[HawkeyeBarb]

When our oldest daughter and husband moved to Orlando in 2002, I was ready to HATE FL for taking her away! ) However, their move gave me lots of opportunities for visits and as they got to know the area...lots of fun and interesting trips exploring the central part of the state. Hubby, Boilermaker Dave, and I visited a number of 55+ retirement communities during the 5 years our kids lived there using their home as "base". It was a great educational experience for us and one that we wouldn't have been able to have if kids hadn't been there already.
We have looked at Solivita, Kings Ridge (Clermont), both Del Webb's Spruce and Stone Creek, The Plantation at Leesburg, Oak Run, OTOW, Summer Glen, Ocala Palms, Stone Crest, a Pringle communtiy that I can't remember the name of, Pennbrook Fairway, Rainbow Springs and then we did a Lifestyle visit in TV last May as a celebratory trip for my retirement from Purdue. We had visited TV a few times previously with our daughter and I really liked it...but Boiler Dave was leary. The Lifesyle preview visit was what put TV on the top of his list and that is now where we will move to when we retire, hopefully, within a couple of years or sooner depending on the economy. To be honest, I had some doubts and thought all along we would end up in Spruce Creek...but after we had lunch at Katie Belle's on the day we left TV and then drove immediately over to Spruce Creek...the difference between the 2 communities jumped in our faces!!! It was quiet as a tomb over there and NO ONE was out and about except one guy shooting free throws at a basketball half court! We stopped and talked to him and he said most of the time he is by himself at the court. The contrast between the 2 communities was obvious. That cemented TV for us!
I know that everyone is different and that is what makes the world go round...but with the friendliness of the people we met, the variety of activities, the beautiful surroundings and the "feeling" we got during our stay...it made our choice easy! I would highly recommend the Lifestyle preview to anyone who is considering their options.
JMHO! (Always wanted to write that!!!!)

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Hi there Ladydoc.

We didn't look at any other places because I (me the mama, as in if mama ain't happy...) don't like Florida.

I don't like the pretty house here with the next one with cars up on blocks. I don't like the touristy, kinda used looking places that have been visited so many times that they look kinda worn out. I don't like that it goes from trash to treasure and sometimes all in the same block.

I don't like the brilliant PINK house next to a vibrant ORANGE house. I don't like the architecture except in those big ole houses in West Palm that I certainly can't afford....unless I sell one of my grandchildren.

I don't like hurricanes and palmetto bugs and young beautiful girls in thong bikinis plopping down next to me in a beach chair.

I HATE Florida, but I dearly, completely, satisfyingly, totally, love THE VILLAGES.

I do sound like they pay me, don't I?

[marybb]

My husband told me about a place in Fl called the villages,said he heard wonderful things about it and we should check it out. I never had any desire to move to Fl, don't know why just didn't. Well let me tell you, as soon as we arrived, I fell in love with the place. Love the people, neighborhoods, love how everyone takes care of their homes and yards. I don't have to look out my window and see someones untidy lawn etc. I can't think of myself living anywhere else ever. I can't wait until laryb and I move down full time in may.

[graciegirl]

I love your avatar Marybb

Laryb is such a nice person.

Welcome to the forum, Mary!!

[marybb]

Graciegirl, Thank you very much,it's taken me awhile to post, Lary kept telling me to join in, he also speaks very highly of you pooh and PHylis. I hope we can all get together over drinks I know we would have a good time. Thank you for welcoming me to the forum.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by marybb

Graciegirl, Thank you very much,it's taken me awhile to post, Lary kept telling me to join in, he also speaks very highly of you pooh and PHylis. I hope we can all get together over drinks I know we would have a good time. Thank you for welcoming me to the forum.

Marybb,
I can't wait to meet you! I'm excited for you that y'all are moving down full-time in May. We'll just all have to get together and have a great time!

Welcome and hugs!

[eyegirl]

Originally Posted by BobKat1

I hope this isn't too far off topic, but has anyone visited a Robson community in AZ (Phoenix or Tucson)? We have friends, who've never been to TV, who were impressed with Pebble Creek in Phoenix. We plan to visit Saddlebrook in Tucson in a couple of weeks while out there.

They don't have near the amenitites of TV, but the setting and homes look good. At least in the brochures.

I have been to both Pebble Creek and Saddlebrook in Az! ( I live in Sun City Grand, a Del Webb community in Surprise, Az). All of the communities you mentioned are smaller than TV but large enough to have wonderful amenities. There are less golf courses although they are terrific and ALWAYS in great shape. (and we overseed the whole course in the winter)!
We find the cost of living significantly less in Az, less bugs, less humid.

Feel free to private message me if any questions.

[Ohiogirl]

Originally Posted by eyegirl

I have been to both Pebble Creek and Saddlebrook in Az! ( I live in Sun City Grand, a Del Webb community in Surprise, Az). All of the communities you mentioned are smaller than TV but large enough to have wonderful amenities. There are less golf courses although they are terrific and ALWAYS in great shape. (and we overseed the whole course in the winter)!
We find the cost of living significantly less in Az, less bugs, less humid.

Feel free to private message me if any questions.

to make it clear - do you mean cost of living less than TV or less than wherever you retired from?

For us, since we have adult children and so far, 2 grandchildren who are in Ohio, NC and Orlando, Florida was pretty much the only place we considered - too expensive for them to fly in and out to Arizona and too far to consider driving. Also easier for use to drive back and forth, fly back and forth, etc.

If we had chosen Arizona wouldn't see our kids nearly as often. I also can't deal with the climate (gardening is my passion here), can't see myself doing the desert thing.

[scrapple]

Originally Posted by ladydoc

Did any of you look at On Top of the World in Ocala? Do you have any opinions, good or bad about that place or any other retirement community near TV? We would appreciate any feedback that you could share. Thanks so much!!

We did a "lifestyle visit" at OTOTW prior to a lifestyle visit here at TV. It was completely "night and day". We arrived at 6pm on a Friday at OTOTW and everything was closed. The security guard gave us a bag to get into our place, we had to wait until the next day when we met with a rep to get the keys to the golf cart, the layout of the land and a tour. It felt like a waste of time. You can get more home and space around you for the buck and people were friendly but it lacked activity. Doing the TV lifestyle visit was a very positive change from accommodations in OTOTW. We also looked at the other local places (Spruce Creek and another whose name escapes me at the moment). TV has everything to offer that we would want. We went back to CO, thought about it, oh, for a few seconds, then sold the home, packed it all up and moved becoming FT residences in Oct. And seem to be living happily ever after!

[Sally Jo]

We have friends in Sun City Grand and Saddlebrook. We have also been to Pebble Creek. All are very nice, but our families are all in Indiana. Arizona is too far away. Also, we don't like the dry heat. We looked at many places in this area, too. Again all were nice, but none come even close to The Villages. The Villages won, hands down.

[rubicon]

We visited a number of places. Saint James Plantation in Southport, NC around 2000. It has tree lots, golf lots and lots where a canal takes you out to the Gulf. It was absolutely beautiful with one exception. At that time the look of route 17 was not appealing and we also learned that flooding is a problem along this route. We visited TN, MS AL and also found some attractive places. But the area that I fell in love the most was Charleston SC which doesn't explain why I moved here. Like a number of people have posted here my wife would have never have moved to Florida because she does not like the way some of the areas developed. However TV is large enough to escape that "bad area" experience. And with Wildwood under development that too shall be a thing of the past. So for that reason and the fact that I had family living here made our decision. Candidly I still wish we had given Charleston more consideration because I just love the "colonial look" of that area of the country

[marybb]

Originally Posted by Pturner

Marybb,
I can't wait to meet you! I'm excited for you that y'all are moving down full-time in May. We'll just all have to get together and have a great time!

Welcome and hugs!

. It's a date!

[Jeannie]

Originally Posted by MSNPA

We looked at The Legacy and Lakes of Mount Dora. The homes were beautiful, but living there you would be out in the middle of no where. The Villages has so much to offer and being golf cart community was major factor in our decision.

But......what did you think of the amenities? How far is shopping from The Legacy? Which showed better Mt. Dora or the Legacy? Which had bette amenties? How big were the communities? How many homes in each? We are coming down in June and were going to visit The Legacy, Mt. Dora and Stone Creek and Spruce Crees Golf & COuntry Club? Do you know anything about these communities? Thanks, Jeannie

[BobKat1]

Originally Posted by eyegirl

I have been to both Pebble Creek and Saddlebrook in Az! ( I live in Sun City Grand, a Del Webb community in Surprise, Az). All of the communities you mentioned are smaller than TV but large enough to have wonderful amenities. There are less golf courses although they are terrific and ALWAYS in great shape. (and we overseed the whole course in the winter)!
We find the cost of living significantly less in Az, less bugs, less humid.

Feel free to private message me if any questions.

We visited Sun City Grand a few years ago when they were still building homes, and thought it was a very nice community. We enjoyed our stay. We were also impressed with our recent visit to Saddlebrook in Tucson.

[laryb]

Originally Posted by Jeannie

But......what did you think of the amenities? How far is shopping from The Legacy? Which showed better Mt. Dora or the Legacy? Which had bette amenties? How big were the communities? How many homes in each? We are coming down in June and were going to visit The Legacy, Mt. Dora and Stone Creek and Spruce Crees Golf & COuntry Club? Do you know anything about these communities? Thanks, Jeannie

Originally Posted by MSNPA

We looked at The Legacy and Lakes of Mount Dora. The homes were beautiful, but living there you would be out in the middle of no where. The Villages has so much to offer and being golf cart community was major factor in our decision.

I have to agree with MSNPA about The Lakes of Mount Dora. We found it to be quite away off what I think is Rt 441. We found the homes looked to be well built and very nice looking. At the time we were there, we didn't see anybody around. The main building was impressive, but that was it. I like some privacy, but not to the extent of not seeing anybody. I don't want to knock it because it does look like a very nice community, but it isn't anything like TV.