Advice re: well managed apartments in Ocala? Plz (Gainesville, Starke: for sale, apartment complex)

[MerryMike]

Greetings all, I am very impressed and happy to become a newbie to this forum. To me, all posts are helpful and gracious. Good folks here for sure. To my request for information: I hail from Anna Maria Island, FL for past 20 years. Now live in Starke, FL and kain't wait to git outa here to Ocala. I'm age 70, retired pilot, single (divorced) and just a little compromised in the breathing chores of life. I will be grateful for any thoughts, advice or opinions as to where I should start to look for an apartment where I can spend the next ten years or so in the Ocala area. I will need to travel to Gainesville two or more times a year for VA medical checkups. I'm finished manicuring lawns and other physical landscaping duties. Thank you for reading this too long plea for advice. Mike

[Hartwick]

In 2005, we lived in a corporate apartment in a new apartment complex called "Highlands at Heathbrook." It was located just off Route 200, and just behind a small shopping mall that contained a newPublix grocery store with a pharmacy as part of the store. The mall also had a seafood restaurant, a Subway, and some other stores; in the same vicinity were two banks. I believe that since we left to return to the Northeast, a new shopping mall with some stores such as Dick's Sporting Goods, Dillard's, and others have opened in what used to be a large field adjacent to the apartment complex.

Highlands at Heathbrook was relatively new in 2005 as we were the first to live in our apartment. The have a variety of apartment choices, from 1 to 3 bedrrom, ground or second floor(lots of steps to get up to this level). Quality of construction was typical apartment complex construction, meaning built to a cost. Parking is adjacent to your apartment, althoug private garages could be rented for $100/month. Each unit had own washer and dryer; each had a small lanai. The units were bright, sunny, very pleasant. A car wash area and pet wash station available at no cost.

Residents ranged from newly-weds, to professional people, to people waiting to have their new homes built, to retired folk.

Staff were friendly, accomodating. Work requests were completed timely.

Costs to live there can be found on their website.

Would I go back there to live. Yes, definitely. In fact, if they were for sale, I'd buy one...I guess that's a strong recommendation. One thing I'd definitely seek is an apartment with a view...our overlooked a vacant field, the shopping mall and a small portion of Routh 200. I felt sorry for those folks whose apartment view consisted of a close view of the adjacent apartment building!!

One last thing, we could sit at our dining room table or out on the lanai and watch planes in their final approach or take-off pattern. Lots of private aircraft and many private jets. The U.S. Coast Guard also used the airport for practice landings/take-off for some of their very large 4 engine prop cargo planes.

[MerryMike]

Hartwick, My appreciation for your lucid and informative narrative. Many thanks for the your time you took to lend a helping hand. I will investigate your info. I do have several other leads that are intersting to me as well.

I appreciated your comments concerning airplanes in the area. I worked twenty years for Eastern Airlines (EAL), remember them? Their bankuptcy, not my fault was pretty much the end of my flying career.

Again thank you very much for your reply to my plea for info.
Best regards,
Mike