As someone who has had to remove many a maple tree from past homes due to disease, etc., I beg to differ. Like Quint who will never put on a life jacket again, I will never have a place with a maple tree again.

We had four sugar maples in our yard up north. Other than the shade killing the grass and one of them too close to the house and the roots starting to push against the foundation wall, we never had a problem with them. We did take down all but one, the oldest, which was 250 years old. It was healthy and gorgeous in the fall, and kept the worst of the heat out of the house in the summer, and was a good buffer against winter winds.

There were another dozen or two sugar maples in the property behind our house. We probably could've built a sugar shack and made a few bucks but we just really loved the trees.

We didn't have any oaks, but we have a sumac tree and a bunch of who the heck knows what. Wooded lots tend to become mystery adventures. Everything was healthy.

Maple Roots
 

The roots grow on the surface too much. There are a hundred trees I would have before another maple.

I just ask the question of Google, "which have more problems in Florida - oak or maple trees?" The answer was that oak trees are more susceptible to diseases (like oak wilt) than maple trees. Also silver maple may be affected by high winds.

Palms
 

I’ve lived up North for 60 plus years and the one thing I hated were the leaves in the fall. Why anyone would plant a deciduous tree in their yard when moving to Florida is beyond me. A Sylvester is less maintenance IMHO, if the leaf dies there is only one large branch to pick up.

I'll grant you sugar maples aren't too bad. Norway maples...woof.

A Sylvester is a palm tree. Personally, I HATE palm trees. Let me count the ways. In a hurricane or tornado the palm fronds turn into MISSILES that can break windows, dent cars, and hurt people.Also they have dangerous bacteria on them so you better wear gloves when you move them and cut them up for the garbage. They require special fertilizer. Palm trees become boring for people living in Florida for a long time. Palm trees provide practically zero shade and wind blocking. Maple trees provide dark shade and an air conditioning effect due to acting like an evaporation pump. They also block blowing dust. In the winter when you don't need their A/C effect, you can pick up the leaves or use a mulching lawnmower to fertilize the grass. I never had, or wanted, a palm tree on my property. Plus rats like them.

I think the economics of the last 4 years have just been disrupted.
Not sure how, so as not to get rapidly un-intendedly vacationed :cus:

Slow growing
 

Sugar maples grow super slow…the silvers and soft maples grow fast but are very susceptible to wind damage and surface root structure problems. Maples should be banned from the area.

Well we close on a house on April 25th. We ended up putting an offer on a house on Havana Golf Course in the Village of Bonita and it was built in 2009. We decided we like that area better than areas further north. Thank you for everyone’s input!

We are on our second home south of 44. We love it down here and would not consider moving back north where we originally were. What you call throwing cash away we call money well spent. We are now in the most fun, most active neighborhood we have been in. Yep, money well spent.

IMO these big southern oaks are liability especially if have out reaching limbs over house, drive way or street. As far as water view just make sure it’s not retention pond that goes dry when don’t rain, otherwise paying extra for weed patch. I think the hurricane upgrades came in late 2002. You should be able to find that out on houses serious about looking at? Most houses close to 20 years old will most likely have no bond. IMO no sense in giving money away. As far as roof scams 90% of old roof did NOT need replacement, but, being one person got free roof for pea size hail the wildfire scam when our old control.

Agree old Hugh silver maples are at risk of falling limbs on none windy clear day let along stormy day.

That's a lovely area now that it's grown in and "settled". It's close enough to Sumter that you can enjoy events there, and just a few minutes from Colony Plaza and 466A. Congrats on your purchase and Welcome to the Villages!

Congratulations, you will love it there!

Welcome to the Villages!