Talk of The Villages Florida - Considering the Villages

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Us 14 year PERMANENT residents agree with "the crush" every year Jan to March and more. People with attitude, and so demanding treating the villages like a holiday camp. Please remember that the Town Squares are also OPEN TO ALL, not just Villagers, so that makes for additional crowds as well. TOTV the other day) With the "never ending " building going on it will not get better. The unique way of life here is no more. So maybe snow birds should "stagger" their visits, for everyone's benefit.

There are lovely places in Florida to visit, and sometimes its good to "get out of the bubble", and see real animals !!!!!!!!!!! With our bird population decreased so much in the time we have been here, we need to get out and find them again.

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Originally Posted by dhdallas (Post 1909206)

I am only here in TV because my wife insisted. This is not her opinion; she loves every little thing about it. For me though other than the warm winter weather, it sucks. Driving anywhere is a pain. Way too much traffic and it will continue to get worse as they are continuing nonstop developing. Homes are crammed together. Heavy golf cart traffic is ridiculous and dangerous. I ride my bike on the cart paths and it is scary. Read The **************.com for all the latest drunk cart driving accidents and crimes.

I am more prejudiced than most because I don’t play golf, I don’t like games or clubs, I don’t like to socialize, I don’t swim or like pools, and would rather be around animals than people. I’ve been here 3 months and haven’t even needed or would use a TV ID card for anything. I prefer solitary pursuits, cycling, hunting, fishing, kayaking, reading, television, sitting on a beach, etc.

TV is a marvel of cookie-cutter overpriced homes in town that reminds me of The Twilight Zone episode where a couple woke up in this picture perfect town only to find out everything in it was fake and they were in a giant being’s terrarium. The place is just plain weird.

Get outside TV and this central part of FL is pretty darn ugly. Swamps, brush & scrubs, ugly trees, trashy homes, dumpy house trailers with plenty of crime & drugs to go around. I carry a legally concealed handgun pretty much everywhere I go.

Last year we stayed at Navarre Beach which is near Pensacola and absolutely gorgeous. Sugar white sand with the turquoise water of the Gulf on one side of Santa Rosa Island and the sound on the other. It is in the Central Time Zone. No bugs or alligators (at least on the island).

There is 20 miles of protected seashore with wind swept dunes and sparsely populated beaches with a bike/hike trail almost the entire length of the island. At one end of the island is a historic fort dating back to the civil war and toward the eastern end is a Marine Science Station. Golf carts are used by some residents but really very few. Overall traffic is extremely light on the island. The 4-lane on the mainland can be busy but there are no roundabouts and traffic moves right along.

There are many fresh seafood, authentic southern BBQ restaurants and local markets (as in real markets, not the imitation overpriced ones in the TV pretend town squares). Navarre Beach is NOT a tourist trap. The summers there are bearable too, not 100 degrees in the shade like here.

Beautiful homes and condos (some <$300k) on the waterfront at reasonable prices (2019). The condo amenities/fees are next to nothing compared to TV. From our rental condo's bedroom window, we could watch porpoises playing in the water. I thought Navarre was a slice of heaven. I wanted to buy there but my wife insisted on TV. I got my summer lakefront home though for most of the year so all is not lost.

I admit, I am not the typical TV resident and my comments will generate plenty of “Yankee go home” comments but you asked for opinions so there you go...to each his own.

If you're anything like the guy who submitted this post, please don't move here--for your sake and ours! My own opinion can be summed up pretty quickly: When I have been away on a trip, I am very happy to return to our home and life in TV.

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Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter (Post 1909583)

So where did you move to that solved all your problems??

Not sure where they moved but we live in the north end and we go out of the Villages for hair, docs and some appointments. We usually head toward Bellview. The section north may be older but what we like about it so less congestion.

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Originally Posted by MickeyStevens (Post 1909634)

Wasn’t looking for a place to live , already in TV.

It seems that more and more people are moving to Florida, in general. I've done a lot of research on the Florida retirement communities and The Villages always comes up as having the most to offer as far as activities, clubs, golf courses, shopping, entertainment. I think that I would be most happy having a wide variety of things to do. From a longer term standpoint, I think that we would be best off having medical, dental, grocery stores, hair salons, etc a short drive (or walk or shuttle) away.

Always sad to leave the beautiful Chesapeake Bay to come to TVs. Always sad leaving TVs heading back to the bay.

Life is hard, but fun!

Check Harbor Hills. Upscale homes. It's not the villages but close by.

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Originally Posted by Nick B (Post 1910763)

Check Harbor Hills. Upscale homes. It's not the villages but close by.

Thank you for posting this. Nice looking place and beautiful homes. Larger lots than those I see in TV.

I am excited when I read the plans for The Villages expansion that we all can enjoy.
Crowds don't affect my daily life within our village. In almost 13 years, I rarely experienced long waits for services and restaurants- maybe lines for pickleball in March. But that goes away. Traffic- are you kidding? With the roundabouts, there is rarely a back-up.

Someone mentioned decreased bird life. in The Villages. We have had over a hundred pelicans and the same number of cormorants on the water behind us for the past several days. While the pelicans are migratory, we have a variety of ducks, ibis, egrets, and herons on a daily basis with the occasional wood stork. We love it here. I said I would live here even if I won the lottery - albeit with a beach house also.

Thanks again for all the helpful posts.

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Originally Posted by tlshoe (Post 1909626)

ME TOO. I love that the homes have small yards, so much less to have maintained even though grass cutting here is low compared with up north. REALLY LOW. I love that as the developer builds he first builds the amenities, the golf courses, pools, recreational centers and green spaces along the major streets. I love that things are maintained and repainted in the common areas and that even though they keep building, they keep building in green spaces, very unlike any other neighborhoods I have ever lived in and I have lived in some nice ones. And another thing...folks are older and have seen and lived through a lot, which makes MOST of them compassionate and open minded and SOME of them grouchy and negative. I have lived here since 2007 and it just keeps getting better and better, and my dear husband completely agrees.

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Originally Posted by Seasonal (Post 1910771)

Thank you for posting this. Nice looking place and beautiful homes. Larger lots than those I see in TV.

Here is one of the NEW SMALLER homes available in The Villages. If you are looking for larger lots look at Premier neighborhoods. Harmeswood has the largest lots.

Homefinder - The Villages(R) Homes and Villas for Sale

Homefinder - The Villages(R) Homes and Villas for Sale

Most people buy the catagory here, called Designer Homes. NO. I don't sell real estate. Living here is more than a house, it's all of the opportunities to do what you love to do. I have become much better at my painting since sharing space in classes and clubs with immensely skilled artists.

I was surprised to see that there are very few designer homes listed right now. They must be selling fast. This one above is a little more expensive than most.

We are probably three years out from a decision on staying here in south Louisiana (similar weather to central FL) or moving to an active 55+ community. We are leaning hard toward TV right now. Thanks to all the folks who posted such good responses!! These are very helpful.

Crowds??? In the Winter from Snowbirds??? I am a Homeowner and Snow birder. I am from Long Island, NY. I have heard people saying it's gets crowded and there is more traffic in the winter months when the snow birders come. If you are from NY, NJ, CT you will not think there is any traffic or crowding.