You have way to many questions to be buying at this time.

:ohdear:I don't think you will ever live long enough to see golf courses closed and turned into more homes in TV. Then again, I never thought I would see TV extended to end of the world. Pretty soon you will get your Annual Disney Pass with your new home purchase.

Each person has their own preferences and reasons for enjoying their home in the Villages. I like being able to walk to the square, the grocery store and some shops. I seldom use my car. Golf carts are the way to get around in the Villages most of the time.

Depending on what realtors you talk to, they usually will tell you what THEY think is important, or WHAT they can sell quicker. . My thought is what is YOUR LIFESTYLE? We live about 4 miles from Spanish Springs and 5 miles from Lake Sumter. We are close to all the shopping on Rt 466 and on 441/27. For us that works fine. We can get to everything in a few minutes by car or 20 by golf cart. ( Publix, Kohl’s, Target, Homegoods, 2 Walmart’s., Lowe’s, i Hop, Longhorn, Olive Garden, Bonefish Grill, Fresh Market, Aldi the list goes on and ALL fast food and banks), We went down to one car and a golf cart. There are very few places we can’t get to by cart. While my wife is out with friends going to classes and exercises in the am, I can do the same or golf, or RC. Plane and drone or dance class in my golf cart. The Town Squares are wonderful BUT not the end all for us. With all there is to do here, you will be at one square a week usually. Golf is big here, and continues to grow. Over 54 corses at current. Not an issue in OUR lifetime. Insurance is personal. we would not think of leaving The Villages and going back to NJ so I can’t help you there. And by far a golf cart is the way to go. Our first was a used electric for 3000. That has served us well for 5 years. We just bought our 2nd cart (a gas) one now that we are here full time, as it is our 2nd (car). We kept the 4 seater electric for when company comes to visit. (And they will). My advice, look at homes that YOU would want, check out those by The Villages Realtors AND regular realtors like Sellstate, as they each can only show you homes in their prospective groups. Our first home was a patio villa 2/2 and loved it as snowbirds, but upgraded to a modest 3/2 with a golf cart garage now that we are here full time. Big difference if you find a golf cart garage. We have 2 full size care AND 2 golf carts in ours with room to spare for workbenches, storage, and stationary sink. Also look to a home on a corner or cul de sac, as yards are usually bigger. Lots of luck and welcome to paradise.

Golf courses here are, first and foremost, land set aside for water management. If a hurricane comes by and drops a foot of water (as Irma did for us a couple of years ago), the water runs off from the residential areas and into the golf courses and retention ponds. After the water event, water is pumped from the retention ponds and sprayed onto the golf course at a rate that can be absorbed into the ground and end up back down in the aquifer. The fact that they can use that land for golf courses is a side effect and not the primary purposes. And it's a very, very nice side effect for those of us who golf. In the future, when generations to come are not so much into golf, they will still need to set aside that same amount of land for water management. It might not be used for golf courses, but it won't be paved over and turned into houses. My wife and I have often wondered what other uses there could be for such land. The main thing we can think of is for walking paths through nature, kind of like they did for the new Marsh Bend area in the south end of The Villages.

I don't know if it was a "primary" purpose but I like the logic behind your opinion that it won't be developed with pavement/cement/permanent structures. That makes a lot of sense and if this is just a really awesome guess, but totally wrong, I hope the developers read it and take it seriously. If that's not the intent, it is certainly an excellent idea for future incarnations of the Villages!

Jerry, that's great to know that all the open space (and there's a lot of it) that's currently used for golf courses will remain open space, even if someday they are no longer used for golf. I didn't know their primary function was water management. The open space will retain the beauty of the Villages for generations to come.

Thanks to all for the input and welcomes! This really is a handy site.

I didn't know about the 'primary' purpose either, but that's really interesting and makes sense. I learn new things every day.