+15 year Orlando Resident Here - Ask Me Anything (Miami, Kissimmee: relocating, gated)

[ladydiss]

Please tell me the God's honest good and bad... I read SO much bad that I am totally soared and my husband and I are just bummed cause we thought we could move down there (kissimmee/orlando) and be happy, clean and safe... and it's very disheartening to read so much otherwise...
Can you recommend any GOOD, CLEAN and SAFE apartment's to move too? We have a 1 year old so schools aren't urgent just yet...
What abou jobs and salary?

[talker]

Originally Posted by Dizzy is Moving

My first post - I have lived all around Central Florida: Orlando, Metro West, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, etc.

The amount of insane people posting about Orlando being some kind of drug crazed, mafia run cess pool is a bunch of BS, to put it kindly. If i had the time to spend to correct all the disinfo & paranoia being posted around here, I would - but i just dont have that kind of time. I am moving to the west coast of the us come July, so in my spare time I'll be in the California forum and i will do my best to help future Orlando residents here in this forum as well.

I am very familiar with Orlando and its close neighboring cities. If your moving here, or considering it, ask me anything you want. I will not sugarcoat it, but more inportantly - I will not give you some kind of delusional paranoid rant on Orlando being the next gotham city.

Hi Dizzy

I am going to be moving to the Orlando area and would like to know which part should I look in, I have poor vision, I am single and I am on a fixed income. If you could help me in any way, I would appreciate it greatly.
Thanks for any assistance you can give me. oh, I will be renting if that helps.

talker

[cmj_fla]

To both of the previous posters I would give one big word of advice - Find a job here first. As stated in other threads, it is getting harder and harder to find jobs that have good salaries, benefits and aren't specifically for bilinguals.

Other advice would be to research the area and I believe this needs to be done in person. There are many areas that would work for the both of you but there are just as many that would be horrible.

I enjoy Central Florida but I am used to it. I have found a nice, safe neighborhood for my family but I have also lived here 25+ years and knew what I was getting into.

But do not worry, there are nice, safe areas all around and within commuting distance to where ever your work will be.

Good luck!

[mikeg453]

Originally Posted by FLmomof2

I don't "think" South Apopka is a very good area (I guess it depends on what they are considering South, I live in NW Apopka and its very nice here, new things going up all around, new developments, stores, movie theaters, dog park, redesigning downtown, new schools, lots of banks.

Flmomof2,
I had been looking at purchasing in the Rock Springs subdivision. What part of Apopka is the subdivision located? Any other advice for that area would be appreciated.

[THASPECIAL]

Originally Posted by spunky1

You must we oblivious to the environment around you. Do you watch news? Do you read the paper? If you did you would have seen that the last two days a family of a murdered college student has been lobbying regarding the issue of crime in Metro West. It is the aniversary of his assualt and murder. He was coming home at night to his Metro West apartment and was shot on his doorstep, his fiancee was inside. The perpetrator was never caught. But this is just one of the many crimes in Metro West. In fact if you do a search on this site of Metro West you will see that many posters have detailed the crime wave that has been in this area for years. Open your eyes, but if you want to keep your head in the sand, at least do not give inaccurate and misleading info to unsuspecting new comers trying to make a decision of where it is safe to live. Metro West is bad news.

True....i have been here in Orlando for 7 years now......had a knife pulled on me under the bridge in that parking area downtown....been robbed at gunpoint in Altamonte Springs at the 7-11 off of Douglas Rd........Altamonte is nice but the poster sounds like they are oblivious to things that happen to other people that live here.

[THASPECIAL]

Originally Posted by ladydiss

Please tell me the God's honest good and bad... I read SO much bad that I am totally soared and my husband and I are just bummed cause we thought we could move down there (kissimmee/orlando) and be happy, clean and safe... and it's very disheartening to read so much otherwise...
Can you recommend any GOOD, CLEAN and SAFE apartment's to move too? We have a 1 year old so schools aren't urgent just yet...
What abou jobs and salary?

DEA - Publications - Congressional Testimony - 07/17/97


here is a 10 year old piece of info i found about Orlando.....there are alot of nice areas but it actually says Orlando in the title of one of the sections of this report about the drug trade in the world........it is a nice town but dont get fooled because of the palm trees and sunshine

[naygon]

Is Winter Haven a good place to start a new life? Jobs,rental for 2 ($400.00-$500.00).

[jenlando]

Originally Posted by Dizzy is Moving

If you think the roomate situation would be positive - i say go for it.
Altamonte Springs overall is a safe, cozy area that is only a short Interstate 4 trip to downtown Orlando.

Sounds to me like you would be renting if you come here - probably an apartment? If so, why not go right to Orlando? The apartment prices are about the same.

Also, if you explore a bit, like in the Metro West Area of Orlando - you could easily find a really beautiful, safe, borderline luxury apartment for only slightly higer rent than elsewhere.

The 1st Secret of this thread I will give away:
Metro West is our local best kept secret. If you are coming here wanting to live in an apartment and live INSIDE Orlando, Metro West is the best of the best. Lots & Lots of very recently built apartment complexes, most being very affordable. The funniest thing is, I see rent in places as far out as Lake Mary as costing MORE than the average rent in Metro West. (Lake Mary is incredibly far from Orlando)

Remember, during your search that thier is a distinction between 'West Orlando' and 'Metrowest Orlando'.

Um sorry but are you seriously RECOMMENDING Metrowest??!! I understand they are getting better slowly, but they have the WORST DAYTIME crime in the area. I remember a nice, innocent man getting shot coming up to his apartment holding dinner for his wife, at their apartment. Among other needless crimes.

That area seems to have the most random, unsuspecting crime of all areas. I now work in the area and am scared to walk to my car after work.

[cux]

Can you give me some info about Howey in the hills, my husband may get a job there, but we don't necessarily have to live there. We have kids and are interested in nice neighborhoods were schools are good. Can you give us some feedback as to where would be good to live around that area. thank you

[Hyperbole]

What about the prices for housing in Howey in the hills?
Hyp!