[lulu]

No, I haven't been to Clermont, though some places in Ocala reminded me of the Scottish country side from what I've seen on cable. I spent 2 days in the S.W. section visiting an elder friend of my mom's, that I hadn't seen in years. That area is different from the rest. It's growing, though mainlywith retirees. The image one might get is people in wheelchairs with oxygen tanks & stuff, but that's not the case there at all - it's a 55+ gated community. Most people are more active and younger looking than I am - it's quite a diverse group from all over. The place is called "Oak Run" it's huge due to the available land when it all started. One would be amazed how beautiful it is. They have everything most retiree's would want right there, even a Publix, CVS pharmacy & a hospital not too far away. There are no condos that I saw, just homes ranging from modest to big. Some are even on hills. There's golf, different size pools, a country club the size of my city block. It's even got beautiful chandelier's. That area is a very decent & safe place to be. The homes there start at about the mid 200's. Our friend bought there 4 yrs ago a 3/2/2 (1800 sq.ft) for $110,000, so things have gone up a bit there too. Though, the hotel clerk told me that the S.W. section is the most expensive. Not my cup of tea, buttt....like my ma's friend said, "It's my heaven on earth...and I wouldn't go back to Miami for nothing - we don't regret our decision at all". I'm truly happy for them that they found their niche.

[backtofla]

amen!! go visit clermont sometime!!!

[lulu]

Hmmm.....you like it??? Similiar or better???

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

I don't think of Winter Park, Winter Springs and/or Oviedo as "East Orlando". I live in East Orlando with the zip code of 32828. Waterford Lakes area is really considered East Orlando. We have the suburb feel yet close to downtown. I do hear Dr. Phillips is a nice area, but personally speaking, living near any of the I-4 corridor or the attractions is not appealing. The traffic and road construction is terrible and you have a bazillion tourists on the roads. There are numerous fatal accidents on a daily basis in that area.

I have heard that Ocala is the next up and coming area.

[backtofla]

i couldnt really say which one i like better since i have never been to ocala (that i can recall). i know someone who moved from nc to clermont and loved it. she missed the mtns but loved the hills and greenery in clermont.

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

It is pretty hilly in Clermont, compared to Orlando. I've heard they are building so quickly over there that all the schools are overcrowded and the kids are in modulars.

[Mom2KK]

Hi there-
We were from Orange Cty, Ny. 4 years ago we moved to Kissimmee. We were not married yet and had no children. We moved to the Northern part of Kissimmee called Poinciana. When we bought, there was mostly cow fields! We sold a year later and got a 60 % return on our home. I worked as a SAP Systems coordinator for Disney, thats probably where you want to focus for work. You are going to be in shock when you see the salary difference. I found the salary was in line with housing so it wasnt troublesome. We moved to Daytona Beach to be closer to my father in law and now my husband has been transferred to NC! I have a 2 year old now so its much harder selling and moving. I was new to FL in 2004 and I wont lie, the hurracaines are scary, however, IN MY OPINION, the houses are built concrete block and can withstand a good beating before disaster. The manufactured homes take a beating. My husband is a contractor by trade and FL has very strict building codes. Shingles have to be Fl code up to a certain wind speed, newer homes are concrete block (for pests too). I liked Kissimmee, it was nice taking off on a weekend and walking around Disney, Sea World. The busy part of Kissimmee is called Buena Ventura Lakes. The rural part of Kissimmee is called Poinciana. Poinciana is 22 miles away from Disney.
Hope I helped any your questions. Feel free to send me a PM if you want.

[backtofla]

what part of nc are you in??? i'm in the asheville area...

[Dee2e]

Originally Posted by lulu

Hi 'backtofla'...

I'd love to go to Ocala...& see nature, horses and stuff..not for everyone but it's definitely me. Now, the question is how on earth do I get my bu.. to do it.

and...Dee2e
It's ok you most certainly can give your thoughts/ideas... See, the thing is that 3 private insurers have cancelled us without ever having putting in a claim nonetheless. No private insurers want us, including all my neighbors. We don't have any choices in comparison shopping. The only choice we have is the state insurance which is called, "Citizens Insurance". The thing with Citizens ins. is that it's the most expensive. Why? one might ask, well...see, the thing is that as a state ins. by law they are not allowed to compete with private insurance companies, sooo...they have to be the most expensive of all. The thing I don't get is that if no private ins. companies are insuring us then whom on earth are they competing with??? Doesn't make sense does it?? I know, I know nothing does...but it's a true reality. What can I say???

Many insurers want out of Florida due to the liability from the past two hurricane seasons. The State says they can't leave us in a learch. So they raise rates and let customers leave them.

PM me your information, I'll put you in touch with a good agent. Good luck!

Also, there is a lot of growth in Ocala. I have several friends there. They love the quiet but hate the colder weather in the winter. It's all a trade off!

[lulu]

Can you say anything you know about Ocala??? Whatever you know is fine...I'm trying to decipher which part to go & search next time, I think I'm goin' back in the next couple of months. The S.W. wasn't for me...
Ohhh...I do welcome the cold especially now in my late 40's - with the flashes. I'm sure some women out there can understand. Oooops...well, sorry fella's - didn't mean to make this a gender thing...