Moving from Dallas to Orlando, have NO idea where to live. Please help? (Winter Park: rent, low crime)

[juliegirlie]

My husband and I are in our early 30s, have 3 little dogs, and hope to have a baby soon. He will be working in downtown Orlando and we need help deciding where to live. We will be flying out to look at the area at some point soon, but would like some advice to narrow down our home search. I have heard that College Park, Winter Park, and Windermere are good to raise a family in. I am looking for safety/low crime, good schools, animal friendly, close to good hospitals/doctors, close to shopping and dining, gyms/yoga studios, and picturesque. I dislike chain restaurants, prefer supporting local business. I love neighborhoods with established trees and traditional homes with character, not cookie cutter. If anyone knows anything about Dallas, I really love it here and would like to live somewhere with the amenities that Dallas offers for the same price - between $300,000-600,000.

Also, should we rent? I'm a little nervous to buy in the Florida market when we may have to sell again in a few years based on his career.

All your advice is appreciated!

[FloridaNative35]

The areas you mentioned are good ones. Also, look into Thornton Park and Lake Eola Heights... very walkable, older, gorgeous homes, good schools, next to Lake Eola, animal friendly, and centrally located (next to downtown for your husband's job, walkable even, and close to both major hospitals)

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by juliegirlie

My husband and I are in our early 30s, have 3 little dogs, and hope to have a baby soon. He will be working in downtown Orlando and we need help deciding where to live. We will be flying out to look at the area at some point soon, but would like some advice to narrow down our home search. I have heard that College Park, Winter Park, and Windermere are good to raise a family in. I am looking for safety/low crime, good schools, animal friendly, close to good hospitals/doctors, close to shopping and dining, gyms/yoga studios, and picturesque. I dislike chain restaurants, prefer supporting local business. I love neighborhoods with established trees and traditional homes with character, not cookie cutter. If anyone knows anything about Dallas, I really love it here and would like to live somewhere with the amenities that Dallas offers for the same price - between $300,000-600,000.

Also, should we rent? I'm a little nervous to buy in the Florida market when we may have to sell again in a few years based on his career.

All your advice is appreciated!

Based on your criteria I'd opt for Winter Park (the older areas closer to downtown/Rollins College) and would rent if you're unsure of staying longer than 2-3 years. Downtown Orlando has some nice neighborhoods but isn't as safe in my opinion and doesn't have the quality of schools of Winter Park. Windermere while very nice seems like it could be remote in terms of accessing the amenities you're looking for. College Park is one of my favorite neighborhoods and ticks most of your boxes in terms of criteria except for good schools and proximity to a nice variety of shops/restaurants.

[Crane's Rooster]

I say Thornton Park in downtown. It's a great neighborhood with alot of locally owned shops, restaurants, bars and businesses. Most of downtown is a very nice with craftsman and bungalow style homes along brick lined roads. The area is full of large old oak trees and very picturesque. I've lived downtown for years and don't find it unsafe. If anything its rowdy because it's close to all the nightlife. Other than that is just the typical urban problems, homeless, etc. The other neighborhoods you are considering are great as well. Winter Park has the best school district among them. Other areas to consider are Delaney Park, Conway/Belle Isle and Park Lake Highland.

[chopchop0]

Winter Park or Thornton Park.

[Pete C]

Winter Park and Maitland both have the types of neighborhoods you describe. Any of the neighborhoods that surround Lake Estelle, Lake Sue, Lake Virginia, Lake Berry, Lake Osceola, Lake Maitland, and Lake Minnehana would be ideal. Neighborhoods have old oak trees with hanging moss and loads of character. Winter Park has the best local food scene in the metro area by far. Downtown Winter Park is on Park Ave and is the most vibrant street in the city as well. Drive up Park Ave from Fairbanks and then drive down Palmer Ave, checking out the side streets along the way.

Downtown Orlando I would look at Delaney Park around Lake Cherokee and Lake Davis. This area is just beautiful to walk around as the lakes have paths around them and there is also some nice green space. You can still walk to downtown and the schools are excellent there. Downtown itself has traditionally catered to a younger party crowd, but that is evolving slowly and will eventually mature.

Thornton Park and Eola Heights are nice too, but like College Park, they are in the Edgewater school district which is not as good as the Boone district that Delaney Park is in.

[FloridaNative35]

My son attends Boone and I am very pleased with it... but the problem with Delaney is that you have to be SO careful about exactly where you live. While Blankner is a great school, most of the other elementary schools in the Boone district (esp around Delaney) are not good. Kaley being the worst, but all are only average to undesirable. And yes, I realize it makes little sense, and I've stated before why I believe Kaley is now an F school.

Thornton Park is zoned for Hillcrest Elementary, I believe, which is a great school (and a foreign language magnet). And Howard Middle probably covers both Delaney and Thornton Park.

Princeton Elementary in College Park is also a good school (and a magnet school). Considering the OP does not even have kids yet, I'm not sure high schools matter much. A lot can change in the next 10 or 15 years.

Baldwin Park is another possibility. Good schools with everything the OP wants.

[Soup Not See]

According to SchoolDigger, most of the better elementary schools are in Dr Phillips and Windermere. not downtown. And Orange County ranks 44th out of 67 school districts in Florida ... which is why a lot of folks put their kids in private schools like The First Academy, Park Maitland, Trinity Prep, and Lake Highland Prep. But if you want to compare Hillcrest to Kaley, Hillcrest is a "great" school ...

[juliegirlie]

Thanks, y'all for all your information! I appreciate it so much, and feel free to keep it coming. We could be in Orlando for anywhere from 2 years to 10 years (or beyond), and I don't want to move a bunch of times if possible...so the school info is great! I looked on a map and it seems like Windermere is far away from all of the other areas mentioned. It looks really pricey to get into, as well. We will check it out but I'm liking the looks of the other places on the map - not that the map can tell me much

[FloridaNative35]

Comparing it to Kaley was exactly what I was doing, which I thought was pretty obvious. It was a matter of Boone vs Edgewater district... which does not involve Dr Phillips or Windermere.

Originally Posted by leftee

According to SchoolDigger, most of the better elementary schools are in Dr Phillips and Windermere. not downtown. And Orange County ranks 44th out of 67 school districts in Florida ... which is why a lot of folks put their kids in private schools like The First Academy, Park Maitland, Trinity Prep, and Lake Highland Prep. But if you want to compare Hillcrest to Kaley, Hillcrest is a "great" school ...