{"id":4961,"date":"2024-03-24T11:28:52","date_gmt":"2024-03-24T11:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/24\/americas-fastest-growing-metro-is-a-wild-retirement-community-in-florida-but-are-the-rumors-true\/"},"modified":"2024-03-24T11:28:52","modified_gmt":"2024-03-24T11:28:52","slug":"americas-fastest-growing-metro-is-a-wild-retirement-community-in-florida-but-are-the-rumors-true","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/24\/americas-fastest-growing-metro-is-a-wild-retirement-community-in-florida-but-are-the-rumors-true\/","title":{"rendered":"America\u2019s Fastest-Growing Metro Is a Wild Retirement Community in Florida\u2014but Are the Rumors True?"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

Courtesy of The Villages; Getty Images<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

For 20 years, 68-year-old retirees\u00a0Gary<\/strong> and Sharon Kutella<\/strong> mulled over a move from West Bradenton, FL<\/a>, to a town their friends insisted would give them a whole new lease on life\u2014The Villages<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Those who beckoned already lived in what\u2019s been branded \u201cFlorida\u2019s Friendliest Hometown,\u201d and they raved about the congenial environment of likeminded peers.<\/p>\n

The Villages has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a trailer park in the 1970s. Today, this 55-and-up community spans 57 square miles. And according to the most recent U.S Census data<\/a>, it is now the nation\u2019s fastest-growing metro. From July 1, 2022-July 1, 2023, the population grew by 4.7% to 151,565. Other growing metros include Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL, and Myrtle Beach, SC.<\/p>\n

When Gary Kutella told his son about his plans, he got an earful about The Villages\u2019 more salacious side.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018You\u2019ve got to worry about the STDs there,’\u201d Gary recalls.<\/p>\n

But the couple\u2019s real estate agent, Patrick Shores<\/strong>, who has been living and working in The Villages for eight years, contends that most communities with large populations are prone to similar gossip.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to say some of the weird stuff doesn\u2019t<\/em> happen \u2026 but the great thing about this place is that there\u2019s something for everyone here,\u201d Shores explains. \u201cIt\u2019s been popular for more than 30 years, and it keeps getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n

And while the Kutellas had heard about the community\u2019s sordid mystique, they weren\u2019t deterred.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe blew those rumors off,\u201d Gary says. \u201cEven if they were true, they wouldn\u2019t concern us. That\u2019s not the kind of life we lead.\u201d<\/p>\n

So on their 48th wedding anniversary in November 2023, the couple closed on a house in The Villages. And it didn\u2019t take them long to feel at home. They easily made friends at a church, which was just a golf-cart ride away from home\u2014as is pretty much everything else, from the doctor\u2019s office to the local Walmart.<\/p>\n

The Kutellas\u2019 two-bedroom, two-bath model is one of the most popular in The Villages.<\/p>\n

Patrick Shores, Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty<\/p>\n

Gary and Sharon Kutella celebrate life in The Villages with a cocktail.<\/p>\n

Gary and Sharon Kutella<\/p>\n

Sharon, a former postal worker, joined a vintage jewelry collector\u2019s group in The Villages. And Gary, once an executive chef, just acquired a coveted paid position as a gate guard. Since the streets within The Villages are all public roads anyway, his job basically involves greeting or giving directions to drivers as they pass through.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere we\u2019re free to live the life we want, away from traffic and crime,\u201d Gary says.<\/p>\n

In fact, one of his only concerns these days is the abundance of golf carts whizzing past his home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe live on Davenport Drive, which is like a golf cart expressway,\u201d he says. \u201cIn fact, we just sat in on a golf cart safety class, which was very useful. You have to have a golf cart here. Getting [our real estate agent] Patrick to throw in a golf cart is what closed the deal for us,\u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n

The Kutellas\u2019 golf cart is their main mode of transportation.<\/p>\n

Gary and Sharon Kutella<\/p>\n

Welcome to The Villages\u2014America\u2019s fastest-growing metro<\/h2>\n

In January 2024, Real Estate Consulting crowned The Villages the top-selling planned community<\/a> for the 11th consecutive year, with 3,029 homes sold in 2023.<\/p>\n

Continuous development is one of the reasons the community is expanding so rapidly, according to Shores. Another resident real estate agent and Air Force veteran, April Couturier<\/strong>, agrees.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Villages built a bridge over the Florida Turnpike just for golf carts,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s the only turnpike overpass I know of reserved just for golf carts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although The Villages does boast over 50 golf courses, that\u2019s certainly not its only amenity. The town also boasts hospitals, libraries, chain and boutique restaurants, a cineplex, vibrant town squares, and major retailers ranging from Walmart to Publix.<\/p>\n

Gary and Sharon enjoying another sunny day in The Villages\u2019 Spanish Springs Town Center.<\/p>\n

Gary and Sharon Kutella<\/p>\n

Looking for a hobby? More than 3,000 social and special interest clubs keep residents engaged and active. The groups run the gamut\u2014there are meetups for lovers of antique cars, books, cooking, art, square dancing, drama, genealogy, water ballet, belly dancing, precision golf cart driving, cheerleading, and tambourine tapping, among many others. There are even clubs for people who share the same name.<\/p>\n

A belly-dancing club in The Villages.<\/p>\n

“Some Kind of Heaven” official trailer<\/p>\n

Appealingly, these amenities\u2014gyms, pools, rec centers, softball fields, golf courses, clubs, and activities\u2014are available for a fee of $195 per month, no matter the size of your home.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you believe that?\u201d asks Shores. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge selling point for people who move in from higher-priced cities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sharon\u2019s Valentine\u2019s Day table, set for dinner with friends from The Villages.<\/p>\n

Gary and Sharon Kutella<\/p>\n

A wild tour through real estate in The Villages<\/h2>\n

The community\u2019s broad range of home prices is another reason The Villages is so popular among the silver set.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can find a manufactured home for under $200,000 or a luxury home for over $2 million,\u201d says Couturier.<\/p>\n

And in stark contrast to ultraexclusive country clubs across the U.S., \u201ceveryone plays on the same golf courses, joins the same clubs,\u201d she remarks.<\/p>\n

As of this writing, there are over 600 homes for sale in The Villages on Realtor.com<\/a>. The community has roughly 71,000 homes total, with new ones springing up daily. The median list price is currently $389,900.<\/p>\n

Couturier mentions a two-bedroom, two-bath mobile home in the original part of the community that is currently on the market for $169,000<\/a>. Mobile homes and others in the longer-established communities also have the advantage of no extra bond charges for community development, which can add substantially to a monthly payment.<\/p>\n

At $169,000, this two-bedroom, two-bath manufactured home is one of the lowest-priced properties in The Villages.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

Buyers are surprised that you can get a two-bedroom, two-bath, 959-square-foot, 2022 cottage for only $250,000<\/a>. The pricing is particularly attractive when you consider that the home is situated with no others behind it and is just a quick golf cart ride away from recreation centers with pools, dining, shopping, medical care, and town squares with nightly entertainment.<\/p>\n

This 959-square-foot home has the advantage of being a quick golf cart ride from recreation centers and town squares.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

Moving up in size and price, you\u2019ll find options like this three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,915-square foot home on an expansive corner lot for $550,000<\/a>. Built in 2003, it\u2019s been completely updated with all new finishes, mechanical systems, and roofing. It also features a golf cart garage, where you can charge your electric vehicle for easy arrival at hot spots like the Nancy Lopez Country Club, the First Responders Rec Center, and The Villages Polo Club.<\/p>\n

This three-bedroom, two-bath home, offered at $550,000, has all new finishes, mechanical systems, and appliances.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

The most expensive home on the market in The Villages right now clocks in at $1.65 million<\/a>. It\u2019s a four-bedroom, three-bath, 3,532-square-foot house on a half-acre lot. One of the highlights is a screened-in pool that blocks bugs, alligators, and, yes, golf balls. It\u2019s just minutes from the nautical-themed Lake Sumter Landing Town Square and the Arnold Palmer Legends Country Club, with a clear view of the fifth hole.<\/p>\n

In a home like this, the extra fees add up considerably. In addition to the $195 amenities surcharge, the listing states: \u201cbond balance $17, 864; bond debt payment $1830.74\/yr; bond maintenance $1122.37\/yr; fire assessment $125\/yr.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the pricier side is this $1.65 million home with views of the lake and golf course.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

The pricier homes in The Villages tend to be on a golf course, preserve, or lake, according to Couturier. The home mentioned above checks two of those boxes and also happens to be in one of the upscale neighborhoods around Lake Sumter.<\/p>\n

But no matter the price, \u201cit\u2019s hard to buy a home in The Villages and lose money,\u201d Shores says.<\/p>\n

The more expensive homes in The Villages tend to be on lakes, preserves, golf courses, or any combination of the three.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

What about the age restrictions?<\/h2>\n

The marketing material for The Villages clearly states, \u201cWhile The Villages is a 55+ active adult community, we absolutely do welcome children and grandchildren.\u201d<\/p>\n

The development includes family-oriented pools at the recreation centers, for example, as well as adults-only pools.<\/p>\n

There is a rule, however, that stipulates a \u201c30-day consecutive limit for visitors under the age of 18.\u201d<\/p>\n

That leaves short-term rental possibilities open for anyone over 18, which is how 24-year-old film director Lance Oppenheim <\/strong>was able to live in The Villages and get insider material for \u201cSome Kind of Heaven,\u201d his Darren Aronofsky<\/strong>-produced 2020 documentary.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe actually lived in the Villages on and off for about 18 months of actual shooting that wrapped in the summer of 2019,\u201d Oppenheim told the Tampa Bay Times<\/a>. (The trailer for the film, below, sheds light on what they found.)<\/p>\n\n

By the way, both short- and long-term rentals<\/a> are viable sources of income for homeowners in the Villages, especially during \u201cThe Season\u201d aka the months of January, February and March.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not uncommon to get $4,000 per month\u2014some more, some less\u201d says Shores.<\/p>\n

Another little-known fact about the age restrictions is that there are several family communities without age limitations on the outskirts of the main community. These are for the families of those who work at the businesses within The Villages.<\/p>\n

Before Couturier became a real estate agent, she worked within The Villages, lived in one of the family communities, and speaks highly of it. She notes that the community provides reasonably priced family homes that are within easy commuting distance of their employment. The development even has two highly ranked K-12 charter schools.<\/p>\n

Now about those scandals\u2026<\/h2>\n

As for those rumors about The Villages, there are two that just refuse to die.<\/p>\n

The one about sexually transmitted diseases is by far the most rampant. It was spawned by a 2006 WFTV news report<\/a> that stated, \u201cOne physician at the Women\u2019s Center of The Villages said even in her years working in Miami, she has never seen so many cases.\u201d<\/p>\n

This quote went viral, and the community became infamous as the \u201cSTD Capital of America.\u201d This report has since been scrubbed from the Internet and not found to have any basis in truth. Nonetheless, the story lives on and often stirs up concern among friends and relatives of people considering a move to The Villages.<\/p>\n

Another related rumor is about \u201cloofah signaling.\u201d Drive through a parking lot here, and you will likely see many multicolored, mesh bath exfoliators attached to car roofs. Word got out that these signified swingers, with each color denoting experience level\u2014e.g., white for novices and beginners, purple for voyeurs, etc.<\/p>\n

That rumor has been traced back<\/a> to a riff made by comedian Tora Himan<\/strong>, an Orlando-area drag queen who previously performed at The Villages as part of a cabaret show. But an explanation for the colorful loofahs seems to be far more benign: Shores has heard that they are simply a way for residents to identify their cars.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe unofficial car of The Villages is the white [Honda] CR-V,\u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s face it, you\u2019ve got to have some<\/em> way to distinguish your particular white CR-V (or golf cart) from the others. Plus, who doesn\u2019t need a little reminder of where they\u2019re parked?<\/p>\n

Do people who move to The Villages stay for good?<\/h2>\n

As idyllic as The Villages might seem as a late-life home, some people actually do move out. And when they do, they make room for the hundreds of buyers who move in each year.<\/p>\n

Shores says that the average resident buys and sells at least three times while in The Villages. They move to try out other communities, or because they\u2019ve made friends who live on the other side of the community and want to be closer. Some want to downsize, or upsize, depending on their wants and needs.<\/p>\n

Couturier claims there are just two main reasons people move out of the community entirely.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome need to transition into assisted living or a nursing home,\u201d she says. \u201cOthers want to move back home to be closer to their families.\u201d<\/p>\n

The owners who sold their home to the Kutellas, for example, are in the latter category. They are from Germany and decided to move back.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all about timing,\u201d Gary Kutella says. \u201cWe decided that when the timing was right, we\u2019d move there. It was a good call. We just wish we would have made it sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Home, sweet home for the Kutellas<\/p>\n

Gary and Sharon Kutella<\/p>\n

And in case you\u2019re pondering a move to American\u2019s fastest-growing metro, here are a few recently listed homes in The Villages.<\/p>\n

1732 Kingfisher Ct, The Villages, FL<\/a><\/h2>\n

Price: $400,000<\/strong><\/p>\n

A turnkey, three-bedroom in the popular Village of Pennecamp<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

4456 Tuscaloosa Path, The Villages, FL<\/a><\/h2>\n

Price: $825,000<\/strong><\/p>\n

This home has waterfront views.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

1312 Guerra Ave, The Villages, FL<\/a><\/h2>\n

Price: $389,000<\/strong><\/p>\n

This home has a glass-enclosed lanai.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

1637 Jardin Ct, The Villages, FL<\/a><\/h2>\n

Price: $570,000<\/strong><\/p>\n

This three-bedroom is in Sabal Chase.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

2437 Southern Oak St, The Villages, FL<\/a><\/h2>\n

Price: $314,900<\/strong><\/p>\n

This two-bedroom, turnkey home is in Lynnhaven.<\/p>\n

Realtor.com<\/p>\n

The post America\u2019s Fastest-Growing Metro Is a Wild Retirement Community in Florida\u2014but Are the Rumors True?<\/a> appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com\u00ae<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Courtesy of The Villages; Getty Images For 20 years, 68-year-old retirees\u00a0Gary and Sharon Kutella mulled over a move from West Bradenton, FL, to a town their friends insisted would give them a whole new lease on life\u2014The Villages. Those who beckoned already lived in what\u2019s been branded \u201cFlorida\u2019s Friendliest Hometown,\u201d and they raved about the…Read More→<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":4962,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4961","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4961"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4961\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}