Is Ocala nice for retirees? (Jacksonville, Gainesville: oceanfront, house, neighborhood)

[Lynncc]

Originally Posted by marcandme

Are the HOA`s $430.00. That would be very high.

$420 a month
That includes Internet & Cable though

It also includes:
Landscaping
Outdoor watering of landscaping
Club fees
Roof replacement when needed
Outdoor painting
Power washing

In our previous condo we used to pay
$230 month For Comcast Internet & Cable

I think it’s a good deal for such a beautiful brand new place to live.
If you visit, you’ll feel right at home

[Lynncc]

Originally Posted by dave w

All I see around there is dollar stores, car parts,smoke shops,drive through restaurants on google maps. No nice eateries close by, out in the boondocks,I don't care how nice the complex may be, sorry not for me.

We are actually very close to just about any store you could possibly want to shop.
As far as nice restaurants there are plenty that are not chains.
Ivy on the square is my favorite.
Also Sky restaurant
Both are within a 10 min drive.

[Ghaati]

Originally Posted by Lynncc

$420 a month
That includes Internet & Cable though

It also includes:
Landscaping
Outdoor watering of landscaping
Club fees
Roof replacement when needed
Outdoor painting
Power washing

In our previous condo we used to pay
$230 month For Comcast Internet & Cable

I think it’s a good deal for such a beautiful brand new place to live.
If you visit, you’ll feel right at home

That sounds like a lot, for a little in return.

We pay $157/month for around 40 executive 9-hole golf courses (have to pay if you take the golf cart but if you walk the course there's no extra charge), over 100 pools, a few dozen clubhouses with internet access and activities, billiards, live entertainment, horseshoes, pickleball, tennis, archery, dog parks, walking trails, and so on and so forth.

We take care of most of the rest ourselves but anything we hire out for is pretty inexpensive, plus we get to choose who will do the work for us. Figure another $200/month for the pesticide guy, lawnmower guy, and ALL our water (not just the water for the lawn), and 100mbp internet.

[pizza_panlo]

Originally Posted by Ghaati

That sounds like a lot, for a little in return.

We pay $157/month for around 40 executive 9-hole golf courses (have to pay if you take the golf cart but if you walk the course there's no extra charge), over 100 pools, a few dozen clubhouses with internet access and activities, billiards, live entertainment, horseshoes, pickleball, tennis, archery, dog parks, walking trails, and so on and so forth.

We take care of most of the rest ourselves but anything we hire out for is pretty inexpensive, plus we get to choose who will do the work for us. Figure another $200/month for the pesticide guy, lawnmower guy, and ALL our water (not just the water for the lawn), and 100mbp internet.

What complex / facility are you describing?

[trekker954]

Originally Posted by pizza_panlo

What complex / facility are you describing?

I believe he/she is referring to the Villlages, FL

[pizza_panlo]

Originally Posted by trekker954

I believe he/she is referring to the Villlages, FL

Thank you!
I looked back in this thread and they had no other posts, to indicate.
I hope he /she returns to confirm.

I'm just starting my research for a place to live after retirement. I was looking at crime and such and stumbled upon this forum.
I've been looking at Deltona, but don't see a sub forum for there or even Volusia County.

[dontaskwhy]

For more information about the Deltona area you should check the Brevard County section of the CD forum as it is much closer to Deltona than the Ocala section. Kind of like trying to find a sub-category for Dunnellon, FL where the best information is here in the Ocala section.

[Ghaati]

Yes it's the Villages. They do have some pretty strict deed restrictions and there's a bond payment required for all the newly built homes. Most of the pre-owned still have a balance on their bond, but there are some areas where bonds have been paid off and new buyers don't have that expense at all.

Crime within the Villages itself is minimal but of course it still exists. It is not a "retirement" community, it's a 55+ community. Many residents still work for a living, or to supplement their social security. Some residents never had to work in the first place so there's nothing to "retire" from. Most residents are retired. The vast majority of residents are very active. Our neighbor is 90 and still lifts weights 3 days a week in his home gym and plays golf twice a week.

There's line dancing in the town squares (three town squares), with live music every night except when it's raining (since it's outdoors and electricity + water = bad).

They have their own hospital (though the emergency room has lousy ratings, the in-patient and regular specialty services are very well received), urgent care, Home Depot, Publix and Winn Dixie, Bealls and Belk, dozens of restaurants throughout the 70 square mile perimeter. It's spread into three different counties: Sumter, Marion, and Lady Lakes.

Homes range from single-wide trailers that were installed back in the 1960's to multi-million-dollar estates. Different "villages" within the Villages have different types of homes. The "historic" section was the original trailer park and extension from it, with just a few of the original trailers still in use. That entire section is primarily trailer homes, modular homes, with some site-built that replaced badly-maintained trailers that were pulled away.

I'm in a modular home there because I prefer the natural surroundings, the neighbors, the layout of the roads, the overall "suburban neighborhood feel" of the place. It has a reputation by "haters" for having cars on cinderblocks and a camper in every driveway but that's far from the truth. You can go to the Villages main website and check on "homefinders" and click "all" and then zoom in to the upper right corner of the Villages map to see the properties for sale there, with photos of the homes themselves and the neighborhoods they're in.

The newer area down in Marsh Bend is going to be gorgeous when it's finished but at the present time there's no golf cart access from it to the rest of the Villages. They have an amazing walking trail though, and a Putt n Play in addition to their own golf courses and rec centers. The shops along the borders of the area aren't all occupied yet, so shopping in close proximity is still limited. Residents there have the same rights and privileges to the rest of the villages, they just don't have the cart access yet since the bridge over the highway is still not connected to anything. But you can drive a car to anything you need.

The building process for this community is pretty fast, you can go to the newer sections and watch 15 people put up a roof to a new home in less than a day.

[logybogy]

Ocala is more a working class retirement destination to stretch the budget. It can be nice for people that don't care about the beach and have an aversion to high cost of living and hurricanes. It's Florida on the cheap. Lots of affordable options. It's good for people that just want a decent warm place for their winters. If you want a more upscale retirement experience, that's further south in places like Naples or Palm Beach County.

[pizza_panlo]

Originally Posted by Ghaati

Yes it's the Villages.

Thank you for all of that information!