Where to?! Moving from MI- family of 5, need good schools, under 1 hr from WDW & beach (Orlando: apartment complexes, rentals)

[L-Harper]

I also posted this on the general Florida thread, but I figured this might be a better more specific spot.

I went back a few pages to see if there was a thread that would help me and my family, but didn't find anything. We are a family of 5 (me, husband, 17 year old niece, 2 boys that are 3 & 5). We all have lived in Michigan our entire lives, but we hate it. We hate winter. My husband is a wood craftsman so working in ZERO degree weather in his unheated garage is not helping. We absolutely LOVE the beach, Disney World, and the warm weather of Florida.

We want to be under an hour to Disney and the beach. My husband is more looking at locations on the beach, mostly East Coast. We really have no idea what area to head to and aren't too specific at this point. We've heard a lot of good things about the Seminole area.

Our biggest concern is schooling for our kids, that's definitely #1. We plan on renting for a while until we make 100% sure we love our new location. Our budget is $1,400/month for at least a 3/2+ (ideally 4 bed) for rent. It must be a house with a garage so hubby can work. No gated communities or having to pay HOA fees.

Any help or advice would be MUCH appreciated!

[Crane's Rooster]

Seminole County would meet all the requirements for schools and location but just as many stated before, it really depends on your job situation. Seminole County would be central to commute to most of greater Orlando but that doesn't necessarily mean you would want to. Best areas in Seminole are Altamonte Springs/Lake Brantley, Bear Lake, Wekiva/Sweetwater, Heathrow/Lake Mary, Oviedo, Lake Howell, Tuscawilla.

[L-Harper]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Seminole County would meet all the requirements for schools and location but just as many stated before, it really depends on your job situation. Seminole County would be central to commute to most of greater Orlando but that doesn't necessarily mean you would want to. Best areas in Seminole are Altamonte Springs/Lake Brantley, Bear Lake, Wekiva/Sweetwater, Heathrow/Lake Mary, Oviedo, Lake Howell, Tuscawilla.

Thank you for your reply! Commuting for a job isn't a problem for us. We both work at home. Thankfully that is what is allowing us to just pick any place in the country to move and we're choosing central Florida!

[Crane's Rooster]

Originally Posted by L-Harper

Thank you for your reply! Commuting for a job isn't a problem for us. We both work at home. Thankfully that is what is allowing us to just pick any place in the country to move and we're choosing central Florida!

Well if that's the case any one of those places I mentioned would fit the bill. It would really come down to lifestyle and amenities your looking for.

Altamonte Springs/Lake Brantley/Bear Lake - basically an suburban extension of Orlando. Very well developed, just about any major chain store or restaurant you can think of, centrally located, easy access to I4. Great local parks and recreation. Drawback is congestion, traffic and much busier lifestyle than the other areas mentioned.

Wekiva/Sweetwater - right next to Altamonte Springs so you get all the benefits and conveniences of Altamonte without the congestion and traffic. Almost feels like small town or village. Beautifully wooded and natural area with a nation preserve, natural springs and the Wekiva river nearby. No real drawbacks except that it has limited housing stock and tends to be pricier than the other areas mentioned. Very family oriented with great parks, trails and recreational amenities. Good Library also.

Lake Mary/Heathrow - similar to Altamonte but more of true suburb. Less congested but further away from everything. Very good range and diversity of housing options, $150k-million dollar homes but all good areas. Very family oriented area.

Oviedo- furthest away from everything, almost rural/country feel. Very laid back lifestyle, many residents absolutely love Oviedo, others think it's too slow. Drawback is distance but it backs right into UCF so there is alot of college students traffic, issues, etc.

Tuscawilla -nearby Oviedo, less rural. In a busier part of town, lots of cookie cutter sub divisions. Good range of housing options. You get alot of bang for your buck when it comes to home prices and size.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Well if that's the case any one of those places I mentioned would fit the bill. It would really come down to lifestyle and amenities your looking for.

Altamonte Springs/Lake Brantley/Bear Lake - basically an suburban extension of Orlando. Very well developed, just about any major chain store or restaurant you can think of, centrally located, easy access to I4. Great local parks and recreation. Drawback is congestion, traffic and much busier lifestyle than the other areas mentioned.

Wekiva/Sweetwater - right next to Altamonte Springs so you get all the benefits and conveniences of Altamonte without the congestion and traffic. Almost feels like small town or village. Beautifully wooded and natural area with a nation preserve, natural springs and the Wekiva river nearby. No real drawbacks except that it has limited housing stock and tends to be pricier than the other areas mentioned. Very family oriented with great parks, trails and recreational amenities. Good Library also.

Lake Mary/Heathrow - similar to Altamonte but more of true suburb. Less congested but further away from everything. Very good range and diversity of housing options, $150k-million dollar homes but all good areas. Very family oriented area.

Oviedo- furthest away from everything, almost rural/country feel. Very laid back lifestyle, many residents absolutely love Oviedo, others think it's too slow. Drawback is distance but it backs right into UCF so there is alot of college students traffic, issues, etc.

Tuscawilla -nearby Oviedo, less rural. In a busier part of town, lots of cookie cutter sub divisions. Good range of housing options. You get alot of bang for your buck when it comes to home prices and size.

Excellent breakdown!

I think for the rental range mentioned the Tuscawilla/Lake Howell area would offer the most choices.

[beckycat]

^^^ Everyone is completely correct. Seminole County is where it's at.

[aimeelynn818]

You might want to consider Bay Hill/West Orlando area. 30 min to all of the parks, 2 A rated high schools, and the best restaurant row in Central Florida. Plus you can hop on the Beach Line and be in Cocoa Beach in under an hour. If you're looking online, search the 32819/32835 zip code west of I-4. There are a few neighborhoods off Apopka-Vineland that will meet your needs.

[chopchop0]

Cocoa Beach might be another consideration (Brevard County) if you'd rather be right on the beach and an hour away from disney. Cocoa Beach has some of the best schools in brevard county (and brevard county is in the top 10 overall counties for public schools in FL).

[L-Harper]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Cocoa Beach might be another consideration (Brevard County) if you'd rather be right on the beach and an hour away from disney. Cocoa Beach has some of the best schools in brevard county (and brevard county is in the top 10 overall counties for public schools in FL).

Last night we started looking in this general area including Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Satellite Beach, and Palm Bay. Anything more specific about these areas? We figured that it would be better for our family to be right on the water and drive an hour and a half or so to WDW when we want to. It's just SO hard picking some random place on a map and only reading things here and there on the internet. We want to make sure that we make the very best possible decision for us. That's why talking to people who have first hand experience is so important to us.

Thanks!

[aimeelynn818]

I grew up in Melbourne and my parents and brother still live in the area. We lived in what is now known as Viera (32940 zip code), which is a newer area with good schools, close shopping, and easy access to the river and beach. They also have a brand new high school and hospital. There are several apartment complexes and plenty of rentals of all sizes.
If you want to be right on the beach, the Satellite/Indian Harbor Beach area is fun--great beaches, not as touristy as Cocoa Beach.