A close second?

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  #31  
Old 06-03-2019, 05:41 PM
justjim justjim is offline
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We looked at all the Florida Retirement communities 14-15 years ago and The Villages by far had the lifestyle and activities like none other. I believe that is still true today. The only issue we have with The Villages is health care. There are several Threads on this subject and many posts regarding TVRH and also the fact that the health system supported by The Villages will only accept their United Health Care Advantage plan. Perhaps some changes will come with the large clinic being built near Brownwood on State Route 44. Ocala, Gainesville, Tampa and Orlando are not far but any stay there can be rather inconvenient. As we age, health care becomes a high priority.
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Old 06-03-2019, 06:35 PM
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Default Why I Moved to The Villages


The 5-7 p m Happy Hour @ Spanish Springs Town Square.
  #33  
Old 06-03-2019, 06:52 PM
justjim justjim is offline
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The 5-7 p m Happy Hour @ Spanish Springs Town Square.
What to do now that it will be cut to 5-6 pm? Things change...
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  #34  
Old 06-03-2019, 07:17 PM
manaboutown manaboutown is online now
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What to do now that it will be cut to 5-6 pm? Things change...
Drink faster!
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  #35  
Old 06-03-2019, 10:05 PM
Barborv Barborv is offline
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I did 2-3 years of research visiting communities down the east coast, crossing over to the west coast and up. The Villages was my last stop on our last venture. This was about 5-6 years ago. Was just looking and if found something, we needed to rent till we make the move permanently when we retire. Still have 2-3 years to go! Most of the communities were boring and didn't excite me and didn't have much rental potential. This is also because friends of ours bought an incredible house in a community in Clermont and we stayed there for a week one time, and there was the one typical, but beautiful new clubhouse. BORING!!! I even asked my friend what club she goes to and she named one that met 4 times a year! There wasn't mush else that interested her. Solivita I really liked (before I saw the Villages) because it had somewhat of a little townish area.But, once outside the gates, you wouldn't want to venture after sunset! Other places down south, were very nice, but pretty empty in the summer, and boy was it hot down there in the summer. Not great if you want a full time community. Another place I liked was on top of the World, but a lot of the activities and classes they show in the brochure you have to pay for! Sun city in Tampa was a big community, but the center for most of the activities felt like I was back in high school and old looking. Of course there is the newer area, but you have to drive through the old section that isn't aesthetically nice looking. The Villages of Citrus Hills was also lovely, but again, small and not exciting to me. We came to the Villages for a two day visit, stayed in the hotel in Spanish Springs. Let me add that we also wanted a place that we wouldn't have trouble renting for several years. The Villages real estate person, Gail Evans, assured us that it would rent in no time. After thinking about it over night, we decided to take the leap. I fell in love with the community as soon as I hit the town square that evening. Well, not only did our place rent, I had it rented before I even closed on the property. And this was all done with us living back home in NY. Two years after that , we wound up purchasing another place for investment purposes. Had a renter before I even bought the place. This also was all done from NY. I have been coming and visiting TV 2-3 times a year which I rent from someone off season for the last 5 years b/c my places are rented long term. I am now in the process of finding my perfect retirement home for when we come down full time in 2-3 years and of course if we find our perfect home sooner than later, I will be renting that as well! I can't stop talking about the Villages to people, and I encourage them to check it out. To me, it doesn't feel like a retirement community. It fells like you are in a big large community where you see young people all the time. I have clubs that I go to every time I'm down there and even made acquaintances at these clubs. Can't wait to make it full time and make my acquaintances full time friends!.
  #36  
Old 06-04-2019, 08:14 PM
tagjr1 tagjr1 is offline
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The town squares get old real fast, especially during snowbird season. Any time a good group plays there is so many people, a lot of them from outside TV. Drunks from happy hours and the local pubs around the square can be a nuisance. To make matters worse the fake gates allow any and everyone into the community no matter what time of the day.
  #37  
Old 06-28-2019, 10:37 PM
Nonni252 Nonni252 is offline
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...

Last edited by Nonni252; 09-25-2019 at 10:47 PM.
  #38  
Old 06-29-2019, 02:53 AM
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thelegges thelegges is offline
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Have had a place on both coasts, one loves the water, one loves the golf. No matter where we go, traffic is not a big deal, we eat early and late. We miss our Lifetime gym, and there is nothing here to compare. We are looking into out of bubble 24/7 indoor pool facilities. Driving a car for us not a big deal.

Weather in the winter is much cooler than when we were farther south. As for hurricane issues, it’s just a house.
Our grocery, and shopping almost always internet driven, not brick and mortar.

That said TV with golf won out for now, but I can see down the road when golf becomes less doable, water may win again. Nothing like walking on the beach.

Take your time visit as many as you find interesting. But if you choose TV and down the road fall out of love, selling here is quick and easy
  #39  
Old 06-29-2019, 03:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sabinfl View Post
The 5-7 p m Happy Hour @ Spanish Springs Town Square.
With the recent change to this, will your mind to move?
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  #40  
Old 06-29-2019, 06:47 AM
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The Villages? Sometimes I start to feel negative about The Villages. This feeling causes me to start looking at other places to move. Brother chose Las Vegas, sisters North and South Carolina. The feeling will probably never go away. But after eleven years of looking, can't find any property that comes even close to The Villages. Nothing warms my heart more than being out of town and then driving back onto The Villages property. This place is truly beautiful and all I have to do is leave it and come back and those negative feeling are gone. We rented here two times before buying. It was just an obsession between our first rental and our purchase. Constantly on TOTV's and watching the cameras at Sumter Landing and Spanish springs. So please, if someone comes across a better property (this side of heaven), let the rest of us Villages know so we can move on from this place.
  #41  
Old 06-30-2019, 06:51 PM
FenneyFanatic FenneyFanatic is offline
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This place is one of a kind! For us, there was no second choice..
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