Timber Pines - Spring Hill, FL

I have lived here for over two years and Love it. The people are Great, very friendly and happy. The landscaping and common grounds are kept up Super. I agree with all of the other residents that commented on this review. I have lived in Florida since 1968 and this place is like a lost Diamond.

We did a lot of research before selecting which community was the best for us. We had quite a few criteria on our list of things that we wanted the community to have. It needed to be gated, 55+, a larger community (2,500+), fully developed, owned and managed by the property owners, a healthy financial reserve, no CDD, reasonable Homeowner's dues, more than one golf course, reasonably priced golf, close to the gulf, close to shopping, reasonably priced homes, not in a flood zone and good amenities. This place covered all of those bases. Golf is dirt cheap, for about $550 annually you can golf the two executive courses, The Hills and The Lakes as much as you want with an electric cart. The way golf works is like this: you pay a "trackage" fee to use your electric cart on the cart paths. As I write this review, the trackage fee was about $360 annually, plus tax. There is also a "registered golfer" fee of around $140 plus tax. Do you have to be a registered golfer to golf? Technically no, but if you are not a registered golfer, you cannot establish a handicap and you will not be able to golf in any events they have and there are many. You will want to be a registered golfer. Can you walk the course and avoid the trackage fee? Yes you can, (almost completely) there are some people who do it. God bless them. I consider myself young and in good health at 61, but I have no interest at all in walking these courses in the heat. There is a nominal fee to register your golf cart but not drive on the cart paths, I don't recall what it is but it is less than a meal out.You do, however have to walk the 9 hole Highlands chip and putt course. You can also golf the 9 hole Highlands chip and putt course for no charge at all. The driving range is inexpensive; $1 for 22 balls, $2 for 44 balls and $3 for 66 balls. A $2 bucket is about all I can hit before I tire out. The range never closes either. You buy an electronic key (for some nominal charge, I forget, but it's not much, $5 I think) and then you can load money onto it and get your balls from the dispenser anytime you want. The Championship course, The Pines is a private, fee course. Unlike some other communities, like Dell Webb, who open their courses up to the public, this course is completely private. The fee is quite reasonable given the quality of the course, anywhere from $12-$20 depending on time of day and season for 18 holes.

The amenities are nice. They have two pools with hot tubs located, one where the Championship Pro Shop and restaurant is situated and the other is at the Activity Center where the Pro Shop and starter building is for the Lakes course. The Activity Center, has exactly what the name suggests, the bulk of the activities; pickleball, tennis, bocce ball, shuffleboard, billiards, Arts and Crafts, Wood Shop, Workout Facility, Library, conference and game rooms, an all purpose banquet facility and a snack bar. The Administrative and Accounting offices are also in this facility.

Homes are very reasonably priced. If you are unfamiliar with sinkholes, you will want to read up on them. Hernando County is the sinkhole capital of Florida and Timber Pines is a sinkhole metropolis. I joke that there are two kinds of homes in Timber Pines; remediated (repaired) sinkholes and future remediated sinkhole homes. When we first looked here, they scared us to death, as we studied them and the remediation process, we began to embrace homes that were already remediated. We didn't want to have to deal with it and we didn't want to buy a home next to a remediated home because if the ground collapses, it surely isn't going to collapse under the home that has concrete piers poured underneath it already! We see a lot of remediated homes here, but we have never seen or heard of one actually collapsing. There is a lot of discussion on the street that much of the supposed sinkhole activity here comes from the fact that this was a timber farm and when they developed it, the just buried the big root balls and they eventually degraded and the soil around them collapsed. I don't know if that is true, but is surely makes sense.

The Security here is spectacular, although some would claim on occasion, overly zealous. They do carefully monitor the speeds on the roads. They are brutal at the entrances. You will not get in here unless you have business here. My son and his wife went to the tavern outside the gate one night. They came back at 12:08 am. Their gate pass expired at Midnight. They called us and asked if it was OK to let them in. They are paying attention.

They have lots of clubs and activities. I have yet to go, but I will definitely pursue the trap and skeet club as well as the anglers club. They have a 6 person golf scramble every Saturday that is fun with Ladies Day on Tuesday and Mends Day on Thursday that feature handicap oriented challenges.

I have one complaint with how they operate. It's a small gripe, but one that I find just inherently wrong. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday the YMCA takes over the gym until 1:30 pm. You can use the gym but you have to pay the YMCA an additional membership on top of your monthly dues (currently $190). To me, that is wrong! We, the property owners, own that gym. The YMCA does not own the gym. What gives our Board the right to lock us (dues paying members) out of the gym that we own and pay dues to use? I can see where they want to offer that service to residents, that's fine, but don't lock me out while you do it! I will work out right beside them without their help, thank you very much! When I ask why it is done that way, the response I get is "It's been that way for 20 years", well duh! That just means you've been doing it wrong for 20 years, that doesn't make it right! I will keep on this issue until it changes, just a pet peeve of mine, but look at the review as a whole, you just can't beat this place. It is a bargain on all scales. That is why we chose to live here and that is why my wife, as a realtor, chose to specialize in selling homes is here.

You won't be disappointed. Quite a few people refer to this place as a hidden gem. I have to agree.

We have lived in Timber Pines for 12 years and we are still smitten with all of the amenities and friendly people. Our Board of Directors and our employees do an outstanding job keeping our community is pristine shape. One of the neat things about Timber Pines is we own it all. There are no outsiders who have a stake in our community. If you can find a better place in Florida for the money we pay each month let us know. Timber Pines is the best kept secret in Florida.

We just bought a home in Timber Pines which is an over 55 community in Spring Hill, Florida (approximately 35 miles north of Tampa). We loved it so much that within one month of ownership I convinced my best friend to buy a house around the corner from us, which she did! We've rented at The Villages on numerous occasions and at first considered buying there, however, we found it too pricey. Our house in Timber Pines was half the cost of one in The Villages and it possesses charm and character, something that the cookie cutter houses in The Villages simply have not got. We love the old growth trees in Timber Pines as well as our close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. The Villages is far too busy and crowded from January to April. Take a look at Timber Pines, the amenities are gorgeous and the price is right. I can't wait to get back there this Fall!

What a wonderful place to live ! People are all friendly and the community is top-notch with all the activities and opportunities available. The streets are lined with mature trees and it is peaceful and quiet. Living here is like living in a resort ! Definitely Florida's secret !

We love it here. Our neighbors are so friendly and helpful. There are so many activities and clubs you could be busy all the time if you choose. Dining in the Country Club is great. We are always meeting new people. We highly recommend Timber Pines.

More than I ever could have imagined. 4 golf courses, can play three of them free. These courses are all owned by the residents. Two large swimming pools, 8 tennis courts, golf driving range, 2 chipping and putting greens and much more. This community is gated and patrolled 24-7. Feel very secure here. Only 35 miles north of clearwater. Best deal in the state of Florida.

The golf here is great ... I golf at least twice, sometimes 3 times a week. When I'm not golfing I am either at the pool, out for a walk, at bocce or at the clubhouse. My wife stays really busy with her clubs (ceramics, scrabble, dominos and whatever else new she's trying out). It's been great to finally spend time doing what we enjoy with friendly people in a nice community. Wish we could have moved here sooner!

Excellent community for 55 and over. Three golf courses, fully gated, performing arts center, country club, large meeting buildings, exercise center, extensive woodshop, many clubs and activities. Reasonable price at $160 per month for all amenities including free golf on two courses. All amenities including the golf courses are owned and operated by owners at a non profit basis. Just can not say enough good about this community.