[logybogy]

I am trying to help my mom move to Florida. We are looking for retirement communities for her in Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties around the villages but it doesn't necessarily have to be "in" the villages.

The main issue for her is access to public transportation so she can be mobile. My mom does not drive and will have to rely on public transportation to do basic day to day things like going shopping or to restaurants or doctor's appointments.

It has to be a safe place with nice friendly people!

She can't afford anything over $150,000 or so. In a pinch I suppose she could go a bit higher perhaps to $175,000. A 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom small house or condo would be fine for her. Anything from 600-1000 square feet.

No mobile homes or manufactured homes! I don't want my mom living in a death trap if a hurricane or tornado hits.

[info please]

try stonecrest about 3 miles up the road from the villages lots of shopping and a hospital and some good places to eat.

[OREGONRAIN]

I think its wonderful you are trying to help your mother, and I completely understand wanting the public transportation, I am a young retiree, but I have always had access to public transit. I made several trips to Florida looking for a retirement locale, I gave up on the thought, the lack of transit even in the large cities was just about non existant. I don't see how someone that is very elderly and still able to get around could deal with florida's lack of transit. You might find you will need to find a housing situation where she would have access to the elderly transportation thru the local bus companies, if they even have one, I know the larger cities had that I think, but I doubt smaller communities will.

[JohnN]

The Villages let you drive around in a golf cart to grocery, banks, etc. if she can do that. I'm not sure any neighborhood has public transit per se. Also, for
$150K, you can get a nice patio home, but it's siding/frame, not concrete block. I'm not aware of any CBS homes for $150,000. Stonecrest mentioned above may have some for high $100's. Good luck.

[tinkerbell2]

HI
Like the Villages we also get around the neighborhoods in our golf carts. We have a small shopping center that is easy to get to in a cart. In it is a hair salon, resturant, Winn Dixie, gift store, Porters nursery, nail salon. I'm sure I missed something. I love it, when I don't want to fight traffic, I just get in my cart and drive there. We also have a free bus that takes us out to the mall, Wal Mart, Publix, etc. We will soon have a large new shopping center! As far as getting to the doctors there are many people that drive for a small fee.
WHERE is this place you ask? It is On Top Of The World. Much smaller than the Villages and very friendly. If you think you would like to look over here, just send me a private message and I can point you to a realtor to help. You could get a small villa for as little as $100,000. Maintance free with a fee of about $335 or less a month. It doesn't hurt to check it out.
I have several post on here about this.

[A300]

tinkerbell2,I too am interested in top of the world. I am looking at the villages, and top of the world. Can you tell me why you chose top of the world?

[chrisp160]

ON TOP OF THE WORLD has a bus that takes you ocala and all the stores and malls everyday they have villas as low as $78000 they are building new stores on property owned by OTOW which you can drive to in a golf cart. They already have supermarkets ,Banks pizza stores nail hair stores post office all on OTOW property .You dont need a car here only for doctors. They have volunteers that check up on single people who really cant get around. Not a bad place if you are older and cant get around that much. VERY nice people that live here Good luck

[eks]

Originally Posted by logybogy

I am trying to help my mom move to Florida. We are looking for retirement communities for her in Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties around the villages but it doesn't necessarily have to be "in" the villages.

The main issue for her is access to public transportation so she can be mobile. My mom does not drive and will have to rely on public transportation to do basic day to day things like going shopping or to restaurants or doctor's appointments.

It has to be a safe place with nice friendly people!

She can't afford anything over $150,000 or so. In a pinch I suppose she could go a bit higher perhaps to $175,000. A 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom small house or condo would be fine for her. Anything from 600-1000 square feet.

No mobile homes or manufactured homes! I don't want my mom living in a death trap if a hurricane or tornado hits.

Hi if you are still interested in buying a home for your mother mayby we can help you we are selling our condo for that price ,it is a over 55 comunnity
has a pool and close to shops and public tranzit it is in Naples let me know if you are interested