Oviedo or Winter Springs?

[michael c]

Originally Posted by Floridabrit

We want to move to Maryland because we feel like prisoners here in the summer, 93F + humidity (feels like more than 100), lightning strikes that set houses on fire etc. I love being outside too, but it is too hot and humid for too long here for me. I also get sick of wearing shorts. On the positive side, we do have a lovely house for sale in a lovely neighborhood in Winter Springs. My children bike to school and yes it is a good school, I am happy with it and they are happy there. If I could take my house, yard, and pool, and neighborhood with me I would. Shopping is 5-10 minutes away, airport 30 minutes, SR 417 less than 10 minutes.

Our house is 1 year old, newly built. We can exchange pictures if you want, I can give you my e-mail by private message, you give us yours. Regardless will be there next Wed. so give me your address and I will give it to our realtor, Thanks again

[stinafl]

Move to the altamonte springs area it is also seminole county ,very good mall and close to all. Winter springs is nice and Oviedo is too But if you want shopping check out Altamonte.

[vincero]

Originally Posted by smb5575

Don't worry I am selling my house now and I don't think I am ready for another one just yet. Houses can be somewhat a pain and very expensive I have noticed (This is my first house). We will be renting. I have been looking at the Grandville at River Place to rent. The 3 bedrooms are really big and at a decent price. I like the idea of being close to Orlando, but not living there and I think this place may be perfect. Has anyone heard of it?

I've toured the Grandeville 3 bed model. If you are sure you are going to rent, the Grandville is about as nice and roomy an apartment as you are going to get. It has a very nice pool area, and the entire complex comes across as very "middle class" - I don't know how else to describe it. Families, well behaved kids - it doesn't have a "party" , or a low rent vibe. It has a lovely office and exercise room. They also offer (or did, when I toured there) babysitting, on site. I bought a house, but if I wanted to rent, I'd definitely consider the Grandeville as a strong contender. You may have a bit of a wait for a three bedroom.

It has three story buildings. Ask whether you can get into one of the buildings that faces the fountain. There is a wooded area with a running track at the back of the complex, with a pond and fountain as well. The view from the sun room of one of the apartments that faces the back would be wonderful.

Caveats: Walking up to the third floor is a pain, and in my opinion, the stairs could be dangerous when slippery - something to consider with children. Probably first or second floor is better. The area the Grandeville is actually located in is somewhat boring, with a field on one side and a modern office park on the other. Completely safe, but dull surroundings; however, it will be very quiet at night (good for kids).

[Floridabrit]

I'm so sorry I missed your posting. I was just joking when I said we'll buy yours and you buy mine, a little bit of light humor. We live in Winter Springs, MLS ID# O4797563. My husband has a cousin and aunt & uncle in Bel Air/Abingdon and we were there over the summer, it's lovely. We know to NOT chose Abingdon because of the school district. Good luck.

Originally Posted by michael c

Hi, let me know where your at and the MLS#. We arrive middle of next week and will be looking in your area. Be glad to show you our home but would not make that any type of condition on us moving and buying yours. As I stated lived here all my life. The schools in Belair where we are at are A+, middle and High. Great area and shopping, restaurants. Our house is 4 bedrooms, 3 walk-in closets, 31/2 baths, deck, fenced in yard all vinyl and maintenance free. Luxury Townhome community which includes beautiful built in pool, clubhouse, fitness center. Hoa fees 500.00 a year! Safe area A+.End unit, brick front, Fireplace. Good luck

[michael c]

Originally Posted by Floridabrit

I'm so sorry I missed your posting. I was just joking when I said we'll buy yours and you buy mine, a little bit of light humor. We live in Winter Springs, MLS ID# O4797563. My husband has a cousin and aunt & uncle in Bel Air/Abingdon and we were there over the summer, it's lovely. We know to NOT chose Abingdon because of the school district. Good luck.

It doesn't matter but you really are misinformed. i have lived in Md. my entire life and the Abingdon area goes to Belair middle and Belair high school along with Patterson Mill just newly built they are by far the best public schools in Harford County, Perrt Hall also has great schools but what do I know I just live here. We were just in your area, no offense but I was really disappointed in Winter Springs. I thought Dr. Phillips and Oviedo were much nicer and more upscale. The places in Dr.P were around 400,000 and even in Oviedo we were looking at homes 330 to 450,000 range. To each his own I guess, good luck on selling your home, we can see who sells first.

[Bonkolina]

Originally Posted by barbie11741

Maybe you can help me. My family will be moving to Florida or Texas this summer and i am consider Oveido, Winter Springs or Lake Mary. My HUGEST concern is my daughter who will be entering high school. She is in Long Island schools and she is in all honor classes. I don't want to go somewhere where she is at a disadvantage. Any help is appreciated.

I am a recent transplant from the northeast (Mass.) and we looked at all of the areas you are considering. Our most important criteria was the quality of the high school since our son would be starting freshman year here. Like your daughter, he is an honor student so the high school was a very critical decision for us when we were shopping for a house.

We fell in love with a couple of places in Lake Mary/Timacuan. We were very close to extending offers, but first we needed to check out the high school situation. Lake Mary is zoned for the Seminole High School district, so we did a little research and talked to some family members down here. While Seminole High does offer an excellent program for honor students who are college bound (the Internation Bacalaureate or IB program), it required the student to have completed 8th grade in the Florida school system. While they would consider a worthy student, first preference went to Florida students and the program was limited to something like 125 kids.

Ok, so we researched the high school in general. We didn't like what we saw or what we heard. Seminole High does not have a great reputation. Check out Great Schools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community for information about the schools, which include parent/student reviews. I found that helpful in reaching a decision and we refocused our home search to the Oviedo area, though Winter Springs was also an option we didn't find any homes we liked there - we didn't have any problems with the schools.

My son just started at Hagerty and he loves it. My only criticism so far is the class sizes are fairly large (about 30) and even the honors classes seem a little too easy for him. My son took AP math in 8th grade, yet they insisted that he had to take Algebra I. After a couple of weeks he figured out it was just going to be review. He is now taking tests to advance to geometry, but they won't give him high school credit for Algebra I. If your daughter is all honors now, consider enrolling her in AP classes here or she may find that she already knows a lot of the stuff being covered in the honors classes. (I'd take a hard-earned B over an easy A anytime.)

I can't say that Semiole High is a BAD school, but it does have a rep for not being the safest school. I preferred to err on the side of caution, for us it wasn't worth the risk.

Good luck to you on your move! I know from personal experience that it is a HUGE undertaking!