I signed up for a lifestyle visit to the villages in a few weeks...

[Tom52]

Full timers in The Villages is much higher than 50% according to management there. Some neighborhoods with the villas or the lower cost smaller housing may be populated with a higher percentage of snowbirds, but the newer neighborhoods with the larger homes normally have a very low number of snow bird owners. My neighborhood is probably at least 85% fulltimers.

 

[Teacher Terry]

No clue how they tolerate the really hot months.

 

[robnplunder]

No clue how they tolerate the really hot months.

They watch TV.

 

[Moemg]

No clue how they tolerate the really hot months.

They spend a lot of time in pools .

 

[LRDave]

The Villages is an extrovert's dream and an introvert's nightmare . .

My one-data-point observation: It is also great for those that thrive on structure and organized "fun". Some good friends of ours retired there. They LOVE organizing the golf tournament, the food drive, the Xmas caroling, the Kentucky Derby party, etc. They used to do that in our 350 home subdivision and now at TV, the sky is the limit.....

 

[jimbee]

My one-data-point observation: It is also great for those that thrive on structure and organized "fun". Some good friends of ours retired there. They LOVE organizing the golf tournament, the food drive, the Xmas caroling, the Kentucky Derby party, etc. They used to do that in our 350 home subdivision and now at TV, the sky is the limit.....

Sounds like extroverts to me...

 

[robnplunder]

My one-data-point observation: It is also great for those that thrive on structure and organized "fun". Some good friends of ours retired there. They LOVE organizing the golf tournament, the food drive, the Xmas caroling, the Kentucky Derby party, etc. They used to do that in our 350 home subdivision and now at TV, the sky is the limit.....

Some people can thrive in such env.. I ain't. Being herded into doing something isn't good for an anti-social person. Now, if TV has a thriving Go game club, that can get me interested.

 

[rayinpenn]

So we should study the many previous threads and only add “fresh” comments and observations here in your thread? OK.

And this is helpful how? If you don’t want to comment don’t.

 

[Scuba]

No clue how they tolerate the really hot months.

I can tolerate heat and humidity very easily as long as I have the ocean or a nice pool. OTOH, I hate cold weather. When the temperature is below 74, I’m not happy. I would never live in an area that regularly got snow and ice. YMMV

 

[HadEnuff]

I can tolerate heat and humidity very easily as long as I have the ocean or a nice pool. OTOH, I hate cold weather. When the temperature is below 74, I’m not happy. I would never live in an area that regularly got snow and ice. YMMV

I used to chide my DM about her very narrow acceptable temperature range, which was somewhere between 72 and 73 F. As I've aged, I've become a bit more like that myself. I grew up in Cincinnati, without AC, and in the summertime we didn't consider it "hot" until it hit 90F.

After 40+ years in New York State, my new "hot" threshold is about 85F. I find the heat more stultifying than cold, until it gets down below 40 or so.

This winter in The Villages it seems the temps have been swinging wildly, with some cooler days, followed by hot days. Very few days in the sweet zone of the 70s. We've had a surprising number of days with highs above 85. I find I lose my enthusiasm for being outdoors and active pretty quickly at that temperature, which is a big reason why I can't see myself investing in a home down here, or living down here more than 4 or 5 (tops) months.

 

[Stonewalker]

And let's face it, older guys often use canes just because they are attractive, good for self defense, and make them seem interesting, not because they are totally necessary.

I have to admit, I've thought about using a cane for those exact reasons. Glad I'm not the only one.

The only problem I see with a retirement community is I can't sit on the porch and yell at the kids to get off my lawn. I'd lose a major source of amusement.

 

[HadEnuff]

I have to admit, I've thought about using a cane for those exact reasons. Glad I'm not the only one.

The only problem I see with a retirement community is I can't sit on the porch and yell at the kids to get off my lawn. I'd lose a major source of amusement.

you can yell at your neighbors to "get your dog off my lawn"...dog pee causes a lot of angst down here, evidently.

 

[davismills]

We've visited a lot of these 55+ communities and I think we've come to the conclusion that we'll just stay put where we "know the grass is green enough".

Our current planned community consist of 4 enclaves with 300 homes in total. I call them McMansions, young family small, teenage kids zone, and empty nester/old. We live in the latter.

My daily walk allows me to transit each area and I really enjoy watching lives unfold at all these different stages. It is, however, nice to retreat back to my own older age enclave at the end of the day.

 

[Dtail]

I used to chide my DM about her very narrow acceptable temperature range, which was somewhere between 72 and 73 F. As I've aged, I've become a bit more like that myself. I grew up in Cincinnati, without AC, and in the summertime we didn't consider it "hot" until it hit 90F.

After 40+ years in New York State, my new "hot" threshold is about 85F. I find the heat more stultifying than cold, until it gets down below 40 or so.

This winter in The Villages it seems the temps have been swinging wildly, with some cooler days, followed by hot days. Very few days in the sweet zone of the 70s. We've had a surprising number of days with highs above 85. I find I lose my enthusiasm for being outdoors and active pretty quickly at that temperature, which is a big reason why I can't see myself investing in a home down here, or living down here more than 4 or 5 (tops) months.

Yep if one can't stand the heat, one must get out of Florida or the Pickleball kitchen.
It is pretty much 90 degrees and humid from mid April to mid October.
Interesting, coz I find the cold to bother me more as I age and welcome the heat, even that mentioned above.

 

[garyt]

No clue how they tolerate the really hot months.

Same way us northerners tolerate the winters. You stay inside, or you go from one climate controlled environment to another, so you're really not out there much. I'd much rather be in extreme heat than extreme cold.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I can handle cold much better. When I lived in Wisconsin I walked 4 miles/day in any weather. The heat makes me physically sick. Now I live in a mild 4 seasons with extremely low humidity.

 

[GNXGuy]

Do any of these retirement communities have gun clubs for those that like shooting?

 

[Amethyst]

Did I miss something - was there a report on the results of the lifestyle visit?

 

[robnplunder]

Do any of these retirement communities have gun clubs for those that like shooting?

Yes, more than its share.

 

[Dtail]

Do any of these retirement communities have gun clubs for those that like shooting?

The Villages have just about every type of club one can imagine.

 

[HadEnuff]

The Villages have just about every type of club one can imagine.

I can't find the cannabis club anywhere. Might be clandestine.

 

[Dtail]

I can't find the cannabis club anywhere. Might be clandestine.

Give it time until FLA changes the law.

 

[HadEnuff]

Give it time until FLA changes the law.

There have been several instances where I was out in the golf cart and I think I could have followed the scent to the club.

 

[Scrapr]

I can't find the cannabis club anywhere. Might be clandestine.

I think that is over at the Margaritaville >55 place

 

[audreyh1]

I love living in a neighborhood that is mostly older people. This is not due to being an over 55 community, but due to the natural demographics of our neighborhood. Most of our neighbors are in their late 70's, 80's, or older because most of the homes have not been sold since they were first built around 1965. When one of the owners dies or goes off to a CCRC, either their children (in their 50's or 60's) move in, or else they sell it to someone who is usually older too, like me.

One of the advantages to living around older people, is that it makes me feel young by comparison. Also I like older people and their values, they don't have wild parties, and they have gardeners who mow regularly so their front yards look well kept up. I don't need to tell them to get off my lawn because they aren't on it. They mind their own business.

When I see a woman with a walker going up and down the sidewalk in front of her house, it makes me want to cheer! She's doing her best to fight back Father Time and get healthier. And let's face it, older guys often use canes just because they are attractive, good for self defense, and make them seem interesting, not because they are totally necessary. If I see an old guy or woman with a walker or cane, I think about the stories about old New Orleans that he or she could tell if I could get them talking! They are priceless assets to our community.

By avoiding over-55 neighborhoods, I think one is excluding what could probably be some of the very best, most peaceful neighborhoods around.

Good points! Exactly how I feel about it. The folks out getting their daily exercise are inspiring m and otherwise it’s very peaceful, ni traffic, and looks very nice.