Dick Betts, Realtor, The Villages, FL

06/25/2026

06/25/2026

Stetson Mansion, House That Hats Built

TripAdvisor has named the Stetson Mansion the #1 rated Landmark Tourist Attraction in all of Florida. Florida's First Luxury Estate, built in 1886 for famed hat maker John B. Stetson, is the largest, grandest, and most historic home ever built in Florida before the 20th century. It was the first home in Florida designed and constructed with Edison electricity, steam heat, indoor plumbing, and a call bell system. Opulent details include 16 different mosaic parquet wood floor patterns, 10,000 panes of antique glass and various handmade wood embellishments.

This Gilded Age estate has always been occupied and is still a private estate. It is not a museum or a home frozen in time, although it predates all other grand mansion museums in Florida. The home of Florida’s first snowbird and famous hat baron has always been occupied, but it was hidden and forgotten as a great estate for 100 years. It has recently been rescued, restored, and updated in a timeless fashion.

Christmas Tours will be offered Nov 1, 2026, to Jan 17, 2027. USA Today’s 10Best named the Stetson Mansions’ outstandingly lavish “Christmas Spectacular“ the #1 Holiday Home Tour in Florida and #2 in the entire country! Historic Tours will commence on Feb 1st, 2026, and continue through May. The Mansion will be closed June through October. Check out their website: www.StetsonMansion.com

Dick Betts, REALTOR®
The Betts Team
LPT Realty
The Villages, Florida
717-860-3107 cell
www.DickBetts.com
[email protected]

06/25/2026

Next Wildwood Friday July 3rd

Happy Birthday America
Friday, July 3, 2026
6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Fireworks at 9:00 p.m.
Wildwood Community Center
6500 Powell Road Wildwood, FL 34785

Live music, vendors, fun zone, giveaways, cash bar, food trucks, and professional fireworks display. Pie eating contest at 7:45 p.m. Music by Greg Warren Band throughout the evening.
Free to attend.
Event Details:
Parking lots open at 5:15 p.m.
Lot A is for vehicles only.
Lot B is for both vehicles and golf carts (Brownwood Business Plaza is accessible by golf cart). Police officers and staff will es**rt attendees across Powell Road.
Mobility assistance shuttles (golf carts) will run to and from each parking lot.
The event officially starts at 6:00 p.m.
Pie eating contest begins at 7:45 p.m. (register at wildwood-fl.gov > Recreation)
Fireworks begin at 9:00 p.m.
The event concludes at 10:00 p.m.
Greg Warren Band will be performing all night.
Pets are not allowed at the event except for service animals, and they must be on a leash. No tents are allowed, but guests can bring chairs and blankets.

Dick Betts, REALTOR®
The Betts Team
LPT Realty
The Villages, Florida
717-860-3107 cell
[email protected]
www.DickBetts.com

06/24/2026

This Week in The Villages, Recap 6/17 to 6/23

Back from our 9 days adventure to Washington DC and time with family in Arlington, VA. Came home with a head cold so please forgive me if I cough, sneeze, or sound a little hoarse. I did learn some things at the real estate conference and plan to put it to work behind the scenes in the next few months. Great spending Father’s Day with one of my sons and his family.

Time for the top three, coming in at number three “A Blob is Following Us” yes we get to DC and see I blob forming off the Mid Atlantic Coast, it turned out to be nothing. Number two was “Let’s Talk About The Squares in The Villages,” it was a very strong number two which most weeks would be a number one. Coming in at number one “The Villages Are On Their Way To Add 2,000 More Homes,” unbelievable this article hit number one all time by double what was previously number one. I spend days just keeping up with the comments and answering questions.

Dick Betts, REALTOR®
The Betts Team
LPT Realty
The Villages, Florida
717-860-3107 cell
www.DickBetts.com
[email protected]

06/24/2026

Time to Start Sharing About July 4th Festivities!

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Town of Lady Lake is inviting residents and visitors to “The Big Bang,” the community’s Independence Day celebration, taking place Saturday, June 27 at 6 p.m. at the Guava Street Athletic Complex. This free, family-friendly event promises an evening full of excitement, entertainment, and patriotic fun.
Highlights of The Big Bang include:
• Fireworks spectacular – The sky lights up at 9:15 p.m. with a dazzling display sponsored by the Benchmark Group, The Orange Blossom Gardens Lions Club and American Legion Post #347.
• Live Music – Dance the night away with performances by Tabasco.
• Watermelon Eating Contests, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Lady Lake. Fun for all ages with separate contests for kids and adults.
• Arts & Crafts Table – Get creative with hands-on activities for the whole family.
• Food Trucks & Vendors – Satisfy your cravings with a wide variety of delicious options.
• Kid Zone – Packed with fun including bounce houses, slides, and a foam party sponsored by Dream Finders Homes.
VIP Tent Packages are available for $50, offering shaded seating with prime views of the stage and fireworks. Each tent includes a table, chairs, and party favors. Reserve yours today by contacting Amy Alicea at [email protected] or 352-205-2826.

To make your evening even easier, skip the parking hassle and take advantage of free luxury shuttle service, proudly sponsored by Lamers Transportation. Shuttles will run continuously from 6 to 10:30 p.m. between Snooky Park and the event site on Guava Street.

Dick Betts, REALTOR®
The Betts Team
LPT Realty
The Villages, Florida
717-860-3107 cell
www.DickBetts.com
[email protected]

06/23/2026

Stumpknockers On The Square

The other day I was asked where to get a good seafood meal maybe even outside The Villages, Florida. I thought about it and asked if they have ever tried Stumpknockers on The Square in Inverness? There answer was no, they never heard of it, I suggested they give it a try! Got a call a few days later thanking me for the suggestion they loved it.

Inverness is 21 miles west of Brownwood Paddock Square on State Route 44 and Stumpknockers is just off the highway when you get downtown. I have dined there many times my favorite is the Sea Scallops! So how did the restaurant get its name? Named after a local fish:

The stumpknocker (Lepomis punctatus) is a spunky, chunky freshwater panfish native to the Southeastern United States, most known as the spotted sunfish. Famous for their aggressive strikes and affinity for wood cover, they are highly sought after by anglers using ultralight tackle and small live baits. Their nickname "stumpknocker" comes from their feeding behavior they frequently knock or nose around submerged logs, stumps, and cypress knees to feed on attached insects, snails, and crayfish.

Dick Betts, REALTOR®
The Betts Team
LPT Realty
The Villages, Florida
717-860-3107 cell
www.DickBetts.com
[email protected]

06/23/2026

Let’s Talk About The Squares in The Villages

I love tour day! Followers from one of my social media sites contacts me to say they are making their very first trip to The Villages, Florida and want to meet. Great, want to see this place? The answer is yes and the fun begins, I ask where they are staying and we pick a place to meet. Many times, it is Dunkin Donuts at Brownwood Paddock Square which according to AI is the Southern Hub. Make a walking tour around the square if they haven’t seen it and explain the 19th Century cattle ranch town theme.

Next stop Lake Sumter Landing, AI calls the Central Hub, park the car, and take a walking tour pointing out highlights of the square. The theme here is quaint, northeastern coastal and they love it. By now they noticed the mature landscaping little more spread out than the southern end of The Villages. Back to the car and head north.

Next stop Spanish Spring Town Square, AI call the Historic North side. It features southwestern, old-world Mediterranean-style stucco buildings, tile roofs, and grand water fountain. The square going through renovations but the improvements are obvious.

The tour includes so much more, trip up to First Responders and Mulberry Grove, 441 business and medical corridors, head south to Sawgrass and if time Eastport. Maybe almost too much for a single day!

Dick Betts, REALTOR®
The Betts Team
LPT Realty
The Villages, Florida
717-860-3107 cell
www.DickBetts.com
[email protected]

06/22/2026

Perfect Father’s Day Gift, Hmmm!

Name the holiday and retailers, online companies like Amazon, Wayfair and so many more will suggest the perfect gift for the upcoming holiday. One this time really stood out to me, an $1,800 smart toilet, no I don’t want a smart toilet! What I did I spent about a half hour learning what a smart toilet was all about, never know when somebody is going to ask me about a smart toilet, hope not!

Me being a techy I want to see if any had an app, yep. In all fairness most of these are a combination toilet with a built-in bidet, so seat, water, blow drying temperature is important. A sensor detects when you are close and soft lighting, and automatic lid opens and closes. Odor control, sanitizing, more sensors (don’t ask) and the list goes on.

Quick story, lady was moving here and when we she sold her home in the contract was “will replace primary bathroom toilet with new unit.” She packed her toilet/bidet and brought to The Villages!

Dick Betts, REALTOR®
The Betts Team
LPT Realty
The Villages, Florida
717-860-3107 cell
www.DickBetts.com
[email protected]

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day, Welcome to Summer!

On the calendar today are two events, Father’s Day and the first Day of Summer. Father's Day was first celebrated in Washington State on June 19, 1910. It was championed by Sonora Smart Dodd to honor her widowed Civil War veteran father who raised six children alone. Following decades of slow growth and commercialization, it was officially declared a permanent national holiday by President Richard Nixon in 1972.

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere begins on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at 4:24 A.M. EDT. This exact moment is known as the summer solstice, marking the longest day of the year. This makes my 19th Summer in Florida and happy to be here, I spend a bunch of years with the 3 H’s in the northeast. Hot, Humidity and Hazy so don’t tell me about Florida weather. We get tropical breezes in the summer, even August evenings are fine if you have air movement. When my friends from the north ask how to you put up with summers in Florida my reply is how do you put up with winter?

Dick Betts, REALTOR®
The Betts Team
LPT Realty
The Villages, Florida
717-860-3107 cell
www.DickBetts.com
[email protected]