The Villages – Ocala, Fl
Question:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Thumper, >Gosh, isn’t this discussion group for old people. >ARE YOU A YOUNGER OLD PERSON, OR AN OLDER YOUNG PERSON? >You can’t have it both ways! >Cameron >I think Thumper was being facetious with truth added. An isolated >retirement community is for old people and some of us like to mingle >with all ages. Frankly, the notion that one should go somewhere special >to retire is an odd one to me. But then I like to be in the swing of things >and looking only at other old folks like me would depress me. There is >a difference between complexes designed for housing seniors only, >with such being in the midst of a town or city, and being stuck out in the >boondocks with no one else around other than more retirees. >The big question is, what will you do with your time in retirement? I >suppose playing golf is entertaining, but what if one wants to get >involved in community life, volunteer work, cultural institutions? Go >back to school? I would no more limit my choices in retirement than in >pre-retirement days.
You’ve hit the nail on the head again Rita. I am more in tune with you. I live a few hours from New York and get to the city once or twice a month mostly for cultural events and shows etc. It used to be business but no longer. I live in a college town now and just can’t see how I could do without the diversity. My friends called me from the villages a few weeks ago to tell me how great they are. I asked him what they do there. He mostly played golf and I have absolutely no desire for that. When I asked him where he was headed he said the pool. I said "let me get this straight, you are going to a pool where the youngest woman will be 55?" I have nothing against 55 year old women but I do enjoy going to the beach with a wider range of females to make me remember my youth. Seriously, I don’t know what I would do without young people around. Of course there’s always my wife who is 17 years younger than me. Thumper
Response:
Bill, Good luck in your search for a retirement haven. Finding a retirement spot is not easy. It’s probably best to rent for a while, and see if your chosen haven is heaven or hell. Summer is the worst season, so rent then. If the Florida summers don’t bother you, then that will be a big plus. You can probably find something very reasonable in the summer, on a short-term basis, when the "snowbirds" return to the frozen Arctic Tundra. The winters ARE great in Florida. DC summers are hot and humid, so the Florida humidity would probably agree with your circulation system A lot of home construction in Florida is sub-standard. Sub-standard home construction is a growing problem nationally too. Warranties are essentially worthless. The HOW 2/10 warranty has little teeth. DO NOT SIGN any document allowing arbitration of construction defects. All arbitration clauses are stacked in the builder’s favor. They rule with an armed fist. While construction defects are under review, mediation arbitrators can charge the homeowner $500 dollars a day and more. What they say is FINAL–THAT’S IT. End of arbitration! End of a future lawsuit. WHEN A PERSON SIGNS AN ARBITRATION CONTRACT, YOU ARE SIGNING ALL OF YOUR HOMEOWNER RIGHTS AWAY FOREVER. When you buy in Florida, make sure you have a RADON TEST. It’s a deadly gas that’s undetectable to your nose hair. And older men can sure vouch for unwanted nose hair. Associations can be a good thing, but they have too much power. THEY DICTATE EVERYTHING. You may have to ask them if you can plant a rose bush by your garage, or have a bird feeder in your backyard. Before you do anything outside or in, you must clear everything with the board. Some associations even forbid for sale signs. Some homeowner associations in Broward County would welcome a JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT political sign, and immediately reject a GEORGE BUSH FOR PRESIDENT political sign. Broward County is truly a progressive county. Two thumbs up!!!!!!! I recently looked up a website about Florida homeowner associations. It was scary. Cameron
Response:
Thumper, Gosh, isn’t this discussion group for old people. ARE YOU A YOUNGER OLD PERSON, OR AN OLDER YOUNG PERSON? You can’t have it both ways! Cameron
Response:
I would like to discuss one of the advantages of living in a retirement community. You are around people your own age. You can’t bs them like you can some of the younger and less-experienced who respect the old. As you age, physical disabilities may occur. They are tolerated in a community of older adults. Whether the problem is hearing or canes, your peers see beyond the disability to the person. Things such as smooth sidewalks and fewer stairs are built into such a community. I happen to like where I live because it is in a metro area so all of the metro activities are available. But, I would be willing to bet that most Senior places arrange bus trips to local sites of interest as well longer trips overseas so the actual location of the community is not important. Here, Seniors would rather have a bus take them to the front entrance of something like "Beach Blanket Babylon" rather than fight traffic and parking to go on their own. -Connie
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Thumper, >Gosh, isn’t this discussion group for old people. >ARE YOU A YOUNGER OLD PERSON, OR AN OLDER YOUNG PERSON? >You can’t have it both ways! >Cameron >I think Thumper was being facetious with truth added. An isolated >retirement community is for old people and some of us like to mingle >with all ages. Frankly, the notion that one should go somewhere special >to retire is an odd one to me. But then I like to be in the swing of things >and looking only at other old folks like me would depress me. There is >a difference between complexes designed for housing seniors only, >with such being in the midst of a town or city, and being stuck out in the >boondocks with no one else around other than more retirees. >The big question is, what will you do with your time in retirement? I >suppose playing golf is entertaining, but what if one wants to get >involved in community life, volunteer work, cultural institutions? Go >back to school? I would no more limit my choices in retirement than in >pre-retirement days.
Playing golf seems to be a requirement for retired people, one might judge from the hypes. I’ve never played golf or had any interest in playing it myself. (Nor would I want to live entirely among old people.) Maybe the situation is something like in Brave New World, where people work hard so they can afford progressively more expensive "entertainments". I’m pretty good at entertaining myself, and don’t need to be told by others what I should find entertaining: golf is not something that ever comes to mind for me. I might like golf, but it would be because of the chit-chat between swings, not because of the game. If I were in a golf game, I might suggest we abandon the game and just go for a walk along the river and talk. I’m also not keen on leaving San Francisco. One of my friends has tried out Temulca, which is not a retirement community per se but a "suburban" community where he made no friends, and he’s now bought a really nice house in Kentucky. He’s been depressed all the time and says it was a big mistake to have left San Francisco. He’s thinking of coming back, and I hope he does. I’ve offered my place until he gets a place of his own, since he’s one of the very few people I’m pretty sure I would enjoy living with. He’s said he’s been depressed, but it would have been pretty obvious even if he hadn’t said it.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Smithes) >Thumper, >Gosh, isn’t this discussion group for old people. >ARE YOU A YOUNGER OLD PERSON, OR AN OLDER YOUNG PERSON? >You can’t have it both ways! >Cameron > I think Thumper was being facetious with truth added. An isolated > retirement community is for old people and some of us like to mingle > with all ages. Frankly, the notion that one should go somewhere special > to retire is an odd one to me. But then I like to be in the swing of things > and looking only at other old folks like me would depress me. There is > a difference between complexes designed for housing seniors only, > with such being in the midst of a town or city, and being stuck out in the > boondocks with no one else around other than more retirees. > The big question is, what will you do with your time in retirement? I > suppose playing golf is entertaining, but what if one wants to get > involved in community life, volunteer work, cultural institutions? Go > back to school? I would no more limit my choices in retirement than in > pre-retirement days.
Rita, Jim, & others, First, I do not now nor have I ever worked for the Villages or any other real estate venture. I’m exactly as advertised, a relatively recently retired person living in the DC area. And, as I said, I have been seeking with little success a significant downside to this development. When I visited there, I actively sought out residents (not employees or realtors) to find major negatives about the place. I was overwhelmed by the almost universal positive feedback and it made me want to find critical flaws even more. As to prior threads and comments by Charles Gallbach, I guess I missed them. I have only fairly recently found this newsgroup and have been lurking with a few posts for 3 months or so, maybe a bit longer. Back on topic, I am very concerned about the limitation of living in any type of "seniors" community. I love being part of a diverse community. Though a bachelor, I adore being around my great nephews and nieces and really enjoy kids in general. I like the fact that the customers at my supermarket include people of all ages and ethnicity. Especially in the last 10 years, I’ve lived in a very diverse society and have profited greatly. I have generally associated with a cross section of society with a lot of younger people around. I have no desire whatsoever to restrict myself to sitting around with a bunch of old farts comparing colonoscopy results. In one sense, I have ultimate freedom to go wherever and do whatever I want in retirement, within financial boundaries. Ideally, I’d love to find a picturesque, isolated small town in the mountains with an ocean view. It would be within commuting distance of a cosmopolitan area. There would be four unique seasons, but it would never get too hot or humid, there would be only periodic sentimental rain, and beautiful snowfalls would avoid all streets and sidewalks. No sleet, hail, or temperatures below 40. Every social amenity imaginable must be at hand, but there would be no taxes at all. The residents would be outgoing and friendly but would respect one’s privacy. There would be a plethora of activities available at all times day or night, but they would not encroach on my actions. There would be ample golf courses around so I could make up for all that I’ve missed over the last years, that I could play whenever and wherever I liked. (Did I mention that the golf would be free?) There would be scores of restaurants of every ethnic vein, but not so many that the area would become crowded. I’d have plenty of land on which I could raise my chilies and maybe some fruit trees and tulips, azaleas, roses and whatever, but someone else would cut the grass and pull the weeds and all that nasty stuff. And, of course, a four bedroom house that cleaned itself would cost half of what I’ll get for my condo. As you can see, there might be some trade-offs required. I need to weigh the importance of the various options and make some decisions, so I’m gathering as much info as I can. I really do appreciate all the input I’ve rec’d, especially what I thought was a very analytical commentary from Cameron. Oh, and did I mention that my retirement town would also host a small liberal arts college where the students (and faculty) were beautiful, super intelligent ladies who were crazy about fat old fogies. Bill "You’re only jealous because the voices aren’t talking to you."
Response:
Bill, I think it’s going to be difficult to find a retirement town that meets all of your criteria requirements. DC is not far from Charlottesville, Virginia with the U of Virginia. DC would only be a 120 mile drive, and you could enjoy the best of both worlds. You could also maintain the friendships you have established. Charlottesville is a small town, but it has big town amenities. Lots of culture for the culture vultures. I have not personally seen the town, but it gets high marks from what I here. Asheville, North Carolina probably meets most of your requirements. I have been there, and it’s a beautiful town. It even has a university. It’s also a NEW AGE town—- lots of unconventional spirituality. New Agers abound plus antique shops. Prices are escalating. Vanderbilt selected Asheville for a residence, and he made a wise choice.
Response:
Connie, I agree. I think when one considers retirement, depending on your current age and health status, you must take into account future infirmity and deteriorating health. Yes, some retirees enjoy good health until their last breath, but most often that is not the case. Playing golf at 65 years of age is NOT going to last forever. If you buy a home in a golf community and the ONLY TOPIC OF CONVERSATION IS: GOLF, GOLF, GOLF, GOLF— ARNOLD PALMER, THE LATEST GOLF BALL OUT ON THE MARKET, AND THE GOLF CHANNEL, etc.–will you still be talking about golf when you can barely get out your chair? Retirement communities are always in a state of flux and transition, as the older ones die or head off to nursing homes. THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK, OR THE NEW RETIRED KIDS ON THE BLOCK will still be interested in golf, when you are neglected and forgotten. Couples, and widows adapt better to retirement. Widowers have a difficult time enjoying their golden years. Their wives often cleaned the house, cooked, etc. Men relied on their wives for domestic chores, and of course companionship, but all too often they find themselves helpless, lonely, and alone. As a rule men do not form the friendship bonds that women experience at a much more intimate and deeper level.
Response:
>Within the SF Bay Area, there is an island called Alameda. It was a naval base >and maintained a 1950s atmosphere and still does. The naval base is now closed >and more housing is being built. A friend of mine has a beautiful 3 br condo >there. Another lives on a houseboat and a third lives in assisted living after >a heart attack. Because it is in the Bay Area, there are multiple colleges and >every type of entertainment. It is on SF Bay with beautiful san beaches and >spectacular views of San Francisco across the Bay. Weather is moderate but >without SF’s fog in the summer. If money were no object, this is probably >where I would live. >-Connie
It was bleedin’ hot today. I heard on the radio that it was 88F in the city. The city was the hottest place in the region for a change. I wonder what this summer will be like, considering how hot it’s been already this year. I put a fan on for the cats, but my cat has never gotten used to the strange whirling beast so I found him in another room when I got back. I drove out to Ocean Beach where it was cooler, and went wading. The water was too cold for anything but wading, of course. The only things I really miss about Massachusetts are having an ocean one can swim in, and thunderstorms. (The only thing I liked about Florida was the warm ocean.) I drove back barefoot to avoid getting sand in my sneakers, and the cats were really interested in smelling my feet when I got back. My friend from Alaska is coming down in a week, so we’ll doubtless head out to Lake Berryessa a couple of times, where one really can swim.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Smithes) > >Thumper, > >Gosh, isn’t this discussion group for old people. > >ARE YOU A YOUNGER OLD PERSON, OR AN OLDER YOUNG PERSON? > >You can’t have it both ways! > >Cameron > I think Thumper was being facetious with truth added. An isolated > retirement community is for old people and some of us like to mingle > with all ages. Frankly, the notion that one should go somewhere special > to retire is an odd one to me. But then I like to be in the swing of >things > and looking only at other old folks like me would depress me. There is > a difference between complexes designed for housing seniors only, > with such being in the midst of a town or city, and being stuck out in >the > boondocks with no one else around other than more retirees. > The big question is, what will you do with your time in retirement? I > suppose playing golf is entertaining, but what if one wants to get > involved in community life, volunteer work, cultural institutions? Go > back to school? I would no more limit my choices in retirement than in > pre-retirement days. >Rita, Jim, & others, >First, I do not now nor have I ever worked for the Villages or any other >real estate venture. I’m exactly as advertised, a relatively recently >retired person living in the DC area. And, as I said, I have been seeking >with little success a significant downside to this development. When I >visited there, I actively sought out residents (not employees or realtors) >to find major negatives about the place. I was overwhelmed by the almost >universal positive feedback and it made me want to find critical flaws even >more. As to prior threads and comments by Charles Gallbach, I guess I >missed them. I have only fairly recently found this newsgroup and have >been lurking with a few posts for 3 months or so, maybe a bit longer. >Back on topic, I am very concerned about the limitation of living in any >type of "seniors" community. I love being part of a diverse community. >Though a bachelor, I adore being around my great nephews and nieces and >really enjoy kids in general. I like the fact that the customers at my >supermarket include people of all ages and ethnicity. Especially in the >last 10 years, I’ve lived in a very diverse society and have profited >greatly. I have generally associated with a cross section of society with >a lot of younger people around. I have no desire whatsoever to restrict >myself to sitting around with a bunch of old farts comparing colonoscopy >results. >In one sense, I have ultimate freedom to go wherever and do whatever I want >in retirement, within financial boundaries. Ideally, I’d love to find a >picturesque, isolated small town in the mountains with an ocean view. It >would be within commuting distance of a cosmopolitan area. There would be >four unique seasons, but it would never get too hot or humid, there would >be only periodic sentimental rain, and beautiful snowfalls would avoid all >streets and sidewalks. No sleet, hail, or temperatures below 40. Every >social amenity imaginable must be at hand, but there would be no taxes at >all. The residents would be outgoing and friendly but would respect one’s >privacy. There would be a plethora of activities available at all times >day or night, but they would not encroach on my actions. There would be >ample golf courses around so I could make up for all that I’ve missed over >the last years, that I could play whenever and wherever I liked. (Did I >mention that the golf would be free?) There would be scores of restaurants >of every ethnic vein, but not so many that the area would become crowded. >I’d have plenty of land on which I could raise my chilies and maybe some >fruit trees and tulips, azaleas, roses and whatever, but someone else would >cut the grass and pull the weeds and all that nasty stuff. And, of course, >a four bedroom house that cleaned itself would cost half of what I’ll get >for my condo. >As you can see, there might be some trade-offs required. I need to weigh >the importance of the various options and make some decisions, so I’m >gathering as much info as I can. I really do appreciate all the input I’ve >rec’d, especially what I thought was a very analytical commentary from >Cameron. >Oh, and did I mention that my retirement town would also host a small >liberal arts college where the students (and faculty) were beautiful, super >intelligent ladies who were crazy about fat old fogies. >Bill >"You’re only jealous because the voices aren’t talking to you."
Come on up to New England. Unfortunately it’s getting expensive. Then again, everywhere people want to live is getting expensive. thumper
Response:
>Thumper, >Gosh, isn’t this discussion group for old people. >ARE YOU A YOUNGER OLD PERSON, OR AN OLDER YOUNG PERSON? >You can’t have it both ways!
Why not? I can’t figure out what I am. Of course my post was half tongue in cheek but on the other hand I really don’t want to be around all older people in my retirement years. I enjoy a good healthy mix. Good friends of mine just bought one of the less expensive houses in the Villages last month. They don’t intend to move there however. They intend to turn it over in a few years and make a few bucks. Thumper – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Cameron
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->And I no more believe you are Bill then the man in the moon. I >suspect you are the same villages marketing person who comes here >every six months and does the same thing. You come here using the >name Adam or Mary or some such with a munged address regularly and >post the same thing. >But, then this last one was the best one yet since I don’t think our >resident spam warrior is onto you yet. >I did find it odd that Bill said he had heard no negative comments >on this Villages place. There have been threads about this place, >as you mention, from time to time, and Charles Gallbach (where IS >Charles, OK, I hope) pointed out all the restrictive covenants and >busy body interference with using one’s property as one wishes in >such places. >Another clue that Bill may be a marketing person is that he mentioned >the website for The Villages and pointed out a videotape and flyers >were available. If he is a marketer for this outfit, he did do a great job >of a soft sell:)
like a guy stealing home and getting just under the catcher’s mitt, he slit by our spam queen.
Response:
Within the SF Bay Area, there is an island called Alameda. It was a naval base and maintained a 1950s atmosphere and still does. The naval base is now closed and more housing is being built. A friend of mine has a beautiful 3 br condo there. Another lives on a houseboat and a third lives in assisted living after a heart attack. Because it is in the Bay Area, there are multiple colleges and every type of entertainment. It is on SF Bay with beautiful san beaches and spectacular views of San Francisco across the Bay. Weather is moderate but without SF’s fog in the summer. If money were no object, this is probably where I would live. -Connie
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->In one sense, I have ultimate freedom to go wherever and do whatever I want >in retirement, within financial boundaries. Ideally, I’d love to find a >picturesque, isolated small town in the mountains with an ocean view. It >would be within commuting distance of a cosmopolitan area. There would be >four unique seasons, but it would never get too hot or humid, there would >be only periodic sentimental rain, and beautiful snowfalls would avoid all >streets and sidewalks. No sleet, hail, or temperatures below 40. Every >social amenity imaginable must be at hand, but there would be no taxes at >all. The residents would be outgoing and friendly but would respect one’s >privacy. There would be a plethora of activities available at all times >day or night, but they would not encroach on my actions. There would be >ample golf courses around so I could make up for all that I’ve missed over >the last years, that I could play whenever and wherever I liked. (Did I >mention that the golf would be free?) There would be scores of restaurants >of every ethnic vein, but not so many that the area would become crowded. >I’d have plenty of land on which I could raise my chilies and maybe some >fruit trees and tulips, azaleas, roses and whatever, but someone else would >cut the grass and pull the weeds and all that nasty stuff. And, of course, >a four bedroom house that cleaned itself would cost half of what I’ll get >for my condo. >As you can see, there might be some trade-offs required. I need to weigh >the importance of the various options and make some decisions, so I’m >gathering as much info as I can. I really do appreciate all the input I’ve >rec’d, especially what I thought was a very analytical commentary from >Cameron. >Oh, and did I mention that my retirement town would also host a small >liberal arts college where the students (and faculty) were beautiful, super >intelligent ladies who were crazy about fat old fogies. > Try Santa Barbara. I lived there for two years and it meets many of your > items on your wish list. Why did I leave? I like living in NYC more than I > liked living there, all told, but I do go back to visit. > You have in SB mountains and ocean, perfect climate, not too hot, not too > cold, a charming downtown, beaches, a university and also city sponsored > adult ed program that is remarkable, tons of local groups offering every > activity under the sun, laid back residents who will accept you but not intrude > on your privacy. Real estate is very expensive, but given enough > time looking you can find a decent apartment and who needs a house when > living in such a climate? SB is at the same time upscale and yet provides > plenty of low cost amusement for those not so well fixed. I furnished my > apartment there for a few hundred bucks at local thrift shops where I found > attractive, like new, offerings donated by SB’s well to do citizens. Lots of > restaurants moderately priced, a couple of interesting local festivals each > year. > All in all, SB beats the hell out of Florida. It has class, which Florida sadly > lacks. And yes, I have spent time in Florida.
Santa Barbara IS nice, probably one of the best places left in CA. Definitely better than FL. I lived in FL for a while and hated it. Too hot an muggy. Too many bugs. Came down with a cold every winter. Too many old people. The winter is very crowded. My wife and I looked all over the west coast before settling in the San Juan Islands. Either Santa Barbara or San Louis Obispo would have been out second choice. Both are college towns and have wonderful weather. Decided against SLO because it is too close to LA. Decided on the San Juans because it is like a trip back to the ’50s. People are great, weather is great, rural environment is not too crowded and a high percentage of people with college education. Not many Republicans tho, so I come to this news group to try to get alternative points of view.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Cameron et al, >Thanx for all the comments. Re your regional preference assessments, >though I am originally a Midwesterner, I lived in Europe for almost 10 >years and then 10 more in Northern VA. Love the DC area, but it is getting >ungodly crowded and I’ll likely not be able to afford the prices for long. >I will definitely miss the somewhat mild four seasons here. >I kinda stumbled upon The Villages. My sister-in-law mentioned it in >passing and I looked at the web site. http://www.thevillages.com/ Found >that interesting, so I sent away for the video and fliers. I was impressed >enough that I visited for a few days late last summer (Heavy thunderstorm >season). Firstly, tho it is close to Ocala, it seems to exist in a world >all its own. The place is huge, now at 30K+ people with massive growth in >process. Secondly, the retiree population seems to come from all over the >eastern 2/3s of the country. As you said, it is very popular with >Midwesterners, but there seem to be even more from the eastern seaboard >from Maine on down. Plus there seems to be a rather large group from >Britain who live there 6 months a year. >In all, I’ve obviously been very impressed with the place. Since I >discovered it, I’ve encountered a number of friends and relatives who know >people who’ve moved there. Everyone speaks so well of it. As a natural >pessimist, I’m searching for the other side. I know the heat and humidity >are bad, but can it be much worse than August in KC? The homes look really >nice and are much cheaper than around here. Thanx to all for the info on >the taxes. After my condo here was yet again reappraised and while the >state is looking at another omnibus tax increase, Florida has got to be >cheaper. >I think I’m looking for somebody to tell me about some deep dark secrets >about the place — maybe they burn chubby retired civil servants at the >stake on alternate Wednesdays or there’s nowhere around to buy fresh bagels >or frozen custard — something to make me give up on the place and let my >old inertia take hold. >Thanx again, >Bill > Bill, > I once lived in Florida, so I am familiar with the state. The interior > of Florida is about five degrees warmer in summer, and about five > degrees cooler in winter, depending on the latitude. > Overall, I think Florida offers the best retirement living for the > dollar. But, you must chose your location wisely. Do assess how you will > fit in with your selected community. > There is no utopia. Every region of the country has > drawbacks–earthquakes, tornadoes, prohibitive cost of living, snow, > etc. > The Florida heat is intense. Many retirees head north during the summer. > The most moderate Florida climate is on the Gold Coast, where the cooler > Gulf Stream waters cool things off a bit. Not much, but a bit. Adapting > to the humidity is difficult, but most of the country experiences high > humidity in the summer. > One Florida summer climatological feature is daily afternoon > thunderstorms. You can set your clock to the thunderstorms. The > temperature can drop as much as 15 degrees in a matter of 15 minutes. > Some of the storms do have lightening. Florida has the highest death > rate from lightening strikes. If you are out on the golf course, by all > means take shelter during a thunderstorm. > Florida is a socially schizophrenic state. Northern Florida is in the > Bible Belt and is very, very conservative, while southern Florida is > generally more liberal. Many hispanic Cubans are Republican, so > Miami-Dade County is conservative. Miami Beach is more liberal. > Seeing Confederate Flags on cars in northern Florida is not an unusual > occurrence. In fact, the Florida Panhandle is known as the "Redneck > Riviera." > From my perspective the Ocala area, and most of central Florida is not > aesthetically pleasing, not terrain-wise, but because of the lack of > uniformity. You will see squatter shacks, single mobile homes in between > strip malls, and many two room small fundamentalist churches with > "Jesus" signs. > I have driven by the Villages, but I have not physically been in the > complex. Central Florida, and the Gulf Coast have more Midwest retirees. > If you are from the Midwest, you would then fit in. If you are a > conservative Republican you will fit in. Being a liberal Democrat would > be somewhat "iffy." Central Florida and the Gulf of Mexico coastal areas > do draw the Midwest retirees. Sarasota and Naples draw well-healed, > WASP, Republican country-club, Midwest retirees. > These Republican areas though are not the Christian Coalition type of > Republicans. Republicans in the Ocala area would be more Christian > Coalition types. > Southeastern Florida draws Northeastern retirees. Brooklyn and Boston > accents are everywhere. Broward County is quite Jewish, and it is the > most LIBERAL county in the state, aside from the city of Key West. Jeb > Bush detests Broward County. Broward County welcomes the ACLU. > My favorite central Florida town is, Mount Dora. It’s a beautiful quaint > town with lots of antique shops. If you are considering central Florida, > do consider Mount Dora. It does not have Del Webb scale retiree > communities though, like the Villages. > Do not consider retiring to Orlando. The traffic is a nightmare. > Retiring NEAR ORLANDO is a much better option. Mount Dora is just a > short drive from Orlando, The Villages are more isolated. > Every part of Florida has advantages and disadvantages. The coastal > areas of Florida ARE SITTING ON A TIME BOMB WITH HURRICANES. Just like > California, """THE BIG ONE"""" is a disaster waiting to happen. > Hurricane Andrew destroyed 50,000 homes. If Andrew had strayed just 50 > miles north, Miami would have resembled Hiroshima. Central Florida, > hurricane-wise, is a better option. > Check to see whether you can obtain home insurance. Many insurance > companies are no longer writing policies. The policies that are written > are not cheap. The closer you live to water, the more you will pay. > Florida is a GREAT state in which to retire. I hope I haven’t given you > the impression not to retire there, but do select where you live > carefully. > Select a city where you will blend in–politics-wise, ethnically, > monetary too. Naples, and Palm Beach would not be very welcoming if you > drive a Yugo. You would receive a much more welcoming nod with a > Mercedes, BMW, or Jaguar with a Bush-Cheney bumper sticker. > There has been white-flight out of Miami into Broward County, and Palm > Beach County. Hispanic clerks in Miami sometimes do ignore whites. > Speaking Spanish is a definite plus. The hispanic culture rules. > Do consider the proximity to medical care. Retirees want good health > care. > One word of caution too. Retirees can be BUSYBODIES. They have lots, and > lots, and lots of free time. It’s very likely you will be a topic of > conversation–again, again, and again. What business should be YOUR > BUSINESS, WILL BE EVERYONE’S BUSINESS. > Opening your mail, if a letter should be inadvertently delivered by > mistake, checking packages at your doorstep, what’s inside your car, > what’s outside your car, what hours you sleep, will be open topics of > conversation. It’s just a roll of the dice, as to how nosy your > neighbors will be. Sometimes you’d swear your retired neighbors work for > the CIA. > Again, it’s in a retirees best interest TO BLEND IN. When you don’t > blend in, YOUR GOLDEN YEARS WILL BE ANYTHING BUT GOLDEN. > SOME MOUTHS NEVER STOP, AND STOPPING THE MOUTHS IS IMPOSSIBLE. > Unfortunately, HOOF MOUTH DISEASE doesn’t hit the geriatiric crowd much. > Bill, this is way too long but I hope it’s been of some value. > Cameron
Too many old people there. Thumper
Response:
>Cameron et al, >Thanx for all the comments. Re your regional preference assessments, >though I am originally a Midwesterner, I lived in Europe for almost 10 >years and then 10 more in Northern VA. Love the DC area, but it is getting >ungodly crowded and I’ll likely not be able to afford the prices for long. >I will definitely miss the somewhat mild four seasons here. >I kinda stumbled upon The Villages. My sister-in-law mentioned it in >passing and I looked at the web site. http://www.thevillages.com/ Found >that interesting, so I sent away for the video and fliers. I was impressed
And I no more believe you are Bill then the man in the moon. I suspect you are the same villages marketing person who comes here every six months and does the same thing. You come here using the name Adam or Mary or some such with a munged address regularly and post the same thing. But, then this last one was the best one yet since I don’t think our resident spam warrior is onto you yet.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Dave, > Thanks for the information about the intangibles tax. I thought I had > read somewhere on the internet that it was going to be phased out. > It’s my understanding that a huge, mammoth retirement community is going > to be built at the intersections of Highway 41 and Highway 52. > The project will take around 20 years, and have a population of > something like 30,000 people or so on the completion date. > I have been to Trinity. It’s founder is a born-again dentist. Trinity > Bible College, I think that’s the name??, is part of the complex. I > think they also have a YMCA. Trinity now has their own zip code. > The problem with all of these communities is that they are out in the > boonies. The scenery is not good driving from Tampa/St. Pete or points > in between. Shacks, fruit stands, junk cars are an eye sore.
You’re right about the "Hicky" scenery in places around Florida, depending on the location but in growing areas of north Pinellas/south Pasco counties the phenonon is diminishing. Although it’s not within walking distance of amenities, Trinity isn’t so isolated anymore. There’s a number of nice, newer strip stores a few miles south and a Wal-Mart within a mile or so from the complex to the north. Further north, the same newer amenities are slowly coming in but it’s going to take a few more years for civilization to fully fill in the gaps. The bottom line is that if you don’t mind driving, it’s within an hour or less of just about anything you’d want for needs or entertainment. I’m in a decent north Pinellas county area and am lucky enough to be within a couple of miles of everything I use. If driving became too expensive, walking and bicycling wouldn’t be too great hardship, just inconvenient at times. My parents checked out a retirement community around Ocala, I think. They had the same isolation complaint. I thought for awhile they were set on Trinity but ended up buying into a retirement community near where they already lived up north. There’s more relatives up there and I’m not fun to play with, anyway.
Response:
> I think I’m looking for somebody to tell me about some deep dark secrets > about the place — maybe they burn chubby retired civil servants at the > stake on alternate Wednesdays or there’s nowhere around to buy fresh bagels > or frozen custard — something to make me give up on the place and let my > old inertia take hold.
Rumor has it that Bigfoot is in the area!
Response:
Dave, Thanks for the information about the intangibles tax. I thought I had read somewhere on the internet that it was going to be phased out. It’s my understanding that a huge, mammoth retirement community is going to be built at the intersections of Highway 41 and Highway 52. The project will take around 20 years, and have a population of something like 30,000 people or so on the completion date. I have been to Trinity. It’s founder is a born-again dentist. Trinity Bible College, I think that’s the name??, is part of the complex. I think they also have a YMCA. Trinity now has their own zip code. The problem with all of these communities is that they are out in the boonies. The scenery is not good driving from Tampa/St. Pete or points in between. Shacks, fruit stands, junk cars are an eye sore. Dade City is a nice little town. It’s somewhat comparable to Mount Dora. It’s got a beautiful Square. If I remember correctly, the Court House is a stately, red brick building. For a person who likes small town living, it would be a nice city for Florida retirement. One advantage too, hurricanes wouldn’t be the threat they pose living on the coasts. For retirees on a budget, the costs in Dade City would be reasonable. A very small Catholic college is just west of town. Cameron
Response:
Cameron et al, Thanx for all the comments. Re your regional preference assessments, though I am originally a Midwesterner, I lived in Europe for almost 10 years and then 10 more in Northern VA. Love the DC area, but it is getting ungodly crowded and I’ll likely not be able to afford the prices for long. I will definitely miss the somewhat mild four seasons here. I kinda stumbled upon The Villages. My sister-in-law mentioned it in passing and I looked at the web site. http://www.thevillages.com/ Found that interesting, so I sent away for the video and fliers. I was impressed enough that I visited for a few days late last summer (Heavy thunderstorm season). Firstly, tho it is close to Ocala, it seems to exist in a world all its own. The place is huge, now at 30K+ people with massive growth in process. Secondly, the retiree population seems to come from all over the eastern 2/3s of the country. As you said, it is very popular with Midwesterners, but there seem to be even more from the eastern seaboard from Maine on down. Plus there seems to be a rather large group from Britain who live there 6 months a year. In all, I’ve obviously been very impressed with the place. Since I discovered it, I’ve encountered a number of friends and relatives who know people who’ve moved there. Everyone speaks so well of it. As a natural pessimist, I’m searching for the other side. I know the heat and humidity are bad, but can it be much worse than August in KC? The homes look really nice and are much cheaper than around here. Thanx to all for the info on the taxes. After my condo here was yet again reappraised and while the state is looking at another omnibus tax increase, Florida has got to be cheaper. I think I’m looking for somebody to tell me about some deep dark secrets about the place — maybe they burn chubby retired civil servants at the stake on alternate Wednesdays or there’s nowhere around to buy fresh bagels or frozen custard — something to make me give up on the place and let my old inertia take hold. Thanx again, Bill
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Bill, > I once lived in Florida, so I am familiar with the state. The interior > of Florida is about five degrees warmer in summer, and about five > degrees cooler in winter, depending on the latitude. > Overall, I think Florida offers the best retirement living for the > dollar. But, you must chose your location wisely. Do assess how you will > fit in with your selected community. > There is no utopia. Every region of the country has > drawbacks–earthquakes, tornadoes, prohibitive cost of living, snow, > etc. > The Florida heat is intense. Many retirees head north during the summer. > The most moderate Florida climate is on the Gold Coast, where the cooler > Gulf Stream waters cool things off a bit. Not much, but a bit. Adapting > to the humidity is difficult, but most of the country experiences high > humidity in the summer. > One Florida summer climatological feature is daily afternoon > thunderstorms. You can set your clock to the thunderstorms. The > temperature can drop as much as 15 degrees in a matter of 15 minutes. > Some of the storms do have lightening. Florida has the highest death > rate from lightening strikes. If you are out on the golf course, by all > means take shelter during a thunderstorm. > Florida is a socially schizophrenic state. Northern Florida is in the > Bible Belt and is very, very conservative, while southern Florida is > generally more liberal. Many hispanic Cubans are Republican, so > Miami-Dade County is conservative. Miami Beach is more liberal. > Seeing Confederate Flags on cars in northern Florida is not an unusual > occurrence. In fact, the Florida Panhandle is known as the "Redneck > Riviera." > From my perspective the Ocala area, and most of central Florida is not > aesthetically pleasing, not terrain-wise, but because of the lack of > uniformity. You will see squatter shacks, single mobile homes in between > strip malls, and many two room small fundamentalist churches with > "Jesus" signs. > I have driven by the Villages, but I have not physically been in the > complex. Central Florida, and the Gulf Coast have more Midwest retirees. > If you are from the Midwest, you would then fit in. If you are a > conservative Republican you will fit in. Being a liberal Democrat would > be somewhat "iffy." Central Florida and the Gulf of Mexico coastal areas > do draw the Midwest retirees. Sarasota and Naples draw well-healed, > WASP, Republican country-club, Midwest retirees. > These Republican areas though are not the Christian Coalition type of > Republicans. Republicans in the Ocala area would be more Christian > Coalition types. > Southeastern Florida draws Northeastern retirees. Brooklyn and Boston > accents are everywhere. Broward County is quite Jewish, and it is the > most LIBERAL county in the state, aside from the city of Key West. Jeb > Bush detests Broward County. Broward County welcomes the ACLU. > My favorite central Florida town is, Mount Dora. It’s a beautiful quaint > town with lots of antique shops. If you are considering central Florida, > do consider Mount Dora. It does not have Del Webb scale retiree > communities though, like the Villages. > Do not consider retiring to Orlando. The traffic is a nightmare. > Retiring NEAR ORLANDO is a much better option. Mount Dora is just a > short drive from Orlando, The Villages are more isolated. > Every part of Florida has advantages and disadvantages. The coastal > areas of Florida ARE SITTING ON A TIME BOMB WITH HURRICANES. Just like > California, """THE BIG ONE"""" is a disaster waiting to happen. > Hurricane Andrew destroyed 50,000 homes. If Andrew had strayed just 50 > miles north, Miami would have resembled Hiroshima. Central Florida, > hurricane-wise, is a better option. > Check to see whether you can obtain home insurance. Many insurance > companies are no longer writing policies. The policies that are written > are not cheap. The closer you live to water, the more you will pay. > Florida is a GREAT state in which to retire. I hope I haven’t given you > the impression not to retire there, but do select where you live > carefully. > Select a city where you will blend in–politics-wise, ethnically, > monetary too. Naples, and Palm Beach would not be very welcoming if you > drive a Yugo. You would receive a much more welcoming nod with a > Mercedes, BMW, or Jaguar with a Bush-Cheney bumper sticker. > There has been white-flight out of Miami into Broward County, and Palm > Beach County. Hispanic clerks in Miami sometimes do ignore whites. > Speaking Spanish is a definite plus. The hispanic culture rules. > Do consider the proximity to medical care. Retirees want good health > care. > One word of caution too. Retirees can be BUSYBODIES. They have lots, and > lots, and lots of free time. It’s very likely you will be a topic of > conversation–again, again, and again. What business should be YOUR > BUSINESS, WILL BE EVERYONE’S BUSINESS. > Opening your mail, if a letter should be inadvertently delivered by > mistake, checking packages at your doorstep, what’s inside your car, > what’s outside your car, what hours you sleep, will be open topics of > conversation. It’s just a roll of the dice, as to how nosy your > neighbors will be. Sometimes you’d swear your retired neighbors work for > the CIA. > Again, it’s in a retirees best interest TO BLEND IN. When you don’t > blend in, YOUR GOLDEN YEARS WILL BE ANYTHING BUT GOLDEN. > SOME MOUTHS NEVER STOP, AND STOPPING THE MOUTHS IS IMPOSSIBLE. > Unfortunately, HOOF MOUTH DISEASE doesn’t hit the geriatiric crowd much. > Bill, this is way too long but I hope it’s been of some value. > Cameron
Response:
> Florida has had an intangibles tax, but it’s my understanding that it is > being phased out. There is no state income tax, but some areas of > Florida have fairly high property taxes. Hillsborough County has high > taxes. Sarasota County has the cheapest taxes in the state– roughly 1% > of assessed value.
For general information, I recently picked-up the Florida "Intangible Personal Property Tax" forms from the library. There’s a $250,000 exception for singles, $500,000 for couples on applicable securities. Don’t know if the original inquisitor would be interested but there’s a nice community called "Trinity" just north of Clearwater, on the central west coast, with various communities, including over 55. I’ve looked at it several times when my parents were down and thought it nice.
Response:
James, Thanks for your comments. I think Florida has some redeeming qualities. For a couple on a budget, it’s very affordable. Mobile home parks are numerous. Many mobile homes sell for under $50,000, and there is a trend toward upscale mobile home parks. Mobile homes in Florida are very functional because of the mild climate. I, myself, would not buy a mobile home, but many retirees do. Florida has had an intangibles tax, but it’s my understanding that it is being phased out. There is no state income tax, but some areas of Florida have fairly high property taxes. Hillsborough County has high taxes. Sarasota County has the cheapest taxes in the state– roughly 1% of assessed value. Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island are nice. The marshes are very unique. Homes tend to be fairly expensive. Sea Island rivals homes in Marin County–Belvedere, etc. If you’re looking for a 2 million dollar home, you’ll find it, even if you are choosey. I doubt if 10 days of frost though would kill HOOF AND MOUTH DISEASE. I just hope when all of the retirees are gossiping, bugs fly into their MOTOR MOUTHS.
Response:
> Florida is a socially schizophrenic state. Northern Florida is in the > Bible Belt and is very, very conservative, while southern Florida is > generally more liberal. Many hispanic Cubans are Republican, so > Miami-Dade County is conservative. Miami Beach is more liberal.
Florida has very few socially redeeming values. The schools are notoriously horrible, and public services are poor compared to other States. Floridians can’t even vote fairly and accurately. Florida also has a portfolio tax, which hits retired seniors heavily. In may case, the tax would have been bigger than a State income tax.. We chose Southeast Georgia because Jekyll Island is almost perfect, it has access to an international airport (Jacksonville, 40 miles away), and it has 10 or so days of frost per year, which kills Billions of bugs which survive to torment people further South. > Seeing Confederate Flags on cars in northern Florida is not an unusual > occurrence. In fact, the Florida Panhandle is known as the "Redneck > Riviera." > From my perspective the Ocala area, and most of central Florida is not > aesthetically pleasing, not terrain-wise, but because of the lack of > uniformity. You will see squatter shacks, single mobile homes in between > strip malls, and many two room small fundamentalist churches with > "Jesus" signs. > Florida is a GREAT state in which to retire. I hope I haven’t given you > the impression not to retire there, but do select where you live > carefully.
I saw a Florida Bumper sticker which said: "If you don’t like the way we count (votes), get on I-99 and go to one of the other 40 States"
Response:
Bill, I once lived in Florida, so I am familiar with the state. The interior of Florida is about five degrees warmer in summer, and about five degrees cooler in winter, depending on the latitude. Overall, I think Florida offers the best retirement living for the dollar. But, you must chose your location wisely. Do assess how you will fit in with your selected community. There is no utopia. Every region of the country has drawbacks–earthquakes, tornadoes, prohibitive cost of living, snow, etc. The Florida heat is intense. Many retirees head north during the summer. The most moderate Florida climate is on the Gold Coast, where the cooler Gulf Stream waters cool things off a bit. Not much, but a bit. Adapting to the humidity is difficult, but most of the country experiences high humidity in the summer. One Florida summer climatological feature is daily afternoon thunderstorms. You can set your clock to the thunderstorms. The temperature can drop as much as 15 degrees in a matter of 15 minutes. Some of the storms do have lightening. Florida has the highest death rate from lightening strikes. If you are out on the golf course, by all means take shelter during a thunderstorm. Florida is a socially schizophrenic state. Northern Florida is in the Bible Belt and is very, very conservative, while southern Florida is generally more liberal. Many hispanic Cubans are Republican, so Miami-Dade County is conservative. Miami Beach is more liberal. Seeing Confederate Flags on cars in northern Florida is not an unusual occurrence. In fact, the Florida Panhandle is known as the "Redneck Riviera." From my perspective the Ocala area, and most of central Florida is not aesthetically pleasing, not terrain-wise, but because of the lack of uniformity. You will see squatter shacks, single mobile homes in between strip malls, and many two room small fundamentalist churches with "Jesus" signs. I have driven by the Villages, but I have not physically been in the complex. Central Florida, and the Gulf Coast have more Midwest retirees. If you are from the Midwest, you would then fit in. If you are a conservative Republican you will fit in. Being a liberal Democrat would be somewhat "iffy." Central Florida and the Gulf of Mexico coastal areas do draw the Midwest retirees. Sarasota and Naples draw well-healed, WASP, Republican country-club, Midwest retirees. These Republican areas though are not the Christian Coalition type of Republicans. Republicans in the Ocala area would be more Christian Coalition types. Southeastern Florida draws Northeastern retirees. Brooklyn and Boston accents are everywhere. Broward County is quite Jewish, and it is the most LIBERAL county in the state, aside from the city of Key West. Jeb Bush detests Broward County. Broward County welcomes the ACLU. My favorite central Florida town is, Mount Dora. It’s a beautiful quaint town with lots of antique shops. If you are considering central Florida, do consider Mount Dora. It does not have Del Webb scale retiree communities though, like the Villages. Do not consider retiring to Orlando. The traffic is a nightmare. Retiring NEAR ORLANDO is a much better option. Mount Dora is just a short drive from Orlando, The Villages are more isolated. Every part of Florida has advantages and disadvantages. The coastal areas of Florida ARE SITTING ON A TIME BOMB WITH HURRICANES. Just like California, """THE BIG ONE"""" is a disaster waiting to happen. Hurricane Andrew destroyed 50,000 homes. If Andrew had strayed just 50 miles north, Miami would have resembled Hiroshima. Central Florida, hurricane-wise, is a better option. Check to see whether you can obtain home insurance. Many insurance companies are no longer writing policies. The policies that are written are not cheap. The closer you live to water, the more you will pay. Florida is a GREAT state in which to retire. I hope I haven’t given you the impression not to retire there, but do select where you live carefully. Select a city where you will blend in–politics-wise, ethnically, monetary too. Naples, and Palm Beach would not be very welcoming if you drive a Yugo. You would receive a much more welcoming nod with a Mercedes, BMW, or Jaguar with a Bush-Cheney bumper sticker. There has been white-flight out of Miami into Broward County, and Palm Beach County. Hispanic clerks in Miami sometimes do ignore whites. Speaking Spanish is a definite plus. The hispanic culture rules. Do consider the proximity to medical care. Retirees want good health care. One word of caution too. Retirees can be BUSYBODIES. They have lots, and lots, and lots of free time. It’s very likely you will be a topic of conversation–again, again, and again. What business should be YOUR BUSINESS, WILL BE EVERYONE’S BUSINESS. Opening your mail, if a letter should be inadvertently delivered by mistake, checking packages at your doorstep, what’s inside your car, what’s outside your car, what hours you sleep, will be open topics of conversation. It’s just a roll of the dice, as to how nosy your neighbors will be. Sometimes you’d swear your retired neighbors work for the CIA. Again, it’s in a retirees best interest TO BLEND IN. When you don’t blend in, YOUR GOLDEN YEARS WILL BE ANYTHING BUT GOLDEN. SOME MOUTHS NEVER STOP, AND STOPPING THE MOUTHS IS IMPOSSIBLE. Unfortunately, HOOF MOUTH DISEASE doesn’t hit the geriatiric crowd much. Bill, this is way too long but I hope it’s been of some value. Cameron
Response:
I’m looking at The Villages, a huge development south of Ocala, Florida, as a possible place to retire. Do any of you in this large, diverse group have any experiences with the place. So far, I’ve heard a lot of positives and minor complaints about heat and humidity. Any and all comments appreciated, Bill
Response:
Related Posts