I call this the war of Northern aggression.

Not the old North v South historical battles either. It's now shrunk to a North of 44 v South of 44 geographical one. Phew!

Thanks for all the great info - lots of good points. I have lots of interests, so I expect i'll get to know folks through various activities. Plus I have a very good friend who already lives there. I agree with some that in a pinch its your close neighbors that might be the most 'useful', or that I might be the most useful to; plus its them that you do the impromptu driveway happy hours with, and the ones that watch you house while your away. So great neighbors are important. Its a good suggestion to make a point to actually meet them prior to buying.

I have visited TV twice, for a total of ~9 days. Plus I am a native Floridian who went to the Mid-east for a few decades for career/family/divorce, but is ready to return to the more care-free Fl lifestyle. So I have a good feel for what I'm getting in to. I am working with a TV realtor. At this point, thanks to your inputs, I think i'm as torn between the North/South, new-neighborhood/old, as much as before. ...Heh. No knock on your comments, but they seem to balance each other out pretty well. It'll likely come down to the first house I find that meets my requirements. But your opinions helps solidify that decision!

I'm not sure if it's the couple White Russians I've had (my current drink of choice), the fantastic weather I am experiencing here in NVa right now, your great responses, or what, but I'm super pumped to get down there and start having some fun with you folks! Thks again for sharing your opinions. Hope to see you later this year

Except the poster to whom I responded to was from the south, bashing the north...

And just like the old war, I'm right on the border, living just north of 44 in TV (my home in MD is just outside of DC, which is actually south of the Mason-Dixon line).

Minor detail. lol

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And how exactly do you do that?

Learn to play, if you don't know already, pickleball, softball and golf. You'll do great.

I spent time at the neighborhood pool talking to the residents. Talked to people walking around with or without their dogs, in the neighborhood. Asked around. Watched and observed. I got a good sense of what kind of people lived around, and their politics (I don’t take sides) the kind of work they retired from, and a bit of their values, their favorite activities etc. For example, we have almost no “swingers”. We do have one couple but they are super discreet. We have singles but “not looking” types and mostly happily married couples.

All this as a lay person?
Herbert Hoover had nothing on you! ;)

maybe
 

The old story is buy new and everybody is new like you and looking to meet someone. But not much below hwy 44 just houses compared to golf stores restaurants above. BUT get into your neighborhood golf groups and other groups and meet people. But if you are a snowbird maybe you won't get here until Eastport is flying years later

*J. Edgar Hoover

All it took was talking to a few individuals. Everyone seems to know everyone. One time I complimented a lady I didn’t know, on her choice of little dogs. The next day there was a knock on my door, one of our regular “walkers” came by to tell me the lady sent me the name of the breeder she got the dog from - in case I was interested. Everyone knows everybody pretty well, here. If you want to be “private” this probably isn’t your area.

Proximity to the Turnpike can be a game changer, if you do a lot of travelling, or if you have family in other parts of Florida. In the Dabney area, you'll be just a few minutes from the highway entry. Where I am (in the Historic section) it takes me almost an hour to get to the Turnpike for travel south, mostly because traffic between us and Leesburg on 441 is horrendous.