[CFrance]

Originally Posted by DougB

Two buds and we will sing some Nirvana songs!

I think that might be a loss on my part...

[ROCKETMAN]

If I didn't live in the villages, del webb would be my seconds choice. You would get more house for the money, no bond or maintenance fee on taxes, and 2 great 18 hole golf courses at very reasonable prices. Amenity fee is $121 for the same services you get here, garbage, rec. center, etc. Just no free golf on executive courses the only drawback. Can still take advantage of entertainment and restaurants at squares, just have to drive car.

[Ron1Z]

Friends of mine looked in the Villages and bought in Spruce Creek. They said more for the buck, less taxes and can always drive the 6 miles and enjoy the squares at the Villages. We will be down again in June, We love the Villages.

[Indy-Guy]

I know how much my home has appreciated in The Villages in the last 18 months. A villa near ours went up for sale and in 36 hours they had 5 offers and sold it for over list. I wonder how much the homes in Spruce Creek South or Dell Webb have gone up in value over the last 18 months. If someone knows that would be great.

More home for less money does not necessarily mean a great thing if your investment doesn't bring the best return. It is like buying a good stock or buying a mediocre stock the return on you investment is a major thing. Perhaps that is a reason why some may sell their Villages home that has been given them a good return on their money and purchase more home elsewhere. They also may say in a couple of years if I had kept the home in The Villages it is now worth X amount of dollars more than what I sold it for.

I looked at both Spruce Creek South and Del Webb. I liked Del Webb very much and play golf there a couple of times a year and like the course. However I hate to drive on 441/27 and if at all possible I stay off it. If I had it to do again I would still purchase where I did in The Villages and have no interest in moving.

[yabbadu]

Originally Posted by obxgal

I haven't met anyone that moved from TV to Spruce Creek but like redwitched mentioned more house for the buck, which would be my assumption also.

Now my question is ... You said you've met quite a few that have moved, did you not ask THEM ... WHY??? To me they would have been the ones to ask if you were really interested in getting a non speculative answer.

Great Post Reply!

[graciegirl]

I haven't met anyone personally who moved from The Villages to any place near The Villages. I have a friend whose neighbor did. I don't know why.

I met a new couple to the villages just this week who said their new neighbors in Collier think I work for the developer or get some benefits from the developer. The developer doesn't need anything or anybody to help him sell houses. This place is unimaginably wonderful and it sells itself.


If someone wants to move elsewhere, then they should.But don't get all mean if you can't drive your golfcart here.


THE VILLAGES ROCK. AND OBXGAL is ONE smart cookie. Reread her post above.


Merry Christmas.

[cadkingl]

To paraphrase someone else's post, this is not a one size fits all world. It depends on what is most important to you. I have a few friends who own in Del Webb SCGCC and love it. It is an immaculately kept place, very friendly residents, and very active. Way more secure than TV. One friend recently bought a 1600 sq ft home with an additional 300 sq ft enclosed lanai for less than 170k. CBS and immaculate. I like to golf there too. Of course home appreciation is not what it may be in TV...but at our ages how many plan on moving often? Values only matter if you are buying or selling. TV is a great place, but you are 'fee'd' to death (poor pun).

[graciegirl]

We sold a very lovely home in Cincinnati in a nice part of town that was much larger than the home we live in here. AND we paid more for the home we live in here.


People from San Francisco and Manhattan think it is a bargain, what you get in size of home.


It is all relative.


The amenity fee for us is about $145. The bond payment can be paid off and in other places is part of the price of the house. We have a sort of ad valorem tax for the maintenance of the common areas. I can't think of any other fees.


If people want to buy a home anywhere else, then they should.


Not everyone wants to live with a bunch of mostly conservative older people who are a lotta fun.

[billethkid]

"way more secure than TV"

As determined by what?

I know a farmer friend who lives north of here (in FL) in the middle of 300 acres, surronded by other bigger farms and they are way more secure than Spruce Creek!!!!

btk

[HTing]

The last time I checked TOTV stands for Talk of The Villages.
When I am not in TV I look for the TOTV site to help me keep connected with my home away from home.
Every time I see a posting like this I say "Just GO!" We did the research and visited many different areas to see where we wanted to be. The Villages was way above anything we saw.
Don�t ask me to try to tell you where you should be, go and find out for yourself. As you sit in your bigger home and pay less in fees, don�t feel sorry for me I am not at home, but out having a great time.
It really is a beautiful day in the Villages.

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

We sold a very lovely home in Cincinnati in a nice part of town that was much larger than the home we live in here. AND we paid more for the home we live in here.


People from San Francisco and Manhattan think it is a bargain, what you get in size of home.


It is all relative.


The amenity fee for us is about $145. The bond payment can be paid off and in other places is part of the price of the house. We have a sort of ad valorem tax for the maintenance of the common areas. I can't think of any other fees.


If people want to buy a home anywhere else, then they should.


Not everyone wants to live with a bunch of mostly conservative older people who are a lotta fun.

Regarding Spruce Creek South, LynnDeb; you can take a look for yourself and drive in by telling them you are going to the restaurant. You can then drive anywhere you want a take a good look around. I think there is a false sense of security in Spruce Creek and in Stonecrest... anyone wanting to do evil can get inside the perimeters.

My experience with Spruce Creek South is that it is very quiet, you seldom see anyone outdoors and they have a few organized activities. My friend, who lives in SCS and loves it, told me about a female resident there who had her nose out of joint when a service person doing work at her home, asked how they got all those trailers in there.... that gives you an idea of the architecture. The area is very neat and there are special assessments from time to time, particularly for road/street work since those features are private.

[eweissenbach]

It is somewhat analogous to Disney and Universal. Both offer similar things and do a good job. Disney is bigger, offers more amenities, and is somewhat more expensive. Both offer a good experience, but the Disney experience is, by most accounts world-class and the hospitality unparalleled. Nobody does customer service better than Disney. TV is the Disney of retirement communities (forgive me Celebration), while Webb and others are the Universal or some the Coney Island. Nobody does it as well as the Disney Corp. and nobody does it as well as the Morse Group. That said, there are those who prefer Universal and Coney Island.

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

It is somewhat analogous to Disney and Universal. Both offer similar things and do a good job. Disney is bigger, offers more amenities, and is somewhat more expensive. Both offer a good experience, but the Disney experience is, by most accounts world-class and the hospitality unparalleled. Nobody does customer service better than Disney. TV is the Disney of retirement communities (forgive me Celebration), while Webb and others are the Universal or some the Coney Island. Nobody does it as well as the Disney Corp. and nobody does it as well as the Morse Group. That said, there are those who prefer Universal and Coney Island.

Ed, that is an excellent analogy of the situation.

[manaboutown]

Over my lifetime I have lived in various cities and neighborhoods. What I always found when moving to a new area is that home prices varied for very good reasons. Homes in better school districts cost more than those in inferior school districts. Those in prettier, safer or more amenity laden neighborhoods cost more. Those offering shorter commutes cost more, and so on.

Prices are higher in The Villages than in most nearby 55 and over communities because of the numerous amenities, the plethora of available activities, convenient shopping, entertainment offered and numerous restaurant choices. It is a supply and demand situation. Most people who are able will pay for what they want if they want it enough.

[jhrc4]

I am probably one of the few who actually lived at Del Webb, Summerfield and moved to the Villages. The huge underlying problem that Del Webb has is really quite simple. It is beginning to look " Tired ". The house values have been dropping, and really only recently have houses began to sell, mostly in the $200,000 range.

True you certainly get more house for the $$ But..... there are problems down the road for that community in my opinion. Nice community center (1), 7 Tennis courts, 12 Pickleball Courts ( Lighted ), 8 Bocce Courts, 1 Softball Field, Horseshoe Pits, Shuffleboard, Fitness Center (free), various clubs. Take a long hard look, in particular the roads, general appearance, they have $ 4 million in reserves, not a lot.

The lifestyle in the Villages is like no other, and there is more to life than having a bigger house. The Villages is the place to be, and coming from experience having lived in Del Webb and living here in the Villages, I would definitely without a shadow of doubt stay put in the Villages, the added benefit is of course house values continue to rise here.. vs.. Del Webb where they continue to decline or stay flat.

Again this only my opinion, we did not move to the Villages on a whim, we made our decision based on what is available here, and certainly long term.