Do you need another compliment? I could offer one after virtually every video, so just know that your warmth, frankness and sense of fun has lifted my spirits each time - and, I’ve learned a lot, too! Your gentle teasing of each other is a treat. You’re blessed with each other, and I feel blessed to have found you! Keep the videos coming; love the adventurous videos and the ones that are pure conversational, helpful insight. Thank you, my friends🥰
I’m glad that the Newcomers get a few bucks or whatever by monetizing. This is free entertainment and may I say, very well put together. As I understand it video equipment is needed, so there’s an expense. I try to watch some of the ads also to support them which is something I do for only one other vlogger. Linda and Jerry’s upbeat personalities make me feel good!
Ditto. Their upbeat humor, sweet Gizmo and honest sense that they really love (and like) each other is so cheerful and happy. After watching Mailbag Monday I always have a smile on my face.
Somehow this channel ended up in my youtube. Have little to no prospects of moving to Florida (wife isn’t on board) but I wish we had folks like you in our neighborhood. Subscribed. Hope you enjoy making these vids as much as I enjoy watching them! Give Gizmo a pat on the head too. He’s a star in the making lol.
That picture frame looking molding on the walls is indeed called wainscoting, Linda. And you can actually buy some really nice looking wainscoting already put together pieces that you can nail right up on the wall at Lowe’s. It’s made of HDF and it looks amazing!
The horror stories/questions ppl send you are hilarious; geckos are cute! My cat plays with them if they ever get into my apartment. I find their little tortured, desiccated corpses behind the sofa when I’m cleaning. Free entertainment for her! 😂
Things on the walls that you were trying to think of is molding. Wainscoting consists of vertical boards that usually cover the bottom half of the wall.
We owned a two bedroom and two bath in Fort Myers and the hurricane destroyed everything, insurance did not pay one cent. The story was it was the flood that caused the damage.
I bought a new Courtyard Villa in July 2011 in the Village of Tamarind Grove, so this is our tenth anniversary in The Villages in our villa. Our street has 13 villas, 2 are snowbirds and the other 11 are fulltime including myself. The 2 snowbirds do not rent their home when they are a away. Of the 13 villas, 7 are the original owners, 4 have passed away so the home was sold, 2 others sold and moved to a bigger home within The Villages. What you find is the Patio Villas have more rentals and more snowbirds, entirely different than a Courtyard Villa. Our Courtyard Villa is masonry and has a privacy fenced back yard and comes in 2 or 3 bedroom. A Patio Villa is stick built with vinyl siding, no fenced yard and only comes in 2 bedroom. Big difference. They really need to specify the villa style, since they don't live in a villa they're really not familiar.
In addition to the many garage sales, yard/driveways sales and flea markets in or near The Villages, don’t forget that there are (sadly?) also lots of estate sales too. Though I find that the few times I’ve gone to estate sales it makes me kind of sad that the sale may be for someone who has passed away or who can no longer live in their home. When I see someone’s life belongings all neatly arranged on tables etc throughout the house with price tags stuck on every item it does get me a little choked up, to be honest. But many people LOVE going to the estate sales!
I thought the lanai question was great. In Texas, we have patios. Ours faces west and in the afternoon/evening, the sun is blinding and HOT. So next house I know I don’t want the back facing west.
South development is growing like crazy but they still all come up to the main shopping area on 27/441. You can add upgrades to older homes too but need to have it approved by the building department.
I wanted to move to The Panhandle being from Cincinnati it’s closer. But we were also worried about storms and it’s not as warm as we are in SWFL. Glad we chose the Port Charlotte Sarasota area. Great Video.
Enjoyed your video. I am packing my home now and plan to sale in Spring 2022. I plan to move in May 2022 to The Villages. Looking forward to it too. Happy Spring.
Weather in GA is the same, high 80's and no rain this month. It's getting crunchy. Our screened porch faces the East, thankfully. Wicked hot in afternoon here.
Yea. That’s the thing. 2 hours to the beach. Guess not the end of the world, could stay at one of our timeshares in Daytona. We live right near the beach all the way down here, (we are retired 😁)4 hours away from the Villages. But, during the winter months we don’t go to the beach, anyway, ocean too cold. So, there’s that. So far no hurricane in almost 5 years. But, we fear that too, since you could lose electric for a long time. That would be 😩.
Jerry and Linda........this video's 100% good. The lady who was concerned about snakes, gators, bugs, (Annie ). My cousin was a snake expert, and he had mentioned, snakes can get themselves into small spaces. I live in Southwest Illinois , I was outside and for the first time , I seen a lizard. I couldn't believe it , I haven't seen any since. I have lived in this region for most of my life. I keep thinking that lizard must of belong to someone, and they left it out or it got out of the house . I am like annie , I don't like bugs , lizards , nothing . Another thing, last year , we had 6 skunks and raccoons crawling under our porch. Very Rare !! My spouse fixed those animals, know they are trying to find home, with the other neighbors here. The animals and insects ( skunks raccoons and lizard ) I truly think they are coming from the Southern States and moving toward Northern States. Because I have NEVER seen any of them, until last year.
I usually figure that if you don’t reply to a question it has been addressed in the past or you prefer not to go there. Which is fine. You answered that viewer perfectly! Went for physical therapy this morning and then came home, made myself a cup of coffee and tuned into your channel. I really enjoy it.
LOL. Linda use lots of really good conditioner after you shampoo. It will smooth it out. As for, if your spouse, myself in this scenario, should knock on heaven’s door, my husband had a ready plan. He would post a sign for all single women. It would simply request a casserole & a recent photo be left on the bench. Our glass in lanai faces East. Jeanne
We had a frog in our toilet here in FL. I heard my husband flushing the toilet over and over until the frog was gone. Later that morning I took a peek, thinking and hoping the frog was gone - and there it was on the side of the toilet bowl. Husband got a washcloth and scooped up the frog and took it outside.
I moved back from Tampa up North due to the black snakes and lizards!! 6 ft long black snakes would lay in front of my apt steps! New construction forced them out of grassy areas to our complex!
I’m a widow and when I planned to move here, I was concerned about moving to a villa because I didn’t want to be the only one here during summer months so I only looked at houses. My son was visiting with me and convinced me to look at a villa and I felt it was the right size but made sure there were others that lived here by driving through the neighborhood in May before making an offer. Most of the neighborhood has year-round people. Some of the houses are for snowbirds or renters. We often have activities and get-togethers just for the villa area. I love living here and often feel it’s easier to meet others and we are closer than we would be living in a house.
It's truly mixed - not ALL Villas are rentals. Not even a majority. People do tend to buy them with the intention to rent them out, but people buy houses to be rentals too! You will have year-round neighbors no matter where you decide to live. :)
@@Jyeagley1 yes, we’ve had renters in our neighborhood that come back every year and are accepted and join in the neighborhood activities. I’ve also met renters that were here temporarily because they bought a house elsewhere.
All the cable stations are too expensive. You sign up and by the end of the year you are up in price.Negotiated every two years a fixed price is okay but this constant price increase is not good business.
You guys are so cool. . .I am so glad there are not snakes coming out of the toilets. That would have been a deal killer. 😁. So many of the negative things people say about the villages you have made sound doable; like insects and the heat. Thank you so much for breaking it down for us.
Yup! Hurricanes also influenced us to go more inland (we live in the northern part of Tampa). We really loved the Dunedin area, but the thought of a storm surge was too much for these Midwesterns. We are close enough to be there within 45 minutes, but still far enough (and high enough), that we aren't worried about that aspect of a hurricane. I actually love the little lizards ... only had one get into the garage. As for bugs, we did have sugar ants in the house, but put out some ant repellent and like magic they disappeared. For other type of bugs, we are very careful about keeping all our dry food in air tight containers, making sure our floors and counters are free from crumbs, etc. So far it seems to be working. Oh, we had a small snake in our pool--he must have crawled in under the tiny gap (its less than 1/4 inch!) under the birdcage door. We scooped him out with the pool skimmer ... he was harmless ... and cute.
We have been visiting alot of different areas of the gulf coast. We like the Ft. Meyers area. I like being near the beach. That is the one thing that I question where to be. The Villages I think would be good because of the activities. As long as I can be in a pool that would work for me as well.
I so enjoy your videos, I can relate to every bit of it, to storage issues from children to everything else. Thanks for sharing and taking the time to put these great videos up for us.
I will not raise another man! Just kidding, if he goes first no more relationships for me. We married in our teens and that’s all. 50th anniversary coming in 2022! Woo hoo! Love your videos.
Just a caution if you leave your barbecue covered outside, snakes have been known to be under it & have almost bitten 2 people in my West coast development. They were water moccasins, as near a lake. Also @ present an Otter has a built deep den near my entryway. Still a great place to live! Jeanne
Oh my goodness you guys are so adorable! Marriage goals here! I stumbled upon your channel I don’t even know how. My parents never considered living in Florida but boy I would love to be able to someday! And if not live there and definitely come down and stay for a few months. Thanks for sharing all the great information.
Snakes in the toilet? How about spiders that live under the seat in the toilet and bite your butt? 🤣😂😅 Some people actually believe that 💩. I have alot of cats. I also have a tiny gap under one of my lanai screen doors, and a cat flap in my kitchen door, so the cats have 24/7 lanai access. Anything that gets into my lanai has about 10 seconds to realize it just made its last mistake. 😹 Yes, sometimes they drag their little prizes inside, usually mangled lizards or frogs. In the four years I've been here, two black snakes have gotten into the lanai. It didn't end well for them. But at least no one tried to drag them inside! 😸😹
I love what you did with the storage unit with your kids stuff. Our experience has been the same when down sizing- you want to give your kids back their childhood items and their response is - I don’t want to store it, can’t you just keep it.
Another great video! I agree about the golf course. We just bought in Hawkins. So, that’s definitely an issue there. We had hoped to see you while we were here, but are flying out this AM. Your gift will go back home with us, and will be packed for the move! We hope to see you when we get here...permanently! So many houses being sold, that we can’t close until the beginning of June. Crazy, huh?!
Hey just a thought here about humidity. High humidity may be bad for your hair but it works wonders for one's skin. I have been in States where the humidity is so dry that your skin can't be quenched. It gets very dry and wrinkly and your lips dry out. It seems you can't get enough moisturizer. I would rather the humidity any day than dry climates. Despite what people think, if you are from up North, you may really learn to appreciate the humidity when you come down south to Florida. Oh, and the water is important for skin too. Our water here in Louisiana is very soft. Anyone who is new to testing our water would think that you can't get the soap washed off your hands. It really feels that way. But it's not because of the soap. It's the soft water. I have experienced hard water too and it's heck on your hair. I much prefer our water. That's my two cents.
We have Spectrum and we switch back and forth so that my wife gets the special initial pricing in her name for 12 months and then we switch the account over to my name for 12 months so that we always have the initial special low pricing.
I have lived in Guam and currently in Okinawa, Geckos and lizards in general are great! They are considered good luck to your home! They will also eat spiders, small bugs, etc.!
It’s individual. But there are plenty of activities to keep you busy. My neighbor is an older gentleman who lives alone. My mother was a snowbird down in Fort Myers and continued to snowbird for at least 10 years after my Dad past. She still had lots of friends and activities to keep her busy. As an FYI though. She did get a lot of dating offers, she didn’t go on any but at least she had the opportunity If she chose to date.
Southern Oaks, near St. Catherines will be a championship course i have been told. That would be acessable through morse blvd and golf cart path near rohan. Please look into it!
Nice Homage to Prince Phillip. Spectrum is here in my city in Southeastern Wisconsin, I agree with your assessments on both the service and pricing. I need the WI-FI so I can watch you, so I guess it all evens out!
We've had maybe a couple of the lizards in our house in 4 years. Always on the screens though. And Spectrum never tells you that you have a sign on special! Good service, but pricey!
Happy Mailbag Monday and happy to see Gizmo. Your wish was answered - the big rain yesterday refilled the ponds. We're glad you guys decided to move in to The Villages. Pensacola, Ft Walton Beach and Destin are nice with their white sand beaches BUT being in the hurricane alley is a big consideration. And you guys wouldn't have made this channel The Villages Florida Newcomers and the Mailbag Monday. Plus there just aren't any place like The Villages - the Disneyland for the young-at-heart. Jerry, you looked so convincing when you mentioned a snake and an alligator in your toilet; thank you Linda for the spirited laugh soon after; otherwise we would've believed Jerry. Thank you for posting and the shoutouts. Cheers ☕☕ 🐕
Hi Jerry and Linda, Wow!! Every time I come here, I find myself on Mailbag Monday. Incidentally, I love the introduction to your Mailbag Monday programme. I had never heard of a lanai until watching videos of the Villages. Are lanais something only in the Villages or do other parts of the US have them also? I have never seen one here in Australia. About leaving when losing a spouse or a loved one in a home, that all depends on the situation. I moved to Melbourne from Sydney after my dad passed away, though not immediately and that certainly wasn't the main reason for moving. When first married, we lived in the Sydney house for two years before moving. I have never had snakes or alligators in the toilet, though as a child, I used to check my bath for sharks before getting in!!! LOL. My grandfather many years ago encountered an elephant in Wollongong NSW south of Sydney on one occasion. The elephant had wandered off from a nearby circus at the time. We use free to air TV here only. Anything else is a bit too expensive. For our Internet and landline phone, we are with Aussie Broadband, which are excellent. Living near the beach here is super expensive and also many beach areas have removed all the houses and set up high rose apartments, which really don't suit our lifestyle. Anyway, take care. Robert.
Hi Linda & Jerry Love your channel and find it funny and informative for anyone considering moving to Florida or are in the retirement age. We are in the processing of closing on a house in Stuart Fl. As we are typing it is April 12 staying in my Aunts accessory Apt. While flushing the toilet we caught the glimpse of something on and off. Turns out its a small Frog swimming its way back from the septic system. It seems it is a good swimmer LOL. And then we turn on your channel and your talking about things coming out of the toilet. Well It really happens Hopefully not at our new house. Bob &Liz from NY
I disagree with less renters in the new area. So many people are buying a home and then renting their newly built homes till they retire. But I do agree with the Villas having more renters / snowbirds overall. But the majority of your friends are normally going to be the people that are doing the same activities you are doing!
We have gekos her in N Texas - often in the house. We love 'em. They eat bugs and help keep that population down. Most likely, all the lizzards eat bugs and are your friends. Non-poisonous snakes are the same.
"Palmetto Bug" baahaaaa -- cockroach! We had a frog in our toilet once. Discovered squirrels had been sharpening their teeth on the vent pipe on roof and chewed through screen allowing a frog to get in! A new screen was put on and never have had another visitor to the toilet. (knock wood!)
I tried the shoutout link and it said it was private. I think there is a setting on your end that you can change to make it public. Please. Love your videos and energy. Keep them coming!
I stayed for nine months after my husband died. I felt very alone. It seemed that even singles had partners. I was still working at the hospital. I couldn't keep a steady club membership due to scheduling …. ER nurses work crazy hours. I was barely 55. My daughter specifically said if I wanted to be involved in my grandchildren's life I would return. Yes, I've been involved in their lives, but I've provided hours and hours of free babysitting, too. If you get my drift. My $175,000 courtyard villa house is now $275,000+ and I'd never be able to buy even a tiny house. I'm stuck in WV. Wish I was there. If I had somebody that loved me at TV, I'd be there. Sigh.
Widows and widowers staying in The Villages vs moving away...maybe it depends how long one has lived in The Villages. Does the surviving spouse have a support network of friends in The Villages? If one has children, where do the kids live? Kids move also. A couple of my friends (they don't live in The Villages) who have lost a spouse before they turned 60 were advised not to make any moving or home selling decisions for at least 12 months after their spouse passed away. Both ended up eventually selling their homes and downsizing to smaller homes a couple of years after losing their husbands. After my mom passed away in 1997, my Dad stayed in the house they built in 1964 until just 6 months ago when he moved to a senior citizen apartment building.
I just want to say - I LOVE WATCHING YOUR SHOW during my lunch breaks. You both make me smile! So I am curious about looking into a 55+ community and one that is affordable. Could you please share the Cost of Homes in THE VILLAGES and the costs of the HOA'S? Do the HOA'S vary in cost? Are the HOA'S determined based on what you sign up for or do they have an average base HOA fee? Please and thank you for your response. Pamela
Get "The Villages" app. Its free and has a homefinder feature. As for HOA, We have an amenity fee... it is about $160 and was based upon when we bought our home.
You can Google “homes for sale in The Villages, Florida” and you will find everything price point imaginable. I have been researching....they sell quick!
I could never afford to pay that amount yearly. Pension is 1/4 the amount to start with. so good life time savings is the only way to survive. keep on recording, good to know how the other half live.
Everyone sprays inside and out. I have had maybe 3 mosquito bites in four years. I have seen 3 black racer snakes which are harmless and eat insects etc. Many geckos they are cute harmless
Do you need another compliment? I could offer one after virtually every video, so just know that your warmth, frankness and sense of fun has lifted my spirits each time - and, I’ve learned a lot, too!
Your gentle teasing of each other is a treat. You’re blessed with each other, and I feel blessed to have found you! Keep the videos coming; love the adventurous videos and the ones that are pure conversational, helpful insight.
Thank you, my friends🥰
Awww... so nice, Michelle! 😁😁
I’m glad that the Newcomers get a few bucks or whatever by monetizing. This is free entertainment and may I say, very well put together. As I understand it video equipment is needed, so there’s an expense. I try to watch some of the ads also to support them which is something I do for only one other vlogger. Linda and Jerry’s upbeat personalities make me feel good!
Very well put,they certainly make me happy as well.Wonderful lighthearted fun.
Ditto. Their upbeat humor, sweet Gizmo and honest sense that they really love (and like) each other is so cheerful and happy. After watching Mailbag Monday I always have a smile on my face.
What a sweet compliment. We appreciate your kind words SO much. Thank you!
Hi Jerry & Linda. A group of lizards is called a Lounge.
Is that a fact?? That’s so funny. There used to be a night club in my town called the Lizard Lounge and I guess now I know why lol.
Somehow this channel ended up in my youtube. Have little to no prospects of moving to Florida (wife isn’t on board) but I wish we had folks like you in our neighborhood. Subscribed. Hope you enjoy making these vids as much as I enjoy watching them! Give Gizmo a pat on the head too. He’s a star in the making lol.
Compromise and spend a couple months here. There are rentals.
That picture frame looking molding on the walls is indeed called wainscoting, Linda. And you can actually buy some really nice looking wainscoting already put together pieces that you can nail right up on the wall at Lowe’s. It’s made of HDF and it looks amazing!
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for moving the shoutouts to a separate video!
Agree. The shoutouts only mean something to the person getting it.
We ultimately decided on Margaritaville Hilton Head ( mostly to keep peace with kids). But, I look forward to Newcomers videos!
The horror stories/questions ppl send you are hilarious; geckos are cute! My cat plays with them if they ever get into my apartment. I find their little tortured, desiccated corpses behind the sofa when I’m cleaning. Free entertainment for her! 😂
Things on the walls that you were trying to think of is molding. Wainscoting consists of vertical boards that usually cover the bottom half of the wall.
We owned a two bedroom and two bath in Fort Myers and the hurricane destroyed everything, insurance did not pay one cent. The story was it was the flood that caused the damage.
Our kitchen SolaTube is one of our favorite upgrades. It lets in an amazing amount of light.
I bought a new Courtyard Villa in July 2011 in the Village of Tamarind Grove, so this is our tenth anniversary in The Villages in our villa. Our street has 13 villas, 2 are snowbirds and the other 11 are fulltime including myself. The 2 snowbirds do not rent their home when they are a away. Of the 13 villas, 7 are the original owners, 4 have passed away so the home was sold, 2 others sold and moved to a bigger home within The Villages. What you find is the Patio Villas have more rentals and more snowbirds, entirely different than a Courtyard Villa. Our Courtyard Villa is masonry and has a privacy fenced back yard and comes in 2 or 3 bedroom. A Patio Villa is stick built with vinyl siding, no fenced yard and only comes in 2 bedroom. Big difference. They really need to specify the villa style, since they don't live in a villa they're really not familiar.
Great explanation, Howard! Thank you!
Most disappointing thing on this video is when you said, "...and our final question." Can always count on you guys to brighten the day!
Awww... thanks, WC! 😁😁
In addition to the many garage sales, yard/driveways sales and flea markets in or near The Villages, don’t forget that there are (sadly?) also lots of estate sales too. Though I find that the few times I’ve gone to estate sales it makes me kind of sad that the sale may be for someone who has passed away or who can no longer live in their home. When I see someone’s life belongings all neatly arranged on tables etc throughout the house with price tags stuck on every item it does get me a little choked up, to be honest. But many people LOVE going to the estate sales!
I thought the lanai question was great. In Texas, we have patios. Ours faces west and in the afternoon/evening, the sun is blinding and HOT. So next house I know I don’t want the back facing west.
Watching you two make me so happy ,thank you for your vlogs
South development is growing like crazy but they still all come up to the main shopping area on 27/441. You can add upgrades to older homes too but need to have it approved by the building department.
I wanted to move to The Panhandle being from Cincinnati it’s closer. But we were also worried about storms and it’s not as warm as we are in SWFL. Glad we chose the Port Charlotte Sarasota area. Great Video.
Panhandle has more storms.
Enjoyed your video. I am packing my home now and plan to sale in Spring 2022. I plan to move in May 2022 to The Villages. Looking forward to it too. Happy Spring.
Weather in GA is the same, high 80's and no rain this month. It's getting crunchy. Our screened porch faces the East, thankfully. Wicked hot in afternoon here.
Yea. That’s the thing. 2 hours to the beach. Guess not the end of the world, could stay at one of our timeshares in Daytona. We live right near the beach all the way down here, (we are retired 😁)4 hours away from the Villages. But, during the winter months we don’t go to the beach, anyway, ocean too cold. So, there’s that. So far no hurricane in almost 5 years. But, we fear that too, since you could lose electric for a long time. That would be 😩.
Jerry and Linda........this video's 100% good.
The lady who was concerned about snakes, gators, bugs, (Annie ).
My cousin was a snake expert, and he had mentioned, snakes can get themselves into small spaces.
I live in Southwest Illinois , I was outside and for the first time , I seen a lizard. I couldn't believe it , I haven't seen any since.
I have lived in this region for most of my life. I keep thinking that lizard must of belong to someone, and they left it out or it got out of the house .
I am like annie , I don't like bugs , lizards , nothing . Another thing, last year , we had 6 skunks and raccoons crawling under our porch. Very Rare !!
My spouse fixed those animals, know they are trying to find home, with the other neighbors here.
The animals and insects ( skunks raccoons and lizard ) I truly think they are coming from the Southern States and moving toward Northern States.
Because I have NEVER seen any of them, until last year.
Good Morning! Happy Monday from Baltimore, Maryland
Nice of you guys to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh.
I noticed him too.
that is a great idea with the storage unit, for this kids stuff. I am going to do that when the times comes
Thank you to both of you for answering my question! I really enjoy learning about your area through your channel.
I usually figure that if you don’t reply to a question it has been addressed in the past or you prefer not to go there. Which is fine. You answered that viewer perfectly! Went for physical therapy this morning and then came home, made myself a cup of coffee and tuned into your channel. I really enjoy it.
Thank you, Laura! 😁😁
LOL. Linda use lots of really good conditioner after you shampoo. It will smooth it out. As for, if your spouse, myself in this scenario, should knock on heaven’s door, my husband had a ready plan. He would post a sign for all single women. It would simply request a casserole & a recent photo be left on the bench. Our glass in lanai faces East. Jeanne
We had a frog in our toilet here in FL. I heard my husband flushing the toilet over and over until the frog was gone. Later that morning I took a peek, thinking and hoping the frog was gone - and there it was on the side of the toilet bowl. Husband got a washcloth and scooped up the frog and took it outside.
LOL! Persistent little booger!
I moved back from Tampa up North due to the black snakes and lizards!! 6 ft long black snakes would lay in front of my apt steps! New construction forced them out of grassy areas to our complex!
Thanks, Bonnie. You know you don't have to worry about black snakes and lizards. They won't hurt you… unless it's a heart attack.😁😁
Love your videos! We are coming down for a quick visit in May to scope TV out!
I love watching you two. It is fun to hear the humor and just fun living. Blessings to you. From Missouri.
I really enjoy how you guys love each other❤️❤️
I’m a widow and when I planned to move here, I was concerned about moving to a villa because I didn’t want to be the only one here during summer months so I only looked at houses. My son was visiting with me and convinced me to look at a villa and I felt it was the right size but made sure there were others that lived here by driving through the neighborhood in May before making an offer. Most of the neighborhood has year-round people. Some of the houses are for snowbirds or renters. We often have activities and get-togethers just for the villa area. I love living here and often feel it’s easier to meet others and we are closer than we would be living in a house.
It's truly mixed - not ALL Villas are rentals. Not even a majority. People do tend to buy them with the intention to rent them out, but people buy houses to be rentals too! You will have year-round neighbors no matter where you decide to live. :)
@Dale Divine I agree. I don’t think I could’ve found a better neighborhood. We all seem to look out for each other.
@Dale Divine a
Not sure how to take being called a renter. I think you could have some very nice renters as friends.
@@Jyeagley1 yes, we’ve had renters in our neighborhood that come back every year and are accepted and join in the neighborhood activities. I’ve also met renters that were here temporarily because they bought a house elsewhere.
All the cable stations are too expensive. You sign up and by the end of the year you are up in price.Negotiated every two years a fixed price is okay but this constant price increase is not good business.
You guys are so cool. . .I am so glad there are not snakes coming out of the toilets. That would have been a deal killer. 😁. So many of the negative things people say about the villages you have made sound doable; like insects and the heat. Thank you so much for breaking it down for us.
Yup! Hurricanes also influenced us to go more inland (we live in the northern part of Tampa). We really loved the Dunedin area, but the thought of a storm surge was too much for these Midwesterns. We are close enough to be there within 45 minutes, but still far enough (and high enough), that we aren't worried about that aspect of a hurricane. I actually love the little lizards ... only had one get into the garage. As for bugs, we did have sugar ants in the house, but put out some ant repellent and like magic they disappeared. For other type of bugs, we are very careful about keeping all our dry food in air tight containers, making sure our floors and counters are free from crumbs, etc. So far it seems to be working. Oh, we had a small snake in our pool--he must have crawled in under the tiny gap (its less than 1/4 inch!) under the birdcage door. We scooped him out with the pool skimmer ... he was harmless ... and cute.
Another great Mail Bag Monday!! Thank you for sharing. You guys are great!!
We have been visiting alot of different areas of the gulf coast. We like the Ft. Meyers area. I like being near the beach. That is the one thing that I question where to be. The Villages I think would be good because of the activities. As long as I can be in a pool that would work for me as well.
We have sports and neighborhood pools. Beach home insurance is very expensive.
I so enjoy your videos, I can relate to every bit of it, to storage issues from children to everything else. Thanks for sharing and taking the time to put these great videos up for us.
I have been watching you since your first video . . . you are the nicest couple 🌷❗️ Thanks for all the great info you provide 🦋🌈❗️
Our pleasure, Arline! Thank you!
I will not raise another man! Just kidding, if he goes first no more relationships for me. We married in our teens and that’s all. 50th anniversary coming in 2022! Woo hoo! Love your videos.
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Linda. Your hair looks great up like in this video
Just a caution if you leave your barbecue covered outside, snakes have been known to be under it & have almost bitten 2 people in my West coast development. They were water moccasins, as near a lake. Also @ present an Otter has a built deep den near my entryway. Still a great place to live! Jeanne
Oh my goodness you guys are so adorable! Marriage goals here! I stumbled upon your channel I don’t even know how. My parents never considered living in Florida but boy I would love to be able to someday! And if not live there and definitely come down and stay for a few months. Thanks for sharing all the great information.
Snakes in the toilet? How about spiders that live under the seat in the toilet and bite your butt? 🤣😂😅 Some people actually believe that 💩. I have alot of cats. I also have a tiny gap under one of my lanai screen doors, and a cat flap in my kitchen door, so the cats have 24/7 lanai access. Anything that gets into my lanai has about 10 seconds to realize it just made its last mistake. 😹 Yes, sometimes they drag their little prizes inside, usually mangled lizards or frogs. In the four years I've been here, two black snakes have gotten into the lanai. It didn't end well for them. But at least no one tried to drag them inside! 😸😹
I think every state has its unwanted critters. I'm in southern Utah and sometimes a scorpion will come in the house. I've been stung, not fun!
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Try to get your HOA to sign a contract with Comcast (or Spectrum) -- your HOA dues will only go up $5 a month and you will have more and better cable.
PS that $5 a month includes cable TV AND high speed internet!
AND PREMIUM CHANNELS.
I love what you did with the storage unit with your kids stuff.
Our experience has been the same when down sizing- you want to give your kids back their childhood items and their response is - I don’t want to store it, can’t you just keep it.
Wainscoting yes, plus if you want any extra landscaping that is another cost.
Happy Monday!
You guys are wonderful!
I’m looking for a nice, but inexpensive place to buy in Florida. Even after being in that storm last week in Panama City Beach! I loved it!!!
Good explanation about lanais. I was wondering about that.
Another great video! I agree about the golf course. We just bought in Hawkins. So, that’s definitely an issue there. We had hoped to see you while we were here, but are flying out this AM. Your gift will go back home with us, and will be packed for the move! We hope to see you when we get here...permanently! So many houses being sold, that we can’t close until the beginning of June. Crazy, huh?!
Sorry, Debbie. This retired life can get busy! 🙂🙂 See you when you get here!
Thanks guys, we always pick west to have our seating area! Those snakes do swim up pipes during the night time when they are active!
Where do you live? Keep drains closed when not in use.
Hey just a thought here about humidity. High humidity may be bad for your hair but it works wonders for one's skin. I have been in States where the humidity is so dry that your skin can't be quenched. It gets very dry and wrinkly and your lips dry out. It seems you can't get enough moisturizer. I would rather the humidity any day than dry climates. Despite what people think, if you are from up North, you may really learn to appreciate the humidity when you come down south to Florida. Oh, and the water is important for skin too. Our water here in Louisiana is very soft. Anyone who is new to testing our water would think that you can't get the soap washed off your hands. It really feels that way. But it's not because of the soap. It's the soft water. I have experienced hard water too and it's heck on your hair. I much prefer our water. That's my two cents.
Full of great questions & answers....Jerry & Linda well done.....have a great week!.
We have Spectrum and we switch back and forth so that my wife gets the special initial pricing in her name for 12 months and then we switch the account over to my name for 12 months so that we always have the initial special low pricing.
I have lived in Guam and currently in Okinawa, Geckos and lizards in general are great! They are considered good luck to your home! They will also eat spiders, small bugs, etc.!
It’s funny you dog is lookin around like how long is my time out on this chair lol
haha! You're right. He doesn't look comfy. LOL.
It’s individual. But there are plenty of activities to keep you busy. My neighbor is an older gentleman who lives alone. My mother was a snowbird down in Fort Myers and continued to snowbird for at least 10 years after my Dad past. She still had lots of friends and activities to keep her busy. As an FYI though. She did get a lot of dating offers, she didn’t go on any but at least she had the opportunity If she chose to date.
Thanks for recognizing the Prince in your photos/
Southern Oaks, near St. Catherines will be a championship course i have been told. That would be acessable through morse blvd and golf cart path near rohan. Please look into it!
Nice Homage to Prince Phillip. Spectrum is here in my city in Southeastern Wisconsin, I agree with your assessments on both the service and pricing. I need the WI-FI so I can watch you, so I guess it all evens out!
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I enjoy ur video's so much i hate when they end, keep it up, so enjoyable. Wish i was there.
That is SO nice! Thank you, Linda. 😁😁
Do you have well,water? Miss that why you need filtered water throughout the house.
A lot of great questions and answers. Great stuff. Thank you!
Gizmo is looking around for those lizards 🦎
We've had maybe a couple of the lizards in our house in 4 years. Always on the screens though. And Spectrum never tells you that you have a sign on special! Good service, but pricey!
Happy Mailbag Monday and happy to see Gizmo. Your wish was answered - the big rain yesterday refilled the ponds. We're glad you guys decided to move in to The Villages. Pensacola, Ft Walton Beach and Destin are nice with their white sand beaches BUT being in the hurricane alley is a big consideration. And you guys wouldn't have made this channel The Villages Florida Newcomers and the Mailbag Monday. Plus there just aren't any place like The Villages - the Disneyland for the young-at-heart. Jerry, you looked so convincing when you mentioned a snake and an alligator in your toilet; thank you Linda for the spirited laugh soon after; otherwise we would've believed Jerry. Thank you for posting and the shoutouts. Cheers ☕☕ 🐕
Spectrum does that everywhere. Offer you a $49.95 special for 1 year to get you in the door and then up your rates after the first year.
Hi Jerry and Linda, Wow!! Every time I come here, I find myself on Mailbag Monday. Incidentally, I love the introduction to your Mailbag Monday programme. I had never heard of a lanai until watching videos of the Villages. Are lanais something only in the Villages or do other parts of the US have them also? I have never seen one here in Australia. About leaving when losing a spouse or a loved one in a home, that all depends on the situation. I moved to Melbourne from Sydney after my dad passed away, though not immediately and that certainly wasn't the main reason for moving. When first married, we lived in the Sydney house for two years before moving. I have never had snakes or alligators in the toilet, though as a child, I used to check my bath for sharks before getting in!!! LOL. My grandfather many years ago encountered an elephant in Wollongong NSW south of Sydney on one occasion. The elephant had wandered off from a nearby circus at the time. We use free to air TV here only. Anything else is a bit too expensive. For our Internet and landline phone, we are with Aussie Broadband, which are excellent. Living near the beach here is super expensive and also many beach areas have removed all the houses and set up high rose apartments, which really don't suit our lifestyle. Anyway, take care. Robert.
Thank you Robert, that's a long list of stuff we need to answer… we will get to it ASAP! 😁😁
I think the lanai is also popular in Hawaiian homes.
Hi Linda & Jerry Love your channel and find it funny and informative for anyone considering moving to Florida or are in the retirement age. We are in the processing of closing on a house in Stuart Fl. As we are typing it is April 12 staying in my Aunts accessory Apt. While flushing the toilet we caught the glimpse of something on and off. Turns out its a small Frog swimming its way back from the septic system. It seems it is a good swimmer LOL. And then we turn on your channel and your talking about things coming out of the toilet. Well It really happens Hopefully not at our new house. Bob &Liz from NY
Yikes! Glad it was only a frog! 😁
Great info! Thanks for sharing, love your videos.
Thanks, John! 😁😁
I disagree with less renters in the new area. So many people are buying a home and then renting their newly built homes till they retire. But I do agree with the Villas having more renters / snowbirds overall. But the majority of your friends are normally going to be the people that are doing the same activities you are doing!
We have gekos her in N Texas - often in the house. We love 'em. They eat bugs and help keep that population down. Most likely, all the lizzards eat bugs and are your friends. Non-poisonous snakes are the same.
Love you guys. Would love to have neighbors like you. I have a mini doxie, too. Her name is Bella.
Thank you Linda! We appreciate that. Gizzy says Hi to Bella!
"Palmetto Bug" baahaaaa -- cockroach! We had a frog in our toilet once. Discovered squirrels had been sharpening their teeth on the vent pipe on roof and chewed through screen allowing a frog to get in! A new screen was put on and never have had another visitor to the toilet. (knock wood!)
I tried the shoutout link and it said it was private. I think there is a setting on your end that you can change to make it public. Please. Love your videos and energy. Keep them coming!
Thank you
Love the way you keep it real! Always entertaining 🍄
That was fun video! Nice job on answering questions!
I stayed for nine months after my husband died. I felt very alone. It seemed that even singles had partners. I was still working at the hospital. I couldn't keep a steady club membership due to scheduling …. ER nurses work crazy hours. I was barely 55. My daughter specifically said if I wanted to be involved in my grandchildren's life I would return. Yes, I've been involved in their lives, but I've provided hours and hours of free babysitting, too. If you get my drift. My $175,000 courtyard villa house is now $275,000+ and I'd never be able to buy even a tiny house. I'm stuck in WV. Wish I was there. If I had somebody that loved me at TV, I'd be there. Sigh.
That is sad... so sorry for your loss. Prices are way up here. Hopefully you'll find your place. Best of luck.
Me too. One neighbor in the villa area sold for $299. Villas sell fast because of investors and popularity.
Great video! Happy Monday.
Widows and widowers staying in The Villages vs moving away...maybe it depends how long one has lived in The Villages. Does the surviving spouse have a support network of friends in The Villages? If one has children, where do the kids live? Kids move also. A couple of my friends (they don't live in The Villages) who have lost a spouse before they turned 60 were advised not to make any moving or home selling decisions for at least 12 months after their spouse passed away. Both ended up eventually selling their homes and downsizing to smaller homes a couple of years after losing their husbands. After my mom passed away in 1997, my Dad stayed in the house they built in 1964 until just 6 months ago when he moved to a senior citizen apartment building.
I was able to watch Mailbag Monday on Monday this week! It's my lucky day! Thanks you three!
Just love you guys so much!
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I just want to say - I LOVE WATCHING YOUR SHOW during my lunch breaks. You both make me smile!
So I am curious about looking into a 55+ community and one that is affordable. Could you please share the Cost of Homes in THE VILLAGES and the costs of the HOA'S? Do the HOA'S vary in cost? Are the HOA'S determined based on what you sign up for or do they have an average base HOA fee? Please and thank you for your response. Pamela
Get "The Villages" app. Its free and has a homefinder feature.
As for HOA, We have an amenity fee... it is about $160 and was based upon when we bought our home.
You can Google “homes for sale in The Villages, Florida” and you will find everything price point imaginable.
I have been researching....they sell quick!
Love your channel. Good to see you!
Rumor has it that “Nessy” has left Loch Ness and was spotted in a toilet in one of the villages. 🐊🐸😂. Sorry guys I just couldn’t resist.
Bet your ponds are full now, after yesterday. Ours are!
Thanks for the info on Spectrum, specifically the reliability of the internet in your village.How expensive are solatubes?
Spectrum here in Citrus County, and for internet only with Hulu for TV.
I have been enjoying the intro pictures with the hidden celebrities like Prince Philip today. Nice touch. It's like "where's Waldo".
Good catch, Dave!
Gosh guys, we had major rain in Tampa the last two days.
We did too, but we taped this just before.
I could never afford to pay that amount yearly. Pension is 1/4 the amount to start with. so good life time savings is the only way to survive. keep on recording, good to know how the other half live.
Not everyone plays golf! We live across from a GC in NJ and would never live near one again.
I was always under the impression that the green ones were a different specie .
Everyone sprays inside and out. I have had maybe 3 mosquito bites in four years. I have seen 3 black racer snakes which are harmless and eat insects etc. Many geckos they are cute harmless
I get mosquito bites very frequently. It doesn't matter how much I try to take care around my house, I just attract them. You're very lucky!!!
No comments from Gizmo today. He must have been tired. Thanks guys.