[bowlingal]

you will need much more than a week to experience the whole package. Expect to stay a month to really feel it and learn your way around. No joke!! it's really, really big

[ridge]

We moved here this past April and love it. We researched and visited active retirement communities from Florida to Lake Norman North Carolina. The Villages is the best by far. We bought a resale this past April. It's better here than we imagined. Neighbors have been very helpful and friendly.

[Robnlaura]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Try to ignore those who tell you google is your friend. The search engine can be useful and useless for many things.

One can read as many old post as possible, and get info, good and bad. Depending on how far out your are, you may be looking for a new house in the Middleton/Eastpoint area. When you choose to visit many of us have rentals or know of someone that does. Take a week to see if you like the vibe here, then plan on coming for a month or so.

There are excellent opportunities to buy a home now and rent it for multiple years to offset costs.

If someone says they sent PM it’s a private message they only want you to respond to.

Do your homework, on costs of running a home here, for some it’s cheaper than where they came from. For others not so much

Trolls are always an issue !! But our biggest concern is the huge amount of short and long term rentals. Yes short term we do have a property shortage but that can change very quickly.. and then you have a flood of homes on the market as the airbnb market collapses as it’s already doing in some areas..

[Robnlaura]

Do your own diligence but I fear the short term market Airbnb Revenue Collapse Sparks Housing Market Crash Fears

[Regorp]

Originally Posted by Ham_and_Cheese

New to the forum - thinking about the Villages in the coming years

This is an amazing place to retire to if you want to feel young. Our only regret-we did not come earlier, thanks to COVID. And no more snow and ice to shovel. Don't wait!!

[Papa_lecki]

Originally Posted by Robnlaura

Do your own diligence but I fear the short term market Airbnb Revenue Collapse Sparks Housing Market Crash Fears

Air BNB market will soften in many markets, due to 2 primary reasons.
1) work form home is becoming less favorable, so the 25 to 35 year olds who travelled from city to city to work in Air BNBs are returning home and in the office
2) summer vacation travel is softening, due to inflation and high airline prices.

These 2 reasons are less likely to impact us in TV. We still will have:
1) children/grandkids who rent AirBnb’s,
2) weekly visitors trying to feel out TV for the long term and
3) friends coming to visit us.
4) snowbirds who are renting.

[rockyhyder]

Originally Posted by Ham_and_Cheese

New to the forum - thinking about the Villages in the coming years

Welcome! We moved here in 2019 and love it here. We traveled the country in an RV for 18 months after retirement and checked out lots of retirement communities on our way before deciding this was the place for us. We rented a Villa for six months, purchased while we were renting and used the remaining rental term to do some updating before moving into our home. Renting is a great idea because of the sheer size of this place. You Tube is also a wealth of information just make sure to follow the people who actually live here like The Villages Newcomers and there are at least 3-4 more. TV is not for everyone but most people know if they like the lifestyle here fairly quickly. Lastly, we were surprised at the number of negative comments on some of these forums but after living here four years we’ve learned these folks are a small minority and we just ignore them. Most don’t even live here. Good luck on your journey!

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Robnlaura

Trolls are always an issue !! But our biggest concern is the huge amount of short and long term rentals. Yes short term we do have a property shortage but that can change very quickly.. and then you have a flood of homes on the market as the airbnb market collapses as it’s already doing in some areas..

Average responses for a rental for us was 45-65. that hasn’t changed since 2010. Not worried about the rental market in TV, even the inexperienced can rent a house here.

[maistocars]

Welcome and enjoy the site - best one you'll find. Try to stay away from NextDoor forum.

[richdell]

Originally Posted by Ham_and_Cheese

New to the forum - thinking about the Villages in the coming years

Welcome aboard.

[Triker]

Welcome…… word of advice……
do your own research and then more research and then more research before you decide.

[huge-pigeons]

TV is rather large, but if you are looking for a brand new home, it’s rather small. TV aren’t building new homes in every village, but in only small new areas that they are developing. If you want new, you will be south of hwy 44, and either in the newer section called Newell or maybe the new area called Eastport.

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by whitley

your favorite lunch? Hamn n cheese?

only asking because eventually you will be grilled by unsolicited posters

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by ridge

We moved here this past April and love it. We researched and visited active retirement communities from Florida to Lake Norman North Carolina. The Villages is the best by far. We bought a resale this past April. It's better here than we imagined. Neighbors have been very helpful and friendly.

such a warm, positive post!!

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Worldseries27

only asking because eventually you will be grilled by unsolicited posters

Darn, I was going to ask how many he/she eats in a month.