1. The only negative is, when the snowbirds arrive as some people seem to not like that some restaurants may be too crowded at certain times. I personally don't mind it one bit, as I am from NY originally, and I am use to congestion, if there is any down here. I haven't noticed it yet, but I am a newbie myself, (4 months).
2. I would do a LSV when the rates are $100. Possibly in the summer, but you need to get going as your spouses retirement is only a year away.
3. The historic side of TV, but if you have to look around as there may be houses in other areas, that may be, just as economical to buy. It varies, as you can buy a home for 75K up to 1,000,000. There is no bad area in TV. Go to The Villages - Florida's Friendliest Retirement Hometown - New Home Sales, Home Resales, Build Your Dream Home, Brownwood Paddock Square and you can look at homes, (new and pre-owned).
4. I doubt you will experience discrimination, as almost everyone is just happy to be living in paradise. You will run into someone, who is grumpy, but that's everywhere you go. :smiley:
5. TV allows for 20% of the total population, (110,000) for people who are under 55. I would ask an agent assigned with your LSV, to tell you where you stand, on that age issue. I haven't heard of anyone having a problem in that regard.

Best wishes for your impending trip. You love living in TV, as everyone else does. Traveling around in a golf cart, and seeing how beautiful TV is maintained, is something you have to see and believe. No amount of words can do it justice. IMHO

You would have to do a search for the latest IRS standing. You would do better, to search thru Google, as TOTV search engine, leaves a lot to be desired. :(

I personally think, we will old or dead before this issue comes to a resolution, as it will dragged thru the courts for many years. I wouldn't delay my happiness because of it, and even when finished, it might have little effect on the residents. IMHO

I don't lose any sleep over it and that's the bottom line for me.. :smiley:

Come on down as it has been in the low 80's for the past week and a half, as opposed to freezing one's butt off, in NY. My cousin told me they had snow a couple of days ago. I don't miss it, one bit.

I'll bet you a drink, that you will love it here!

The responses, both PMs and replies here have been wonderfully infectious. We are getting Village fever already, shedding our grumpy NY attitudes.

Want to confirm an important issue. Our daughter will be 19 next year, she will be be in college for the next four years. I assume all parts of The Villages will allow her to live with us for either three or 12 months per year?

Please keep the comments and PM's coming. The negative issues seem minor, once you accept it cost a little more than nearby areas of Florida. No one mentioned Hurricane or tsunami concerns. What are the elevations, is it better to be higher? :)

The rules, as we understand them anyway, state that "under 18" are only allowed 30 days a year, 19 and above are ok to be in TV full time in any of the villages. I have been told that there are 2 or 3 areas that are "zoned" for familys.

I would not worry about you daughter if she is that close to 19...but more about where she will find friends and things to do, when she is out of school. As for the ethnic issue yes I have had two different people make :cus: comments.. But two out of how many thousands of wonderful people in TV is less than any other area..come for a visit. It's the only way you will know for sure..then maybe rent off season for a month or two and really find out what it's like

All of the LSV's are sold out, too bad. The Villages staff are very nice on the phone. The areas that allow under 18 yo to live are not technically in The Villages and can not use the facilities. Not a big deal but good to know. We will look for a weekly rental, time share etc, or just stay in a hotel/motel and come back for the LSV at another time. At least we will get a good feel of the place and meet some people.

Rental
 

Prior to closing on our home, we rented (weekly) from M Rentals, Larry Mazza. Great place, nice home, South of 466a. m-rentals@comcast.net

Consider this. Plan a trip, to coincide with Cinco De Mayo, (May 5, 2014).

People in the squares, will be celebrating on this day. :smiley:

LLW, I have done both the LSV and short term (one week) rentals of private homes in The Villages. Short term rentals in The Villages are easy to get after the snowbird season ends in approx. early April if you go on thevillages4rent.com or ****.com.

As other posters have mentioned, if you cannot get an LSV in January, the Waterfront Inn is right at Lake Sumter Landing. The Waterfront Inn is very nice, and you can rent a golf cart while staying at The Waterfront Inn. I believe golf cart rentals are high in demand during snowbird season, so if you want a golf cart in January, you may want to start looking now. If you go on the on line edition of The Villages Daily Sun newspaper, the classified ad section will have listings for businesses that rent golf carts.

Good luck, and I hope you get to see The Villages in the not too distant future. It is a beautiful place.

On TOTV you will get a lot of different opinions on this subject. For factual information go here and form you own opinion.Village Community Development Districts

BTW the Village Community Development Districts site has a lot of information.

I would highly recommend that you come at both high and low season to have a real feel of the place. January at Sumter Landing is a completely different animal than Spanish Springs in July. Please spend time in as many "sections" as possible. They do do all have a different vibe. We are both under 50 and have lived in TV for two years. We rented the first year to get a better idea of where we wanted to buy. It also allowed us to happen upon and unbelieveable deal! Please be patient

We rented for a couple of months at a time for three years, checked it out, found and made good friends here during the process and ended up buying a great place that was suitable to where we wanted to be. It does pay to be patient and our Villages sales person was great....no pressure...patient....and was extremely helpful as we closed on our Villages home when we back up north. It's the place to be.

The waterfront inn is $1230 for the week without any of the perks, golf cart etc. We have not looked at any private weekly rentals in The Village yet, will look now. If anyone knows of any private rentals for non smokers for 1/18-1/25, please let us know. Any modest accommodations will do :)

One alternative is to stay with friends in Tampa, but that seems to be over an hour drive.

Will also check some time shares on the RCI and Interval sites, maybe will get lucky. Worst case we will just spend a couple days at Waterfront. As suggested we will definitely visit several times, both on and off season.

The responses from TOTV has been terrific! Really lovely people here.

Check out this website The Villages 4 Rent, Rentals in The Villages

LLW - there are other accommodations in the villages besides the waterfront inn. near spanish springs town square you will find the mariott town suites - about $125/day and offers continental breakfast, kitchen facilities, golf cart accessibility and a convenient walk into the town square. then there is the holiday in express for about $110/day and offering a full breakfast buffet daily, golf cart accessibility and a convenient walk where you can see a recreation center. and last there is the comfort inn for about $120/day - offerind a full breakfast buffet daily and newspaper.

those accommodations are located on hgwy 441/27 or near the original town square, lots of shopping and the originally developed and expanded areas of the villages. the neighborhoods there generally have larger lot sizes and more mature landscaping. the very original historic neighborhoods are populated by many manufactured homes and some newer site built houses. the expanded neighborhoods also enjoy the larger lots and mature landscaping but are populated by more site built homes. the area also houses some great townhomes and the most lovely private village of hickory hill hammock!

the villages trolley tour that leaves from lake sumter sales center will make sure y ou see the newer areas under development - but it falls short of showing the already established neighborhoods. you will likely nee both a villages sales rep and an mls real estate salesperson to view the latter homes for sale as neither sells the other's properties.

hope you find a place to stay for your trip!