There are flights to and from just about anywhere in the world. The Villages in Florida is an age 55 and older community. There are plenty of critics of The Villages, mainly former residents, but they are usually older folks without websites and are limited to posting comments to articles in forums.
Those negative comments can be flagged and removed by an small army of those motivated by a financial interest to keep things positive. There are no shortage of 55 and older retirement communities in the US today, especially in Florida. Unlike other retirement communities, you may never have to leave the safety of this gated community because what ever you want or need is located right in the community.
The Villages covers over 30 square miles which is over 20, acres. There are over holes of golf to play, and over miles of cart paths. You can drive them to the store or pub. The community is like a Disney World for people 55 and older. Anyway the average age of residents is said to be 60 for women and 62 for men. Many people find the development idyllic and believe that the advantages vastly outnumber the disadvantages, but others are more critical.
In this section, I'll answer some of the most common questions asked by prospective residents of The Villages. If you have additional questions, feel free to ask in the comments. The Villages is in north-central Florida about 20 miles south of Ocala and 45 miles northwest of Orlando.
The development is spread across Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties. The nearest beach is about 70 miles away on the Atlantic coast Daytona Beach area. Augustine is roughly 80 miles away by road in a northeasterly direction. The Villages is an age-restricted community.
Usually, there must be at least one person aged 55 years or older in the household. Residents below the age of 19 years are generally not permitted to live in The Villages unless granted an exemption. However, there are three subdivisions that have been designated as "family units" where the age minimum doesn't apply. Things like groceries, health, and transportation compare well with the US average in terms of affordability. At the last count, the number of households was over 60, The Villages covers roughly 32 square miles.
No, The Villages is policed by local and county law enforcement. There are also plenty of safety and security measures, such as gated entries and community watch, making it a generally safe place to live with a low crime rate.
These areas take the form of themed town squares and are designed as social venues where residents can eat, shop, and be entertained. It's called Some Kind of Heaven, and it came out in It's set in The Villages and does give some idea of the lifestyle, but it's mainly focused on four residents and their trials and tribulations.
The central Florida city of Orlando is just 45 miles away from The Villages. That's close enough for a day trip. Orlando is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and offers many different events and attractions.
The roots of The Villages development go back to the s when a Michigan businessman named Harold Schwartz started selling pieces of land in the area via mail order. A federal law banning the sale of real estate via mail order was introduced in , however, scuppering the business plans of Schwartz and his partner, Al Tarrson. Left owning large areas of Florida land, Schwartz and Tarrson then tried developing a mobile home park in Lake County, which they called Orange Blossom Gardens. The venture was not very successful, however, and they had only managed to sell units by the early s.
At this point, Schwartz opted to buy Tarrson out and bring in his son, H. Gary Morse, as a partner. Morse researched some of the more successful retirement communities and found that many gave their residents plenty of amenities to use nearby. He upgraded, made improvements, and bought up more land in Sumter and Marion counties to plan an expansion. Sales increased, and Morse changed the development's name to "The Villages. The development is still largely run by descendants of Schwartz and Morse.
Morse transferred the majority of direct ownership in the company to his three children in before his death in Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
Answer: I am not aware of any restrictions on cats and dogs, both of which are commonly owned there, but I do know that you aren't generally allowed to have a fenced yard in The Villages, which can affect some dog owners. Answer: Incomes can vary from household to household, but generally, most live comfortable lifestyles. Answer: Neighborhoods are mostly quiet by nine or ten, but there are bars and other entertainment venues open later. Question: Is it true business owners in The Villages refer to the property management as The Villages mafia?
Answer: I haven't heard that, although it is possible. The Villages is a private development and as such, they make their own rules.
There is less civic power and democratic accountability than you would expect in a regular city. Answer: It really depends on the ages of the children. Generally speaking, there should be one resident aged 55 or over in each household and persons aged under 19 are not allowed unless they have an exemption.
Persons under age 19 such as children or grandchildren are allowed to visit, but can't stay for longer than 30 days within a calendar year. The only major exception is the three subdivisions in The Villages that have been designated as "family units" where age restrictions don't apply.
Answer: Yes, motorcycles are popular in the Villages and there is even a motorcycle club. Answer: Generally speaking, there must be at least one person aged 55 years or older in the household in order to live there. Residents below the age of 19 years are generally not allowed to live in The Villages unless granted an exemption. That said, there are three subdivisions that have been designated as "family units", where the age minimum doesn't apply.
Anyone moving to The Villages needs to check out the health care situation first. Good physicians are few and far between and difficult to find. A physician told me today that general practitioners in the area are "sketchy.
The Villages Health care doctors sign 2-year non-competes. So, even if you have the correct insurance, if your dr. I have been to The Villages many times. I love the activity and social interaction.
I turned 55 in Nov, have since divorced and looking for a place in Florida to live. I am considering living in The Villages. Will I fit in well as a single 55 yr old male? My friends really enjoy The Villages. I really enjoy rural Iowa.
Very happy her mother is a person who is able to be independent. I have to take each day as it comes with gratitude. I usually will not comment on a blog but could not resist. As a homeowner in The Villages for the last five years I could not be happier. We purchased our home and still own a home in NJ. My husband still works and I am a retired state employee.
The infrastructure was a definite selling point along with safety. While not for everyone we feel we made the right choice. A state pension is not something most people can count on, not to mention the other retiree benefits.
There is a lesson here. For all but the poorest, there is no excuse for not having retirement funds. Kim, thank you for such a poignant and personal story about the great divide in retirement. Being there, seeing and experiencing it, then writing about it so vividly captures this era as many family and friends struggle, while others reap rewards of good fortune.
So many forces in motion, demographics, economics, culture…thank you for all you do to deliver useful insights into interesting and complex topics. All the best! Life is random. Some of us have worked hard and saved for the future AND have had the good fortune to begin to enjoy what WE were able to create for ourselves. A cure for inequality by instituting a tax. Not a government retiree here, just a hard-working private investor and saver from the private sector.
Seems like a great place to rent for January, February, and March if its cold where you live. Too hot for me in the summer and much of the other months. I do like the idea of Pickleball courts! If you can afford it why not? Not for me. Not sure most folks feel the same over there. Great article! I work in the Villages as a pharmacist and the volume of prescriptions we do is insane!
Please keep your health care in mind if you are considering relocating. But does it cover taxes? Gotta ask. After a corporate layoff, I retired to Mexico last year. I love it. Where did you retire in Mexico? My daughter is in the Foreign Service and has lived in 4 different countries which has given me the idea. As a Villages resident, I would argue almost every fact in this report! I hope no one crosses The Villages off their list after reading this article! Compared to living in Boston, where the author is from, The Villages is a financial solution.
Even moving from Michigan we saved over four percent in State income tax and have far better roads. The Villages or Reality — really? There will always be some who have more and some who have less. However, there are countries outside of the United States that equalize what their citizens have.
I realized very early in life that no one promised me a rose garden so I chose to get an education, work sometimes two jobs , save, invest, did not take lavish vacations or over indulge in kids.
I did not take Social Security until 70 and am still working full time at 72 — by choice. Should I choose to live at the Villages, I would not feel elite or that I had good fortune, just that I had made good choices. The Villages, from what I have read, is a place where very lucky people live and who do not acknowledge how lucky they are and were.
A lot of people work hard…not everybody ends up well off. We spent our working life saving, eliminating debt, and paying cash for everything. My parents never finished high school, yet they saved their whole life so they could afford to move to Florida when they retired.
My parents lived in a manufactured home in Florida. I was very happy for them because they loved where they lived and the people around them. I always find it ironic how they always choose the higher end properties and communities to make their point.
As for diversity, I was born and raised in the inner city and lived there my entire life. I would rather live in a non-diverse community that is free from crime, congestion, and clean.
Good fortune to enjoy a secure retirement? Used coupons, shopped sales, and grew garden veggies. Bought used vehicles that we kept 10 years. Daughter got prom dresses at resale shops and folks would rave about how nice she looked. Told kids if their grades warranted it, we would pay their 4 yr. They started their working lives debt free. We know we are blessed but we have also done all we can and invested to put ourselves in this position.
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