Homes come in a wide variety of styles and prices, ranging from well-under $100,000 to more than $500,000.  Some older neighborhoods, such as tidy Silver Lake, have well-kept manufactured homes with 650 square feet, 2 bedrooms and 1 to 2 baths for $69,000, as well as dwellings with 1,455 square feet for $199,000 (although most homes in this Village are around $120,000).   The Village of Country Club is similar with manufactured homes ranging from $103,000 to $199,000.  

There are many, many site-built homes priced in the low-$200,000s (2 bedrooms and 2 baths with 1,100 to 1,300 square feet), and Villages with lovely homes priced in the mid-$200,000s include Winifred, La Zamora, Springdale and many others.  Residences in these neighborhoods have 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, small, low-maintenance yards, air-conditioning and a host of standard and upgraded features.  Villa-style homes in the $400,000 range are found in the Villages of Glenbrook, Spanish Springs (stucco exteriors with Spanish tile roofs) and others.   

There are new homes (designer homes, various villas and premier homes) and pre-owned homes; some have water views (ponds) and some have golf course views; some come furnished and some do not.  The community also has a limited number of town homes called Vista Lago Villas.  Newer neighborhoods tend to have a variety of architectural styles, and most neighborhoods have homes priced within $100,000 or so of each other (although not always).  Neighbors, therefore, are of similar financial backgrounds (which can be good or bad).  Some Villages have no lawns (rocks and plants instead) and other have large expanses of grass.  Parts of the Villages are gated and parts are not; some roads are owned by the residents and some are owned by the county (Sumter County).   So whatever your price range or home taste, you will find a place to live at The Villages.  Call 800-245-1081 for more information.

This is a golf cart community so everything can be reached on one of these little electric or gas-powered machines.  Residents ride them everywhere and have  license plates on the back of them stating from which state they hail.  Traffic jams have been known to occur at some intersections.  

Most people seem to very much enjoy life at The Villages (but see below); its popularity is evident in the fact that in the last six years, nearly 18,000 people have moved here.  There are two colorful town squares, Lake Sumter Landing and Spanish Springs, each with its own flavor, shopping and restaurants.  There are also hundreds of clubs for nearly every activity one can think of, including needlework, clogging, birdwatching, playing piano, playing harmonica, golf, memoir writing, cribbage, Civil War re-enactments and many, many more.  

The 50-person recreation department stages 300 events per week.  There are 30 recreation centers, 22 executive golf courses (9-hole, par-3 and free to use except if a cart is driven), 9 championship golf courses with country clubs (two were designed by Nancy Lopez and Arnold Palmer, and green fees range from $19 to $45 for residents), a polo field, an archery range, 40 heated pools, a community garden, 2 libraries and 2 fitness centers, not to mention grocery stores, pharmacies, theaters, post offices and dozens of churches in the area.   In short, everything a retiree could need is within a short golf cart ride.  There is even a community microbrewery.

There are, however, some issues with regard to the amenities throughout the community.   The Villages employs a form of government called a Community Development District (CDD), and within The Villages there are two classes of CDD; one applies to the areas where residents live and the other two (the SLCDD and the VCCDD) run the amenities (recreation centers, golf courses, etc.) within the community.   Because the developer holds the majority of the votes in these two districts, the developer has control over the amenities.   

This is a point of contention for many residents since some residents feel that the fees are too high, particularly since residents have no say in how the facilities are run or what new facilities should be built and at what cost.  Residents pay a monthly amenities fee and a monthly golf course fee (roughly $250 combined) plus an annual assessment for maintaining community infrastructure ($200 to $800 depending on home value).  A large part of these fees go to pay for a bond incurred by the developer, which does also does not sit well with everyone.   This is something of which to be aware if considering moving into The Villages.

The weather in this part of Florida is relatively mild when compared to the coastal areas.  An average high winter temperature in the winter is 60°F.   In the summer, temperatures range from the 70's to 90's with 70% humidity.