Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive (Post 2249608)

I’ll echo other posters. Spend some time here, and not just a week “lifestyle” stay. Rent for some time—several months if possible, divided up among two or three villages you think might fit your needs. Talk to the neighbors, the people you’re paired up with on the golf course, folks at the squares. Attend a church or two if that is your thing. But get as Much firsthand experience as possible and then make up your own mind.

Originally Posted by Smalley (Post 2249615)

Agree that time here in The Villages is essential. You could start with a lifestyle visit. In general, the northern villages are more shady (and prettier) because of the mature trees. We love the north. Hiking at Lake Weir is 25 minutes drive for us. The Florida Greenway is 35 minutes. The Greenway is north of TV as is Lake Weir. Both are natural surface.

Originally Posted by Pairadocs (Post 2249630)

Many of us full time residents are likely to reply to you with similar thoughts:

. 2030 is so many years away that even residents here can only guess how many miles E-W, N-S, the Villages might be by then. 40 miles across ? 50 ? Four counties rather than the present three ?

. There are so many factors, keep in mind which county your villages is in will make a difference in choices (utility choices for gas, electricity, etc.), cable providers, land line phone companies, not to even get started on the property tax and retail tax structure you will live with depending on which county you choose to live in. Come counties like Sumter, have non profit electric companies. Our utilities, compared to when we lived in a Marion county village, is HUGE, on we have a larger home than we had in Marion county. Difference is for profit utility providers versus non-profit. You may not care at all, other things may be more important, but it all illustrates how impossible it is NOT to spend time here in order to know what you really want.

. Most know it is a very large place, yet they are still overcome the first time they realize it will take them 45 min. at least to drive from one side to the other. You will always be near squares with live music nightly, you will always be near hiking areas, bike trails, pools, etc. Also, once here you will find that Florida is such a paradise for hikers you'll want to get out of the "V's" some too. Many many wooden hiking trails along water areas, lots of wildlife to see, can't even begin to adequately describe.

. Finally, if there is any possible way financially, you can come and spend some serious time.... a month would be fantastic, but may not be possible for you... but the best would be to be able to come long enough to just live a "normal" life pattern, where you like to shop, which major highways would you rather be near ? Would you often use the Florida turnpike ? Or would you be visiting south Florida frequently, or going north on I-75 ? There is really no way to listen to others, only YOU can come, rent, see what will mean the most for YOUR life.

Originally Posted by Pairadocs (Post 2249630)

Many of us full time residents are likely to reply to you with similar thoughts:

. 2030 is so many years away that even residents here can only guess how many miles E-W, N-S, the Villages might be by then. 40 miles across ? 50 ? Four counties rather than the present three ?

. There are so many factors, keep in mind which county your villages is in will make a difference in choices (utility choices for gas, electricity, etc.), cable providers, land line phone companies, not to even get started on the property tax and retail tax structure you will live with depending on which county you choose to live in. Come counties like Sumter, have non profit electric companies. Our utilities, compared to when we lived in a Marion county village, is HUGE, on we have a larger home than we had in Marion county. Difference is for profit utility providers versus non-profit. You may not care at all, other things may be more important, but it all illustrates how impossible it is NOT to spend time here in order to know what you really want.

. Most know it is a very large place, yet they are still overcome the first time they realize it will take them 45 min. at least to drive from one side to the other. You will always be near squares with live music nightly, you will always be near hiking areas, bike trails, pools, etc. Also, once here you will find that Florida is such a paradise for hikers you'll want to get out of the "V's" some too. Many many wooden hiking trails along water areas, lots of wildlife to see, can't even begin to adequately describe.

. Finally, if there is any possible way financially, you can come and spend some serious time.... a month would be fantastic, but may not be possible for you... but the best would be to be able to come long enough to just live a "normal" life pattern, where you like to shop, which major highways would you rather be near ? Would you often use the Florida turnpike ? Or would you be visiting south Florida frequently, or going north on I-75 ? There is really no way to listen to others, only YOU can come, rent, see what will mean the most for YOUR life.

Originally Posted by Pairadocs (Post 2249634)

Pay attention to the advice people posted here ! There is no way you could come and rent for a week near Spanish Springs, and go home saying THAT's IT, that's where we want to be... by all the major department stores, by the major highway 441 (called Orange Blossom Trail), that's nearest the Atlantic side beaches. It's just way too large to even see all the areas in one week ! Maybe you'd find you like being closer to the west, Gulf, side and the beaches on that side ? Or you'd rather have easy access to the toll way ? I don't know how anyone could ever make those decisions without time to "live their own normal life routine" first. The mind boggling numbers of people who buy, only to sell when they find another area makes more sense for them... keeps the real estate agents doing very well here....LOL ! One tip we found, not wanting to appear to give the opinion one area or one villages is "better" than another, agents will tell you there is no difference. That is not true of course. Like in any area of the country that covers many counties, you have to do your own in person or on line research to get the tax mils, the retail taxes, compare the utilities you will have to use, etc.

Originally Posted by merrymini (Post 2249685)

Nine years ago, a life style visit of five days was enough. We had a rental car and cart and went to every recreation center from one end to the other. Got a map and looked at everything inside and outside of the villages. A week to ten days may be more appropriate now because this place has grown. Seeing is believing but you can do a lot of prep before you arrive. A great deal of hiking outside the villages too. Good luck.

Originally Posted by srswans (Post 2249688)

The preserve is not that big - you can see the entire walkway from the entrance - less than a mile in length. It is pavement and boardwalk. Nice place to walk but I wouldn’t call it a hike.

Hogeye Preserve in Marshview is similar but longer - approximately 3 miles but still not what I would call a hike.

South of 44 has plenty of paved pathways for walking - I can easily do a 10 mile walk from my house - again, not really a hike.

For true hiking, you need to leave TV. The Lake Apopka Loop Trail is 17 miles with a few spurs. Loose gravel, hard pack and some dirt make up the trail as it wanders through woods and along the lake. A decent hike but not much elevation change.

As another poster mentioned, the Florida Greenway has many miles of hiking and camping too.

Originally Posted by bowlingal (Post 2249691)

2030??? wow, that's a long long time away. So much will change by then. Come now, do a lifestyle visit and get your bearings. Who knows what your health will be like then.

Originally Posted by MandoMan (Post 2249694)

I agree. If Lake Weir is 25 minutes for you, then you probably live north of 466A, right? But if they buy a new house south of Florida’s Turnpike, Lake Weir will be more like 50 minutes to an hour, won’t it? They throw around a reference to “six miles” as if that were nothing, but that’s a good 20 minutes by car and twice that by golf cart. The homes south of the Turnpike are nice and new and a good place to make friends, but they really are sort of a different world, rather inconvenient. It may be that they are wanting a hiking place in The Villages because they want to get there by golf cart. But that may not be as romantic as it sounds. I used to drive from 466 and Morse to Aviary Rec Center down near Bradford for a club, and that took 30 minutes by car, and it would have been well over an hour by cart. This is all to say that they have their fantasies, and they read the brochures, but the reality will be different. Good, but different. I bought a great golf cart when I moved here, then realized I wasn’t going to be playing golf, and a cart was too slow and inconvenient and hot in the summer and cold in the winter for my life the way it was shaping up, so I sold it.

Originally Posted by asianthree (Post 2249697)

For all of our 4 lifestyles, here’s my number call if you want to look, we didn’t look at a house until the fourth visit. What our rep did do was put us in different style houses to get a feel for them.

We were dead set on a CYV, until the 3rd visit, the dogs barking, and hearing clear conversations from houses farther down, changed our minds by day 2. We also thought living by the polo grounds was a great place and changed our mind on that.

Fourth visit was the first time we looked at homes, he took us to 4 preowned in different areas, and one new village almost built, and new village just starting. Then again we aren’t the type of people to let others help us make up our minds.

Originally Posted by Ellwoodrick (Post 2249699)

Don't forget to educate yourself on the cost of the Bond payments for many newly developed areas. In older areas the Bond on the home may be paid off. However you may be looking at a new roof for an older home that your insurance company may not like. Lots to learn.

Originally Posted by Topgun 1776 (Post 2249707)

All of these long winded advice posts!!!
Sometimes I wonder if some of you have nothing better to do than craft these up for TOTV!
Just come down here for a Lifestyle Experience and/or rent for at least a month ...that will tell you everything you need to know.
Simple ....to the point....and done.
Have a great day!

Originally Posted by MidWestIA (Post 2249723)

The Villages lifestyle is all about driving a golf cart to most things you do hopefully in 15-20 minutes. So above hwy 44 or around hwy 466a or 466. Hiking is mentioned more down south without much in stores, golf, restaurants but there a trail on 44 by brownwood. I lived by Sharon Rose Wiechens Preserve see this pic that is all there is short walk

[IMG]https://www.**************.com/2017/02/09/sunrise-sharon-rose-wiechens-preserve-villages-3/[/IMG]

I am a retiree and am considering moving to The Villages sometime prior 2030.
My hobbies are hiking, listening and dancing to live music, and attending theater.
close to good hiking and also a town square. When I say 'hiking' I mean walking off pavement; that is, on wood boardwalk, decomposed granite, dirt, etc.


The Sharon Rose Wiechens Preserve seems like the premium place for my hiking needs.

Originally Posted by hosegooseman (Post 2249726)

Best you can do is to do Lifestyle visit or rent a home here. Unless you are planning to buy soon, I would not pay to much attention (other than basic knowledge) to recommendations when your target date is around 2030. A lot is going to change from now until then

The longer you can do a stay here, the more benefit you will get. It will allow you to REALLY explore first hand what you are looking for and the rest of The Villages.

Originally Posted by NotGolfer (Post 2249730)

I've seen so many who post here, who also over-think and plan. As so many others stated....why not take time to come and visit?? When you plan too much, you might be disappointed or frustrated. You're looking at 7-8 yrs from now?? A LOT can happen in that time and what you've planned will be twarted.