlers. If the person walking out to their lanai (and therefore, standing) is 6 feet tall, they'll probably have a good view of Mabel's droopy boobs as she reaches for the bathing suit she left out the night before to dry.

4' high? Incorrect... As is your 10' apart comment...

All I'll say about your "droopy boobs" comment is, Im sure yours "are real, and they're spectacular!" (With apologies to Teri Hatcher)

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

As far as I can recall, shrubs can't be more than 4 feet high. The average person, standing up, is more than 5 feet tall.

That means anyone who is standing up on their lanai, will have a perfect view of their back door neighbor's hair curlers. If the person walking out to their lanai (and therefore, standing) is 6 feet tall, they'll probably have a good view of Mabel's droopy boobs as she reaches for the bathing suit she left out the night before to dry.

Nice shifting of the goal posts. No shrubbery turns into less than 4 feet, people are 6 feet tall, Mabel forgets to get dressed in the morning. I give up.

[Susanmr]

The historical side of TV is great for people who have trouble making new friends.
The older manufactured homes have lanais in the front or side which allows you to see your neighborhood while enjoying the fresh air. Wish your neighbors good morning as they walk past. Also there is the historical side social club which is great for newcomers. And all the clubs elsewhere are in the here as well. We love it here. Our neighborhood is a mixture of older retirees and younger with some like me not yet retired. And we have less intrusive rules than elsewhere. As well as extended pool hours that other villages don't enjoy, and a spa, that other villages don't enjoy.

[MightyDog]

Originally Posted by MightyDog

Was trying to decide where to post this question so, I'll pose it to you, Dusty.

As a sort-of adjunct question to the original one -- I'm interested in how the manufactured homes appreciate/depreciate over time. When looking at real estate listings, I've been a bit surprised at how much some homeowners have been willing to invest in remodeling an aged (40+ years), manufactured home.

There has to be a point, related to age or neglect, where maintaining or improving one of those begins to have diminishing returns. Would you say that is mostly accurate? If so, what is the general age where the building itself begins to depreciate and it's mostly only the land value that's relevant? Thanks...

I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread -- very informative and OBB's atmospheric descriptions gave me a chuckle.

Wanted to bring my earlier post back to the top to see if anybody has any input about the bolded, in particular. I think it likely there isn't an ironclad point in time where the manufactured homes stop appreciating but, there's probably a general age.

[motherflippinpicker]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Most of the drug addicts and petty criminals in the north area don't live in The Villages at all. Crime is still very low, just as it is very low throughout The Villages. There are drug addicts and petty criminals in the Wildwood area of The Villages, and some guy who'd been living in one of the Lakeside Cottages at Sumter Landing was terrorizing the neighborhood for a good long time.

You had an entire homeless encampment under one of the southern area bridges for awhile, and squatters in a house south of Sumter somewhere just last year.

As for survivability of the homes - let's see. There was a tornado several years back that destroyed a couple of houses south of Spanish Springs. No homes were damaged in the old section that day. Hurricanes have blown through and flooded areas of The Villages, including the old section, but none of the homes in the old section had significant damage or need to be replaced. There've been lightning-strike fires in homes in the southern areas, that haven't happened in the old section. Sinkholes caused a couple of houses in the southern section to be condemned. That hasn't happened in the old section.

The southern areas seem to get boil water warnings every couple of months. The old area gets them a couple of times a year.

Most of the manufactured homes here, have been here since the mid-1980's. They're still standing, they're still in great shape, and the owners maintain and update them as needed. In fact, the windows in MY manufactured are probably better than the ones in yours. I have double-hung, double-paned, e-gas whatever Andersen windows. We also have a metal roof, which means our house is significantly less likely to be damaged by lightning than yours is.

Thank you for chiming in on the drug addict comment. I was semi freaking out! I have never seen a drugged person at TV and hope I don't.

What is the area you called Wildwood? I would like to avoid that area. Thank you!

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker

Thank you for chiming in on the drug addict comment. I was semi freaking out! I have never seen a drugged person at TV and hope I don't.

What is the area you called Wildwood? I would like to avoid that area. Thank you!

You’d be surprised. Drug addiction has no socioeconomic boundaries and a 55+ demo community is definitely not immune to it. You may not see it specifically in your travels but make no mistake, it’s present.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker

Thank you for chiming in on the drug addict comment. I was semi freaking out! I have never seen a drugged person at TV and hope I don't.

What is the area you called Wildwood? I would like to avoid that area. Thank you!

Wildwood is a town.

Remember The Villages spans across the corners of two counties, and occupies most of a third county. These counties all have more than one town or city in them, and The Villages has real estate in several. The Historic side of The Villages occupies the town of Lady Lake, in Lake County. There's a section of The Villages that occupies a big chunk of Fruitland Park, a different town. The Village of Collier, I believe, is fully within the city of Wildwood, in Sumter County.

And so on.

[motherflippinpicker]

Originally Posted by lawgolfer

I hate myself for joining in this thread. However, if you want advice, I'm glad to give it. I recommend that you not buy in the historic section. The manufactured homes are quite old and many are in need of repair and updating. Instead, I recommend that, based on what you say you like, that you buy in the Spanish Springs area, particularly along the Rio Grande corridor off of Morse Ave. Most of the homes are of the size you appear to want, the trees are all mature, there are two excellent executive courses and the Hacienda championship course.

You will be minutes away from the town square and shopping along Hwy 441. One of the biggest benefits is that you will not have to cross Hwy 441 either in your car or in your golf cart via the bridge.

In summary, you will have everything you appear to want and in a more convenient location.

Thank you for your advice and I'm glad that you jumped in. I welcome all advice and insight. Knowledge is power. I very much appreciate your points of consideration. We have several homes we will be looking at that are not manufactured, as that was my concern. I'm worried about resale value for our children when we leave this place or can no longer live independently.

Again, your words are very much appreciated. Thank you.