[SeaLark7]

Kiggy, good point, but I have a hard time believing that AIDS would be as prevalent at the Villages as other STDs would be. I do hope the original poster clarifies the statement.

[Tonyafd]

Originally Posted by PriusH8r

I am in my 50's and retired.

All I am saying is why not let people decide for themselves, just like someone's right to choose The Villages and enjoy it or not.

Someone made the point that we should stick to discussing the Villages so I will make this point and stop. Social Security was a good idea the way they originally designed it. Changing it would destroy it.

[OpinionInOcala]

Originally Posted by SeaLark7

Kiggy, good point, but I have a hard time believing that AIDS would be as prevalent at the Villages as other STDs would be.

I've not heard anything from my physician clientele about an AIDS epidemic, but syphilis, chlamydia, and herpes are quite prevalent. Beneath the facade of conservative recreation and lifestyle exists a large booze, drug, and sexually deviant sub-community that even has a black market for Viagra and penile injection meds, among other things.

As one of my aunt's used to say: "The Villages is TEA Party by day, Woodstock by night."

[Tonyafd]

Originally Posted by SeaLark7

I think the original poster was actually referring to STDs instead of AIDS, if you look at the rest of their posting - it solely deals with STDs. Just a matter of getting the acronyms confused. Hopefully he (or she) will post again to confirm this.

Another thing I find weird about the Villages: if you are retired, why would you want to hear news blaring from public speakers on the square ? With most of today's headlines hardly being pleasant, I would not want my every venture there filled with listening to the news (and especially the Fox version thereof).

The developer is like the Koch brothers. Billionaires know that when the public gets desperate they are the deep pockets that we will be dipping our hands into.

[Tonyafd]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Could we please keep this thread on topic - to The Villages.

FWIW - although I could never live in The Villages - I will note that most of north Florida tends to be *VERY* red - whether you're in The Villages or elsewhere here in this part of the world. If you're looking for blue stuff - this isn't the best place to find it. Robyn

Bottom line. The Villages is a beautiful place. Four years ago you could buy a bare bones 3 br house for $225,000. Now you are looking at 3 to 400 K. You will pay extra for things like floor and ceiling molding. They were very cagey when we were there. Nothing was laid out in writing. We went to the local bank in Spanish Springs to ask about foreclosures. They acted like we just asked what planet is this.

Are you a golfer? You're in heaven.
Bicyclist? There are 100 miles of golf cart trails that are perfect for a bike.
Shopping? There's a Walmart nearby. Costco might be in Ocala. Outlets are in Orlando.

Expect to pay 350 K for a decent designer home. Sales people show you models. What you really want had better be in writing.

My urologist confirmed the STD rumor.

Politics? Real men don't go to Tea Parties.

[StreetSmarts]

Grouchy retirees and highest STD rate among ppl over the age of 55 in the entire US. Why would anyone WANT to live there? LOL.

[l2ridehd]

Obviously The Villages is not for everyone. Just as every other place in the entire world is not for everyone. NYC people love NYC, but there are many who hate it. Same with every other place in the US. The Villages is a retirement haven. And many more love it than hate it.

I researched over 120 retirement communities all over the US. From my research I narrowed it done to about 35 and sent and got literature from those. From that information I narrowed it down to 11 that I wanted to visit. The Villages was number 7 on that list. I never went to number 8.

For us this place had everything we wanted. Lots of golf for me and lots of everything else for my wife. They have a club for everything. Doesn't matter your interest, there is a club for it. Book, investing, painting, motorcycles, sailing, and the list goes on. Go to a web site virginiatrace.com and you can see the list of clubs. It is close to 50 pages long.

There is also a college of Life Long Learning and the course catalog is an inch thick each semester. And courses cost almost nothing. $5 and $10 for most.

Someone was saying the cost to live there is high. I actually find it cheap. Because so many things you pay for elsewhere are free in The Villages. Golf is very cheap, entertainment is free, dining is cheap, and car ownership is not required. You can get to everything in a golf cart. Over 100 restaurants, multiple movie theaters. groceries stores and big box stores. All doctors and the hospital are golf cart accessible. As are places like Lowe's, Walmart and Target. Heck most even have areas for golf cart parking. I know several people who don't even own a car. They just rent one the few times a year they want one. There are Enterprise and Hertz with golf cart access. So I find living there very low cost.

Again the place is not for everyone, but go there, check it out, see for yourself.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

Obviously The Villages is not for everyone. Just as every other place in the entire world is not for everyone. NYC people love NYC, but there are many who hate it. Same with every other place in the US. The Villages is a retirement haven. And many more love it than hate it.

I researched over 120 retirement communities all over the US. From my research I narrowed it done to about 35 and sent and got literature from those. From that information I narrowed it down to 11 that I wanted to visit. The Villages was number 7 on that list. I never went to number 8.

For us this place had everything we wanted. Lots of golf for me and lots of everything else for my wife. They have a club for everything. Doesn't matter your interest, there is a club for it. Book, investing, painting, motorcycles, sailing, and the list goes on. Go to a web site virginiatrace.com and you can see the list of clubs. It is close to 50 pages long.

There is also a college of Life Long Learning and the course catalog is an inch thick each semester. And courses cost almost nothing. $5 and $10 for most.

Someone was saying the cost to live there is high. I actually find it cheap. Because so many things you pay for elsewhere are free in The Villages. Golf is very cheap, entertainment is free, dining is cheap, and car ownership is not required. You can get to everything in a golf cart. Over 100 restaurants, multiple movie theaters. groceries stores and big box stores. All doctors and the hospital are golf cart accessible. As are places like Lowe's, Walmart and Target. Heck most even have areas for golf cart parking. I know several people who don't even own a car. They just rent one the few times a year they want one. There are Enterprise and Hertz with golf cart access. So I find living there very low cost.

Again the place is not for everyone, but go there, check it out, see for yourself.

Where are the 100 restaurants? On our tour, we noted that the same several restaurants would get old after a while. We must have missed where most of them are.

[tinytrump]

Lol

[keithwand]

There are numerous restaurants on 466 and 441/27 as well at the 3 town squares the golf clubs.
The Villages goes from 466A to 42 at the north.
100 restaurants is an understatement.
Were we spoiled in Winter Park? Yes but I'll take living in TV anyday