[DKCM33]

Looking To Relocate To Somewhat Warmer Climate And Leave Illinois In 3.5 Years Having Spent Our Entire Lives Here.......we Will Be Visiting The Villages Florida For A Week In July. All The Ads On The Golf Channels, Peaked Our Interest In A 55+ Community.....that Had Lots Of Entertainment, Busy Community And Golf Car Oriented. Happened Across This Forum And Have Been Reading The Knowledge And Advise Of Floridians. Extremely Impressed With All The Good Advise And Information....but, Extremely Depressed To Hear All That's Going On With Insurances, Taxes, Etc. We Got Married 33 Years Ago And Lived In Jax While My Husband Was In The Navy......and Have Family And Friends In Ft Myers Area. We Thought Jax Area Or Orlando Area Would Be Better For Us...so The Villages Was In The Middle And Looks Fun, Entertaining And Festive.
My Father Is Looking At The Foley, Alabama Area. Does Anyone Know Of A Better Retirement Area (55+) In The Southern States, With Housing Around $150k Or Under Preferably??? Lower Home Insurance Rates, Lower Taxes, Etc? Carolinas?? Georgia?? Thanks!! Appreciate Any Input!!

[kort677]

Originally Posted by DKCM33

Looking To Relocate To Somewhat Warmer Climate And Leave Illinois In 3.5 Years Having Spent Our Entire Lives Here.......we Will Be Visiting The Villages Florida For A Week In July. All The Ads On The Golf Channels, Peaked Our Interest In A 55+ Community.....that Had Lots Of Entertainment, Busy Community And Golf Car Oriented. Happened Across This Forum And Have Been Reading The Knowledge And Advise Of Floridians. Extremely Impressed With All The Good Advise And Information....but, Extremely Depressed To Hear All That's Going On With Insurances, Taxes, Etc. We Got Married 33 Years Ago And Lived In Jax While My Husband Was In The Navy......and Have Family And Friends In Ft Myers Area. We Thought Jax Area Or Orlando Area Would Be Better For Us...so The Villages Was In The Middle And Looks Fun, Entertaining And Festive.
My Father Is Looking At The Foley, Alabama Area. Does Anyone Know Of A Better Retirement Area (55+) In The Southern States, With Housing Around $150k Or Under Preferably??? Lower Home Insurance Rates, Lower Taxes, Etc? Carolinas?? Georgia?? Thanks!! Appreciate Any Input!!

I've never been there, but I have distant relatives who live there and love the place. It's not for everyone but you should visit and see if if it's for you.
One thing to note, it has the highest level of STDs in the state, the old fogeys must be having some kind of party there!

[DKCM33]

Omg!! What A Stat!! Nn For Us To Worry About That.
Thanks For Your Reply!

[FL_TN_Nana]

There is a lot of information on here in reference to The Villages -- a HUGE 55+ development. It's a neat place with everything nearby. Drive your golfcart to the dr. or grocery! Here's a website:
Welcome to The Villages - The Retirement Lifestyle You've Been Dreaming About (broken link)

I wouldn't expect you could buy a traditional home for $150k, but check it out anyway.

Also, click on Search this Forum and insert The Villages. Lots of discussions on it.

[kort677]

Originally Posted by FL_TN_Nana

There is a lot of information on here in reference to The Villages -- a HUGE 55+ development. It's a neat place with everything nearby. Drive your golfcart to the dr. or grocery! Here's a website:
Welcome to The Villages - The Retirement Lifestyle You've Been Dreaming About (broken link)

I wouldn't expect you could buy a traditional home for $150k, but check it out anyway.

Also, click on Search this Forum and insert The Villages. Lots of discussions on it.

one thing about the villages is that they seem to have homes at EVERY price level, so you should be able to find something even at that level, it won't be a 4k sq ft mansion but it would be livable

[Obrero]

Didn't part of it get torn up by a tornado not too long ago?

[Dro420]

Isn't that a retirement community?

[kort677]

Originally Posted by UKOK

Didn't part of it get torn up by a tornado not too long ago?

yes, but that is something that could happen anywhere, this time it was their time to get hit

[Songbird42]

Yes, there was a tornado up there a few months ago, have a friend that lives there and she being from the Bronx and Va. loves it up there. She says there are plenty of clubs to join, club gatherings and the developement is actually in two counties, Sumter and Marion, so it must be a very large community.

Right now the biggest concerns for everyone in Fl. is property tax and the home owners insurance. Companies are dropping policies like flys. Just read where there are five new insurance companies going to do business in Fl.
and that Homeowners Choice is accepting 15,000-20,000 policies from Citizens.
There's also news about a larger homestead exemption because the newer
buyers are getting slammed with higher taxes. Rumors also abound that they may put in a higher sales tax @ 9.5 percent. But that is only a rumor.

Good Luck on your search

[newteacher]

I am moving to Marion County to teach Elementary school ( just grad. from college in NJ). I heard that there is a very good school in this development. Does anyone know anything about it, or what the pay and benifits are like in relation to the public schools of Marion County?