Orlando.....it's time (Miami, Kissimmee, Pine Hills: apartments, condominiums, leasing)

[deana]

Hi all,

Finally will be heading to Central FL first weekend in Jan to look for a nice area to live and to open a retail business. I would like to hear from all Orlando lovers that really love Orlando and where they live. Please let me know as I will be driving around all areas. Currently have a house in St Cloud so do not send me there. Am looking at possibly west near Winter Garden, east near Avalon Park and north as far as Sanford. Thanks so much. I am living in South Florida so people, traffic, home prices, congestion and any other negatives will have no effect on me. Thanks

[spunky]

Well, if you are going to Winter Garden, you owe it to yourself to check out Windermere.

[pianogal]

Windermere is beautiful if you can afford the prices...I think the best area for the money right now is east Orlando....waterford lakes/avalon park area.

[OC2OC]

I'm heading to Winter Garden next year. Just bought a nice home with all the bells and whistles. I think the area is quite nice and has potential to become a pretty neighborhood. A brand new mall is being built there: www.wintergardenvillage.com which is a sign of growth (or sprawl for some).

You should contact the mall's leasing office. I'm pretty sure it will get some good foot traffic there.

[Christian11]

Originally Posted by deana

Hi all,

Finally will be heading to Central FL first weekend in Jan to look for a nice area to live and to open a retail business. I would like to hear from all Orlando lovers that really love Orlando and where they live. Please let me know as I will be driving around all areas. Currently have a house in St Cloud so do not send me there. Am looking at possibly west near Winter Garden, east near Avalon Park and north as far as Sanford. Thanks so much. I am living in South Florida so people, traffic, home prices, congestion and any other negatives will have no effect on me. Thanks

LOL... Sanford is trailer park town. It is trash. Very bad. We are talking 100 years of poverty and oppression of poor people, now breaking out as violence and massive crime. It is very run down in Sanford. They are trying to give the town a facelife, the courthouse area and the marina have been recently remodeled, but the rest is still trash.

Winter Garden is near Silver Star Road, and very close to Pine Hills (aka. Crime Hills, aka. Choppy City). These are populated by violent gangs. There are pit bulls chained to trees on every front yard of houses in Pine Hills or WG.

Crime will be the #1 issue you will find familiar to south Fla. You will also find the traffic, overcrowding, high prices all too common. And of course, you will not miss everyone speaking Spanish, and no on speaking English. That will not change from south Fla to Central Fla.

Cheers!

[Dee2e]

Originally Posted by Christian11

LOL... Sanford is trailer park town. It is trash. Very bad. We are talking 100 years of poverty and oppression of poor people, now breaking out as violence and massive crime. It is very run down in Sanford. They are trying to give the town a facelife, the courthouse area and the marina have been recently remodeled, but the rest is still trash.

Winter Garden is near Silver Star Road, and very close to Pine Hills (aka. Crime Hills, aka. Choppy City). These are populated by violent gangs. There are pit bulls chained to trees on every front yard of houses in Pine Hills or WG.

Crime will be the #1 issue you will find familiar to south Fla. You will also find the traffic, overcrowding, high prices all too common. And of course, you will not miss everyone speaking Spanish, and no on speaking English. That will not change from south Fla to Central Fla.

Cheers!

Chris, you haven't been to Sanford in awhile apparently. While there are some areas like you describe, the new development in Sanford is incredible. There are new shopping areas, theaters, eateries, and housing that is changing the dynamics of Sanford. With several new exits from I4 and the 417, Sanford is now convenient to get to and from. The I4 congestion is still a problem, however.

The 429 toll road addition and new development is changing the dynamics of Winter Garden too. I was very surprised to see the plans for growth and development in Winter Garden.

Deana, I moved to Seminole County from South Florida in 1991. I never regretted the move. While I still visit South Florida a few times a year, I am glad I made the move.

[Prichard]

My biggest complaint about Sanford is the schools. Otherwise, there are some areas in and around Sanford that I wouldn't mind living. First of all, it is not a "trailer" town. I can remember only one manufactured home park in Sanford - I'm sure there may be a couple more, but it is not peppered with mobile homes.

Second, like another person pointed out, there is quite a bit of new development in West Sanford. South Sanford, both on the east and west sides of 17-92 are not all that great. But, there are some nice areas near the north end of Lake Jessup in Sanford.

Personally, I think Sanford has much potential. Seminole County is a wealthy county and they are making an effort to help revitalize the Sanford area. I think parts of Sanford are ripe for investing in land that will eventually be quite valuable 5 years out.

[heberle]

Deanna...

North of St. Cloud and Kissimmee is a great area for retail and to live. The Hunter's Creek area is growing (not overgrowing) and there are several opportunities to open up retail shoppes.

I personally work for a developer that is selling condominiums on Central Florida and John Young. I would be happy to show you our property if you would like but most importantly, I want you to know about the area.

[Christian11]

Originally Posted by deana

Hi all,

Finally will be heading to Central FL first weekend in Jan to look for a nice area to live and to open a retail business. I would like to hear from all Orlando lovers that really love Orlando and where they live. Please let me know as I will be driving around all areas. Currently have a house in St Cloud so do not send me there. Am looking at possibly west near Winter Garden, east near Avalon Park and north as far as Sanford. Thanks so much. I am living in South Florida so people, traffic, home prices, congestion and any other negatives will have no effect on me. Thanks

From South Florida, Orlando will seem nice to you.

But man, let's hope you stay away from the East side of Orlando and the real bad areas (Kirkman road, OBT, N Hiawassee, past Silver Star Rd, anywhere near Americana blvd or Oakridge). Watch out, in Winter Garden they have some trailer parks and subsequently, meth labs. People on drugs kill for no reason.

[Christian11]

Originally Posted by Dee2e

Chris, you haven't been to Sanford in awhile apparently. While there are some areas like you describe, the new development in Sanford is incredible. There are new shopping areas, theaters, eateries, and housing that is changing the dynamics of Sanford. With several new exits from I4 and the 417, Sanford is now convenient to get to and from. The I4 congestion is still a problem, however.

I live in Seminole county too (Oviedo) and I had to go to the Seminole County Coruthouse to pick up an affidavit. Let me tell you, driving through Sanford, parts of downtown Sanford, other areas I drove through... man all ghetto "fabulous"!

Just as an example, take the "Logan Heights Apartments"... go to ApartmentRatings.com and just read what some of the locals have to say about the area. You will be shocked. yes, you are used to it in Miami, but this is kinda close to Liberty City.

Don't let the cute new homes trick you... it is the crackhead mentality folk that make the 'hood what it is. The town is VERY rundown, and it still carries the STIGMA OF THE NAME "SANFORD". I don't care if it is new construction, local people hear "Sanford" they immediatelly associate it with robberies, ghettos, meth, crack dealers, gangs, rapes, muggers, etc.

It will be a while before that changes, a local stigma usually lingers on for years or until the local population becomes desensitized to the bad 'hoods. You want to buy a house in Sanford, with its stigma, then expect to sell it to WHOM??? A drug dealer? A prostitute? For how will you sell that house for?? This seems like a bad idea... I mean maybe a realtor can convince you to get a house in Sanford... I would try and tell you not to.

13th Street in Sanford and all the way down... man they call it the "unlucky street", not just because of the #13, but because of all the murders/robberies/rapes in the area.

Quoting another poster on the board:

Sanford - When the world needs an enema, Sanford will be the insertion point.

Lots of crime, lots of drugs (around 'the barn').The jobs in the area are a joke, they don't pay enough and the people are truly rude.

I can honestly say this because i lived on lake 'mo bro' and it totally sucked.
Not too mention the love bugs and midges - at times they are so thick that you cannot see the lights at the convience stores.

Do yourself a favor and seriously look at a different area than the Sanford area.