[mfroggie]

So we visited there on vacation and he is so focused now on buying a house as a 2nd residence at least for now and renting it out part of the year. I am sure this is nothing new and there are probably a lot of people doing this. I have many questions therefore I decided to join this site. We live in Texas, I have lived here nearly all my life and I am not ready to give up my Texas citizenship, besides I still have a lot of working years ahead of me but he is about ready to retire. I hope to meet some very nice folks here and get a lot of my questions answered so we don't make any missteps during our endeavors. I am so glad I found this place!

[MartyRR]

Ask away..

[dewilson58]

Just do your homework................

New vs. Used

Room for pool or not

Size of home, Size of garage

Determine your retirement budget

TV is a great place.
There are tons and tons of great people.

If you have specific questions.................fire away on this site, you will get lots of responses.

Good Luck.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

It's not your citizenship that you'd be giving up, it's residency. I think that you'll still be a citizen of the United States of America.

But to answer your question, if you have homes in two different states, you can choose which one to maintain residency. That means that you would vote in that state and have a drivers license from that state.

[pooh]

There are many who have two homes, one here, one in a different state. Neighbor's down the road from me have a home here and one in a northern state. He is a FL resident, she is a resident of the state where there other home is.

Won't hurt to look around and buy a home here if you can do it financially. Homes can be used as income property when you aren't using. The Villages is a busy area in the winter...lots want to be in a warmer location .... and compared to many other places, Florida is the place they want to be. The community is beautiful, there are many things to do within the community as well as the surrounding areas.

[DianeM]

If you are not ready for Florida, try real hard not to be talked into it. It's a huge transition and you will miss everything that you love about your home state. It's not all sunshine and lollipops. I firmly believe men like it better than women.

[jnieman]

Originally Posted by DianeM

If you are not ready for Florida, try real hard not to be talked into it. It's a huge transition and you will miss everything that you love about your home state. It's not all sunshine and lollipops. I firmly believe men like it better than women.

I have lots of women friends who love it here. I do miss a couple of things about my home state but I have made dozens of new friends here and call this my home now. Plus, didn't you say this would be a second home for you? Then you'll have the best of both worlds! You can almost guarantee to have your home rented Jan Feb March but if you plan to use it some of the months then you can not have a full time renter in it, so some of the months may go unrented. You should get a premium price for Jan Feb March.

[JoMar]

Went through the same experience, I was ready to move here 4 years ago, my wife, not so much. Kids, grand kids, sister, mother in law all went into her decision. We did the Jan - Mar rental thing in the winter then last year she realized the right decision was to move here so we sold everything and moved. What a great decision. She goes north every three months to do the family thing, I go every six months. Family comes here and we actually get more kid and grand kid time since we moved then when we were in PA. I suspect you will find a compromise but sooner or later you will realize how this place can change your life and re invigorate your senses.

[Villager1970]

I was not ready to retire when we moved here over a year ago, but I quickly adapted to the lifestyle. Volunteering can be even more satisfying than as a job. Playing is fun, too.

[Marlo]

We have a residence in TV and a second home up north. Make sure to do your homework and also make sure you know what type of lot you want (private or kissing lanai's). We came to TV for 7 years before we bought a home here. We have the perfect lot, a wonderful home and the best of both worlds with a home here as well as up north to escape the heat of summer in FL. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions the people on TOTV are wonderful from what I see and Gracie is an encyclopedia on TV! She's very helpful and very non judgemental.

[Cisco Kid]

Originally Posted by mfroggie

So we visited there on vacation and he is so focused now on buying a house as a 2nd residence at least for now and renting it out part of the year. I am sure this is nothing new and there are probably a lot of people doing this. I have many questions therefore I decided to join this site. We live in Texas, I have lived here nearly all my life and I am not ready to give up my Texas citizenship, besides I still have a lot of working years ahead of me but he is about ready to retire. I hope to meet some very nice folks here and get a lot of my questions answered so we don't make any missteps during our endeavors. I am so glad I found this place!

You should ALWAYS do what your husband wants.

[rjm1cc]

Try a rental for a few months if you can.
The Villages 4 Rent, Rentals in The Villages
I would not want two homes if I could avoid it. (I do have two.)
Don't rush. Take your time and check out a few different communities.

[pooh]

DianeM makes a point about moving....things in this state are going to be very different than in the state you come from. Unless you lived in one locale all your life, you have had to adjust to different rules, regulations, attitudes, life in general. Coming from another warm state, I was used to warm winters, hot summers. Stores and Mom & Pop shops will be different from what you are used to. The changes may be good, may be not as good, but it's the same when anyone moves to a new city. The Villages is a community, not a resort. You are not "owed" special resort features. There are many, many amenities here, more than most communities offer. There are so many things that are helpful for us as we age....lots of fire stations, paramedics, physicians, medical centers. More and more large familiar stores are finding central Florida a profitable location. Large cities aren't far away. Nearby cities and towns all have their charms, offerings and opportunities. If you decide to buy, good for you, if you decide not to, only you can determine why. Some people would rather stay where they are, they enjoy where they are....there are no rules stating one has to move to Florida or anywhere when they retire. I have a friend who loves New England....has lived there all her life. She has no desire to be anywhere else in her retirement. She has decided what is best for her and she is very happy and quite content. Guess that's what we all have to decide...what will give us happiness and contentment. Good luck and have fun...

[asianthree]

Budget first. A home that your husband can care for himself. My husband is retiring in April and I have 3 years 9 months, but who is counting. We started with a patio villa using as a vaca home. We sold last year and bought the home we wanted to live in. He is in love I am not ready. So he will come 8 months of the year and return up north for the rest

[Happinow]

I would advise to do your research on renting your home if you buy in The Villages.. From what I see, there are many, many places for rent here. As I walk and drive, I see a large amount of homes that have "for Rent" signs in the windows. This leaves me to believe there are more rental than occupancy. So you may not be able to rent your home out which may put a stress on your budget. Also, consider if you want a corner lot, back to back lanais, water view or golf course lot. There are pros and cons to most. There is so much more to think about and you can ask questions as you think of them. Best of luck in your decision.