Ocala Retirement communities (Plantation, The Villages: appointed, lease, HOA fees)

[jrurrutia]

Need comments/opinions regarding retirement communities in Ocala, such as
The Villages, On Top of the World, The Plantation, or any other in the area.
We are trying to research them and find it very confusing.

[njgranny]

We just visited the Villages yesterday and are seriously considering moving there. We also visited with some friends who have lived there for five years. It is an amazing complex - so big. The have roads so that you can use golf carts to get everywhere - even have tunnels under the larger roads.

They currently have two town centers and are building a third. These are the most adorable places with everything you can think of. There are many other areas with stores around the different Villages. There are a total of 41 swimming pools - some just for adults - some for families for when you have visitors. In the summer, they even have activities for visiting grandkids. There are over 1000 clubs, etc. that you can belong to, golfing all kinds of recreational buildings, medical facilities, doctors - they've thought of everything. It's clean and attractive and feels like a Disney for adults without the rides.

Someone on here commented that it's congested, but I didn't feel that way riding around the area.

You're allowed to have pets. They are currently charging $130 per month as an activity fee and that even covers the golfing if you walk the course.

After looking at this complex, we didn't feel it was necessary to look anywhere else. If we do this, it will be the Villages where we buy. I would suggest a visit because until you see it, it's really hard to visualize.

[Charleysmom]

Stone Creek is a brand new community off of Rt 200 SW of Ocala. Definitely has the best amenities in this area and the golf course will open next month. Lots of young retirees moving in! When the community is 90% built out, Del Webb will turn it over to the residents. No bond to pay! Hard to find that kind of deal here!

On Top of the World has a town center being built and already has a Cultural Center (concerts, etc) and a Resource Center (continuing ed classes) - and all of this is right next to Stone Creek. Stone Creek residents can use these centers at the same discount as On Top of the World residents. The town center will be open to everyone.

Plenty of shopping, residents, doctors, hospitals - definitely a developing area!

Let me know if you are interested in renting or buying - we had a house built there but we're not able to sell our current house in Ocala. So our plans are put on hold for a few years........

Happy to answer any questions you have about Stone Creek!

[dawnrupe]

We have over 26 retirement communities in Ocala. I am a full time Realtor who specializes in Ocala retirement communities. I recommend you work with a Realtor so you can get the pro's and con's of all the communities and find the best one that meets your needs. All of our communities are flooded with inventory and many of our re-sales are like brand new homes and some never lived in. Right now I would be looking at re-sales over new builds because there are some very good deals out there.

Dawn Rupersburg

[bgmiami]

I agree about Stone Creek. We bought a place there 2 years ago. Amenities are first rate and the development is beautiful. Population is on the younger side compared with On Top of the World. CHeck it out, you won't be disappointed!

[jjinfla]

Hi, I lived in Del Webb G&CC for ten years and then we moved to SummerGlen. Both are great. The Villages is very popular but you have to contend with all the traffic. Stone Creek is being built by the same developer who finished Del Webb. Stone Creek and SummerGlen both offer new homes. Summerglen will make any modifications you want. When looking at retirement communities check out bonds, HOA fees, who cuts the grass. Jake

[Lefty one]

Originally Posted by dawnrupe

We have over 26 retirement communities in Ocala. I am a full time Realtor who specializes in Ocala retirement communities. I recommend you work with a Realtor so you can get the pro's and con's of all the communities and find the best one that meets your needs. All of our communities are flooded with inventory and many of our re-sales are like brand new homes and some never lived in. Right now I would be looking at re-sales over new builds because there are some very good deals out there.

Dawn Rupersburg

We are planning to retire to fl as soon as we sell our home which just went on the market. We visited Ocala this past summer, but did not have enough time to vist all possible communities-visited OTOTW and drove thru Summerglen. Just saw a good deal of resales inOak Run. Why so many? What do HOA fees cover as they appear to vary as do taxes. We would like to work with someone who knows the ins and outs of these communities. Any help? We would like about 1650 sq ft with or 2 or 3 bedrooms or 2 bedrooms + den with a car. Where do we begin?

[jjinfla]

The Villages made Fox News. Go to foxnews.com and type "Villages" in the search box. Interesting.

[JohnN]

well, we visited Stone Creek and OTOW and then bought in The Villages.
SC and OTOW are really nice communities, but the amenities of The Villages are what sold us. Live entertainment EVERY night, lots of free/cheap activities, you can shop/restuarant/bank/medical via a golf cart and there are over 1,000 clubs, something for everyone. It's unique.

Visit all and make your choice.

[teleazer]

If you're shopping for the retirement community that is right for you, I'd suggest you make sure you consider quality as well as quantity. The larger communities such as The Villages and On Top Of The World have large numbers of different clubs and activities and elaborate facilities, but don't forget that you are going to be sharing these with THOUSANDS of other people. What looks like a fabulous and spacious fitness center may not be quite so inviting when there are hundreds of people trying to use it at the same time.

SummerGlen is a great alternative to these larger complexes. The community's amenities are first rate... a beautiful heated beach entry pool, elegant Residents' Club, health club quality fitness center, even a full-service restaurant and bar, not to mention probably one of the most playable golf courses in central Florida. But even when it's fully built, SummerGlen will have only a little over 1,000 homes, a tiny fraction of the Villages population.

Here are a couple of other things to consider. SummerGlen is happy to personalize your home for you. They can adjust any one of their standard floorplans to meet your particular needs and are happy to do it. Most builders won't let you modify their plans. Also, SummerGlen's facilities are all resident owned. There are no CDD fees and the developer will not be keeping any of the facilities to earn extra income through leasebacks to the Homeowners Association.

Also, SummerGlen has absolutely no developer closing costs. Watch this carefully with other retirement communities. You'll be surprised what shows up on your closing statement as "charges" to the purchaser. Your bank may assess some closing costs if you get a mortgage, but you'll never see a charge from the developer on your closing statement at SummerGlen.

There are a lot of things to consider. I'd suggest you check out the article "Why Choose SummerGlen" on the SummerGlen website at www.SummerGlen.com. Watch the online video also... it really tells you what residents think about their community.