[HORNET]

Nothing like it was 14 plus years ago, back when it was friendly and people were courteous!

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Income taxes don't affect me, I don't work and have no major investments.

I hate the weather, I hate the politics, I hate the overly-obnoxious "where woke goes to die" rhetoric of hatred, mistrust, misinformation, and ignorance. Yes, that ignorance exists in every state. But it isn't celebrated quite so brazenly as it is here in this state.

In Central Florida specifically, I hate that I can't find a decent pizza. I hate that fried whole belly clams are $35 and up, IF you can find a place that has them on the menu. I hate the lack of ethnic diversity. I hate that everyone gets cremated, and when you type "cemetery near me" or "graveyard near me" you get crematoriums and memorial gardens for results with the Baldwin Brothers at the top of the list. Where I come from, graveyards are chock full of American history, and are very peaceful places to just sit and reflect on life.

I hate that there aren't any town greens, which is arguably over specific, but I come from the home of the first Town Green in the country so I'm biased.

I hate that people think a 20-year-old home is "old." I hate the mentality behind that. Again - where I come from - an "old" home was built prior to 1925, and there are thousands of them in the New England area that function just fine, are well-insulated, have withstood dozens of nor'easters, and are beautiful. I hate the overdevelopment of what was once beautiful swampland. Development, I'm all for. Overdevelopment, see traffic jam #99972, Turnpike Exit Detour #49297, and sinkhole #2721.

I hate that homes sit on cement slabs, with no basements. One thing in particular, which to me is just really WEIRD: I hate that all these developments - not just The Villages - feature their garages as the most prominent visual when you are looking at houses. The garages are all out in front of the house, not behind or beside it. That is just - really really weird to me.

Regarding your dislike of our garages here in The Villages........our garages are attached to the inside of the homes. I like that. Detached garages, in the back of the home, is not convenient and what I would never want. Garages on the side of the home have a difficult entry as you must make a 90 degree turn to enter the garage. I like our garages just fine here. Easy to enter and I don't get wet when it's raining.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Our house had a sump pump in the basement and it never switched on. The house was built in 1957, a ranch on 1/2 acre corner lot. There were a few true sumac trees (not poison sumac plants) and five sugar maples in the back yard including the "mama maple", which was over 250 years old. She was the "mother" of all the maples in the neighborhood, which was originally a farm. The houses across the street from us were all cape cods on concrete slabs. Our side of the street was mostly ranch homes, plus the original farmhouse next door to us, made of brick and timber. The farmhouse was built in 1912. Down the street from us was a vintage home that had originally been an inn and carriage house. It was listed on the historic homes registry, because Paul Revere was somehow affiliated with it. Maybe he stayed there at some point, or the guy who made his coffin brought wood up from somewhere and stayed there. I don't remember the exact history.

During one winter, our neighborhood got over 6 feet of snow in total within just a couple of weeks. Plows broke, one guy parked his car on the side of the road the day before the storms hit, didn't move it back to his driveway, and the plows didn't realize there was a car there since it was completely obscured by the drifts. His car ended up halfway onto his front lawn, crushed. A few days after the last of the snow that week, everything started to melt. Ice dams on roofs caused massive damage and in some homes, complete roof collapses. There was a lot of basement flooding and foundation cracks in the neighborhood. We got a little water damage to our kitchen floor and some minor damage to the guest bedroom wall. Our basement stayed dry.

One downside to our house was we had no central air conditioning, and the layout was such that we would need an A/C window unit in every room to keep the whole house cool. It was too impractical and noisy and expensive and it'd mean loss of daylight in two of the rooms, since they only had one window each. So we mostly suffered in the summer.

And you hate Florida???

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Susan1717

I love everything about Florida except the hurricanes. I would never consider living in any other state. My only negative on the Villages is that it is land locked so I must split my time between a beach/intercoastal community to get my water and boating fix. I hope FL never changes a thing as it’s perfect for me. I don’t even mind humidity; I’ll take it any day over a dry area like AZ.

Your comments about The Villages being "land locked" and you "hate hurricanes" is sort of an oxymoron. I'm sooooooo glad to be land locked because of hurricanes. I hate hurricanes too but do not worry about them as if we lived on the coast.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Packer Fan

Not sure we are talking about the same place. Spring is Nice? Really? We have had snow in May. Even this year which was relatively nice most days are in the 50s and rainy. You have to take a jacket to the 4th of July fireworks. It is nice most of June through September. But then October back to Jackets. Overall it is my home state, but I like Florida way better.

I do not understand the love for basements. Everyone I know who has one has had flooding in it. One thing I like about TV is no basement

Growing up on Long Island, our basement was always damp. A dehumidifier was necessary for comfort. I'm glad we don't have a basement here. I prefer not to do stairs anyway.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

Regarding your dislike of our garages here in The Villages........our garages are attached to the inside of the homes. I like that. Detached garages, in the back of the home, is not convenient and what I would never want. Garages on the side of the home have a difficult entry as you must make a 90 degree turn to enter the garage. I like our garages just fine here. Easy to enter and I don't get wet when it's raining.

Raised ranches have garages attached to the homes up north. They're in fact underneath the main level, with a lower level usually featuring a den or game room and all the other living areas on the main level. But when you're on the street, facing the house, the garage isn't the thing that stands out. It's not "in your face" like they are here.

To look at some of these houses, you'd think that the house is very tiny in comparison. And that's all you see, street after street, neighborhood after neighborhood (except the courtyard villas, where the garage is sorta-kinda off to the side).

It's like "oh look Mabel, a garage with a house attached!"

That is what I see, when I look at those houses. I see garages, with houses attached.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

The landscaping is gorgeous and well-maintained. The amenities are plentiful, truly there is something for everyone and if you're bored, it's because you choose to be bored here. The areas of the "squares" and immediate perimeter are laid out to make you feel as though you're in an entirely different part of the country - a la Epcot Center without the rides. The people, for the most part, are (at least publicly) very lovely and if you're lucky you'll find a neighborhood where the neighbors are truly neighborly.

Driveway parties - what an awesome concept! Not unique to The Villages, but there are a lot of them here.

Being able to take the golf cart EVERYWHERE - that's one of my great pleasures in The Villages. I had it figured out last year, WHY it was so awesome. When you're in a car, you observe your surroundings, you observe the world on the other side of your car door. In a golf cart, you are an active participant of that world. It's thrilling, because you're RIGHT THERE. You're not just watching it. Even for something as mundane as going to the dentist's office - the process of getting there is FUN when you're in a golf cart. That can affect your entire mood, and I truly think it's one very important reason why so many people are happy here in The Villages.

I truly agree with you about the feeling I get when in my open air golf cart. I would never want one of those air conditioned/heated golf cart vehicles.

My very first trip in our brand new golf cart had me face to face and oh, so close to two sand hill cranes as I emerged from a tunnel. Oh-my-goodness. I will never forget that exhilarating feeling. What a way to travel in this absolutely gorgeous community with infrastructure for golf carting like nowhere in the world. Have I mentioned that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it here?

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by MrFlorida

Love the Florida weather, so glad The Villages are here. Wouldn't live anywhere else.

Love that everywhere I go, it is air conditioned. I don't sweat the summers. Thank goodness for cold air inside.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Raised ranches have garages attached to the homes up north. They're in fact underneath the main level, with a lower level usually featuring a den or game room and all the other living areas on the main level. But when you're on the street, facing the house, the garage isn't the thing that stands out. It's not "in your face" like they are here.

We had a colonial in Va with garage on the lower level and access was to the side of the house. As a result needed larger driveway and house at larger footprint.

The developer would certainly not want that, wants more homes per acre not less.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Best for me to list pros and cons. So...

PROS

NO STATE INCOME TAX. Minnesota, where I hail from, has the 5th highest income tax in the nation, plus they are one of the few states that tax SS and pension benefits. Florida remains blessedly free of such things.

THE WEATHER. Growing up as a kid, I remember many sub -40 mornings. Didn't mind 'em then. Can't even conceive of 'em now. Plus, I love heat so summer here in TV is by far my favorite time of year. Storms? Well, thunderstorms here are kinda wimpy compared to what they're like up in prairie country.

HELPFULNESS. I do a lot of walking. On hot days I can be assured of at least three folks offering me A. a ride; B. water; or C) both. How many of us can remember times back home, since about 1980 anyway, when we either offered or accepted a ride from a total stranger? Here, it is strange when it DOESN'T happen.

LAW ENFORCEMENT. Saw an article recently of the cops here tracking down and arresting two guys for shoplifting about $450 worth of stuff from a local Wal-mart. Again, thinking of back home, what are the odds of that happening? I can guarantee that if it happened in Minneapolis the only thing a call to the police to report such a thing would get you is a belly laugh. Lots of similar reports here on an almost daily basis. I carried routinely back in Minnesota. Here, in four years--not even once. Just don't feel the need.

MANICURED DITCHES. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. I was impressed by that my first visit here. No less so today.

CONS

THE DRIVERS. Don't get me wrong. Minnesota had a lot of road cowboys too. But for different reasons. I have little problem with folks who bend laws if they're fully capable of handling their vehicle and have sufficient reflexes and skills to handle situations. But it is different here; lots of folks out there driving (cars, golf carts, whatevers) in traffic who because of age and diminished abilities, should not be. Signal lights mean nada here, and a lot of the folks herding their vehicles down the road obviously don't even see other traffic. I had my motorcycle shipped here when we first moved here, rode it for a month and sold it. I had more close calls in that month than I had in the previous 10 years in Minnesota.

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ON PALM TREES. That is just wrong!

BIASED "NEWS" SOURCES. The two main sources seem to be The Daily Sun and V!llages-News: the former being nothing but rainbows and unicorns, while the latter is all sleaze, all the time. Anything between those two polar opposites seem occasional and haphazard. Yeah, I know it is that way most other places too. It just gets tiresome.

PEASANT BLOUSES ON OCTOGENARIANS. C'mon!

You got those right.

I have been here on-and-off since June of 2005 and always am glad to get back. The traffic, crowds, and noise are quite worse than in 2005 but probably no where near like in Palm Harbor, Florida where I lived for nine years before the move to the Villages.

Minnesota sure sounds like it has changed a great deal since I lived in the Twin Cities from late Summer of 1986 through late Autumn of 1991. I have not been back in Minnesota since then but did spent much of the Autumn of 1993 in the Chicagoland area.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

We had a colonial in Va with garage on the lower level and access was to the side of the house. As a result needed larger driveway and house at larger footprint.

The developer would certainly not want that, wants more homes per acre not less.

Correct
Maximize your ROI....thats the cluster type construction MO. Don't blame them but it certainly is cookie cutter

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

We had a colonial in Va with garage on the lower level and access was to the side of the house. As a result needed larger driveway and house at larger footprint.

The developer would certainly not want that, wants more homes per acre not less.

Yeah colonials are a whole nuther beast. Especially a center-hall colonial, where a garage really needs to be an add-on in the back, or you need another 1/8 acre strip beside the house just for the garage.

Raised ranches solve that problem by having the driveway lead straight into the garage, and if the house is "deep" enough toward the back, then a mudroom in the back of the garage leads to the steps to the den, and then a few more steps from there into the kitchen. Most of the neighborhood I grew up in had that layout. Ours was a split-level and we had a single-car detached garage added a few years after my parents bought the house.

The house I lived in before moving here was a ranch, with a single-car detached garage, but the driveway was off a road that was actually a right-of-way to the senior housing apartment complex behind us.

And at one point I lived in a late-1800's Victorian colonial with the stained glass window on the landing of the winding staircase, and a walk-in fireplace. I was a border, and occupied the mom's room while she was living in Greece. The property had a garage in the back that had been converted into a family friend's studio apartment.

[JimLtravels]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

Growing up on Long Island, our basement was always damp. A dehumidifier was necessary for comfort. I'm glad we don't have a basement here. I prefer not to do stairs anyway.

I moved here from NYC about 5 months ago. I moved into an established neighborhood. My neighbors are wonderful and the neighborhood has been surprisingly quiet and pleasant. Though, I guess after NYC, most places would seem quiet. I moved from about 1400 to 1500 square feet, so I am one of the few with more space in the villages than I had previously. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it as I did not come down for a lifestyle visit, I bought immediately. The villages continues to exceed my expectations. I feel incredibly lucky to be here. No basement and a straight on garage both work well for me.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Raised ranches have garages attached to the homes up north. They're in fact underneath the main level, with a lower level usually featuring a den or game room and all the other living areas on the main level. But when you're on the street, facing the house, the garage isn't the thing that stands out. It's not "in your face" like they are here.

To look at some of these houses, you'd think that the house is very tiny in comparison. And that's all you see, street after street, neighborhood after neighborhood (except the courtyard villas, where the garage is sorta-kinda off to the side).

It's like "oh look Mabel, a garage with a house attached!"

That is what I see, when I look at those houses. I see garages, with houses attached.

Raised ranches with the garage underneath the main level is not what I would ever want. You have to go up a flight of stairs to get to the main level of the home from the garage. No thank you. Hubby and I, while house hunting up north, were shown a home that had a really nice floor plan. Come time to see the garage, we had to go down a flight of stairs. I vetoed that house so fast your head would spin. We walked out immediately.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

Raised ranches with the garage underneath the main level is not what I would ever want. You have to go up a flight of stairs to get to the main level of the home from the garage. No thank you. Hubby and I, while house hunting up north, were shown a home that had a really nice floor plan. Come time to see the garage, we had to go down a flight of stairs. I vetoed that house so fast your head would spin. We walked out immediately.

That was our Va house and the bedrooms were on the upper level so we had three levels.

Great big house with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths and two family rooms plus very large deck and tons of storage room in our attic which we never had much need for.

After our kids went off to college we did have way to much room and have larger 3 bedroom but do kind of miss the extra space but time had come for downsizing