The Villages, Florida 2024 Lifestyle Visit Final Wrap-Up Part II Where Would We Live & Cost of Trip
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- This is our last video about our 2024 Lifestyle Visit to The Villages, Florida.
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I enjoyed this series so much. I follow several villager UA-cam channels but It was great to get the perspective of someone who does not own and live there. Also you both are so entertaining. I have now gone over to watch your cruise vacation series. I have been following some of the major cruise channels for years but it is fun to see your first time cruise experience.
Thank you so much!!
I love how honest and open you are and I especially appreciate the transparency about the costs -- thank you!
You are so welcome!
Thank you for answering my question, and taking the time to share all this information with us curious people!
Our pleasure!
Love how detailed you guys get! Loved your villages blogs and wrap ups! Have a great day!
Thanks so much! 😊
Thank you, Tami and Kevin, I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Sad it’s over. 😢
Glad you enjoyed it!
These videos were a treat to watch each day. I'll miss having daily vlogs from you guys. Thanks for sharing your trip!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them 😃
We have lived in TV for 8 years. The reason the town squares are empty during the day is because everyone is playing the 747 holes of golf, or pickleball in the 250+ courts, or playing softball on one of the 250 softball teams on the 15 fields, or activities in the 120+ recreation centers or swimming in one of the 115+ pools, or some other of the activities. We live a very active lifestyle in TV and I think that’s why they say “living in The Villages adds 10 years to your life”. Enjoyed your series on TV Lifestyle Visit. You probably didn’t have enough time to do so many wonderful things like go to Edna’s on The Green, walk the Fenney Springs Nature Trail, take a ride through the Tunnel of Trees to TV Polo Fields (the largest Polo facility in the US), or go over the 441 bridge to the Historical District see the prettiest pool in TV. You need to do another visit😁😁!!!
Thank you for your excellent comment! 😃
This is what we observed during our Lifestyle visit. The residents were out at the rec centers, pools, golf courses, etc having fun. We had the opportunity to walk the Fenney nature trail and eat at the Fenney grill - what a gorgeous area! Those large oaks draped in Spanish moss are amazing. I'm sure there is a TON that we haven't seen, yet. Can't wait to go back!
@@goofygirl1311 That’s how we feel; we can’t wait to go back 😃
enjoyed your vacation! thanks for taking us along :)
Thanks for watching!
Y’all did an amazing job letting us all know about the villages and all it has to offer. I appreciated the cost of things y’all provided as well. It really lets folks interested in going there helpful information. Great wrap up of your stay in TV. 🌴🌴🌴🌴
Thank you so much!
We’re doing the lifestyle visit in July so thanks for all tips!!!
Hope you enjoy it!
I enjoyed watching your series as I have been contemplating on doing a Lifestyle visit there.....Thanks
I’m glad you enjoyed it 😃
I did enjoy the series great information
Glad to hear it!
The north has some nicely upgraded resales with the bond either already paid or close to being paid off. The homes in the newer area have big bonds and everything is builder grade - like the paint. There are trade offs with both. As far as age goes, the north has younger retirees moving in now that some of the older residents have either died or are moving to be closer to their families. You'll find 50 something retirees living in the north, too. Some of them have inherited their homes from grandparents and parents. We'll be checking out some of the established areas more thoroughly on our next visit. I think we're leaning towards the newer area simply because we're not quite 60, yet, and will likely live in the house for 20 or 30 years or more.
Yes, it does appeal to us that the bonds are paid or paid way down.
Thank you so much for sharing your trip. I always thoroughly enjoy your holiday vlogs, no matter where you go. It's fascinating, as a non-American, to get a glimpse into all these places you go to.
I’m happy you enjoy them 😃
Wow thank you both for not only sharing a lot of your daily at The villages with us but also this very detailed information about the new vs older areas the costs, good places to eat,
Etc. You’ve put together a well thought out wrap up of your experience there. Love you both and congrats on finding all but 6 of the hidden 🦆 😂 🩷💙
Thank you so much 🤗
I found y’all through this series and became a subscriber because of your personality.
Thank you so much!
I might be wrong but I think that Middleton will have it's own shopping "square type" area along with their own family friendly amenities (pools, playgrounds, parks, etc) within the Middleton neighborhood. There is nothing to prevent those residents from shopping/dining in Eastport but there will be nothing preventing anyone in The Villages from shopping/dining in the Middleton shopping plaza, either. We have young adult children and if one or both of them got a job in The Villages we would be over the moon to have them living in Middleton while we lived close by in The Villages.
These are excellent points!
Hi Tami and Kevin l think it sounds like a great place to retirement. I would love to say there thank you so much for sharing. Your experience with us .x❤
Our pleasure!
Thank you for all the wonderful content you provided on your lifestyle visit. Would you actually consider living there?
Oh sure! We aren’t in any hurry right now, but it’s a great place.
Any doubts I had have been cleared after watching your video! Not the least of which is the great price. I had planned on going down alone but might as well take someone with me since the price is the same and probably get a slightly bigger house that way as well. Although if they did the lifestyle visit with apartment as well I would be fine with that. Either way I am going to plan a lifestyle visit for June or July of next year. And I can't wait! Thank you so much for sharing videos from your stay and of course all the great food and movie reviews too! 😊
That’s great to hear!!
The point about the rec center rooms and the sports pools, possibly the golf courses, being booked solid by various groups is a good one. I think it might take some time and patience to get a spot, especially in some of the more popular activities/classes but I think there are enough open clubs/classes to keep you busy while you meet people and get more established in the community. I often hear the advice to rent in The Villages, first, before you buy.
I think that's a good idea too!
Way to go, Tammy! You did an awesome job putting the villages in a nutshell for people who don’t know how neat it is to live here. My wife and I also love shopping by the way an interesting fact . When you go to Trader Joe’s in Orlando about 55 minutes away . Trader Joe’s has valet parking. Never seen it before in my life. It is the most beautiful Trader Joe’s. I’ve ever seen it fully landscaped and it’s worth a trip to see if you ever come down this way again. Thanks again, my friend.😀
Oh my gosh! Valet parking at Trader Joe’s! That’s incredible!
There are brand new homes that have already been constructed that are now on the market and they do have set prices on their listings - you would make an offer on them just as you would a resale house. They have regular open houses throughout the week, both for brand new homes and resales, that are advertised in the The Villagers newspaper - we received one of those papers each morning during our visit. In addition to the houses that our sales rep showed us, my husband and I also took the opportunity to drive around and drop by some of those open houses just for comparison purposes. Overall, we think that our sales rep did an outstanding job honing in on the models and the areas that we would like best - we really liked what he showed us. But we also liked talking to some of the reps at the open houses, we met some who had grown up in the area and enjoyed hearing their perspective.
I agree; it’s a good idea to talk to lots of people 😃
2,100.00 for airfare 😮 , and not even direct flight 😑, I live in Northern Kentucky where the Cincinnati airport is located. And we just checked airfare for labor day weekend from Orlando direct flight on Frontier airlines 72.00 round trip per person!! Sorry but its a two HOUR FLIGHT. That's a huge difference , we never ever fly Delta, thank God they don't have a hub here anymore, that's why we now have discount carriers!!!
must have taken the northern route
You need to do what makes you happy :)
I'm curious why a connecting flight to Floride cost more than a flight to Europe. They must have booked last minute. Maybe the flight was $210.00???
@@boosed264 No, we paid for these tickets back in January ;)
There are some new courtyard villas being built right now in the North, near Cordoba rec center, not far from Spanish Springs. You'll also find in the older area that the trailers/prefab homes are being replaced with brand new homes, but with bond paid. It doesn't sound like you want a courtyard, but it isn't necessarily a choice between New homes down South and old homes up North.
Thank you for the information!
If someone is thinking about moving to The Villages, there are several UA-cam channels that have discussed how much ir costs to live in The Villages. There is also an MLS real estate agent, Jana Raber, who is originally from Kentucky, who has her own UA-cam channel. She posts videos every Wednesday about real estate in The Villages. I was in Bowling Green, Kentucky 7 weeks ago watching my niece graduate from Western Kentucky University. Very nice campus. And next week, my niece starts her first nursing job at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. My youngest sister & her family have lived in northern Kentucky, right across the river from Cincinnati, for over 30 years.
Congratulations to your niece!
I wish my grandma and nana had something like The Villages; they could have afforded it. They lived in a rather pricy retirement village with plenty to do, but you were practically stuck in a building.
We have places like that here as well.
We have places like that here as well.
Do you believe you would retire at The Villages? Thank you so much for recording your vacation. I just love your vacation videos. I look forward to them every year. The Villages and The Hawaiian vacation videos are my favorite. Glad yall had fun.
We are keeping our options open right now. We aren't in any hurry to move.
I think (according to one of the messages) there may be confusion when you’re talking about the prices of houses. Tami and Kevin are talking about new build models. When looking at a new build community you are looking at base models and you can change flooring, countertops, bump outs etc so the price is given as a range or base plus. If a house is an established build, they would have a price listed.
That's exactly what Kevin was trying to say! If you change one thing, it changes the price, but they will always give you the base price.
@@TamiDunn it seemed clear to me what you were saying, but I saw another response that seemed confused. I’m so glad you had a good trip!
Amenities right now for new homes are $195. Loved the video. We are moving there in July.
Thank you so much!
Y'all could have the best of both worlds, due to a rare occurrence - The Villages is currently building brand spanking new homes up north (look up "Marbella Villas").
Did you happen to take pics/video of the home you stayed in?
The house tour is here: ua-cam.com/video/V-rSoS9bXXM/v-deo.htmlsi=AO20Lf535Hd0mvRE
One question you didn’t answer and forgive me it may be none of mine or anyone else’s business but are you guys considering retiring there?
It’s something we are considering, but we are in no hurry to make a final decision 😃
Good question, I was wondering this as well.
0:36. How amazing U-Haul also submitted questions😜
😂
Very interesting video. The Villages has been on my radar for several years since my friend moved there when she retired. My retirement is now less than 1 year away, and TV is still my #1 choice for my post retirement home. People do not have to be 55 to own a home or live in The Villages, just no one under the age of 19 can reside in The Villages. I would also choose a home in a more established area of The Villages. I am renting a home for a couple of weeks later this month in the Historic side of The Villages. This could be my "final test drive" if I buy in The Villages next year.
I think it’s very smart to rent first.
@TamiDunn I am thinking about that more. Coordinating the sale of my current home in the Chicago area, moving & buying another home in The Villages in the span of a month or 2 seems like a lot. Maybe best to rent for 6 months in TV & look at homes without rushing.
5 to 10 minutes from Spanish Springs square is tons of shopping but you need to take a car. Sam's club, BJ's, Target, Kohls, Walmart, Belk, Bealls, Home Depot, too many to name plus lots of the big chain restaurants.
Thank you so much for letting us know!
Amerikanos in Spanish Springs Town Square does have great food.
It was delicious!
We had a great cheeseburger at Amerikanos. It was huge!
That's great to hear!
I kinda want to go for a lifestyle visit now! It looked like fun. I would be concerned about the cost of insurance there though. I hear that the cost of insuring your home in Florida is making people leave the state. We live in Hot Springs Village Arkansas now and love living in the national forest. The monthly fees are less but you pay extra for everything you want to do. The taxes are low here also. I actually thought about the villages before we chose here. Now that we are retired a life style visit could be fun!
We would worry about insurance as well as insurance companies requiring a new roof in 10-12 years when it’s not necessary.
I’m with you guys for buying a more established home although the new ones look great too. With the older ones the bond may be already paid 😁. I agree too that I wouldn’t want to live near Middleton because of all the younger people. Do you guys think you will possible move there at some point?
We are open to the idea! Right now, we aren't in any hurry.
Since you were able to go to two shows during your visit, one at The Savannah Center and one at The Sharon, I'm curious to know which theater you preferred.
We liked the Sharon better because of the seating.
Interesting series. The Villages wouldn't be for me because I don't like HOA's, but there were things I liked. Now to see if I can incorporate some of those things into my current location. Don't think I can get my city to convert to all golf carts though. Thanks for doing this.
You are welcome :)
What are your favorite villages UA-cam and who do you recommend? I definitely couldn’t live there yet but maybe someday. If I had my way I would move closer to Disney
HOA's can also control who rents (they typically have to approve renters and only a certain percentage of homes can be rented within the HOA)
In this case, The Villages doesn't control who rents.
Lake Sumpter & Spanish Springs has a few boutique shops. For me, their clothes were way out of my price range.
I agree. I would rather have more traditional shops.
talking about the water, where my aunt lived the water smelled it was horrible so yo drink it she kept a jug in the refrigerator and then it didn't smell
That's good to know that it didn't smell or taste funny after it was refrigerated.
That part of Florida always got a sulfer smell in the northern part of fl you still need it because our city puts so much chlorine in the water you can literally smell strait chlorine in the water sometimes
I wonder why it’s so different here.
I'm long way off retirement and live in the uk but still found these videos interesting and entertaining wonder what next Dunn vacation will be I'm hoping for Japan 😂
If only money wasn't an issue! This vacation was super cheap.
Any private seller or any agency in Illinois has to give you the exact price for houses they are selling even if you have not gone through the house yet but you can make a lower offer on the house if you want to see if they will take it.
I think this is the case everywhere :)
We thought this about the high school…first it’s a charter school, the parents have to volunteer so many hours a year, they also have to work there or they can’t stay in the school, any problems with the kiddos they get kicked out. Eastport is a mix of the best of the other town squares. The land area is MASSIVE and I think you have a misconception about the Eastport area. Have you discussed the area with the realtor to understand.
Yes, plus we have heard from many residents of TV who believe this will be a very busy area especially with it being so close to Middleton. It won’t be the retirement lifestyle people are used to. There’s nothing wrong with that, but hopefully people realize this.
Area wise it sounds similar to London you get a range of prices with different incomes/classes all living in the same area. So interesting to hear the prices. Geez your airfares are expensive compared to flying flag carriers in Europe. The accommodation was great value but as you say it’s not aimed for tourists. So what’s the verdict, somewhere you’re thinking of retiring? Thanks for sharing and now I’m waiting for next years holiday😁.
We would absolutely consider it, but we aren’t in any hurry right now 😃
The price of the house you said is very affordable for a retirement community.
I do like how diverse the community is. I do agree, I would want to live up north if I was retiring.
My sister and brother in law renovated their kitchen and did the large bar. It is really neat.
I would have no problem with those rules. If you live in a HOA community you have somewhat similar rules.
I loved seeing how much fun they have in the evening.
Wow!! You can’t beat the price to stay there. Even your meals were a great price.
I am going to tell my husband about this. He is a golfer and would love this.
Thanks for a great recap.
I really think he would enjoy it too!
My favorite square is Lake Sumter Landing also. It is just strange to me that all the buildings in the squares have fake stories about their history. I love Toojay’s. The one closed in Spanish Springs but they still have 2. I think there are other Toojay’s in FL.
Toojay’s was a good breakfast 😃
Number 1 question have you decided if you want to live in the villages someday?
If not are you planning to have a winter lifestyle visit before deciding?
If you lived there is it close enough and would you want to go to Disney World for a day? That also makes me wonder if you guys are roller coaster people? I personally love rides and rollercoaster are my favorite.
As far as moving there, we are keeping our options open. We aren't in any hurry right now. We would probably rent a house for a while to see which area we liked best before ever buying a home. We would want to visit during snowbird season.
When I was a teenager, I was a roller coaster person. I like the roller coasters at Disney because they aren't bad. The roller coasters at Universal would be WAY too big for me these days. I'm sure we would visit Disney. If not the parks, we would travel the hour to spend the day at Disney Springs.
@@TamiDunn Thank you for the reply. I didn’t know UNIVERSAL had such big roller coasters so maybe I’ll check it out one day. My friend has mentioned going to Disney Springs to meet friends for dinner but I never asked what it was like or what there is to do there?
@@JaxonArcher3 Universal has HUGE roller coasters. We have videos of Disney and Disney Springs. It's a lot of eating and shopping - like the Lego store.
Come winter the whole place will be loaded with the people who go down there when it gets cold up north. My cousin and her husband lived in the Villages for 4 years. I won't tell you why they sold because I do not want to try and influence anyone. They are happily living back in the area in Illinois where they originated.
TV is not for everyone. It depends on the interests of the person/couple. I have lived in TV for 23 years and love it. I would never move back to where I lived and I find it difficult to even go back to visit. I find the squares when the snowbirds return are "electric". The events (Christmas, Mardi Gras, Strawberry Festival, Blueberry Festival, etc.)
in TV are fantastic.
My dad feels the same way when he visits Kentucky from South Carolina. He is surprised he stayed here so long!
@@janisclow617 Strawberry and Blueberry festivals?! Now this is my kind of thing! I will have to look more into this 😊
I know a lot of people don't like all the heat and humidity but I wouldn't mind it and in fact I enjoy the often daily evening thunderstorms that roll in! I'm not sure if I would use almost $200 worth of amenities every month though. Is that a mandatory fee or can we opt out?
@tornad0chaser all owners in The Villages pay the monthly amenity fee, regardless if you are a snowbird or live in your house full-time.
I can imagine the reason for why it's so empty during the day is because people are doing their little activities lol. Like I do my workouts around this time 🤭
I also assumed the pricing would be of variety. You'd first know when you are there. Just like me having to figure out how much it will cost me to ship stuff from the States to here in Denmark... I have an idea but I will first know on the day itself 😒
Totally!
The Villages is not necessarily a retirement community. It is a 55 Plus community.
❤
Hi Tami…did you speak to anyone who lives there? It all sounds good until you know the costs for amenities, electric, water, sewer, and all additional HOA fees. We moved to the Eastern shore in a community and stayed for 4 years only because the cost were so high to live there. Check it out thoroughly before considering!
The Villages does not have an HOA at all. They have an amenity fee. It is $195 per month. This doesn’t include yard maintenance & other things because that is a personal choice for each family to make. 😃
@@TamiDunn …good info on Jerry and Linda’s channel at Newcomers to the Villages “The true cost of living in the villages” 😊
@@linda7726 I agree! I watched it 😃 Keep in mind though- they pay for lots of extras that aren’t necessities.
I have watched many videos as well and have truly enjoyed your series and finding your channel. Were you required to take the house tour with your sales guy or could you advise you were not interested?
You don't have to take the tour if you don't want to.
@@TamiDunn did you find the sales people to be pushy?
@@mitziroach5231 They aren't pushy at all. They know if you don't buy, there will be four more people right behind you. That's the truth. Since we have been home, we haven't received any phone calls and only one postcard in the mail.
@@TamiDunn I love that and thank you for answering! I think I’m going to set up a visit for next May we have too much planned this year already. I appreciate you taking the time to answer questions. By the way we used to have a Kilwins and their ice cream was amazing! I haven’t watched your video on it yet but plan to.
Do you know if you can see the room reservations at the rec centers online or in the app or something so you don’t get there and find out it’s booked?
Kevin said he thinks you can see the room reservations online.
So when are you moving there?
We aren’t in any hurry right away 😃
Most of the HOA fees I have seen on houses for sale there are a lot more than 189 per month. Most I have seen in in the 400's and up. Can anyone that lives that tell us what they are where you live. I think I could swing buying a home there but if the HOA fee is 500 or more it would be like having almost another mortgage. I would like to receive feed back on that,.
William, this isn't true at all. The amenity fee is $195 according to their website.
@@TamiDunn I hope you are correct. Can folks that live there chime in what they are paying above mortgage payment. HOA or amenities. I am assuming that HOA and amenities is the same thing? I have seen listings that are quite a bit more.
We have lived here for 18 mos.
No HOA fee.
$195 amenity fee
We purchased a home between Sumter Landing and Spanish Sorings. Home was completely redone inside. Open concept. It is on a preserve. Has a pool and a spa. We paid less than what they were asking. The bond had been paid off years ago. We live in a neighborhood with a 25 yr old, 30 yr olds, 40, 50, 60, 70. 80, 90 and a lady who is 101. We have monthly neighborhood activities. We are close to stores restaurants churches etc. We feel we made the right decision for us.
@@susangoodman7930 Thank you! I don’t know if people think they are looking at a home in TV, but it’s actually somewhere else. I’ve never ever ever heard of a $400 amenity fee. Now, there are areas in Orlando where I have seen $1300 HOA fees. But that’s not TV.
@@TamiDunn Some of the confusion may be the some people refer to your monthly fees which includes the HOA and then the bond/maintenance/fire which ranges from another $130 to $300 (depending on which size house you buy) in top of the $195 which gets you to the 300-500 range per month on the fees you owe every month. So these need to be accounted for regardless as to what name you call them.
Are you all going to move there?
We are considering it, but we aren’t in any hurry. We have to keep saving.
Are the developers of Middleton the same as The Villages?
Yes, it’s the same people 😃
Hi Tami - I may have missed this so I'm just going to ask. Have you decided if moving here is in your future? If you haven't decided, what % chance do you think you might move? :-)
We are open to the possibility. We are trying to save money and see what our bills are going to look like once Kevin retires.
@@TamiDunn Nice!!
Are you guys really moving?
We are keeping our options open. We aren't doing anything as of right now.
Only 70k people live in the villages FYI, not 150k
From: www.thevillages.com/faq/ "Over 150,000+ residents call The Villages home. Residents, who refer to themselves as “Villagers,” enjoy a comfortable pace of life from gentle relaxation to all out recreation, fun, and healthy living experiences and amenities 365 days of the year!"
You are confused - there are currently more than 70,000 homes, and more than 150,000 residents.
Hey sent something to movieiq over PayPal. Hope I did it right
Thank you so much for your extremely generous donation! It came through perfectly! You just don't know how much we appreciate you!
@TamiDunn thank you for all you give. You might be a cure for depression!
I need to know if I can bring my little dog. I am a single woman age 69.
You CAN bring your dog, but we wouldn't recommend it. I have also heard people who live in The Villages say they do not recommend bring a pet on a Lifestyle Visit either. You won't be free to do the things you will want to do and you don't want to leave it alone all day in an unfamiliar house :)
Will You Ever Still Post a Crumble Cookie Video? Amelia
I’m not sure to be honest.