Researching Lake Mary (Orlando, Sanford, Country Club: relocating, real estate, housing)

[meredith71402]

I have been reading through all of the posts regarding the Lake Mary area, and really appreciate all of the great information being shared. My family is considering relocating to the Lake Mary area around June of this year, and I have been researching this area... although I think one of the best research tools is to go to the source... the locals! I landed Lake Mary by it being nominated as one of the best cities to live. We have a five year old son, so schools are very important to me along with low crime rates. We currently live near Hendersonville, NC... but my dream has been to live in a warmer climate in close proximity to a beach to enjoy on the weekends... but not on the coast to try and avoid some of the storms. Ideally, I would like a location that has great schools, low crime rate, affordable housing, and a great job base.... yeah, I know that's a pipe dream... but I'm trying to find something comparable. In planning for our trip to the area, can anyone give tips/ information on the best school districts, places to visit to get a good feel of the area, a summary of the weather (do you have a lot of rain?), how close is the nearest beach?, and any other tips for our trip would be greatly appreciated!

... oh, and do any of the real estate agents out there have an up-to-date stat. of the list vs. sales price ratio?

[rlxin]

Lake Mary's your place, lived in the area for 22 years. If I had children and could afford it Lake Mary is just about the only place in FL I would live. People are a bit snobish/snooty but no big deal. I would let me daughter walk the streets after dark, no problem.

[beckycat]

What type of work are you looking for? Are you looking to buy? Do you want a house or condo? How much do you want to spend? Everything in Lake Mary is very convenient. You can also live in neighboring Longwood for less.
(32750)Depending on where you live, you'd be zoned for other schools. Some areas have magnet schools for elementary. Good elementary schools would be in the northwest cluster (Wilson, Bentley,Crystal Lake) Lake Mary, Longwood, and heathrow. Middle schools would be Greenwood, Markham, and Rock Lake. Make sure the high school is Lake Mary. I consider it safe in this area. My kids attended Wilson elementary, Greenwood Lakes, and Lake Mary High. The beach is about 45 minutes away (New Smyrna or Daytona) Attractions are also about 45 minutes away. Weather is nice during the winter months. Enjoy it at that time when it warms up to 70-80 in the day and cools down to 40-50 at night. Once May hits, it starts to get hot and it stays that hot until October. (Trick or treating in shorts) We get afternoon showers in the summer, then it gets steamy afterwards. Our summer is like your winter. Either stay inside in the a/c or go to the beach. July, August, and September could be brutal. You might want to drive around Lake Mary Blvd and Rinehart up to Sanford by the mall to get a taste of things. Also Lake Mary has a splash park for kids off Country Club RD. If you'd like to know anymore specifics, let me know.

[meredith71402]

Well, we considered renting initially until we know the area a little better and where we want to be. But, after comparing rent rates in the area, we might be better off buying initially. I would like to stay around $200K... I have done some research online and from what I can tell, there are some homes in that price range that interest us. I guess the confusing part for me is exactly what neighborhoods to look in for the best school system... without having to move as we progress through middle and high school. Because the Lake Mary is an easy commute to Orlando, the biggest factors I am trying to consider are schools and crime rates. Coming from Western North Carolina, I feel very safe here... but after comparing FBI data online for crime rates, Lake Mary is reported to have less crime than we have? I am very excited about visiting the area and making it "home". I'm sure it will all come into perspective after actually seeing it.

My husband is a machinist supervisor and I am currently a NC licensed Realtor... although I would be looking for work (from my experience) in an administrative/managerial field or possibly bookkeeping/payroll. What is the main advertising source for employment in your area?... we have been searching all the big names (careerbuilder/monster)... are there any other good sites to check out?

Does anyone know how the housing market is doing in the area?... how much are things selling for compared to what they are asking?

[Orlando MLS]

Lake Mary is a great place to live in Orlando. Though when selecting schools it is important to know the zoning. There are some great schools in Lake Mary and some not so great schools. I won't mention the bad ones here, but for example, I will say that Lake Mary High school is fantastic and parents whose kids are moving onto high school are actually moving into different parts of Lake Mary to get their kids into this school.

Moderator cut: website
Best of luck with your move.

[meredith71402]

Are all of the elementary and middle schools in the Lake Mary High School district good schools?... any I should stay clear of or any I should target?

[rlxin]

Yea the zoning is kinda funny, just target Lake Mary High, everything else will line up.

[beckycat]

You can also try orlandosentinel.com for jobs. If you're looking at any specific neighborhoods, let me know, I might be able to help with the schools. If you're looking in Lake Mary, you might want to look in the Crossings. How much land do you want, square footage, 1 or 2 story? Type of neighborhood, northern or southern exposure? Different style homes or cookie cutter style? You can be in Lake Mary, but not be zoned for the right schools. The kids in the neighborhood may go to 3 or 4 different schools which I thought was weird when I moved here. The schools I mentioned are the good ones. You can check out the schools on forsalebyowner.com and click on the school reports. How soon do you want to move?

[OTownHelper12]

OrlandoJobs.com is a good place to look.
The list to sale price ratio is about 94.8% in Orlando Metro Area
But that is a completely useless stat in our area at the moment.
Short Sales skew the numbers and make it hard to compete.

Lake Mary is an awesome place to live. The commute can be a bit tough into
Orlando if it requires I-4 during rush hours. But there are lots of companies in
that area to work so it is possible to find work and not go downtown orlando.

I used to work in Lake Mary before my real estate days and it was even a
cool place to work.

I haven't looked at prices there lately but it is still a highly desirable area and
may hold up better in pricing then other parts of Orlando. Homes in Lake Mary
tend to be more affordable as you get closer to Sanford.

[Themoorefamily]

We too are looking at LAke MAry but we are moving from the UK, so need all help advice etc we can acheive?

Exactly what is the difference between advertised price and ACTUAL sale price? Also here in the UK we don't buy square footage just a big house, we curently have a detached five double bedroom. three reception, kitchen iner utility large garden double garage would wnat the equivilent if not more in the US HELP!!!!!!!