Why People Are Leaving The Villages FL | What’s Really Happening in the Community #prosandcons #thevillagesflorida

Is the villages really the perfect place to retire or is that just all hype? As a real estate expert, I have helped a lot of people move in and out of the villages. And every time somebody sells their home, I ask, why are you moving out of the villages? They're not just moving from one house in the villages to another house. They are moving completely out of the villages. And if this is supposed to be like the retirement place in the world, why? So I'm going to share their answers with you. Some may shock you and some will probably not be a surprise at all. But we're also going to cover the flip side. There is a reason that thousands of people move here every year. So while the villages isn't going to be for everyone, we're going to cover both the cons and the pros of living in the villages, Florida. Then you will be able to decide if the villages is the right place for you or if you're going to keep looking. We're going to start with the drawbacks, the biggest reasons that people pack their bags and left. The first one is the HOA, the rules and the fees. Now, does this come as a surprise to anybody? The villages is a master plan community, which means that there are a lot of rules about what you can do and what you can't do, even though it's your home. The monthly amenity at the time of filming this video is $189. Now, this is going to cover things like maintenance of the common areas, the swimming pools, the tennis courts and other recreation centers. It's also going to cover the golf courses on the executive courses, at least, and the lifestyle clubs and activities. Now, at first glance, this seems pretty reasonable, especially if you compare it to places with country club memberships. But here's where the people got frustrated. HOAs can be very, very, very strict. Many times you cannot change your home's exterior without approval. Want to paint your home a crazy wild color? It's not going to happen. You're going to stick to the HOAs pre-approved color palette. Often there is no street parking overnight. This is a real problem if you have family and friends visiting and your driveway is not large enough to hold all of the cars. And don't forget, you do not get to have unapproved yard decor. You want to put out your flamingo collection, your manatee collection, your flower art collection. It's not going to happen. Now, I understand that some people love HOAs because they keep the neighborhood looking uniform and beautiful. And others, they feel trapped and frustrated by them. Now, another reason that my sellers wanted to get out of the villages is the heat, the humidity, and the bugs. Now, I understand that this is Florida and that is literally everywhere in Florida. But if you move to Florida from a colder area of the United States, it came as quite a shock for my sellers. Now, the average temperatures in the villages are around 92 degrees, but with humidity, it feels more like 100. And for those that were seeking outdoor activities, this was just too much in the summer. And something that my northerners did not expect was that with this summer heat, it's going to bring bugs. Now, first of all, you've got the mosquitoes with their partner friends, the no-see-ums. If the mosquitoes don't finish you off, the no-see-ums will. And did you know that Florida has 93 species of mosquitoes? I think I have encountered all of them. And twice a year, we get to enjoy love bugs. And they're especially fun when you hit a massive swarm of them that they coat all the front of your car. And even using your windshield wipers cannot help you. Now, we know that they don't bite, but they certainly make a mess of everything. And the one that I dislike the most is the palmetto bug, also known as Florida's giant flying cockroaches. These roaches can actually fly. And most often, they fly at you. And yes, you are going to see them in your house. Now, for me, this isn't a deal breaker. But for my people that were out of state, this absolutely was something they weren't expecting. Now, the next reason that people moved out of the villages, and this is quite a surprise to me, is that it's not close to the beaches. I didn't understand that one because if you look at the villages on the map, it's not close to the beaches. But a lot of people just thought that, hey, isn't everything on the water or like really, really close to the water? And when you find out that you've got a couple hour drive either way, didn't seem like a lot when they were thinking, oh, I'll just make it a day trip. But after two hours drive back and you're hot and tired, it ended up being a deal breaker. So for some of my sellers who thought that they were going to wake up every day and take a nice stroll on the beach or enjoy the sunset on the water in the evening, it didn't work out as planned. Now, the next reason was the limited shopping and restaurants. Now, don't get me wrong. The villages has lots of shopping and they have a ton of restaurants. But when you are used to high end malls, trendy restaurants with creative menus and fine dining experience with Michelin star restaurants, they were a little disappointed. The villages mostly has chain restaurants like Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Bonefish Grill. The local restaurant scene is not bad. It's just not as diverse and exciting as places like Orlando and Tampa. And for major shopping with very high end stores, you're looking at about an hour drive to Orlando or about an hour and a half to Tampa. Now, the next one up was a surprise for me. It was the dependency on golf carts. Golf carts are the primary mode of transportation in the villages. This means you're not going to be driving your car as much. You're going to be using your golf cart to get to the stores, restaurants and events. There's even a rush hour traffic, but with golf carts. Sounds fun, right? And it is until it rains. Golf carts don't handle Florida's downpour very well. And we get a lot of that in the summers. As you know, golf cart speed limits are low. So if you need to get someplace fast, you are going to be better off using a car. Next up on the list was limited health care for serious conditions. This was actually a very huge factor for retirees. The villages has primary care clinics, urgent care and a hospital. For routine health care, you're going to be fine. But if you need specialized health care, like heart surgery, cancer treatments or major medical procedures, you might need to travel to Orlando, Gainesville or Tampa. For some, this isn't a deal breaker. But for others needing that major medical center, it was just a deal breaker. Now, this one also surprised me. Some people moved because of the 55 plus restriction because the villages is designed for 55 and older. Yes, that means no young families, no children living in the neighborhood full time and a very specific lifestyle that may not appeal to everyone. Now, for a lot of people, this is perfect because they want to be around other retirees or empty nesters. But for some of my sellers, it felt a little too exclusive, especially if you're someone that loves multi-generational communities. Now that we've covered several reasons why my customers chose to leave the villages, there are many people that love the villages and they can't wait to move here. And let me go over with you why some of my buyers decided to move to the villages. First up, it is the ultimate retirement community. The villages is one of the largest and fastest growing retirement communities in the U.S. and for good reason. First, it's designed specifically for retirees, which means that everything here is easy to access. The shops, the restaurants, they're all golf cart friendly. And it is socially engaging. There are over 2,500 clubs. You're going to find things from photography to ballroom dancing. And this place is built for fun. This isn't just a place to live. It is an active adult lifestyle. The next reason that people love moving here is this is a golfer's paradise. So if you love golf, the villages is the Disneyland of golf courses. There are more than 50 courses, ranging from casual executive courses to full championship courses. Residents get free golf for life on all executive courses. You just pay for the cart rental and golf cart paths connect the entire community, making it incredibly easy to get from course to course. And unlike many private clubs, the villages makes golf accessible to everyone. So whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, you will find a place to play. Next up on the reasons that people want to move here are low property taxes and no state income tax. So we know that one of the biggest financial perks to living in Florida is that we have no estate tax. We have no inheritance tax. On top of that, property taxes in the villages are relatively low, especially when you compare it to places like New York and New Jersey, where many of the people are moving from. So if you're looking to stretch your retirement savings further, this could be a good choice. Another reason that my buyers picked living in the villages is the endless social and recreational activities. If you like a social life, then this place is unmatched. You can find a group for practically anything. There are theater and acting clubs. You can also enjoy painting, pottery, and photography. Or if you like music, there's karaoke and live music groups. And if you're looking to get healthy or stay healthy, you've got cycling, running, and different fitness groups. And don't forget, we've got poker, bridge, and chess tournaments. And of course, do not forget about pickleball. It is practically a religion in the villages. Did you know that there are more pickleball courts in the villages than anywhere else in the country? Next favorite that my buyers absolutely love is the nightly entertainment and events. Unlike many other retirement communities that get quiet after dark, the villages has live entertainment every single night. Each of the three main town squares hosts free live music every evening. Dancing, street performers, and special events, they're just a regular thing. You will also find concerts, plays, and movie nights throughout the week. There is a reason that the villages feels like a resort, and that's because there's always something going on. Now, the next pro that my buyers really loved about the villages when they moved to Florida was the weather. Now, we understand that the summers are brutally hot, but the rest of the year is pretty fantastic. The winters are pretty mild with 60 and 70 degree temperature. And never, and I mean never have to shovel snow. With this kind of weather, you can play golf, swim, hike, bike, anything you want to do outside pretty much all year round. So the people that were coming from the Northeast and the Midwest, they loved escaping the harsh winters and enjoying that Florida sunshine. Next on the list, they love the private security and the neighborhood watch groups to keep the community safe. The gated communities added an extra layer of security. While there is no place in the world that is crime free, the villages is known for being a safe, peaceful community, making it ideal for retirees who want to feel secure in their neighborhood. So now, would you be moving out of the villages or are you going to be running to the villages? If you've been thinking about moving, but you're actually ready to now make a move, then check out the link in the description below for a list of the most exquisite homes in the villages. We can help you find your dream home in this amazing community. If you want to learn more about Florida, watch this video next. I'll see you over there.