Lake Nona: ideal?? Schools??? (Orlando, Oviedo: house, employment, established neighborhood)

[Day1229]

We are looking at possible move to the area in next 6 months and have been mainly looking at Oviedo. But this idea of Lake Nona and this idea of a planned community with a future walking community to restaurants, parks, community events sounds ideal. We lived in Chicago for 4 yrs and one of the things we have missed the most was walking everywhere. We are currently in suburb of Kansas in planned community and love that we moved in and immediately had several families with kids our kids ages around us and made fast friends. Our main priority is finding a safe community we can move into and help get our kids adjusted and meet people, we are very social. I really want to know about the schools in Lake Nona too..any experiences?

[bmw335xi]

Lake Nona is nice, but feels very remote. It's a pain getting to points of interest in Orlando because of the tolls roads and distance. I would look around Winter Park or maybe even Celebration.

[djneph]

OP,

Are you looking at Lake Nona as a whole or just at Laureate Park? We were at Laureate Park and this is the area that will be near the proposed Town Center (about 1 -2 mile walk, depending where you build) and the aquatics center will have pools, restaurants, and shops.

Lake Nona is the whole area, you can live in Waters Edge at Lake Nona, but the Town Center will probably 7-10 mile walk.

Laureate Park sounds like it will be a great place to live. The kind of place once you get home from work, you won't need to leave. Depending where your house is you could have a short walk to restaurants, shops, groceries.

However, as the other poster mentioned it will be a little out of the way for the rest of Orlando, easy to get to because of the toll roads, but you will pay for it, because well they are toll roads.

[Crane's Rooster]

You should look into Baldwin Park and College Park

[BPevehouse]

Day,
here is a link to view the information on the most recent grades made public on Orange County Schools and Seminole County Schools.

DJneph does make some good points, Lake Nona is the area as a whole and many, (including myself) include the Moss Park area as part of Lake Nona, so the area is spread out as a whole and the walking community in proximity to the middle and high school is Laureate Park. The thing I would add is that Laureate Park is still in the early stages. The build out of the commercial space including the community center for Laureate Park is still in the design phase, and will likely begin within the next 6 months or so, but will take 2 years to be something to brag about and longer than that to be what it is intended to be. I am not suggesting it will not be something great, but don't be surprised that is it still in the initial stages. Right now it is really just fenced pasture. I don't know that there have been any public announcements about what retailers are scheduled but because of the area, it is likely to be weighted with well known anchors to draw small and large retailers.

If you are looking more for the "walking community" that exists today, Crane's Rooster is correct, I would suggest considering Baldwin Park or College Park, but neither of these will have the destination pull that the Medical City (Lake Nona) will have in 10 years. Not to mention that both of these area are downtown, so my follow up question would be in regards to your current or expected employment as well as the size / price of home you are interested in.

[Day1229]

My husband will be between a few hospitals, mainly Orlando East and sometimes Altamonte. We want an established area with families, more important than the walking to places. We thought Baldwin Park was a bit squished. Havent looked at College Park yet...info on there? We are hoping to stay under $450,000 and we do like newer homes. We have also heard some good about Longwood and Lake Mary?? But haven't heard what neighborhoods are best. I was under the impression that Celebration had a large amount of tourist in there.
It sounds like Lake nona has some growing to be what the ideal is described!

[brinkofsunshine]

Originally Posted by Day1229

My husband will be between a few hospitals, mainly Orlando East and sometimes Altamonte. We want an established area with families, more important than the walking to places. We thought Baldwin Park was a bit squished. Havent looked at College Park yet...info on there? We are hoping to stay under $450,000 and we do like newer homes. We have also heard some good about Longwood and Lake Mary?? But haven't heard what neighborhoods are best. I was under the impression that Celebration had a large amount of tourist in there.
It sounds like Lake nona has some growing to be what the ideal is described!

I would add Dr. Phillips and Windermere to your list. Established neighborhoods, very close to a plethora of shopping, dining, and entertainment, while being very safe and family-oriented with excellent schools. Some neighborhoods are walkable to the Dr. Phillips marketplace and the surrounding shopping centers.

[idr591]

Lake Nona is too remote and inaccessible to ever be a succesful, upscale community. It will quickly deteriorate into the next Poinciana. I've seen it happen over and over again in many cities and states.

[BPevehouse]

The issue with Dr. Phillips is the majority of homes were built in the 80's and that is a floor plan that has not been acceptable / preferred for a while. But BrinkofSunshine is correct in the information about dining and entertainment in the area, is close to a lot of shopping, but when I think of Dr. Phillips I think for the Restaturant Row and it being right between Disney and Downtown.
I have no idea why people keep mentioning Windermere, yes it is beautiful but IMO it is WAY-WAY out of the way for what you are looking for. To find something new in Windermere, you are going to really be on the West Side of Windermere / Winter Garden. And honestly I think Windermere is out of the way for most people, but it keeps popping up as a suggested place. That is the good thing about Windermere, it is out of the way.. I think that has been some of the draw for many who live there.

For someone looking for something between Orlando East and Altamonte, it is out of the way, but then again, so is Lake Nona. So I stand by the fact that if you are looking for something newer then Dr. Phillips is not the place.

College Park does have homes that are renovated, but this was an area built out in the late 30's to 60's. The homs are not on top of each other like Baldwin Park, but finding newer might be hit or miss.

For the Longwood area, few small neighborhoods maybe Brentwood on the West Side
In Lake Mary your max price of $450k will be a chore of finding something newer and established unless you want to consider town homes but those usually willing to go to $450k aren't looking for a town home.

Have you heard about / considered Avalon Park on the east side of Orlando? The homes are newer, and not on top of each other like Baldwin Park. Lots of families in the area, many nice mid $200k to low 300k homes.

The issue is finding a newer neighborhood. We can always find newer or remodeled homes, but to do so, we should stop looking for neighborhoods and look for a home, then evaluate the neighborhood and location.

[aneftp]

Originally Posted by Day1229

We are looking at possible move to the area in next 6 months and have been mainly looking at Oviedo. But this idea of Lake Nona and this idea of a planned community with a future walking community to restaurants, parks, community events sounds ideal. We lived in Chicago for 4 yrs and one of the things we have missed the most was walking everywhere. We are currently in suburb of Kansas in planned community and love that we moved in and immediately had several families with kids our kids ages around us and made fast friends. Our main priority is finding a safe community we can move into and help get our kids adjusted and meet people, we are very social. I really want to know about the schools in Lake Nona too..any experiences?

I assume your hospital is in the medical field since he has to be commuting between multiple hospitals.

You gotta factor in night call backs etc when dealing with hospitals. Orlando is very spaced out. Lake Nona is too remote to consider unless his main location is Orlando East area. It's a heck of a commute to Altamonte from Lake Nona.

I live in Heathrow (Lake Mary), a planned community. Great nieghborhood with tons of kids. But Lake Mary may be too far also if he has to drive all the way to Orlando East.

1. Where is his main hospital location?

Unfortunately (and this is my opinion having living in Washington DC area and also the Kansas City Suburbs (Kansas side). You are not going to find many Leawood, Mission Hills type of homes with kids and walking distance in Orlando area. Most of the planned communities are far out.

Winter Park is probably the closest area to Orlando but I don't think it's kids friendly.