Moving to Orlando in the next year (Clearwater, Oviedo: house, neighborhoods)

[firmbizzle]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

I'd say Sanford isn't close to most "things to do" as mentioned by the OP.

I totally glossed over that part too. When you include "things to do" with "good schools", that narrows the options to Winter Park/Baldwin Park, Sodo, Avalon Park, Dr. Phillips/Windermere, Oviedo/Winter Springs.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

I'd say Sanford isn't close to most "things to do" as mentioned by the OP.

But Lake Mary which borders it is....?

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by firmbizzle

There is no bias against Sanford, it's just the highest property values are usually in the best school systems. There are a lot of B & C schools in Sanford.

I think you're oversimplifying school grades a bit. With the exception of Hagerty HS, Lake Mary HS and Oviedo HS the remaining high schools for example are magnet schools which draw from economically diverse neighborhoods. That averages out the performance of higher-scoring students in IB or Engineering magnet programs versus what is often lower income, disadvantaged students who unfortunately on average are less-prepared. Seminole HS in Sanford was able to reverse fortune going from a lowly C school years ago to an A school thanks to a magnet heavy curriculum featuring an International Baccalaureate program and a Health Academy for varying medical careers. Lyman HS which was arguably worse off added an Engineering Academy and shot from a low-C up to a school that has been flirting with an A grade (B+) as a result. In other words, you have to look inside the numbers/grades and not accept at face value.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by firmbizzle

I totally glossed over that part too. When you include "things to do" with "good schools", that narrows the options to Winter Park/Baldwin Park, Sodo, Avalon Park, Dr. Phillips/Windermere, Oviedo/Winter Springs.

Seminole County isn't removed from things to do and has its own roster of such things minus of course location specific attractions such as amusement parks or pro sports/concert venues. The amusement parks are 30-40 minutes away and downtown Orlando around 20 minutes, hardly far removed by most definitions.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

But Lake Mary which borders it is....?

I'd say Lake Mary is within easy reach of things to do... it is not THE destination. The OP can judge for themselves. Worth checking out every area recommended here.

[WellShoneMoon]

Originally Posted by firmbizzle

They don't make the grades easy to find but as of last testing, most of the A rated high schools were east of I-4. Olympia is the only A rated school west of I-4. Boone, Winter Park, Timber Creek, University, Lake Nona, Oviedo, Haggerty, Orlando Science School, Crooms Academy, Cornerstone are the A rated schools east of I-4.

https://edudata.fldoe.org/ReportCards/Mapping.html

FYI: Orlando Science High School is west of I-4.

[firmbizzle]

Originally Posted by WellShoneMoon

FYI: Orlando Science High School is west of I-4.

Good point.

[drive carephilly]

Originally Posted by Dorothygalestolemybroom

Hey all! So my family is relocating within the next year, hopefully for the last time. This time to the Orlando area. We have three kids (pre-k, grade school, and high school). What would be a good area to look at in a very good school district? I'd like to be close to the grocery stores, restaurants, things to do; as we won't have any family around us (right away) when we move. Thanks!

Good discussion going on here. Everyone else has already talked about the schools but it really depends on how many square feet you expect for a house and how much work you want to do. You can definitely find a house at that price but it's not going to be 3,300 square feet and brand new.

If you're looking to be close to restaurants and things to do then, at least for high schools, I'd focus on Boone and Winter Park and maybe Olympia/Windermere.

My personal preference is to be closer to downtown and since you have kids of all ages it makes it a little tougher to find space for 3 kids for $650k, be close to everything, and have good schools. Blankner, Hillcrest, and Audubon Park are some of the best elementary schools around. Hillcrest is a foreign language magnet (kids track into French or Spanish) and admission is by lottery. Same goes for Howard Middle School which is the performing arts magnet. Baldwin Park K-5 is good. Brookshire and Lakemont are also good schools.

Anyway, all school catchment maps are best viewed straight from the school district.
https://www.ocps.net/departments/stu...ance_zone_maps

[Dorothygalestolemybroom]

Thank you all so much for your input! We will definitely have a lot to look at and explore when we come back down. Thank you for giving me a starting point with schools and towns. It's truly very helpful.

Honestly, we aren't looking for a brand new construction. If it happens that way, great. If not, that's fine too. A house with great bones, somewhat of a fixer upper (but not too much) is fine. And I know it's a pipe dream....a place with some land. Hubby likes to deer hunt. We definitely aren't looking into private schools. That's something we cannot afford.

I should clarify what my being close to things means to me. Right now, we live about 20 minutes away from shopping and good grocery stores and we live an hour and a half away from a big city. So I'm fine with driving 20 minutes to a store or possibly more for something to do.

[drive carephilly]

Originally Posted by Dorothygalestolemybroom

I should clarify what my being close to things means to me. Right now, we live about 20 minutes away from shopping and good grocery stores and we live an hour and a half away from a big city. So I'm fine with driving 20 minutes to a store or possibly more for something to do.

to each their own but I had to drive 50 miles yesterday and I'm good for about a week. It's a nightmare out there. Plus, gas is still $4.10 a gallon.

Anyway, I can tell you that it's relatively easy to find rural "villages" on the edges of the suburban development where you might find 5-10 acres in your price range. Not enough land to deer hunt on but certainly enough to need to shoot some wild hogs from time-to-time.
I'm thinking places like St. Cloud south of Pine Tree Dr., Holopaw, Wedgefield, Bithlo, North DeLand, etc.

But I can also tell you that you're not going to find good schools in rural or exurban areas. That's not how it works down here. The good public schools are in the neighborhoods where the young(ish) professionals live and whose kids make up a majority of that student body. For the most part, you're going to find those people close to downtown or in certain suburban communities that were named above in the thread.