The Villages did it again. Out of the 25 Best Places to Retire in Florida, The Villages make it to the top 5. To be exact, it’s number 4 among the best places to retire.
CLICK TO VIEW All the Homes For Sale in The Villages 55+ Retirement Community
According to Floridaforboomers.com this lovely 55+ community has outdone other cities such as Venice, Naples, Kissimmee, St. Augustine, Port Orange, Tampa, Jacksonville, Stuart, Clermont, Delray Beach, St. Cloud, Daytona Beach, Winter Garden, Boynton Beach, Vero Beach, Ocala, Port St. Lucie, Clearwater, Lake Nona, Jupiter, and Palm Coast.
The Humble Beginnings of The Villages
The long-term success of The Villages dates back to their humble beginnings in the early 70s. What was once called the Orange Blossom Gardens was more of a mobile park. Despite the solid vision, it just didn’t work out but that didn’t stop real estate developer, Harold Schwartz, to go on with his vision.
Harold Schwartz turned to his son for help. The father and son tandem studied other retirement communities. They soon learned that a retirement community thrives when it’s complete with facilities to keep the residents busy. Another critical thing they learned was that a retirement community thrives when it’s located near commercial areas.
The father and son tandem committed to the same vision on the parameters of what they had learned. The name Orange Blossom Garden was eventually changed to The Villages. From then on, things have been going pretty well for this family-owned 55+ community.
A 55+ Community and a City Rolled into One
Don’t get confused with The Villages. As much as it is a 55+ community, it’s also pretty much considered a city. Given the fact that it spreads throughout three counties, Sumter, Lake, and Marion, this 55+ community is huge and is often considered a city.
Don’t let the size of The Villages intimidate you. Let the real estate experts of 55Next show you around The Villages.
What Makes The Villages one of the Best Places to Retire in Florida?
Do a quick search on The Villages and you will see how popular it is. It’s usually one of the first 55+ communities retirees consider. If you’re wondering why then you would have to look into what The Villages have to offer.
It’s safe to say that everything is in The Villages. There are top-notch medical facilities, entertainment venues, commercial centers, and sports amenities right within The Villages. The residents don’t need to go far to get do any kind of errand done.
The accessibility to basic facilities is just one of the many things that lure homebuyers to The Villages. Golf enthusiasts look to The Villages as their first choice. There are a lot of reasons why The Villages lure golf enthusiasts. One good reason is that the golf courses in The Villages are world-class, designed by the renowned golfers like Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lopez.
Aside from the championship golf courses, what lures retirees to The Villages is the lifetime opportunity to play golf for free. The many golf courses inside The Villages provide easy access for the residents to play for free. How cool is that?
Golf is just one of the many sports The Villages as one of the Best Places to Retire in Florida have a lot to offer. The list of sports activities inside The Villages is long. As a matter of fact, The Villages is one of the few places in Florida that features platform tennis courts. Derived from mainstream tennis, this particular sport is less strenuous. This version of tennis is perfect for active adults.
Pickleball is also another popular sport inside The Villages. The 100 pickleball courts inside The Villages prove it. As a matter of fact, The Villages has been named the Mecca of Pickleball. Residents will never run out of pickleball courts to keep them active.
The Villages boast 80 outdoor swimming pools, 9 softball fields, tennis courts, 2 bowling alleys, fitness centers, shuffleboard courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits; to mention a few. One of the many unique features of The Villages is that it offers equestrian facilities.
Social Activities inside The Villages
The facilities inside The Villages aren’t just for sports. They’re also used a lot for social activities. The list of social activities inside The Villages is long. Residents will never get bored, making it one of the best places to retire.
Another unique feature of The Villages is that it features a Lifelong Learning College. Not a lot of 55+ communities offer this kind of learning opportunity.
The best feature The Villages has to offer is the fact that it provides potential homebuyers to experience life inside the community. For about 99 dollars a night, potential homebuyers can experience life inside The Villages. That sneak peek inside The Villages just lure a lot of retirees to the area.
The Fastest Growing 55+ Community in the Country
There is no stopping The Villages. According to Orlandosentinel.com this metro is growing fast. It further states that the population of The Villages has increased to about 38% since 2010.
To support the increasing population of The Villages, more destinations, adventures, and home units are now made available inside this thriving 55+ community. The Chitty Chatty Bridge now makes it easy for the villages to connect to other villages on the other side of the community. The Villages Grown brings home-grown produce to the villagers.
Villagers can make use of the newest facility, Everglades Recreation Complex. Golf lovers also have another venue to explore. The Lowlands Executive Golf Course adds on to the many championship courses inside The Villages.
Potential homebuyers need not worry about The Villages getting crowded. Since it spreads throughout three counties, there’s a lot of space inside this particular 55+ community. The long list of top-notch facilities inside The Villages can easily accommodate all the residents.
It’s also worth noting that there are small neighborhoods inside The Villages. These small neighborhoods are great options for potential homebuyers who are looking for a small community to live in.
Furthermore, it’s no surprise that The Villages rank 4th in the list of the best places to retire in Florida. Considering the fact that it’s growing pretty fast, offering more amenities and homes, it could just overtake the three best places on the list.
Connect with any of the real estate experts at 55Next to take a good look at The Villages. They are always happy to help.
Explore the Best Active 55+ Retirement Communities in Florida
