Where is The Villages retirement community in Florida?

If you plan to retire in Florida, you may consider moving into a retirement community. One of the friendliest retirement communities in Florida is The Villages, a mega retirement community that has gained a lot of attention in recent years.

The Villages retirement community is located in Central Florida, approximately 20 miles south of Ocala and approximately 45 miles northwest of Orlando. The retirement community stretches 32 square miles across Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties. The Villages has over 70,000 homes and more than 130,000 residents.

What is The Villages, Florida?

The Villages is a growing retirement development located in Central Florida and is considered one of the friendliest places to retire in Florida. It is a master-planned census-designated community that spreads across Sumter County, Lake County, and Marion County. The Village comprises 17 Community Development Districts that are headed by an elected board of supervisors.

Each subdivision in the community has a Declaration of Restrictions that provides the rules and regulations of each community. In at least 80% of the households in the community, there must be at least one person who is age 55 or older residing in the household. For the most part, persons below 19 years are not allowed to live within The Villages, unless they have been granted an exemption.

However, three subdivisions in The Villages are excluded from the age restrictions and are designated as family units for people of all ages.

The Villages Monthly/Annual Fees

When you move into The Villages, there are certain monthly and annual fees you will pay. Here are the common fees you should expect to pay in The Villages:

CDD fees

The Villages does not have HOA fees; instead, residents pay CDD fees since The Villages is designated as a Community Development District (CDD). The average CDD fees range from $129 to $220 per month, and they cover security, sewer management, streetlights, recreation, fire protection, and common area maintenance. Property owners within The Villages pay a non-ad Valorem assessment as an extra in the annual property tax bill.

Amenity fee

Residents pay a monthly amenity fee of $164, but this fee may be adjusted on your anniversary as a Villager.

Residents have access to 50 executive courses, 2500 clubs, dog parks, nature trails, parks, swimming pools, tennis courts, outdoor and indoor recreation facilities, and a 24-hour neighborhood watch.

Golf fees

While The Villages advertises the golf courses as free for life for residents, there are fees charged for using the golf courses. Residents are required to pay a fee to drive their own cart or play Championship golf courses. For the Championship golf courses, resident members pay $15 to $45 based on the course and tee time, while the fee for using your golf cart on trails is $20 per month, $106 for every six months, or $141 per year.

How much taxes do you pay in The Villages?

When you move into The Villages, Florida, there are certain taxes you should expect to pay to the local and state government. For a start, Florida does not have income taxes, and this means you won’t pay state income taxes on your retirement incomes like social security, pension, and 401(k) withdrawals.

However, you should expect to pay sales tax and property taxes. The sales tax in Florida is 7%, which comprises 6% Florida sales tax, and an additional 1% sales tax in the three counties where the retirement community is located.

Property tax rates in The Villages vary across the three counties where the retirement community lies. In Sumter country, you should expect to pay $13 per $1,000 in property value, while Lake County has a property tax rate of $18 per $1,000 in property value.

Is The Villages a good place to retire?

If you are considering moving into The Villages, Florida, here are some of the advantages you will find.

Good weather

Florida is known to have plenty of sunny days, and you will enjoy lots of summer days in The Villages. The favorable weather makes it possible to participate in outdoor activities throughout the year. You can go swimming, fishing, and golfing nearly year-round.

Golf courses

The Village is a golfer's paradise; there are 40 executive golf courses available to residents, and 12 Championship-length courses with their own country clubs. Additionally, you will find two specialty golf courses, a practice center, and several golf shops with plenty of clubs and gear.

Shops and restaurants 

If you need to shop, you won't need to drive out of The Villages. There are tons of national and local shops and restaurants within the village. Popular brands that you will find include Target, Wal-Mart, Bonefish Grill, VKI Japanese Steakhouse, Panera Bread, etc.

You also get access to doctors, dentists, and other health specialists. You can also find boutiques, salons, barbershops, and dog groomers within the community gates.

Activity level

The Villages boasts of high activity levels, with hundreds of miles of trails, paths, green spaces, and parks. On a typical day, you will find residents walking, cycling, running, riding golf carts, and playing golf and tennis.