[tinarid]

I am contemplating a move to Seminole County from NJ due to a job transfer to Heathrow/Lake Mary area. We are a bi-racial family with 3 kids ranging from 5-13 and are looking for a 3/2 home under $250k in a nice, safe neighborhood with good schools, plenty of after-school activities for the kids, in a nice sub-division surrounded by an area that's not "rural". Is a nicely-updated home like this attainable in this area. After reading all of the negativity regarding, crime, traffic, unemployment, high cost of living, low wages and narrow-minded people in an around Orlando, I've become a little discouraged. Hoping that what I've read so far is not completely true.... Can anyone shed some light?

[jvel]

Originally Posted by tinarid

I am contemplating a move to Seminole County from NJ due to a job transfer to Heathrow/Lake Mary area. We are a bi-racial family with 3 kids ranging from 5-13 and are looking for a 3/2 home under $250k in a nice, safe neighborhood with good schools, plenty of after-school activities for the kids, in a nice sub-division surrounded by an area that's not "rural". Is a nicely-updated home like this attainable in this area. After reading all of the negativity regarding, crime, traffic, unemployment, high cost of living, low wages and narrow-minded people in an around Orlando, I've become a little discouraged. Hoping that what I've read so far is not completely true.... Can anyone shed some light?

As being an ex-NJ'er I must say that it is a culture shock to say the least. Bi-racial is no big deal for the most part. Lake Mary is nice and schools are good BUT Central Florida in general has high crime both property and violent. Cost of living is not cheap either. Homes and taxes are cheaper but that's about it. You have all of the chain style restaurants but a lot of the cultural feel just is not there to include restaurants. Yes it's warmer and taxes generally cheaper but there are other offsets. Traffic is crazy in central florida worse than NYC/NJ for sure. Insurance is high as well. One other misconception is developments being touted as gated which doesn't mean they are safe. Most are not guarded and very easy for prowlers to access so becareful. One VERY important thing to be aware of is the HIGH concentration of SCAMMERS that prey throughout Florida period. Lastly is drugs is a huge problems as well both in and out of schools.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by jvel

As being an ex-NJ'er I must say that it is a culture shock to say the least. Bi-racial is no big deal for the most part. Lake Mary is nice and schools are good BUT Central Florida in general has high crime both property and violent. Cost of living is not cheap either. Homes and taxes are cheaper but that's about it. You have all of the chain style restaurants but a lot of the cultural feel just is not there to include restaurants. Yes it's warmer and taxes generally cheaper but there are other offsets. Traffic is crazy in central florida worse than NYC/NJ for sure. Insurance is high as well. One other misconception is developments being touted as gated which doesn't mean they are safe. Most are not guarded and very easy for prowlers to access so becareful. One VERY important thing to be aware of is the HIGH concentration of SCAMMERS that prey throughout Florida period. Lastly is drugs is a huge problems as well both in and out of schools.

Are you seriously trying to compare central FL traffic to NYC??? NYC is on a whole different level. Orlando traffic is small town stuff compared to what you'd expect from a major global city

[Spring Hillian]

Traffic as bad as NYC? You must be joking.

Originally Posted by jvel

As being an ex-NJ'er I must say that it is a culture shock to say the least. Bi-racial is no big deal for the most part. Lake Mary is nice and schools are good BUT Central Florida in general has high crime both property and violent. Cost of living is not cheap either. Homes and taxes are cheaper but that's about it. You have all of the chain style restaurants but a lot of the cultural feel just is not there to include restaurants. Yes it's warmer and taxes generally cheaper but there are other offsets. Traffic is crazy in central florida worse than NYC/NJ for sure. Insurance is high as well. One other misconception is developments being touted as gated which doesn't mean they are safe. Most are not guarded and very easy for prowlers to access so becareful. One VERY important thing to be aware of is the HIGH concentration of SCAMMERS that prey throughout Florida period. Lastly is drugs is a huge problems as well both in and out of schools.

[cerveza]

Traffic in florida is NOT worse than nj.

Nj turnpike during rush hour is bumper to bumper stop and go traffic moving at about 1mph.

Toll roads out here are practically empty during rush hour.

Even the worst road in the area during rush hour (I-4) is usually is moving at like 45mph.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by jvel

As being an ex-NJ'er I must say that it is a culture shock to say the least. Bi-racial is no big deal for the most part. Lake Mary is nice and schools are good BUT Central Florida in general has high crime both property and violent. Cost of living is not cheap either. Homes and taxes are cheaper but that's about it. You have all of the chain style restaurants but a lot of the cultural feel just is not there to include restaurants. Yes it's warmer and taxes generally cheaper but there are other offsets. Traffic is crazy in central florida worse than NYC/NJ for sure. Insurance is high as well. One other misconception is developments being touted as gated which doesn't mean they are safe. Most are not guarded and very easy for prowlers to access so becareful. One VERY important thing to be aware of is the HIGH concentration of SCAMMERS that prey throughout Florida period. Lastly is drugs is a huge problems as well both in and out of schools.

To clarify. much of Central Florida does have crime issues but it is not the case in Lake Mary for one. "Very bad traffic" is limited to I-4, particularly in the downtown Orlando area and around the theme parks, as well as secondary roads in that area. It is NOTHING like New Jersey. Lake Mary's "rush hour" (on secondary roads) lasts around 30 minutes in the morning and evening, and is rarely at a standstill. The cost of living isn't cheap but it's considerably less than living in the Northeast US, particularly when dining out though granted the dining scene is considerably less varied or the quality of what the OP currently has to choose from. I disagree regarding insurance as home insurance while supposedly sky high isn't that bad in the center of the state and car insurance will be similar, even with all of the uninsured motorists we have here. Gated communities are the biggest waste of money in safe areas like Lake Mary. It's understandable in places like SW Orlando where nice neighborhoods are within a stone's throw of less desirable ones. The drug problem is way overstated as well...what huge drug problem? What article or information is being referenced that illustrates Central Florida in particular? Lastly "scammers" are everywhere and not a local issue. It's as the old saying goes, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is". Check references, licensing and proof of insurance (if applicable), and always obtain a few quotes for any work being performed. Good old fashioned common sense works wonders.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

To clarify. much of Central Florida does have crime issues but it is not the case in Lake Mary for one. "Very bad traffic" is limited to I-4, particularly in the downtown Orlando area and around the theme parks, as well as secondary roads in that area. It is NOTHING like New Jersey. Lake Mary's "rush hour" (on secondary roads) lasts around 30 minutes in the morning and evening, and is rarely at a standstill. The cost of living isn't cheap but it's considerably less than living in the Northeast US, particularly when dining out though granted the dining scene is considerably less varied or the quality of what the OP currently has to choose from. I disagree regarding insurance as home insurance while supposedly sky high isn't that bad in the center of the state and car insurance will be similar, even with all of the uninsured motorists we have here. Gated communities are the biggest waste of money in safe areas like Lake Mary. It's understandable in places like SW Orlando where nice neighborhoods are within a stone's throw of less desirable ones. The drug problem is way overstated as well...what huge drug problem? What article or information is being referenced that illustrates Central Florida in particular? Lastly "scammers" are everywhere and not a local issue. It's as the old saying goes, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is". Check references, licensing and proof of insurance (if applicable), and always obtain a few quotes for any work being performed. Good old fashioned common sense works wonders.

I would characterize the above as an individual opinion, and definitely open to debate

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

I would characterize the above as an individual opinion, and definitely open to debate

Uhhhh, ok.

Didn't realize Central Florida's crime rate was "debatable" (numbers/facts are quite inconvenient) or that the bad sections of SW Orlando (Milennia, Oak Ridge, Kirkman to name a few) have no influence on neighboring communities or most laughably the local restaurant scene is on par with NJ (metro NYC).

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Uhhhh, ok.

Didn't realize Central Florida's crime rate was "debatable" (numbers/facts are quite inconvenient)

"Most of Central FL" is what you claimed. I haven't come across any data that indicates that majority of central FL (Orlando/Melbourne/Daytona Beach) has an usually high crime rate. I'd love to see some objective data on it. Please feel free post it.

the bad sections of SW Orlando (Milennia, Oak Ridge, Kirkman to name a few) have no influence on neighboring communities

Dr Phillips, Windermere and Celebration are wide swaths of area that contain plenty of neighborhoods that aren't a "stone's throw" from undesirable neighborhoods.

or most laughably the local restaurant scene is on par with NJ (metro NYC).

Outside of perhaps Miami, Orlando is tops in the restaurant scene for FL (especially some of the stuff in Winter Park, downtown and Dr Phillips. Obviously, nothing will compare to NYC for most things. Maybe you should let that poster know that the museums and Orlando Philharmonic are crappier than the offerings in NJ/NYC too

[HarryWho?]

I don't like to post statistics because they're so easily manipulated but .... The towns you picked to represent Central Florida do have rather high crime stats.

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