Orlando..a nice place (Pine Hills, Winter Park: mortgage, foreclosure, property taxes)

[spunky]

It seems the only people who have a good thing to say about O'ville are people who have an ulterior motive in getting people here. For example, the 1st poster on this thread who had an apartment or some such to rent! And I have never heard anyone describe Oviedo as "posh" before! Oviedo use to be described as "the sticks". Then it was considered a bedroom community. Now, it is almost as bad as far as traffic and overcrowding as Orlando. So people moved out to Oviedo to one get away from the city, and two to find a cheaper place to live, but now neither of the reasons exist anymore. Crime is bad pretty much all over, we hear in Central Fl. are use to the 6 and 11pm local news beginning with a daily murder, car jacking, or "home-invasion". I will bet a lot of people outside of Florida are not even familiar with this term. But people around here certainly are, it means when the criminal doesn't wait until the victim leaves there home so they can rob and pillage while the house is empty, but are so bold that they just enter when the occupants are home!

[Christian11]

Originally Posted by pianogal

Geez....I live in Orlando - the east side and don't recognize the places you guys are talking about. I moved here two years ago from Winter Park and it was certainly not anything like what you're talking about either. Either I'm in a parallel universe or it is mostly only the people who don't like it here that post on this board. Everyone I know LOVES it here. I go all over Orlando - spent a recent Friday evening enjoying a fantastic Broadway Show at the Bob Carr - DOWNTOWN. Will be dining at the Citrus Club - DOWNTOWN this Tuesday evening for my husband's company Christmas Party. We are often downtown - I work downtown....NEVER had a problem! NEVER been a victim of any crime in 23 years and neither has any of my friends.

The East Side of Orlando is about to secceed to Mexico. NO one speaks English, all the billsboards are in Spanish, crime is rampant. You must speako Espanol, otherwise you wouldn't be saying what you are saying.

The East side of Orlando is an absolute dump, I can send you pictures. It is crowded, very dirty, and unsafe. East side Orlando looks much like southside LA... gangbangers and dealers on the streetcorners. Disgusting.

[Christian11]

Originally Posted by SCHNABELTIER

A lot of people seem to want to move to Florida. Some cities are to small and others are big and over crouded (ie miami), but Orlando seems to be a happy medium. Orlando's downtown area is growing very rapidly and i think is becoming a desirable place to be. You can find many available places to rent in the surroundings but is too far from everything. I have a rental property available right now in the downtown area and is near everything, email if interrested, but downtown orlando is close to the malls, the beach, other "big" cities, interstate hwys and the theme parks. What else can you ask for.

Did you have any smokes before writting this post? Orlando is awful, the middle class is being forced out due to skyrocketing rent/home prices, insurance, and property taxes.

It is DANGEROUS in Orlando. Just last night on Local chan. 6 (Local6.com) news, there were like 3 people killed in a drive-by in the East side of town, several crack dealers were shooting at each other and some got arrested, people being run over on the side roads and no one stops. They just had an "unlicensed driver" check point, caught several illegal aliens with no license and insurance, driving (repeat offenders). Several DUI folks, also driving, no insurance. No wonder people get run over and people don't stop!

Hit and runs are very common because people don't have/cannot afford insurance, so they run.

Crime is begining to spill over to the nicer areas outside Orlando. Living otuside the city lowered costs of living, but you had to deal with 1 - 2 h per day commutes on I-4 traffic. Not worth it anymore, specially with the current gas prices. In Lake Mary, for example, we have burglaries all the time (never happened 2 years ago). In Oviedo, we have drug dealers in-schools and in the school parking lot. In Winter Springs, thefts and vandalism are on the rise (and that is one of the most family-oriented areas). This is all on the local news channels, go check - wesh.com MyFoxOrlando.com LOcal6.com).

Safety is the #1 problem, high cost of living is #2, staggering wages is #3. Bad schools go with it. Overcrowding is another one.

Orlando... big mistake. If you think "nice weather" is all there is to it, you will be disappointed. Orlando is not what it used to be.

[CURT]

Originally Posted by Christian11

Did you have any smokes before writting this post? Orlando is awful, the middle class is being forced out due to skyrocketing rent/home prices, insurance, and property taxes.

It is DANGEROUS in Orlando. Just last night on Local chan. 6 (Local6.com) news, there were like 3 people killed in a drive-by in the East side of town, several crack dealers were shooting at each other and some got arrested, people being run over on the side roads and no one stops. They just had an "unlicensed driver" check point, caught several illegal aliens with no license and insurance, driving (repeat offenders). Several DUI folks, also driving, no insurance. No wonder people get run over and people don't stop!

Hit and runs are very common because people don't have/cannot afford insurance, so they run.

Crime is begining to spill over to the nicer areas outside Orlando. Living otuside the city lowered costs of living, but you had to deal with 1 - 2 h per day commutes on I-4 traffic. Not worth it anymore, specially with the current gas prices. In Lake Mary, for example, we have burglaries all the time (never happened 2 years ago). In Oviedo, we have drug dealers in-schools and in the school parking lot. In Winter Springs, thefts and vandalism are on the rise (and that is one of the most family-oriented areas). This is all on the local news channels, go check - wesh.com MyFoxOrlando.com LOcal6.com).

Safety is the #1 problem, high cost of living is #2, staggering wages is #3. Bad schools go with it. Overcrowding is another one.

Orlando... big mistake. If you think "nice weather" is all there is to it, you will be disappointed. Orlando is not what it used to be.

christian11,
where do you live? orlando, tampa, lake mary, miami, oviedo, winter springs? you seem to know everything about everywhere. I happen to know alot of local areas that you mention and you should produce some facts before just blurting things out about everyplace in the state...unless of course you've actually lived in all the places....or do you just spread rumors that maybe you have been told....maybe you really are a very very wise person and everyone else is just ignorant.
have you ever sat down with the police chief or city council of where ever it is you live and examine all the fbi data, etc?
crime is crime but if you read all your redundant posts you have all of florida sounding as if its suicide to be here.
as valid as many of your posts may be, i am especially impressed that you know every detail about areas that are not in the region you live. of course there is always using the scensationalism media as a source of information for areas you have never lived.

[Christian11]

Originally Posted by CURT

christian11,
or do you just spread rumors that maybe you have been told....maybe you really are a very very wise person and everyone else is just ignorant.

CRime is on the local news daily. Check the local news. You must have sat down with the police chief, since you claim Orlando is safe. Or again.. YOU ARE A REALTOR trying to make a buck.

No, unlike you, I read the other 20 or so different posters and they all seem to agree that Orlando is dangerous.

[pianogal]

Vista Lakes, Waterford Lakes, Stoneybrook East, Avalon Park, Cypress Preserve are dumps?!!?! Give me a break. I'm sure the people who live in these $300K to a million+ dollar homes in these neighborhoods believe that.

[CURT]

Originally Posted by Christian11

CRime is on the local news daily. Check the local news. You must have sat down with the police chief, since you claim Orlando is safe. Or again.. YOU ARE A REALTOR trying to make a buck.

No, unlike you, I read the other 20 or so different posters and they all seem to agree that Orlando is dangerous.

if you check my post you will see i agree with there being high crime in orlando. that is orlando city limits. If I go by everything I read in these posts like you do i would come to the conclusion that florida is not fit for human habitation.
you seem to think that everyone that doesnt agree with all of your words is a realtor with some kind of motives......give it a rest...i'm not a realtor, I just don't agree with everything you claim,,especially when much of your source is from unsatisfied floridians. you have nothing even remotely nice to say about any place.
and yes, i go to the source of the solution, like police chiefs and council for my answers. I have not spoken to the orlando police chief as I don't live there. Many of my friends do however and the areas they live in have no problems at all. I know the areas with the biggest problems. I also have been working down town for 15 years and have not yet run into any problems crime wise.
now,,,,,outside of orlando you mentioned problems with winter springs, lake mary, oviedo, miami, tampa and who knows where else. you commented as if you had first hand experience. you do not. when news rfers to something in miami this doesnt mean that coral gables, etc is a crime ridden disaster. crime in orlando refers to orlando. which part of all this is causing you the trouble.
people who have posted on this forum who like it here go completely ignored and its suggested by your posts why they must be nuts because YOU know all this information that shows how everyone else who is happy is either a realtor or is just wrong.
guess what, i am sorry florida sucks for you. I honestly understand the problems many are having,,,,,but it doesnt make others wrong or stupid or something for not having these problems and likeing florida.
I have nothing to rent and I am not selling anything I simply state I have other thoughts and facts than what you have.

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by pianogal

Vista Lakes, Waterford Lakes, Stoneybrook East, Avalon Park, Cypress Preserve are dumps?!!?! Give me a break. I'm sure the people who live in these $300K to a million+ dollar homes in these neighborhoods believe that.

and there are home invasions in million dollar homes, in many areas. It happened to my neighbor in Broken Sound.

[pianogal]

Perhaps...but I was responding to the following post by Christian....

"The East Side of Orlando is about to secceed to Mexico. NO one speaks English, all the billsboards are in Spanish, crime is rampant. You must speako Espanol, otherwise you wouldn't be saying what you are saying.

The East side of Orlando is an absolute dump, I can send you pictures. It is crowded, very dirty, and unsafe. East side Orlando looks much like southside LA... gangbangers and dealers on the streetcorners. Disgusting"

Evidently he has never been to any of these neighborhoods on the East side of Orlando:

Stoneybrook East is a residential golf community located in East Orange County approximately five miles south of the East-West expressway on Alafaya Trail.

Avalon Park was built on the rich traditions of small-town life. Tree-lined streets, lakes, lush landscaping, rocking chair porches and nearby schools, shops and professional services were designed to evoke an ideal small-town America.

Waterford Lakes a planned residential development, exquisitely designed community of affordable housing units in family oriented neighborhoods in an urban environment. Waterford Lakes offers homebuyers a good mix of affordable real estate options, including the sprawling luxury estate properties as well as condominiums.

Vista Lakes - Living at Vista Lakes means living the way you want to.swimming, getting to know your neighbors, enjoying events and activities specially designed for your community by the Activities Director. When you want to relax, the Vista Lakes community includes miles of biking and jogging trails, as well as tennis courts, nature preserves, and community and pet parks.

Hmmm....now something is wrong with this picture...do those communities on the EAST side of Orlando sound like "The East side of Orlando is an absolute dump, I can send you pictures. It is crowded, very dirty, and unsafe. East side Orlando looks much like southside LA... gangbangers and dealers on the streetcorners. Disgusting"

It's amazing how he knows so much about every part of Orlando, isn't it? I LIVE in one of these subdivisions on the East side...I know what it is like and it's nothing like the picture some have tried to paint on this board. It's shameful.

[GoldenEagle407]

East Orlando is a lot newer, wealthier, and safer than West Orlando. However it is only a matter of time before the East side succumb to some of the problems of the rest of Orlando. Metro West area is always on the news with problems, and that was once considered a good area. I feel bad too because there are a lot of Good citizens in Orlando, who want to make it a nice city to live and work. Orlando has the potential to be a great city, though it will never be a world-class city in the realms of London, Paris or New York. But I don't think most of us living here are looking for that. Orlando's great weather and limitless things to do attract so many upstanding people from around the world who fall in love with Disney, the beaches and other attractions.

However, the crime is out of control for a city of only 200,000. I have never been a victim of crime myself living in Lake Mary but I do have family and friends who have been. My cousin in poinciana was burgarlized 4 times in 2 years. That statistic is pathetic. 2 of the 4 She was home, and the burglars ran off when she woke up. The Polk County Sheriff Department offered little assistance claiming they had no finger prints to pursue the criminals.

The politicians seem to be more interested in over development, ruining and destroying Orlando's once beautiful countryside. The crime and lack of opportunity cause so many who flock to Orlando to just leave it 2-3 years after arriving. Its sad, Orlando will always be a transient city based on tourism, as many of us who wanted to call Orlando home, flee for better prospects elsewhere.