areas we should watch out for (Orlando, Kissimmee: middle-class, apartment complex, lease)

[rzrxtion]

good evening all

just joined and wanted to get the communal brain's viewpoint

my companion and i will be moving to orlando area very shortly as his position has been transferred (he is actually already there and trying to find a place for us to live)

wanted to see if any of you may have suggestions on areas to look, areas to avoid, realtors to contact, online/offline housing resources and the like

i'd stumbled on realtor(dot)com, for example, and found some places that were surprisingly affordable for us (being a freelancer my income can vary)
immediately i had a person say "it must be in a dodgy neighbourhood" but i had to remind him that we pay 800 a month rent for our present house and our neighbourhood isn't dodgy.

anyway, wanted to get any opinions/suggestions for orlando and surrounding area

Thank you

[GregTraub]

There are good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods alike in a patchwork around Orlando. What area are you looking to move to NE SE NW SW?

[rzrxtion]

Originally Posted by GregTraub

There are good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods alike in a patchwork around Orlando. What area are you looking to move to NE SE NW SW?

well...
(and please forgive because we're not really familiar with the area)

after the new year his office will be based out of kissimmee
(he works for Belk)

i DO know he'd like to keep commute time as minimal as possible as he'd been doing an hour and a half commute one way for the past two years and he's kinda burned out on that
but with that being said, a 30ish minute drive from home to work i'm sure wouldn't bother him

so i guess the short answer is...
i'm not sure

[Seabeacon]

Hi. We live in Kissimmee and are selling or renting out our house if you are interested at all. We absolutely have to move as we are building a house a half hour away from here.

[Nirvana-Guy]

Originally Posted by rzrxtion

good evening all

just joined and wanted to get the communal brain's viewpoint

my companion and i will be moving to orlando area very shortly as his position has been transferred (he is actually already there and trying to find a place for us to live)

wanted to see if any of you may have suggestions on areas to look, areas to avoid, realtors to contact, online/offline housing resources and the like

i'd stumbled on realtor(dot)com, for example, and found some places that were surprisingly affordable for us (being a freelancer my income can vary)
immediately i had a person say "it must be in a dodgy neighbourhood" but i had to remind him that we pay 800 a month rent for our present house and our neighbourhood isn't dodgy.

anyway, wanted to get any opinions/suggestions for orlando and surrounding area

Thank you

Be realistic: an $800/month apt will be in a deep ghetto area. The cheapest apt you can find in a 1/1 in a safe, decent area (middle-class) in Orlando will cost you at least one grand ($1,000/month).

If you pay $800/mo in rent where you live and you live in a HOUSE, get ready because $800/mo in Orlando will be a disgusting ghetto.

I suggest you go to ApartmentRatings.com and read what residents are saying about some of these $800/mo apts. I also suggest you contact the Orlando Police Dept and the Orange County Sheriff and get crime info for the area of the $800 apt, but have been living in Orlando for many many years, I can tell your $800 will be in a ghetto.

So think things over before you leap to Orlando and ruin a life you may now think it is bad, but it will be 100x worse when you get down to Orlando, land of low-paid service jobs and high cost of living. Oh, the insurance for cars/renters/homeowners is through the roof and the overall cost of living in insanely high. Don't expect to come down and get a job the next day, specially if you work something that pays more than $12/h.... that will be an uphill battle.... specially if you do not speak Spanish.

[rholborn]

i know there is a condo in maitland you can buy for about 830.00 a month. a condo or townhome will most likely be your best bet for around the orlando area. pm me if you have any questions!

[Rich_CD]

Originally Posted by Nirvana-Guy

Be realistic: an $800/month apt will be in a deep ghetto area. The cheapest apt you can find in a 1/1 in a safe, decent area (middle-class) in Orlando will cost you at least one grand ($1,000/month).

<snip>

So think things over before you leap to Orlando and ruin a life you may now think it is bad, but it will be 100x worse when you get down to Orlando, land of low-paid service jobs and high cost of living. Oh, the insurance for cars/renters/homeowners is through the roof and the overall cost of living in insanely high. Don't expect to come down and get a job the next day, specially if you work something that pays more than $12/h.... that will be an uphill battle.... specially if you do not speak Spanish.

Hold on a minute... I have been looking at apartments in the Orlando area and you *can* find a nice safe area for $800/month. It will be a very small apartment, but $800/month doesn't guarantee it will be a bad area.

Orlando, just like anywhere today, is on the "trick ya' for a buck" technique. Some things are expensive and some things are not. I have been in Orlando for a week at a time and have spent only $7/day total to eat two meals. But, then pay $100/day to have a room to sleep at. I have been to one steak house that has a steak with baked potato and all the cinnamon buns you can eat for $9.50 including tax. If you're dumb enough to get tricked into paying too much for something that's your fault. It happens to me and I take the time to think before I buy.

There are mostly "low-wage" service jobs, but how many people at those jobs claim tips on their taxes? I know people who make $100+/day (including tips) working at restaurants.

[jessizadorable]

I live in a nice apartment complex. It is very safe. My apartment is 810 square feet and I pay WELL under $1,000/month for it. I wouldn't consider my immediate neighborhood to be deep ghetto at all. I pay $825/month for a very nice place where a lot of very nice families live. We love our non-ghetto complex. (unfortunately my nice non-ghetto complex is nowhere near Kissimmee...I can't speak to that area b/c I haven't lived there...have hope though...there is good housing to be found for a reasonable price.

My car insurance also costs me pretty much exactly what it cost me back in South Dakota. I don't find the costs to be horribly extravagant at all.

That said, I couldn't be happier with my "leap" to Orlando...I have yet to regret the move. Not all of Orlando is that bad...and this is coming from a girl who moved from small-town South Dakota...one of the safest and most sheltered areas in the US.

[mouseinthehouse]

The areas at least for me to avoid there are 2:

Pine Hills aka "Crime Hills" and Metrowest.

I agree with some of the former postings the cheapest we found in Kissimmee was 1098? for 2/2 and it had renovations and stuff.

My friend lives out towards the airport in a nice house however in order afford it he has 5 roommates.

Kissimmee is for the most part better than other areas.
I found that being bilingual would have helped.. ALOT!!
Lots of British and LOTS of Disney tourists.
HOWEVER Kissimmee runs off theme park hours so you will always have something to do.. I MISS IT SO MUCH!!
Wonderful restaraunts, wal mart is ok, don't be surprised by the busses that think it's NASCAR on wheels and almost run you over in the parking lot.

The police are VERY active and they shut things down with a quickness, the only nights that are iffy are "Bike Nights" that spin off from downtown 192 "old towne".
But all the police feel they are in Dade co. and on an episode of cops and they are hot too.

Medical IS BAD BAD BAD in Kissimmee, So you would want Sand Lake or downtown Orlando for medical.

If your a "freelancer" i'm not sure how benefits work for home employees or what not, but the medicaid system is not good at all unless your pregnant with no income.

But Kissimme has a ton of realtors usually just typing in realty and the area does it.
Lots of snowbirds do the rent or lease to own so they have a lot of places in Kissimmee to talk to.

There are also the newly built condos that are running for about 180,000 right off of 192 and 4.
It's great if you enjoy shopping and the likes and like to be close to the dinning on International.

Probably more info than you asked but when I was first moving there it was so overwhelming anything I read was helpful.
Best of luck to you and trust me you will never want to leave again!

[NYC8]

I'm on a search myself to find a safe place to live . I've been told to stay away from the Millenia Mall area, Metrowest area.