Best shopping seems to be around 466 area just north and west of Sumter Lake.
There's even more shopping near Spanish Springs but it is an older area and more congested with other cities around.

What do you mean ?

Between 466 and 466A!!

There is no shopping west of Lake Sumter Landing.
There are no cities around Spanish Springs.

You've been gone two years and you are still hanging out, lurking, on TOTV. Regret is a bad thing. Please try to move on.

Poor Joe. Still standing on the outside looking in.

We were lifelong Rhode Islanders and I lived in the home my husband and I sold in March for 32 years which I built with my late 1st husband before we purchased a new home in TV in the lower St. Johns area that we closed on the beginning of this month. Deciding to relocate to TV or anywhere else for that matter full time if that is your intent may be your biggest challenge. For us, living in Florida in retirement was a desire we had for many years, but that could not happen until both sets of parents had passed on since my husband and I provided all 4 parents with a great deal of care and support during the last years of their lives. Along with that, my husband's two children had two children each and we both wanted to be around during the grandkids early years to watch them grow up and be there to babysit when needed and do all the other things that grandparents do. And lastly, having myself worked for the Federal Government, I wanted to get my 20 service years in along with qualifying age to be eligible for what is referred to as an immediate retirement which would have a significant impact on the level of my pension. I met the age requirement three years ago and this past September 11th got in my 20 service years in and retired the following week. With all 4 parents now gone, and the youngest grandchild age 9 who she and her 12 year old sister and our grandsons age 16 and 21 now all leading very busy independent lives, with no other immediate family close by and the few close friends we have too leading their own busy lives, the timing and all else was right for us to relocate. We spent this past winter getting our house sell ready and listed it in March which the timing was right for that too as it sold in a day for $50k over asking. Having made two lifestyle visits to TV over the course of two years, we liked what we experienced of the community on visit #1 and knew we wanted to live in TV. The focus of visit #2 was deciding where in TV we wanted live and model of home we desired to purchase.. We are not shoppers and prefer a more nature focused lifestyle and that led us to the newer areas. Also we decided what model best met our living needs was a 3br courtyard villa for the added space to allow for a guest room and in-home office along with the privacy aspect these model homes provide. And we wanted new construction which was an entirely personal preference. We were not detered by the high bond purchasing new as we were fortunate to be able to be cash buyers, so with no mortgage or other debt the bond would not stress out our personal budget. During the time we were waiting to close on the sale of our R.I. home we secured a two month rental in TV, packed and arranged for PODs to pick up and store what we were going to take with us, and did all the gazillion other things people have to do when they relocate. Immediately after the closing on the sale of our home we began the two day drive to our rental which was a patio villa in McClure. Day 2 of our arrival we met with our TV agent that we had been in contact with since out 1st lifestyle visit. She showed us a list of new homes being released for sale the following day and a 3br Avondale model courtyard villa with a golf cart garage in the lower St Johns area sparked our interest and it was in our price range so she took us over to see it. We really like the area and loved everything about the villa, and not a single thing we found we needed to change as everything about it especially it being all tiled floors suited our taste. Our agent called us the next morning at 8:40 to be exact to inform us she was able to secure a hold on the villa for us if we still wanted it. The answer to that was an immediate yes, and by early evening we put down the required 10% deposit and signed the contract and closed on it a month later. We love our new home, neighborhood, and the neighbors we have met are very nice and helpful to us new kids on the block. Whatever you decide, just keep in mind that all of us that made it to TV regardless of where we purchased our homes it all began with a leap of faith into truly the unknown. And it takes a great deal of consideration and courage to take that leap of faith because it involves for most leaving behind family, friends, doctors, churchs, etc. which all of those near and dear aspects of our lives we have to leave behind. Wish you the best of luck in whatever decision you choose to make.

1008 Laredo Ln for sale $280,000
 

Look it up on Zillow
5mins to everything
Huge back yard

Another country heard from...
 

Deciding where to move to in The Villages, is the same as deciding where to move to anywhere you are in the country — you want to be next to the things that you do often. The OP mentioned a dog park and shopping center. Springdale (North of 466) has a nice dog park and is close to Mulberry Grove Plaza Shopping Center, which has a Publix. It’s a nice drive on the recreational trail past the dog park through golf courses to that shopping center. There’s also the surrounding Villages to Springdale: Woodbury and Briar Meadow.

When my wife and I decided to move here five years ago, we knew what we wanted because we visited a friend here every March/April for five years. We are avid tennis players, so we wanted to be next to the har-tru courts at Glenview and Lopez. No more har-tru courts will ever be built in The Villages(if anyone would care to wager on this, name your price). Har-tru tennis courts are easier on the knees and are less dangerous if you fall. Being close to the Savanah center was a bonus too, since we like the shows.

So, our list included: north of 466, less than a mile drive from either Morse Avenue or Buena Vista Blvd, a designer (3bed 2bath), somewhat backyard privacy and less than a 2-mile distance (as the bird flies) from the train tracks. The further north you go the closer The Villages gets to those tracks. At route 42 and 301, the train is required to stop and blow its damn whistle for several minutes — most times in the middle of the night. We found a wonderful place in Piedmont and have no plans to ever leave.

That said, if you don’t play golf, I can’t see why anyone would move here. You are going to pay for. What’s unique about The Villages is the entertainment at the squares and the “free” executive golf courses. The OP mentioned they want to use their golf cart to go shopping. I don’t believe one would save much money owning a golf cart over a small automobile. I know some people here drive a golf cart because they can’t pass the driver’s license test, which is another issue.

The Villages is great but if I were a non-golfer, I’d try somewhere else like Top Of The World. I haven’t been there. (Maybe someone reading this has and would like to share their experiences.) They claim to be like Villages in the sense that residents drive their golf carts everywhere. I believe they have a couple championship courses. They don’t have any “free” executive courses, so you won’t pay for that.

Be careful of the salespeople. I met one person on the tennis courts who had just moved to Fenney, which is a 40-minute commute. When I asked why they didn't move closer to the tennis, they said that the sales rep said because of the dangerous sink holes in the north.

Good luck.

I was watching at that time. Prices levelled off and maybe went down 3-5% for a year, then started rising again. I bought in 2014 because that upward curve had an increase in the slope, and I was worried where we might go because of babyboomers retiring. Bought a second in 2017 after I found out how easy they rent. Well, it was a great decision.
The reality is, things will level off. Anyone who is waiting to buy because they think prices will sink is going to be waiting forever.

More visits is better than less. Give yourself some time. However, is there really a question about getting out of New York and moving to Florida? Weather, Traffic, cost of living, Taxes and escaping the stupid politics in New York makes it a no brainer to me. Wisconsin is way better than NY and I still can't wait to head south in a few years. I will have a lot of company :)
:crap2::crap2::crap2:

Also from LI
 

Also from Long Island and considering a move here. Lifestyle preview coming up in August. Very excited for the visit.

This comment is very interesting in retrospect a month later now that a new sinkhole has opened up in Springdale. Good info about the trains though. Thx from a future villager.

North of Savannah Center might be what your looking for.