Advise on Orlando suburbs... Ocoee, Oviedo, Altamonte Springs, Conway?? (Winter Springs: apartment complexes, to rent)

[creedfan4lyflds]

Hi! My family will be relocating to the area in just two short months and I am hoping to get some advise on the areas we are leaning towards. So far, the most appealing places seem to be Oviedo, Ocoee, Altamonte Springs and Conway. My husband and I are both 26, with a 5 year old daughter. He works just about every type of construction and I have a lot of administrative experience. Which of these areas would be a good fit for our family, financially and demographically? We are hoping to stay around the $1000-1100 a month area including utilities. Is this possible? Are there specific neighborhoods that you would recommend. We are hoping to rent a house since we have a four legged family member that it seems all the apartment complexes breed restrict against. How is the job market in our professions? We are moving from Naples, so it's time to live somewhere a bit younger and well, more affordable. I want my daughter to grow up with things to do and in a good school district! Two months is not enough time to learn all I want to learn!! Thanks so much for your suggestions!

[annerk]

Where will you be working?

[creedfan4lyflds]

We are actually starting to look for jobs now via craigslist, employ florida, etc, so no specific jobs yet. It's more like a combination of wanting several things to come together right

[FloridaNative35]

The Conway area is an Orlando neighborhood, not a suburb. Not sure if that matters to you or not.

If you want to be away from downtown, in a more suburban environment, my top choice out of the areas you listed would be Oviedo.

If you want more urban, go with Conway (which is only a few miles from downtown) or Altamonte (which is north of Orlando and very built up).

Watch the zoning in Conway. You can get zoned for a good or a bad elementary, depending on where you live. Not sure about Conway Middle, but the high school (Boone) is great. I don't know anything about the schools in Seminole County specifically, other than the district as a whole is a good one.

[creedfan4lyflds]

Thanks FloridaNative. I was actually totally unaware that Conway is a neighborhood, and must confess that my knowledge of the Orlando area mosty consists of Disney, but it's time for a change.

Can anyone shed some insight regardng the jobs market in these areas?

[annerk]

Tight and low paying for the types of work you both do. Unless your admin experience is more in management or executive level, expect $8-9 an hour, a little more if you have a degree, are bi-lingual, or have a security clearance.

Construction doesn't pay well unless you've got management experience or a license/certification in a trade. Plumbing, electrician, HVAC, welding, etc. But for general labor (roofing/sheet rock/painter/framing) expect $8-10/hour.

[maestro1800]

Originally Posted by creedfan4lyflds

Hi! My family will be relocating to the area in just two short months and I am hoping to get some advise on the areas we are leaning towards. So far, the most appealing places seem to be Oviedo, Ocoee, Altamonte Springs and Conway. My husband and I are both 26, with a 5 year old daughter. He works just about every type of construction and I have a lot of administrative experience. Which of these areas would be a good fit for our family, financially and demographically? We are hoping to stay around the $1000-1100 a month area including utilities. Is this possible? Are there specific neighborhoods that you would recommend. We are hoping to rent a house since we have a four legged family member that it seems all the apartment complexes breed restrict against. How is the job market in our professions? We are moving from Naples, so it's time to live somewhere a bit younger and well, more affordable. I want my daughter to grow up with things to do and in a good school district! Two months is not enough time to learn all I want to learn!! Thanks so much for your suggestions!

I have lived in the Winter Springs, Oviedo area which is North East of Orlando about 4 miles from University of Central Fl. for 20 years. I have seen it grow from a bucolic scene to a more upscale and clean bedroom community that offers great schools and family life. Home prices and rents are reasonable and offer many options. I think it depends where you will work so you don't have to spend a couple of hours commuting back and forth. Altamonte is in the middle of a very congested area of a mall and I-4 but central. Oviedo is East of that mess but well situated to Expressway 417 for quick access to most parts of Orlando. If your job is near Disney this is not the right place to live.v Ocoee is on the opposite side of town north West. Good luck

[candijdixon]

There aren't many jobs here in Ocoee ... I'm currently looking for one and I've seen one or two in Ocoee, so I imagine I'll have to drive to somewhere else in Orlando from here. It's a nice middle class sort of place to live.