more Orlando questions (Ocala, Oviedo, Ocoee: real estate, insurance, work)

[RedWingsFan]

I've looked over the boards a lot and have more Orlando area questions. We are thinking about moving to the Orlando area. I have seen a lot of talk about insurance rates being so high.. is that only by the water? Or is it like that in Orlando as well? Do you have to worry about hurricanes a lot in the Orlando area?

Besides Windermere (it's very expensive) what are some other majority white suburbs in the Orlando area that would be a good choice to move to?

Thank you!

[RedWingsFan]

How is it that 23 people looked at this and not one person responded?

[pghsue]

I am most likely one of the 23 looking for the replies to your original question. My family will be moving to the Orlando area in the next few months. That is probably why you had 23 views and no responses.

[SCHNABELTIER]

I see no one has really helped you on your question....as far as insurance rates and suburbs, i dont think i can help you, but as far as hirricanes, well...with exception of last year and the year before...there are not that many hurricanes that make it to Orlando with full force. I think we are in-land enough that we dont have to worry too much about that.

[pslOldTimer]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

How is it that 23 people looked at this and not one person responded?

What makes you think that any of the 23 people who happened to be nosy, also know anything about Orlando? Patience, my friend.

[OrlandoKJ]

try moving to parramore. you would love it! lots of white people there buddy!!

[pianogal]

Redwings, Insurance is a problem in Orlando right now - even though we are far enough inland that we don't have to worry too much unless we had a Katrina sized 'cane'. It's just that so many companies just aren't writing at all in Florida. The company we had for the past few years pulled out of Florida all together this year. Fortunately we were able to go with State Farm as we had car insurance through them for the past 30 years. However, the agent told us they were only underwriting current customers and those whose homes were built since 2003.

We did get quotes from a couple of other companies just by doing a rate request online. The quotes were all in the same ballpark around 1600 annually. This is for a new 3200 square foot home with a pool in Orlando.

Are you looking for an older home or a newer home? You can buy an older style ranch home in the Winter Park area - 32792. It would probably be a 3/2 and around 1400-1700 square feet for the mid 200's to 300's. The 32789 area of Winter Park would cost significantly more.

If you want a newer home, you would need to look in East Orlando/Waterford Lakes/Avalon Park/Vista Lakes area. Try zip codes of 32829/32828. This part of town is newly developed with some nice homes for fairly reasonable prices.

Oviedo is also nice - although I would hate to commute to downtown from Oviedo. We really would have liked to buy in Oviedo but chose east Orlando because I work downtown. Lake Mary is great but I would HATE to be a hostage on I-4 which is really the only corridor from Lake Mary to downtown.

I understand Windermere is great but VERY pricey.

I would be happy to help any way I can. By the way ignore the comment about parramore - this is the worst area in O-town.

[FL_TN_Nana]

I see pianogal has already suggested the possibility of Avalon, Waterford Lakes, etc. There are other older, but nice, neighborhoods in the east Orlando area that would probably be under $300k. You might try the 32825 zip code for some of those - like Winding Creek off Dean Road.

Also, Ocoee (West Orange County) has some very nice newer developments that are usually less than Windermere homes.

Insurance rates have gone up for a variety of reasons -- surcharges & some increases because of hurricanes, etc., but especially because the home values have skyrocketed in the past few years. Still, coastal insurance thru Citizens is significantly more than most of us with traditional insurances. I just don't know how many companies are writing policies these days. (Guess I'll have to live and die right where I am! )

[HawgKlr]

We've been here 7 years and absolutely LOVE the diversity of Floridas rural and natural beauty...The weathers great 6 months of the year, the other 6 aren't fit for humans!
Orlandos o k a y...but not our cup o tea. Look further North for a more rural lifestyle, lower insurance rates, slower pace...Ocala is nice and real estate is 10-30% lower...for now. Also, look at Clermont...tons of disney people live in Clermont and real estate is still fair.
Good Luck!

P.S. Go to Alexander Springs and canoe before you buy a house in Orlando.

[Prichard]

Do you have to worry about hurricanes a lot in the Orlando area?

Orlando was hit by two bad Hurricanes since 1960 - Hurricane Donna (1962) and Huricane Charlie. Other tropical storms or Hurricanes may have caused some limbs to fall out of trees or power to go out for awhile, but those are the two bad hurricanes Orlando has experienced over the past 46 years. Donna apparently caused alot of flooding in 1960, probably because stormwater systems (if there were any) were only designed for 20 year storms (now designed for 100 year storms). Charlie knocked down a bunch of trees, and some of the big pines crashed into houses. This is where the bulk of the damage in the Orlando came from. If it wasn't tree, or fallen object, damage, then it amounted to a bunch of roof shingles being blown off of roofs and water leaking into houses. It's not like roof tops were blown off of normal block houses, or houses blown down during any hurricane in Orlando.