[Junebugs]

I was telling my husband that I thought I had read a high percentage of people buy a home during their first visit to TV. Does anyone know the statistics?

[kfierle]

I'm not sure but I almost purchased on my first visit. I put the brakes on at the last minute because something didn't feel right. Keep in mind that I was only there a day and a half on my first visit. I did, however, purchase on my second visit when I was there a entire 3 days!! Before closing I kept asking myself if this was a good decision. I know now that it was one of the best decisions I have made. I am still working in New York State so I only get to use my place sporadically. I am actually going to be in TV the beginning of August and can't wait!!

[jblum8156]

I visited relatives in TV for 3 days in April. During that time I made up my mind that TV is where I wanted to live. I came back at the end of August, selected a house on the second day with the realtor, bought and closed in 2 weeks. Best decision I ever made.

[Kelsie52]

Originally Posted by Junebugs

I was telling my husband that I thought I had read a high percentage of people buy a home during their first visit to TV. Does anyone know the statistics?

Cant tell you how many buy on the first visit but I was told by our salesman that the 3rd visit is the most popular .....and thats what happened to us --we were not ready on the first because the timing was not right --- The second we looked more intently and by the third it was done----we bought in early June --hoping to be there by Oct....

Good luck

[Skip2MySue]

Originally Posted by Junebugs

I was telling my husband that I thought I had read a high percentage of people buy a home during their first visit to TV. Does anyone know the statistics?

As far as we go it's 100% because we came down for 4 days in April and it was a done deal. Closing on new build in Pennecamp July 7th
Skip & Sue

[villages07]

We did the Gilligan's 3-hour tour in Feb 06, decided to come back and rent the month of July to test the summer weather and then signed a contract to buy a new house by July 7th. So, technically, it was the 2nd visit.

[rblammon]

Wow . My wife and I are planning are first vist in October. We Are staying a whole month in a 3 bedroom with pool in Palo Alto. Sounds like we are hooked before we even come down.

[Russ_Boston]

Hooked after the 1st visit but didn't commit until my 4th trip (last month).

I did one LSV and 3 private rentals.

[pooh]

Visited one day in October 2005, looked at the community with Villages salesperson. Drove back to Sarasota to continue visit with our son and his family. Drove back up about a week later and told our agent to start looking for a new house with certain specs. He found it for us about 4 months later. We were on the west coast and our deal was transacted at 6:30 in the AM... Closed in April and moved to Florida in Oct 2006

[logdog]

We decided to buy after our first visit but wanted to sell our other home first. If the housing market had been better, we might have chanced it. Glad we didn't because it took 15 months to sell. Once we sold, we got a rental in TV and bought our house within 3 days. Golf cart took another 2 days.

[Soon2B]

Originally Posted by Junebugs

I was telling my husband that I thought I had read a high percentage of people buy a home during their first visit to TV.

Where do you think you read that....seems unlikely to me. When I posted recently that we signed for a place someone responded assuming that we had visited only once. By the time I got back to the thread people had gone off onto a tangent into neverland. So, didn't bother to inject reality into their flights of fancy.

We first heard about TV eight years ago from friends, and over time others who moved there gave their praises. Two years ago we rented there for a few days -- had to sell a house before doing anything. Last month we came back for a week and decided to buy.

My last title at IBM was Senior Business Analyst and, as my wife points out, the operative part was ANAL --- I do look at some details. I don't think I'm alone in that respect.

[CaptainMorgan]

We had 3 Lifestyle visits and many more private visits over the last 6 years. We just closed in March and look forward to spending some time in our dream home a few days at a time until we retire.

I was "sold" on TV on my first visit, but my wife was not. To be fair we have had other "life issues" that took priority. We have both grown comfortable with our decision.

Retirement is still 2 or 3 years away but we decided to take advantage of the current real estate market, ultra low interest rates and tax credit.

It is a big decision for most people. I don't regret waiting, but don't have any doubt that it was the right decision for us.

Ed

[salpal]

We had a six day Life Style visit. By the third day, we were ready to buy. We looked at several homes, came home and bought two days after arriving home. We just moved here now full time after renting the place out last winter. We have been living here for 11 days and are already in love and know we made the best decision ever.

[LittleDog]

We were visiting friends here without any thought of buying. However after seeing TV we decided to buy right away. This was in 2005 (a good year to sell your house). We had only two requirements (by wife). We wanted to be near water and we wanted a closed kitchen. We were shown a house 2 houses from a retention basin. The price was right so we bought. We knew very little about how TV was laid out but as luck would have it our house is about 2 minutes from Cane Garden and we're surrounded by golf courses within easy distance. We had been in our home in NJ for 30 years and hadn't considered moving.

What was interesting was that when we got down here we realized that we were in a rut back home and being here was an invigorating experience (and still is)

John

[Pturner]

We did not buy on our first visit, but we knew. Funny thing is, we didn't expect to love it. We had seen the commercials and thought they were hokey. But hubby had a friend who moved here and loved it. Then he started meeting other people via his work who had moved here and loved it. A few years ago, he had a conference in Orlando and we decided to drive up from the confererence to TV for a visit. Just a couple of days, but that's all it took. Oh yes, we knew!

We were going to wait 'til he retired, then move to TV full time. However, after the housing market crashed, we decided to go ahead and buy if we found a great deal. We did. We rent it out during snowbird season and get there as often as we can the rest of the year.