[RedneckRebel]

Wife and I are considering moving to Citrus Springs/Dunnellon area within the next year - year and half. I have driven through the area a few times, and like the feel. I am self employed so I am not worried about work.
What can y'all tell me about the area/vibe?

[perry335654]

Here is a Kayaking video





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqMb...&nohtml5=False

[RedneckRebel]

I guess what we are trying to find out is crime, how are the schools, projected growth of the area over next 15-20 years?

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by RedneckRebel

I guess what we are trying to find out is crime, how are the schools, projected growth of the area over next 15-20 years?

There isn't much in/around Dunnellon, schools are pretty bad and it seems generally geared toward lower income retirees. Citrus Springs is a better option in my opinion with at least generally very good schools but kind of lacking in things to do with the SW side of Ocala where most have to drive to get to a lot of services, etc.

Have you considered areas further north up/around The Villages like Fruitland Park, Lady Lake and Weirsdale? Just my opinion but I think projected growth in that area seems much more a given if looking for home appreciation values and proximity to things to do.

[kellygirl925]

I live in Pine Ridge, which borders Citrus Springs. From what I know there are some nice homes & lots and then there is an older section with smaller/older homes and smaller lots. My daughter did go to Central Ridge Elementary for 5th grade, which is in Citrus Springs, and we were very happy with it. We are very happy with the Citrus County schools in general. I'd say the best thing about Dunnellon is the springs & river, very beautiful! There is a strong community feel to both areas. As far as future growth, I just can't say.

Good luck to you!

[perry335654]

Dunnellon Schools - Dunnellon Florida School Ratings - Public and Private

[l8rgator]

Are there any areas in this region that you would personally steer away from?

[RedneckRebel]

Bump

[l8rgator]

It's hard for me too because I'll read things like maybe avoid Beverly Hills or Brooksville or Western Ocala because they have more crime. And then I'll find a house in Dunnellon or Hernando that seems map-wise significantly "closer" to one of the avoid cities - and I'm not sure if it's quieter that far out (especially off the highways) or not! The crime maps at Trulia are interesting, but most places I look at (whether avoid or like) seem to have the same handful of incidences-some serious, and they don't really say much about the atmosphere of the area. Most of the sex predators are creepy pedophiles, but I don't have kids ( and do have a somewhat frightening dog) so probably not as much of a concern for our family.

I think I need a personal guide for the area ! Someone who isn't trying to sell houses lol!

Also I wonder if the vegetation has any meaning. Some places peoples yards are all sand, and no trees, and not new subdivisions. Or areas across the road that look like vast empty fields with no crops. Can that be a sign of an area with flooding problems or anything like that???

Then also I read that the homestead protection is .5 acres in incorporated areas, and more outside of that - and it's really hard to tell where the incorporation lines are for any area. And health care rates and quality vary from town to town. It's all SO much to factor in it's overwhelming!!!

[krisnfla]

The schools in Citrus Co. have high ratings. The crime is more traffic/speeding, you do have other crime but for the most part, Citrus Springs/Dunnellon is way better on crime than surrounding cities. The house you get for the price is hard to ignore in CS, you're less than an 1.5 hours from Orlando and Tampa. We prefer the Gulf beaches to Atlantic. Cedar Key is awesome if you like fishing. Dunnellon has Rainbow Springs and the Withlacoochee River. Crystal River and Dunnellon have cool outdoor restaurants, and small man made beaches. You're about 2 hrs from Honeymoon Island State Park, one of the best beach state parks in Fla. It takes about 2 hours to get to St. Augustine...basically, everything is about 1.5 to 2 hours away. If you don't mind the drive, you can get a house for 30k - 50k below market, in a rural, natural, Old Florida setting and you can still get to all the touristy stuff in 2 hours or less. It's not that bad. It takes some getting used to if you come from Orl/Daytona, like us, but we did our homework and this was the best compromise that benefited all family members with my husband's job being in Gainesville. You would not like Gainesville, there are almost as many homeless ppl living there now, as college students....just sayin'...