"It's a beautiful day in The Villages, how may I direct your call?" That's the greeting people get when they make an inquiry at "Florida's friendliest hometown," a seniors-only retreat in the heart of the Sunshine State that is, according to the latest Census Bureau figures, the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the U.S. The 23-year-old development's 115,000 residents, up from 51,000 in 2010, motor around in customized golf carts that can range from $8,500 for a standard model to $30,000 for a souped-up version in the style of a Model T and painted in your college football team's colors. A performing arts center and more than three dozen free golf courses are among the top draws at this development targeting retirees looking for the "active lifestyle"; its 2,400 clubs are devoted to such pursuits as stamp collecting, tai chi, comic books, and remote-controlled cars. "There is everything here," says 72-year-old Elaine Dreidame, president of the property owners' association, who moved to The Villages from Ohio in 1999. "It's a one-of-a-kind place." As the development, west of Orlando, continues to sell about 400 homes a month, it's running low on empty lots, according to sales agent Michael Millhorn.
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