[villager967]

Originally Posted by sbill1910

My wife and I plan to move/retire to a warmer climate soon. Have been
looking at numerous locations and are looking for communities in Florida,
Mississippi, or Alabama.

Finally, looking for info from current "The Villages" residents as to
whether or not this place is for real??/

Do the lifestyle program. You get a room for about $75 a night and all kinds of freebie meals, golf, etc. to see if you like it. I think you can stay 6 nights. We did. My first day I HATED it, too Stepford, too "It's a beautiful day at the Villages" to Disney but after a few days, I warmed up to it and now we live here. As we say - don't drink the water. Building has slowed here a lot but seems to be picking up again. And BTW, there are a lot of 'old' people here but then I don't know what old is. I'm 60 and semi-retired and most of my friends here are that age, we healthy, happy, busy and productive. I guess lucky, too.

Lots to do, or just hang at the pool, either way you'll be fine. Everything Pittsteelerfan and I said in previous posts is correct, so be aware. I am just holding my breath until Apr 1 when the snowbirds go home, and everything opens up again and we won't be so crowded. I wasn't prepared for for that at all! or for how gripey they are. Whereas we "Frogs" as in "Here 'til you croak" have the other eight months and can be more patient.

I'm happy to answer individual questions with the utmost in honesty.

[faithfulFrank]

Dear Villager,
As a Mod here, I appreciate your honest help. No place is perfect, but the fact is that The Villages is a one of a kind place. I enjoy having a home a few miles from it.

I'm also on the local forum there. Perhaps we've crossed paths. Can't wait to get back down there in May.

Frank D.

[lorriem]

I know how some feel we moved to a 55+ community in Brendwood ,CA and I wasn't ready for it I was 52 hubby was 55. Our neighbors were in their 70's and late 60's. we stuck it out for 4 years then we had to move for my sanity. BTW so many rules and our garage door always had to be closed.Loved the house though.

[pittsteelerfan]

Originally Posted by lorriem

I know how some feel we moved to a 55+ community in Brendwood ,CA and I wasn't ready for it I was 52 hubby was 55. Our neighbors were in their 70's and late 60's. we stuck it out for 4 years then we had to move for my sanity. BTW so many rules and our garage door always had to be closed.Loved the house though.

I think 55 is too young to move to a retirment community. A lot of people can't retire until they're atleast 62, maybe even 65. And it shows when visiting those places. There's a BIG difference between a 55 year old and a 65 year old. Not to mention that the man who's 55, his wife might only be in her early 50's or late 40's. That's just too young to be constantly around people in their 70's and 80's.

Seeing so little youth around just seems weird to me. If the Villages had been built around Orlanda, in my opinon, would've been much better. Obviously it'd been smaller. But atleast you have a lot more dining options, WAY nicer malls, and youth around. Of course you'd have the traffic to deal with. But it's not like you'd 'have' to leave the Village grounds on a daily basis. The Village's is just too isolated. And the size of it doesn't really make it any nicer, than if it was half the size it was now. Quality always beats quantity.

[lorriem]

In Brentwood we were right on the golf course and across from us their was another Gated community with younger people with children. I loved to hear the kids it was like a real neighborhood there.

[villager967]

There are always a lot of children here at the Villages. The Charter School here and the High School are supposed to be very good. I've been in the high school and it's really beautiful inside, carpeted and wallpapered hallways. Better than I ever had as a teen. Many villagers support the high school athletic teams. They have special programs during the summer for visiting grandkids. My 2 grandsons absolutely love it here. Over Easter break for about 3 weeks, there were kids everywhere just having a blast. Golfing, swimming and running around in golf carts. One of the posts here said that a bunch of old people running around in golf carts seems weird - well the younger visiters get a big charge of it. Not unusual to see teen agers and people in the 20's running around in carts while visiting grams and gramps.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by lorriem

I know how some feel we moved to a 55+ community in Brendwood ,CA and I wasn't ready for it I was 52 hubby was 55. Our neighbors were in their 70's and late 60's. we stuck it out for 4 years then we had to move for my sanity. BTW so many rules and our garage door always had to be closed.Loved the house though.

LOL I just moved out of my rental at an HOA who didn't enforce it's own rules. NOt why I moved though....

My neighbor across the street from my kitchen window spent all day long in his open door garage in his BOXERS, plain old Hanes white boxers

With his woodworking toys going half the day. He was one of several.

Another guy has his garage outfitted like a room with a sofa and tv and barbeque and spends all day out there with his door open too.

These homes are 385.000 houses not dumps with pricey HOA and a 18000 foot luxury clubhouse.

[runswithscissors]

I"m 55 and bought in a 55 HOA. There are several my age not the least reason is they inherit the place from the older parents and keep it. Yes there are older ones too but the really older people dont even go to the activities.

There are pool aerobics and gym aerobics and several of the residents I see here seem even younger looking than me.

we've had weddings of 55 year olds at our clubhouse too lol.

ITs an ok trade off for me to avoid other peoples kids. AND our pool isnt always filled with grandkids like the last HOA I moved from. Each is different I guess.

we also have two pools one big one small so you can escape stuff if necessary.

I was at the villages for the Palin rally and noticed what in my opinon were many people my age in the golf carts so they must live there, versus visitors. The entire Barnes and Noble shopping center was filled with golf carts.

the people were VERY FRIENDLY which is a complaint of mine down here they're just polite but not what I'd call friendly.

If I wasnt a water person I would have seriously looked there depending on the availability of good produce which is a problem for me here. I'm a veg and cant live without decent produce and not Publix. It did seem sorta remote which is not a bad thing IMO just the produce thing if I'd have to drive an hour for some broccoli LOL.