[Donna]

Lou & Patti,
I wish I could help, but I am just as doomed as you are!

Then there is the room..Once you go in there, you will never recover..Most peeps are on about 9PM, every night..No pills for this addiction..

WARNING: Enter at your own risk!

[CJ]

Ok villagers, tell me the skinny on the "down side" of living in the villages! Everyone is a bit too happy and I like to deal with reality. I can handle anything negative you may have to add since I have battled snowstorms in the northeast and michigan all my life. Truth here please!

[villages07]

CJ,

I'm one of the really, really happy ones. My biggest complaint is that it seems the number of medical care specialists and generalists are lagging the demand. But, it's getting better.

To your direct question...as you might imagine, it has been discussed before on TOTV. Here's a link to a quite lengthy thread that addresses your question (it no doubt takes many off-topic twists and turns, but, you'll get the gist).

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/sm...ic,1643.0.html

[villages07]

CJ....I just saw your post in the BMW thread...you mention that you are having a house built...in TV???? If so, sounds like you already drank the kool-aid...maybe a little buyer's remorse? Not to fear....this will be the best decision you could make!!!

[rshoffer]

Originally Posted by rwcw

I've been just lurking for a while but I think it's important for prospective Florida residents to understand that it is terribly hot during June, July, August and September. The Gulf of Mexico water temperature gets up over 90 degrees this time of the year off of St Petersburg. We lived there for six and a half years and two more years in Jacksonville. There are insects called Palmetto bugs that are as big as your thumb that you will sooner or later run into, probably in your house, because they come in as eggs on the items that were stored in the back room of the grocery store or in a warehouse somewhere. There are love bugs that will defile the front of your car. There are poisonous snakes and alligators in Florida. You will most likely encounter them sooner or later in the Villages if you go near the water or into the woods. Cotton mouth moccasins, Pygmy and diamond back rattlesnakes and coral snakes. Sink holes are common in Florida. Of course you'll have your hurricane stories to tell if you live here long enough. My experience has been that the medical facilities and personnel have a tough time keeping up with the population growth which leads to some less than great practitioners. We had a Cuban doctor and a couple of interns when we lived in St Pete and had a very unsatisfactory situation occur with an oncologist in Jacksonville. My mother and father in law lived in Bellview in a trailer (right across from what was then Orange Blossom Hills) and we swore at the time we'd never live in that part of Florida again.

My folks came down before me over in Deltona when it was a new Mackle Brothers development and later moved to Sun City near Tampa when Mackle moved on and the golf club privatized and decided that the residents could no longer use their own carts on the course but had to use theirs for a fee. My sister raised her kids in Winter Park and now lives over on the east coast in Sebastian.

Even understanding exactly what I'll be getting my wife and myself into, we're heading on down from our PA home for a preview visit in October with the intention of getting serious about moving to the Villages. My wife's brother and his wife live there now and have for five or six years. I'm looking forward to golf, golf, golf and oh yes, did I mention golf when we get there. I'm 70 now so it's abut time I decide what I'm going to do when I grow up.

The heat is therapeutic and promotes longevity (read The Joy of Laziness), there are a zillion more bugs on a summer nite in Pa than I have ever seen here, my neighbor in Pa tore out a bay-window because the frame was rotting... there was a nest of timber rattlers in the framing under the window (we lived on the side of a mountain)... Anyway, IMHO nothing beats a tropical climate.

[JeanneBeannie]

Glad I came upon this post, its funny because Nonie and I were just saying the same thing the other day. I couldnt believe how excited I was, selling everything I own and practically gave my house away just so I could be in TV...and I have never even been there yet hehe!! I told her...lets call it "TV Fever"! So folks...I guess that is what we all have.

[Bob S]

What a brave soul you are! Upstate NY people are tough. My wife and I just closed on a new house in Bonita in June. We were down for a week in early September to get the keys and will make the big movei n January after I retire.

Good luck in your search. I am sure that you will love it.

[jblum8156]

Sorry, can't help you. Visited in April, caught the disease, came back 2 weeks ago and already bought a house. It must be a really virulent fever.

[diskman]

Originally Posted by loucard

We plan to buy real soon unless someone can recommend a cure for whatever we caught the first time we visited the Villages. I have even been in the jungles of Viet Nam without catching anything that I could not shake. There must be someone out there that can talk us out of this with something negative about The Villages. Help us fast.

Lou & Patti

I asked this question months ago and am presently a Villagers Wannabee 26 months and counting
Everybody seems to love The Villages, I would like to hear what you hate beside

[kittylecroix]

Rented in Mar 2008 for a month. Came back in Nov 2008 for a month. Returned in Feb 2009 for 3 day Lifestyle before renting in Bradenton for month of March 2009. Bradenton was nice, three miles from lovely beaches, but our hearts were set on TV. Went home, sold our house and moved down Sept. 1st. Bought a house in 2 days(never expected that)! Just saying today that it's like a permanent vacation here. We just love it. Can't imagine anyplace better. You won't be sorry!

Made two visits and on the third visit wife and I found villa we liked and that was it. Still have 20 months before I retire but we enjoy every trip to the villages.

[champion6]

Originally Posted by JeanneBeannie

I couldn't believe how excited I was, selling everything I own and practically gave my house away just so I could be in TV...and I have never even been there yet hehe!!

OMG, JeanneBeannie! I had no idea. We have exchanged so many thoughts and ideas on TOTV, I had completely lost track of this. You are one brave person!

[JeanneBeannie]

Thanks all....guess we all caught the fever .

Bob and Champion thank you for your nice words, I needed that .
I dont think it has hit me yet hehe, since I have been so busy packing etc. . My family and friends are in shock hehe, but they are very happy for me. .

Looking forward to meeting you!

Jeanne

[skip0358]

Only closed 11 days ago. Time is flying, yeah there are boxes to unpack, furniture and food to buy, but so what. As for the heat, there are pools, movies Happy Hours etc.One other thing I don't have to shovel heat. Heck we even played a friendly 2 hour game of water volleyball the other day. Can't remember the last time we did that. Oh yea had to get gas in the golf cart yesterday a whole 4 gallons sure can't remember the last time besides for the lawnmower I used so little. Guess I'm just as sick as the rest of you. Couldn't wait to get here and am in noooo hurry to leave. It's a lot of paridse,and as I've been told by others It's Disney for Adults and you've got to see it to believe it.