Moving/Living on a budget in the Winter Park area: Help!! (Orlando: relocating, apartments)

[cityhopper]

My SO and I will be relocating to the Winter Park area in the Spring 2008. We both have relocatable positions but SO will only be working for the few months after the move. Afterwards, I'll continue working FT and my SO will be going to school FT. My salary is a little under 40k, without considering quarterly and annual bonuses (just to make it fair). We desire to live in a safe neighborhood and prefer renting as we will be in the area for less than two years. Our goal is to at least pay a year worth of rent (or have it in savings before the SO leaves his job.

Would we be better to rent a house or look for an apartment?. We would prefer to keep the rent < $1000 per mo/. Given our projected yearly salary over the next two years, I'd prever to keep it between $775-850.

Is there any areas we can look to find rental housing in this range and not compromise safety. I do not feel commuting will be a huge issue given my employer and my SO would attend school in Winter Park.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[bdpop]

Where is your SO going to be going to school?

[THASPECIAL]

Originally Posted by cityhopper

My SO and I will be relocating to the Winter Park area in the Spring 2008. We both have relocatable positions but SO will only be working for the few months after the move. Afterwards, I'll continue working FT and my SO will be going to school FT. My salary is a little under 40k, without considering quarterly and annual bonuses (just to make it fair). We desire to live in a safe neighborhood and prefer renting as we will be in the area for less than two years. Our goal is to at least pay a year worth of rent (or have it in savings before the SO leaves his job.

Would we be better to rent a house or look for an apartment?. We would prefer to keep the rent < $1000 per mo/. Given our projected yearly salary over the next two years, I'd prever to keep it between $775-850.

Is there any areas we can look to find rental housing in this range and not compromise safety. I do not feel commuting will be a huge issue given my employer and my SO would attend school in Winter Park.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Where do you live now?

You can probably find some one bedrooms at the rate you prefered out there in Winter Park in decent areas, but 2/3 bedrooms might be tough....I'm not sure about the area of Winter Park these apartments are in but here is a list of some in your price range...just dont know if they are in safe areas or not.....

Berkshires at Winter Park - $789 - 2 bedroom
Nob Hill - $760 - 2 bedroom
The Park - $850 - 2 bedroom
Semoran North - $779 - 2 bedroom
Signal Pointe Apartments - $779 - 2 bedrooms
Tara House - $675 - 2 bedrooms
Winter Park Village - $650 - 2 bedrooms
Woodbridge Apartments - $730 - 2 bedrooms

[cityhopper]

Originally Posted by THASPECIAL

Where do you live now? v.i.r.g.i.n.i.a

You can probably find some one bedrooms at the rate you prefered out there in Winter Park in decent areas, but 2/3 bedrooms might be tough....I'm not sure about the area of Winter Park these apartments are in but here is a list of some in your price range...just dont know if they are in safe areas or not.....

Berkshires at Winter Park - $789 - 2 bedroom
Nob Hill - $760 - 2 bedroom
The Park - $850 - 2 bedroom
Semoran North - $779 - 2 bedroom
Signal Pointe Apartments - $779 - 2 bedrooms
Tara House - $675 - 2 bedrooms
Winter Park Village - $650 - 2 bedrooms
Woodbridge Apartments - $730 - 2 bedrooms

Thanks for listing some of the communities. Sorrento Apartments were one of the few that rated well on Apartment Ratings website. Is it more frequent for people to rent homes/townhomes who desire to have a good mix of affordability and safety in the Winter Park area. Would consider living within a 5-10 miles radius of the Winter Park area in order to optimize affordability and safety.

Thanks

[cityhopper]

Still looking for some help. Anyone have a recommendation for any safe/decent mobile home park communities or management companies that may rent homes or townhomes? Okay to travel within 15 mile radius of W.P.

[rich renter]

Originally Posted by THASPECIAL

Where do you live now?

You can probably find some one bedrooms at the rate you prefered out there in Winter Park in decent areas, but 2/3 bedrooms might be tough....I'm not sure about the area of Winter Park these apartments are in but here is a list of some in your price range...just dont know if they are in safe areas or not.....

Berkshires at Winter Park - $789 - 2 bedroom
Nob Hill - $760 - 2 bedroom
The Park - $850 - 2 bedroom
Semoran North - $779 - 2 bedroom
Signal Pointe Apartments - $779 - 2 bedrooms
Tara House - $675 - 2 bedrooms
Winter Park Village - $650 - 2 bedrooms
Woodbridge Apartments - $730 - 2 bedrooms

i was looking for apartments a few years ago only one i saw in winter park was berkshires in winter park, that place is one of the most ghetto complexes in all of orlando, wouldnt recomend it to my worst enemy, eventually i found a nice one in maitland

[WinterberryFarm]

I believe you will have a very difficult time finding something in the better, safer areas of Winter Park with the $$$ you want to spend. Most of the apts. listed may have a Winter Park address, but they are mostly over towards Semoran Blvd which gets very seedy in places. To be inside the charming areas of Winter Park will take over $1000/mo. Winter Park is right in the heart of Orlando metro, so traffic in Winter Park tends to be very condested most of the time. I know there are people who will disagree with me, but I have had several people tell me this...Winter Park is an area where you will find many families with "old money". There can definitely be an aura of snobbishness here. I am usually told this by people in their 20's who are not accustomed to such.

[EasyCheeze]

You could find a 2 bedroom duplex in a nice area for about 1000 maybe 950 but you gotta drive around and look. I know someone who lives in one for about that price and there are some damn big houses on the same street. Look in the area around rollins. They probably won't be listed online.

[putus]

One suggestion would be the Wilson Group that has beautiful rent-controlled apartment communities all over Orlando. There is a great complex called Wentworth Apartment on Dean road in East Orlando....just 5 -10 minutes from Winter Park. Give them a call.

[miss_t]

If you are interested I have this Winter Park Cottage on craigslist: PRIVATE COTTAGE in Winter Park (broken link) It is in a safe, quiet neighborhood, close to shops at the Winter Park Village and five minutes from I-4.
Good Luck!