Veni vidi vici. We came, we saw, we bought. It may not be the right house exactly but we have big dogs and the thought of trying to find someone who was thrilled to rent to people with more than one huge dog wasn't going to be easy. We wanted to know that our home was ours and that we could do what we wanted to with it. That the furniture we brought to fit it was going to fit and that things were decided when we moved down. We wanted done to be done. We didn't have the luxury of moving more than once and making our family of canines and us settle in again and again. We figure it'll work out. We have faith. So far we haven't moved in yet but if we have to move after we do move in then we will. I'm not really worried about it though. I like the house we bought and feel great about it. Can't wait to move into it and meet our neighbors.

lovsthosebigdogs, What village did you end up buying in? And did you buy a courtyard villa? (I understand many dog owners like CYVs).

We've been to TV twice looking at homes...you do just have to go for it at some point! Good Luck with your decisions! Thanks for the pep talk!

Feeling like we're leaning the same way even though we don't have big dogs! Looks like you'll be moving in soon..let us know how the dogs like it! Good Luck!

We are getting closer to narrowing down our choices but problem is timing and available rentals in the neighborhoods we're looking at.

Yes, we bought in Tamarind Grove and we bought a CYV. For us that was not only an easy decision, but it was the only decision since we have sighthounds and they do not respect an invisible fence.

Hello from Michigan.
We came in Jan 2012 for a visit; bought a lot; built and just celebrated our 1st anniversary in TV.
Like Nike says Just do it.

keithwand, Congrats to you on your first anniversary in TV!

I can tell you the first move is always the hardset, each additional move gets some what easier. My wife and I have moved 14 times now. Each move we clean out stuff, and each move we seem to have more stuff. We made a rule if we have not unpacked the box from one move to another then we most likely don't need it. We also believe that a house does not make a home, what makes our home is our hearts and our relationship.

Good luck with all your decisions. They are not easy ones, and we did find the thoughts from the TOTV people very helpful, especially the contradictory ones because they made us think! We waited until we sold our house in VA before committing to one here. We had visited many times and did not feel the need to rent. We had been tracking a long list of homes for sale, so when the time came, we sent a list of about a dozen to our agent and we hit the road running when we came down to buy. We knew some of the activities that we wanted to participate in and we knew where those activities met. Based on that, we drew a circle on the map that would put us closest to all of them, or at least central to most, and that became our target area. We were not concerned about being in a new neighborhood because we have found in the past that our friends tend to be those who we do things with, not just the people we live near. We also thought a preowned home would suit us well because some of the work we might want to do would already be done. As it turned out, we bought a style that was different than what we originally thought we would get because this particular house just had a really good "fit" for us. We thought we wanted a designer and ended up with a cottage "At Ease". So, I guess that's a long-winded way of saying that when you do look, be open to a lot of different things out there. The right one is there, but it may not be what you think initially! Again, good luck and welcome to TV soon!

Thank you! You're right that everyone sharing their experiences/opinions is making us think about things we wouldn't have and it's really helpful and appreciated! We have completed our priority list of things we both feel are "must haves" but have also decided not to limit ourselves too much and to keep an open mind about new build vs pre-owned until we arrive and actually shop for homes.

Pros & Cons of This Approach?
 

We're considering purchasing a lot before we come to visit in October. We would have the guidance from our sales agent about the size & allowance for stretches for the home model we like, and a personal friend that lives in TV to actually view the lot for us. What would be the pros and cons of this approach? Has anyone done it this way?