Questions about relocating to Orlando

[Conservative Hippie]

We moved to the SW Orlando area (NE Polk County) 4 1/2 years ago when my husband got hired at WDW. Since I am homeschooling, I have nothing to say about the schools. What I like - Disney, of course - going for fun, and the perks of DH's job, and a recently discovered perk, being close to Port Canaveral for cruising! What I don't like - the traffic and the heat.

 

[Feralpeg]

They don't call it Mel-Boring for nothing.

Well, I'm a little biased because I love my neighborhood. I live in The Lakes of Windermere subdivision. Independence is a very nice neighborhood in this area. If you want a gated subdivision, Keen's Point is very nice, but a little pricey. Glen Muir is also a nice gated neighborhood. They are building a new neighborhood on Chase Road just off CR535. I haven't been in there yet, but they look nice from the road. Weatherstone is a new gated community. I went through the model and it was beautiful. Again, this is a pretty pricey development.

I think you'll love the area! There is a brand new elementary school just off CR535 at Overstreet and a relatively new middle school right behind the Independence neighborhood. They have plans to build another elementary school there as well.

 

[PeterPan09]

We moved to the SW Orlando area (NE Polk County) 4 1/2 years ago when my husband got hired at WDW. Since I am homeschooling, I have nothing to say about the schools. What I like - Disney, of course - going for fun, and the perks of DH's job, and a recently discovered perk, being close to Port Canaveral for cruising! What I don't like - the traffic and the heat.

I was right behind you 4 years ago, and I'm living in South Lake county! I love this area, because it's close to everything but I'm a little removed from the real tourist locations.

As for traffic-I'm with you. From Thanksgiving to New Years, and again in the summer driving around here is all about being VERY aware of what the other folks on the road are doing. Don't watch for directionals, watch for the finger of the person in the passenger seat to point-you'll be better off for it. If at all possible stay OFF of I-4, between Disney, Sea World and Universal and LOTS of people from other places driving in or renting cars, there are fender benders and more serious accidents out there almost every day.

As for the heat, I'm learning how to deal with it. Instead of hibernating this time of year the way I did up North, this is the time of year that I'm out and about. In the summer, I plan lots of indoor stuff because I have no interest in being outside past 8 am.

I have family here, and I do not regret my decision to move for a minute. It has given me time to spend with my Mom and Dad at a time when they really need me to be there.

Financially, it's been hard. I brought a job here with me, but got laid off after the first year. I have not been able to find another job with a salary anywhere close to what I was making back then, even after 3 years of working at it. I'm blessed because I do have a job, with good health care and so many others do not-but I'm learning to live a very different life. If you're planning to move here and you're not retired-please, please, please do NOT do it without a job in hand. I've seen what happens to people that do that and it is tragic.

 

[mickey squared]

Thank you Feralpeg for the suggestions. I will research them before we drive over. They have rentals, right? I don't want to jump the gun again with buying. I think I've learned a very expensive lesson!!

 

[lovin'fl]

Great thread! We plan to move down that way once our youngest (twin DDs) graduate HS (2017). We were born and raised in MD and after we got married, we lived in NC for quite a bit and loved it there. We've been back in MD for 4 years now and HATE it...never should have left NC!

So, summer/fall of 2017...we're outa here!! We're thinking the Jacksonville area. We may keep a place here in MD (though not the old fixer we are in now...maybe sell it and buy a condo/townhouse) and also buy a condo in FL.

 

[Feralpeg]

Thank you Feralpeg for the suggestions. I will research them before we drive over. They have rentals, right? I don't want to jump the gun again with buying. I think I've learned a very expensive lesson!!

I know that there are some rentals available in my neighborhood. There are no short term (less than six months) allowed. I don't know about the other neighborhoods, but rentals are pretty prevalent due to the housing market.

There are townhomes for rent in the area as well.

My suggestion would be to contact a real estate agent and ask to see properties for rent in the area. Since the selling market is so bad, agents are willing to help find rentals to build good will for future purchases.

 

[mickey squared]

Good points. We wouldn't be interested in less than a one year lease, enough time to get a feeling for the area.

Thanx again.

 

[idieh]

I came back to this thread to check on some of the great information that I received and was amazed to find it active (sort of). Well, the decision has been made; my family and I will be moving to Florida in June! We've gotten in touch with a realtor and have been receiving daily MLS listings for rentals in the Windermere area.
Another question for you all (where applicable): do the rental condos at The Lakeside at Lakes of Windermere come with a garage? Also, what, if anything, has changed since we began this thread?
As always, any and all help/advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Feralpeg]

I came back to this thread to check on some of the great information that I received and was amazed to find it active (sort of). Well, the decision has been made; my family and I will be moving to Florida in June! We've gotten in touch with a realtor and have been receiving daily MLS listings for rentals in the Windermere area.
Another question for you all (where applicable): do the rental condos at The Lakeside at Lakes of Windermere come with a garage? Also, what, if anything, has changed since we began this thread?
As always, any and all help/advise would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know, but I can take a look. They are right down the road from me. They were built by the same builder who built my home. I am very happy with my home, so I would imagine the condos are very nice.

If you decide to live there, you will be literally a ten minute drive from Downtown Disney and ten minutes from Winter Garden Village shopping area. There is a brand new shopping area, Lakeside Village, that is still under construction right next door. It has a Publix, McDonalds and a Chase bank. They are building a 7-eleven gas station there and many other stores will be opening soon.

The nice thing about this area is that it is very quiet. You are literally living on Disney's doorstep, but you'd never know it. The tourists just don't come out this way. I absolutely love living in this area.

If you have any questions, just let me know. I'll check on the garage issue.

 

[Traveliz]

I came back to this thread to check on some of the great information that I received and was amazed to find it active (sort of). Well, the decision has been made; my family and I will be moving to Florida in June! We've gotten in touch with a realtor and have been receiving daily MLS listings for rentals in the Windermere area.
Another question for you all (where applicable): do the rental condos at The Lakeside at Lakes of Windermere come with a garage? Also, what, if anything, has changed since we began this thread?
As always, any and all help/advise would be greatly appreciated.

I have a condo at Lakeside at Lakes of Windermere. The actual condos (not the apartments or townhomes) do not have garages nor are there any available for extra cost. You get two parking passes (A & B). If you have two cars you must designate a car for your A spot which is a numbered reserved spot. The B car has to be registered also but can park in any spot that has a red chair stencil in it. They got really weird about parking last year (and for no reason as there is plenty available). If you have a third vehichle you can park in the streets that are not yet developed. You can get passes for overnight guests.

I am pretty sure rentals here at the condos (which have to be approved by the HOA first) must be a minimum of one year lease).

The apartments are separate from the condos and some have garages. Their ammenities are also different. There are townhomes in our development also and some have garages; some do not but they do not share ammenities of the condos (despite what the listings say). The townhomes only are allowed 2-4 (I can't remember) units that share our clubhouse, pool, fitness room, etc and I think those are all spoken for right now (but I can't say for sure).

If you have any other questions about the condos at Lakeside at Lakes of Windermere I would be happy to answer. We have had ours just over a year now.

Liz

 

[idieh]

Thank you ladies you your responses. I feel as though I'm making friends from hundreds of miles away!! Liz, your reply confused me a bit (not a hard thing to do, however) . We are looking at condos on Maritime Flag St, Boat Hook Loop and Mizzon Dr. If we rent here will we have access to the pool, club and workout center!

Thanks again for your help!!

Doug & Heidi

 

[Traveliz]

Thank you ladies you your responses. I feel as though I'm making friends from hundreds of miles away!! Liz, your reply confused me a bit (not a hard thing to do, however) . We are looking at condos on Maritime Flag St, Boat Hook Loop and Mizzon Dr. If we rent here will we have access to the pool, club and workout center!

Thanks again for your help!!

Doug & Heidi

Yes there are condos on all of those streets and if they are listed as condos then you are good. These are the condos that do not have garages and if you rent I believe the lease has to be one year and approved first. The condos are rented out by individual owners and not the association.

Sitting in my condo now

Liz

 

[ttree]

I'v been looking at online realty sites and have found a lot of condos at metro west, any opinions? They seem to be within my buget and look nice?

 

[FlyingDumbo]

Can anyone tell me anything about Davenport? Is it far from Disney? I have a family member moving there.

 

[EpcotMatt2]

Just wanted to give this thread a bump to see if there would be any updates on some of the recent posts. Or any additional input anyone would like to give. Or perhaps any specific realtor or website referrals regarding inquiring on rental availability.

 

[Kimmers127]

I just found this thread and wow, very helpful! You hear so many horror stories of people moving to FL and hating it... it's nice to hear some success stories too!

My DH and I are hoping to move down to the Orlando area in 3 to 4 years so I'm sitting here taking notes on this thread!

 

[PatriciaH]

We loved living in FL and miss it, but it was hard to find good, full-time work with decent benefits. We moved back to MA 2 years ago for health benefits and a steady job. We would move back to FL in a heartbeat if one of us can find something good for work. Looking every day