Florida’s Sumter County has a census-designated place called The Village. Its name is shared with a larger age-restricted master-planned community that stretches into parts of Lake and Marion counties. The general development is located in central Florida, approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of Ocala and 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Orlando.
The Villages consistently rank as a trendy place to live for retirees. It is the largest gated over-55 community in the world. It is well known for its plethora of recreational activities, country clubs, and overall retirement lifestyle. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? First, let’s examine the pros and cons of living in The Villages.
PROS:
1. Award-Winning Medical Care:
One thing that is very important to retirees is access to quality medical care. The Villages has a nationally recognized hospital for its excellence in patient care. In addition, there are many primary care clinics and specialty care providers conveniently located throughout the community.
2. Retirement Activities:
As mentioned before, The Villages is known for its abundance of recreational activities and social clubs. There is something for everyone here! Whether you’re into golfing, gardening, or even dancing, you can find a club or activity to join. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can always start your club!
3. Convenient Location:
The Villages is centrally located in Florida, making it a great place to live if you want to be close to the beach, Disney World, or any other attractions Florida offers. In addition, it’s only a short drive to Tampa and Orlando International airports.
4. Safe Community:
The Villages is a gated community with a security force. This makes it a very safe place to live, especially for retirees.
CONS:
1. Expensive Membership Fees:
To live in The Villages, you must purchase a membership from the developer. This membership fee can range from $50-$70 thousand for a single person! And that doesn’t even include the cost of purchasing a home or building one yourself. So if you’re not retired, you may want to start saving now!
2. Age Restrictions:
Since The Villages is an age-restricted community, only people over 55 are allowed to live here permanently. This may not be a con for some people, but if you have children or grandchildren who want to visit often, they will not be able to stay with you for extended periods.
3. Lack of Diversity:
Since The Villages is such a popular retirement community, it attracts mostly retirees from the northern United States. This can make for lack of diversity in the community. However, this is slowly changing as more and more people from all over the world are retiring here.
Conclusion:
The Villages has its pros and cons. It’s a fantastic community for retirees looking for access to quality medical care and plenty of social activities. However, living here can be pretty expensive, and only people over 55 are allowed to reside permanently. So, if you think The Villages could be the right fit, start saving to enjoy all this community has to offer!
