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Old 04-29-2011, 09:24 AM
 
9,296 posts, read 16,583,418 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carnivalday View Post
I guess one day this might be appealing to me, but I dont know. Im near 60, live on a 10 acre farm, with chickens, cows, large garden, several dogs. More likely one day Ill just keel over dead while weeding the garden or feeding the cows. If so, just bury me in the compost heap.
That type of living doesn't appeal to us either. We prefer living on a few acres, not farming, bus enjoying the country life and the friendly helpful friends and neighbors. Not into golf and prefer the FL Keys for a month or two in the winter, a month in HI. Other than that I like the mountains and peace and quiet.
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Old 05-12-2011, 03:33 PM
 
Location: FL
428 posts, read 1,077,313 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ljd1010 View Post
My husband and I just returned from a 6 day visit to The Villages, FL. It's a very LARGE retirement community - 50 square miles, about 20 miles south of Ocala, an hour north of Orlando. As soon as you enter the property, you enter a very well manicured development that is kept impeccably clean. It looks like a resort. Lovely landscaping, flowers, multiple lakes/ponds. Over 30 golf courses, recreation centers/pools every few blocks. Golf cart trails are all over the place as this is the main mode of transportation. There are 2 town squares, 1 at each end with plans for a 3rd in the near future. Each town center has multiple shops, restaurants. The park-like center of each square has live music and dancing every evening at 5pm. The list of activities at each recreation center is mind boggling - there is almost every type of club imaginable. In addition to golf, there is a wide variety of sports - pickle ball, tennis, softball just to name a few.

There are currently about 50,000 homes, 80,000 residents. They are still building and anticipate when they build out in about 4 years, the population will rise to 100,000-110,000 residents. It is an over 55 active community and we saw many people in their 50s/early 60s but estimate the average age is late 60's-70's

The homes are very well maintained and range from small ranches to large executive homes on a golf course or lake. There are too many "villages" (resident neighborhoods) to name. One after another after another, for miles and miles. It is somewhat "Stepford" like and I've described it as miles and miles of sameness. My husband uses this analogy: our current neighborhood is just that, a neighborhood and when you leave it, you can travel to any one of hundreds of neighborhoods in our large town, or choose to go into Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill etc. In The Villages, that is your world. Completely self contained. Plenty of shopping on the outskirts of the property but once you go past this, you'll find many run down small towns and then nothingness for endless miles.

The Villages is beautiful but it's not for us. It is too limiting, too self contained and too small of a world for our tastes. I must say, almost every resident we encountered was more than pleasant/friendly and pretty much everyone we met loved living there. This is just our perspective, and although it's not for us now (ages 57 and almost 60), we may feel feel differently in 10-15 years.
I am 57 and my wife is 63 and we kind of feel the same way about the Villages. They use a favorite term of "just drink the koolaid" a lot.
We live in Orlando and they come here for sporting events, theater, concerts, museums, botanical gardens etc.
They seem to think the real estate " recession" doesn't affect them and they are in a bubble.
We live in a new urbanism neighborhood and walk/ bike to most eveything and enjoy people of all ages including the kids that come at Halloween.
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Old 07-09-2011, 06:38 PM
 
Location: Florida
644 posts, read 1,474,674 times
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I spent a week there last winter and enjoyed it, but decided it didn't quite fit the bill for me either. Too far out in the middle of nowhere, too many golf cart and roundabout accidents, too many older men looking for action, too created and Stepford-like, and too much all about the golf, which I don't play.

I've heard it's friendly, but I've lived in three different communities over the past 30 years, partly for the social aspect. Although I'm happy to have most of the people around, I've also found that no matter what you spend, you can't buy great neighbors. It's the luck of the draw.
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Old 07-09-2011, 09:29 PM
 
Location: Boca Raton, FL
6,869 posts, read 11,181,814 times
Reputation: 10757
Smile Different location

I was reading an article about Titusville, FL and the effect of the ending of the shuttle (space program).

I wish there was "The Villages" in that area - near the beach for us water lovers. I personally like the concept of The Villages but I feel it is far from things and yes, it's in a bubble but at times in our lives, sometimes bubbles are OK.

We are not there yet but I find myself feeling lonely from time to time.

I've got 2 big evens I'm working on this year (outside of work) and that keeps me excited but after that - I'm worried I'll feel a little down after all the preparations. IOW, The Villages' concept is good for someone like me who would love more social interaction.
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Old 07-09-2011, 09:41 PM
 
Location: Florida
644 posts, read 1,474,674 times
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I think that is its appeal. It's known to be friendly, while not all communities are. I read all the time about retirees who move to Florida but miss the social network they left behind. It can be hard to meet people once you're no longer working, interacting due to your children's activities, etc.
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Old 07-09-2011, 10:20 PM
 
Location: California Mountains
1,448 posts, read 3,038,179 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bette View Post
I wish there was "The Villages" in that area - near the beach for us water lovers. I personally like the concept of The Villages but I feel it is far from things and yes, it's in a bubble but at times in our lives, sometimes bubbles are OK. I'm worried I'll feel a little down after all the preparations. IOW, The Villages' concept is good for someone like me who would love more social interaction.
I don't know anything about The Villages, but if being near the water is your requirement, there are several 55+ communities in Punta Gorda you may want to check out.

Punta Gorda is a small city (less than 16,000 in population, I believe) on the junction of Peace River and Charlotte Harbor, where half of the properties are either on the numerous saltwater canals or facing the harbor. The median age is 64, but very active 64 (and older.) The majority of part-time workers in stores, restaurants, markets, etc. are senior citizens. Library, tennis courts, and yacht clubs are packed with senior citizens. Bicycles, convertibles, and high-end sport cars are the norm, but golf carts are non-existent outside of golf courses, I'm afraid.

At 62 and 58, we're still on the young end of the spectrum, but we like it here very much. We don't live in any community with more social interaction; our place is on the canal, and the tranquility it's unbelievable.
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Old 07-09-2011, 10:51 PM
 
48,505 posts, read 96,508,741 times
Reputation: 18301
Quote:
Originally Posted by ljd1010 View Post
My husband and I just returned from a 6 day visit to The Villages, FL. It's a very LARGE retirement community - 50 square miles, about 20 miles south of Ocala, an hour north of Orlando. As soon as you enter the property, you enter a very well manicured development that is kept impeccably clean. It looks like a resort. Lovely landscaping, flowers, multiple lakes/ponds. Over 30 golf courses, recreation centers/pools every few blocks. Golf cart trails are all over the place as this is the main mode of transportation. There are 2 town squares, 1 at each end with plans for a 3rd in the near future. Each town center has multiple shops, restaurants. The park-like center of each square has live music and dancing every evening at 5pm. The list of activities at each recreation center is mind boggling - there is almost every type of club imaginable. In addition to golf, there is a wide variety of sports - pickle ball, tennis, softball just to name a few.

There are currently about 50,000 homes, 80,000 residents. They are still building and anticipate when they build out in about 4 years, the population will rise to 100,000-110,000 residents. It is an over 55 active community and we saw many people in their 50s/early 60s but estimate the average age is late 60's-70's

The homes are very well maintained and range from small ranches to large executive homes on a golf course or lake. There are too many "villages" (resident neighborhoods) to name. One after another after another, for miles and miles. It is somewhat "Stepford" like and I've described it as miles and miles of sameness. My husband uses this analogy: our current neighborhood is just that, a neighborhood and when you leave it, you can travel to any one of hundreds of neighborhoods in our large town, or choose to go into Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill etc. In The Villages, that is your world. Completely self contained. Plenty of shopping on the outskirts of the property but once you go past this, you'll find many run down small towns and then nothingness for endless miles.

The Villages is beautiful but it's not for us. It is too limiting, too self contained and too small of a world for our tastes. I must say, almost every resident we encountered was more than pleasant/friendly and pretty much everyone we met loved living there. This is just our perspective, and although it's not for us now (ages 57 and almost 60), we may feel feel differently in 10-15 years.
Is this the first time tou vivisted Florida? I can remmber a trip i 1975 and goig thru the Boca Raton area. miles and miles of trailer parks with most of them havig swimming pools. On the other side of road ;I counted 18 golf courses. Sounds like thsi is a stepup form what has been common for decades now.With bommers retring and being such a large group we are going to see alot of senior living facities and other things gear to their lifestyle I am sure.
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Old 07-10-2011, 02:38 PM
 
9,470 posts, read 9,317,771 times
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Default Boca Raton

Quote:
Originally Posted by texdav View Post
Is this the first time tou vivisted Florida? I can remmber a trip i 1975 and goig thru the Boca Raton area. miles and miles of trailer parks with most of them havig swimming pools. On the other side of road ;I counted 18 golf courses. Sounds like thsi is a stepup form what has been common for decades now.With bommers retring and being such a large group we are going to see alot of senior living facities and other things gear to their lifestyle I am sure.
Boca Raton is NOT trailer parks anymore. It has many beautiful subdivisions and nice shopping, as well as the lovely downtown and beach area.
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Old 07-10-2011, 02:46 PM
 
Location: Out there somewhere...a traveling man.
44,546 posts, read 61,236,501 times
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One thing I feel about the Villages is that it is way overpriced. A big portion of your money goes to the celebities fees and the promoting of the swampland.
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Old 07-10-2011, 09:54 PM
 
Location: Boca Raton, FL
6,869 posts, read 11,181,814 times
Reputation: 10757
Smile Boca Raton - home of the PC!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by staywarm2 View Post
Boca Raton is NOT trailer parks anymore. It has many beautiful subdivisions and nice shopping, as well as the lovely downtown and beach area.
We just celebrated this accomplishment. IBM was very much part of Boca Raton's history. Anyway, I have lived in Florida since the late 60's (when I was a child) and Boca Raton always had a lot of restrictions. They planned.

It's a great city. I would always want to keep our home here and ideally have a place to go to for certain times of the year. At least, for home base.

It just depends where our children end up down the road. I think our son will stay in Boca Raton; our daughter lives in NYC now but in 10 years, I don't know.

(One of our middle schools is named after Don Estridge - you can google this - he was killed in the plane crash in 1985 as were many).
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