[Flyers999]

OK, you did a couple of lifestyle visits and were impressed. You now “know” two people in TVs, but those people are likely to be realtors who are the last people in the world you should ask about where to buy a house in America’s friendliest hometown. So, what do you do?

By “Stranger” I mean one who doesn’t know anyone currently living here. This makes things a lot harder than if you know someone who’s been here for a while and you visited them two months a year for five years. That was my situation. During those five years I checked out every square inch of the place and came up with a list of checkboxes that my home would have to meet. By the time I decided to buy, I knew exactly where I wanted to be and what I’d be doing every day.

What you are going to be doing every day is important. If you were buying a house in the normal world (outside TV) you would consider how far your new home would be from your job, kids, place of worship, racetrack, etc. You should approach your Village move in the same way. What are you going to be doing every day when you live here? But you say,” I will figure that out when I get there.” No, you won’t. “I’ll take up golf.” Most people hate golf, for them, it’s a good walk spoiled. If you didn’t golf before you moved to TV, you most likely won’t like it after. There are exceptions but I’m talking about “playing the odds.” Which is what success in life is all about, isn’t it?

By knowing what you are going to do every day, THEN you can decide where in TV you want to live. But what if you have some idea but you’re not completely sure about what you’re going to be doing? OK. Follow these steps.

1) Sell you house up north (or wherever you are coming from). This includes your furniture. Hauling your furniture down here and storing it is an infernal waste of time/money. That does depend on how far you are coming from. If you are coming from the deep south, don’t finish reading this post. Skip to the next thread.
2) Rent a place in TV from May to November. There are tons of places available during that timeframe. Make sure it includes furniture, a golf cart and a Village ID. I just did a search on villagershomes4rent for that timeframe and 81 properties came up.
3) Once you moved into the rental, don’t start looking yet. Every Thursday, pull out the recreation section of the Daily Sun (the local rag) and it will list the activities that will be going on that week. Start attending the activities.
4) After you have done this for several months, then you can evaluate if you like the people, area and activities. Now you have figured out what you are going to be doing every day; and the people you will be seeing. You had to do this, there’s no other way. Then, and only then, will you know whether TV is for you.

You now have a good idea where you want to live in TV. No place is “full” or “no homes are ever for sale there, ” because many residents die (this is a retirement community) or move out of TV for various reasons. Places are always opening up. You now have the cash and are ready to go when something meets your checklist.

Most move within TVs an average of three times. The main reason for this is what they bought didn’t completely meet their needs. You are not going to fall into that trap. What you buy is where you are going to live for a long, long time.

Whatever you do, don’t believe the “You are not buying a house, you are buying a lifestyle.” As a retiree you will be spending most of your time in your home. Almost everyone I knew that lived here but “hated it,” was because of the location, especially the closeness of their neighbors.

Why anyone would retire and move to Florida where land has traditionally been cheap and plentiful but end up in a place where they can’t turn up their TV or radio is beyond me.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[asianthree]

Or one rents for 5 years, and finally buys the 6th year. Drops dead following week, while spouse thinks we could have had a great lifestyle for 5 years but because of procrastination, we got a week together. Now I’m alone

[FloridaGuy66]

Way too complicated, and the OP's strategy won't work for 95% of people due to time or financial constraints.

We did a lifestyle visit and bought a new place on the 6th day of the visit. Zero regrets.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by FloridaGuy66

Way too complicated, and the OP's strategy won't work for 95% of people due to time or financial constraints.

We did a lifestyle visit and bought a new place on the 6th day of the visit. Zero regrets.

Same, the original post was paralysis by analysis, or for people who must plan and have a reason for a decision

The only difference for us was
1) We had never heard of the place prior to the lifestyle list
2) We bought on day 5
3) there were no bridges, no rec centers, no shopping nearby, and no houses next door, and we had heard of people who had moved he in retirement from years ago at work, but not even acquaintances.
4) but we got to design our own house to exactly what we want, and we love it!
5) and we love the location, not because of bridges, golf cart paths, or rec centers, but because of a 3 mile nature walk around the hog eye. . . everything else is luxury

Each couple must decide for themselves, based upon their financial abilities and their health. Lots has changed in the last 5 years, including your situation and within the villages. Please don't think that your way is the only way, there is only one of you and millions of us. .

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Or one rents for 5 years, and finally buys the 6th year. Drops dead following week, while spouse thinks we could have had a great lifestyle for 5 years but because of procrastination, we got a week together. Now I’m alone

sad and if true for you, so sorry, that was bad luck. . .

yes, I did run into someone on our lifestyle visit where that scenario happened as well. .

[FloridaGuy66]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

Same, the original post was paralysis by analysis, or for people who must plan and have a reason for a decision.

We had watched several hours of YouTube videos prior to visiting. We really weren't surprised by much after arriving other than the vast physical size of The Villages. Things were pretty much as advertised including the general friendliness of most people.

On day one, we thought we wanted to buy pre-owned, until we eventually saw the vast differences in new vs old homes, plus the demographics were more suited to us in the newer areas where almost everyone appeared to be in their 50's or not much older than that.

Once we realized we were going to look at only new, then it mainly came down to what was important to us for location which was mostly distance to amenities (Hogeye path, groceries, golf, rec centers, etc) and then the actual layout, size and price of the home we picked. It certainly wasn't something that we needed to waste weeks or months on.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

sad and if true for you, so sorry, that was bad luck. . .

yes, I did run into someone on our lifestyle visit where that scenario happened as well. .

Our family first bought in 2004, we visited in “07” during the crazy “No more Building Era”. We chose to walk away from the feeding frenzy. We bought Our first home was in 2010, as a Vaca home. TV was obviously building on down the road.

Meeting new people, that were close to my parents age at gatherings, one could listen to the sad commentary of procrastination about finding a different life after retirement. Then after years of waiting, find out one spouse would become ill or pass away, soon after move. We bought in our mid 50’s, but neighbors were usually in their 70-90 range.

We are on our fourth house south of 44. Big difference, many are in the 50-60 age group, so hopefully enjoying a long healthy lifestyle because life is too short to wait.

[motherflippinpicker]

We didn't know people to guide us where to buy a home. In the beginning we wanted to be in the northern area, we bought in the Eastport area. We had no idea what hobbies we would enjoy... Our adult lives were spent working and raising children, not honing skills or enjoying hobbies. We both love golf, although I had never golfed. We've taken classes through the enrichment academy. We have tried everything from nature walks to shuffle board. Our first church was a two minute golf cart ride but we immediately changed churches and go to Fairway now, an hour and ten minute golf cart ride or a 35 minute car ride. You can frequently find my husband at the woodshop. We've made tons of friends in the 9 months we've lived here. Our home is not near many of the squares we frequent or the rec centers where we meet for activities. No regrets. We love where we live and we enjoy every inch of The Villages.

[NotGolfer]

I think the OP is over-thinking. BUT to each their own!!

[Lisanp@aol.com]

Nearly everything in life that is done can be undone - sometimes you just need to leap...if you are miserable you can always "go home"

[JohnnyMoline]

Came here to visit after just learning this place existed. Just came to look. Bought a house on a handshake three days after arriving here. Went home and sold the house and contents. Now here three years and loving our choices.

….or you can follow the OP’s process.

[Nell57]

Before I moved to The Villages I never golfed.. played Samba or Mahjongg, lined danced, invested in crypto, joined a Book Group or exercised to Tai Chi. I love the Enrichment Academy and all the Apple Groups.
I’ve learned something new every year for 16 years.
You won’t know what your retirement is going to look like until you get here and jump in.

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by Nell57

Before I moved to The Villages I never golfed.. played Samba or Mahjongg, lined danced, invested in crypto, joined a Book Group or exercised to Tai Chi. I love the Enrichment Academy and all the Apple Groups.
I’ve learned something new every year for 16 years.
You won’t know what your retirement is going to look like until you get here and jump in.

When you say Apple groups, do you mean clubs? This is something I’d be interested in since I use all Apple products.

[kingofbeer]

What is a stanger?

[Lottoguy]

Since our house up north sold in early June, we rented in The Villages. Those months were July, August and September. We sold our house turnkey up north and only took what could fit in our SUV. We closed on our house in the middle of September. Which gave me two weeks to paint a few rooms in our new house. We also had time to buy the basics and have them delivered to our house. King size mattress, large screen tv, kitchen table and a few other things were there before we left our rental. People should move down here with as little as possible. It's why those second hand stores have so much inventory in them.