Are you looking to move to Orlando? One word: Don't! (Jacksonville: best city, low crime)

[eden71]

SinDonor, thanks for your honesty...what are your thoughts on Oviedo? For the most part I've heard good things about Seminole Co. regarding their school system, safety, etc.

[SinDonor]

Originally Posted by eden71

SinDonor, thanks for your honesty...what are your thoughts on Oviedo? For the most part I've heard good things about Seminole Co. regarding their school system, safety, etc.

I have a good friend still living in Oviedo. He seems to like it and he's got his family there. He's in a quiet neighborhood off of Aloma near the 417. He works as a manager in one of the local Publix.

Oviedo is definitely one of the better suburban areas of Orlando, with the only disadvantage being a long commute if you happen to work downtown, as the East-West roads are a mess during rush hour. If you work around Disney/I-Drive, then your commute is an easy 30-40-minute smooth drive down the 417, which is rarely backed-up.

[SinDonor]

Originally Posted by Web B. Rowser

I agree, a lot of the folks moving to different parts of the southeast are mostly the folks that you want staying in FL. And when many of the good folks leave, they are being replaced by folks that are, at times, not the people you wanna see doing the replacing.

Case-in-point: My immediate family.

My mother, sister and myself have all moved out of Orlando within the last 2 years. We're all educated, have upper-management jobs, and no criminal records. 6 years ago, we were all happy to be in O-town for its perks: Good weather, 1-hour drive to the beaches, cute (albeit small) downtown-area, etc. Now, due to the reasons I've listed in my previous posts, we've all gotten the heck outta Dodge.

O-town's not all bad, but, it looks like it is getting worse. I'm sure our failing economy will rectify the situation down there....oh no, wait...

[Jonotastic]

Originally Posted by SinDonor

Case-in-point: My immediate family.

My mother, sister and myself have all moved out of Orlando within the last 2 years. We're all educated, have upper-management jobs, and no criminal records. 6 years ago, we were all happy to be in O-town for its perks: Good weather, 1-hour drive to the beaches, cute (albeit small) downtown-area, etc. Now, due to the reasons I've listed in my previous posts, we've all gotten the heck outta Dodge.

O-town's not all bad, but, it looks like it is getting worse. I'm sure our failing economy will rectify the situation down there....oh no, wait...

I disagree, the area around one of our houses in Dr. Phillips is getting better every year. We just got a nice organic Whole Foods store. The streets are still beautifully landscaped. Our neighbors are very friendly. Road improvements are actually being completed. If you live in Crime Hills (Pine Hills), then yes I can understand...good people are moving out of there for a reason. To say Orlando as a whole is loosing good people is just an opinion and not justified. They are moving to Dr. Phillips, Windermere, Heathrow, Lake Nona etc.

[DailyJournalist]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

They are moving to Dr. Phillips, Windermere, Heathrow, Lake Nona etc.

Offcourse people are still moving to the areas you mentioned. Those are the most expensive and exclusive areas of the Orlando metro.

[SinDonor]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

I disagree, the area around one of our houses in Dr. Phillips is getting better every year. We just got a nice organic Whole Foods store. The streets are still beautifully landscaped. Our neighbors are very friendly. Road improvements are actually being completed. If you live in Crime Hills (Pine Hills), then yes I can understand...good people are moving out of there for a reason. To say Orlando as a whole is loosing good people is just an opinion and not justified. They are moving to Dr. Phillips, Windermere, Heathrow, Lake Nona etc.

Disagree all you want, but the criminal element that has grown in Orlando since 2003, according to City-Data.com. Also, those neighborhoods you've mentioned are not the majority of Orlando. Those are the smaller, upper-class areas that your average Orlando family cannot afford on their median *household* income of $44K.

My sister lived in College Park, I lived in a gated condo near Sea World, and my mom lived in Winter Park. All of which are good neighborhoods. But we didn't stay there all the time, we actually left the safety of our fortresses to try to enjoy what O-town had to offer.

That's what people like you don't understand. Whoopideedoo that Dr.Phillips is nice. Do you NEVER leave your property to go to a Magic game, or to go shopping at the Florida Mall or to walk around Lake Eola at night? If so, then you will get your chance to mingle with the criminal element.

The only bright spot is that in 2007, crime did decrease a tiny bit, and the employment rate did go up a fraction as well (which are good signs). What's a bad sign is that the murder count for 2008 was worse than 2007 for Orlando.

[mrFlaBound]

new member here...
i just read through all 17 pages of this as someone who is considering moving to Orlando (and for the OP, doing my own research, thanks) and this was honestly the most redundant and uninformative 17 pages i've ever read.
Each argument said by both sides is mainly set on opinion, and the whole thread never needed to happen. The OP could have done the same job by just responding to the many posts i've seen from people who are thinking of moving, and done the same job. Some people are always sunshiners about an area, others are gloom and doomers, others are fair and impartial...you obvioulsy are completely a gloom and doomer about orlando, but i've read some other things on here I can't believe in the other way either.
Again, as the OP said and he should have let people follow that advice, or simply said it as that
"Do your own research" and this shouldn't be just for Orlando, but for all areas...getting opinions is great and I plan to do it, but I'll be damned if the opinion of people I don't know and very well will never know on a forum will factor heavily in my decision.

[SinDonor]

You actually read through all 17 pages eventhough you'll "be damned if the opinion of people you don't know very well will factor heavily in your decision"?

Sounds like a big waste of time to me. Here's a better idea: How about you use City-Data.com to compare Orlando, Orange County and Seminole County with other major metro areas in our country and form an opinion from that? Might have taken you 3 minutes of your time, and woulda spared you having to write some post in this thread about how you don't care about other people's opinions.

On that note, why even read and reply to a thread about people's opinions since you think they're bunk? Opinions are neither right or wrong, unless you are supporting your opinions with facts or fiction. I like sharing my opinions with people when I can base them on personal experiences and facts. Lucky for me, City-Data is full of facts about the opinions I brought up in this thread.

You want to ignore Orlando's rising crime rate? Go ahead. You don't care that Florida's schools are some of the worst and most underfunded in the nation? No problem. You have no issues with the increased amount of traffic while it takes Orlando 10 years to complete an overpass? Fine. That's your perogative.

My point of starting this thread was to let unknowledgable people, who are planning on moving to Orlando b/c they think it's as safe and fun as Disneyland, know that all is not right over there. I'm not going to wait in this message board everyday for every new post from potential Orlando newbies asking if O-town's a good place to live. The only reason I reply to this thread "often" is because it's linked to my account and I get notices when there's a new post in the thread.

But, I look forward to your next reply to this thread, because it will keep it fresh and more new people to the message board will see it!

[mrFlaBound]

first off, oh intelligent one...

keyword in that was "HEAVILY" ... I enjoy any message board for any place or product for opinions, rather than press releases and magazine articles.
It was a bit of a waste of time, but I was hoping to see something new, and by that, reading threads, I just get some inside notes, yet as I said, i'll still look at places myself, etc etc, but may know someone's opinion in the back of my head, or know a nice restaurant etc.
I was replying because this has been 17 pages of people who don't lock their doors or used to, and then the people who need a gun to not get shot daily it seems, the opinions are opinions, I understand that, and respect them. As to your personal experiences, i'm sorry to hear about them, but those can also happen anywhere, at anytime, its called life

I'm not ignoring the rising crime rate, but i'm willing to do my own research as said, and try to understand how those numbers are found, and compare how it could be different from other cities, and i'm sure i'll understand better.
Your point of this thread may have been to help unknowledgeable people, but how about letting people make their own opinions? Ask their own questions? And not get annoyed (like at me) when someone challenges you? Were likely all adults here and have made moves and large decisions in their life, and you shouldn't allow a person like me to annoy you, as I obviously have.

Enjoy Seattle though, my cousin seems to love it there.

[Jonotastic]

Originally Posted by SinDonor

Disagree all you want, but the criminal element that has grown in Orlando since 2003, according to City-Data.com. Also, those neighborhoods you've mentioned are not the majority of Orlando. Those are the smaller, upper-class areas that your average Orlando family cannot afford on their median *household* income of $44K.

My sister lived in College Park, I lived in a gated condo near Sea World, and my mom lived in Winter Park. All of which are good neighborhoods. But we didn't stay there all the time, we actually left the safety of our fortresses to try to enjoy what O-town had to offer.

That's what people like you don't understand. Whoopideedoo that Dr.Phillips is nice. Do you NEVER leave your property to go to a Magic game, or to go shopping at the Florida Mall or to walk around Lake Eola at night? If so, then you will get your chance to mingle with the criminal element.

The only bright spot is that in 2007, crime did decrease a tiny bit, and the employment rate did go up a fraction as well (which are good signs). What's a bad sign is that the murder count for 2008 was worse than 2007 for Orlando.

lol going to the Florida Mall...are you serious?? Have you ever left Orlando and actually traveled to a city that is dangerous. Most of Orlando crime is concentrated in the ghettos, which consist of mostly run down houses and trailers. Tangelo Park etc. Florida Mall is tourist central with British tourists and their 5 little kids. If you are seriously afraid of going to the Florida Mall, how would you survive in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago or NYC. That is a joke! lol. Please tell me how many stadiums are located in the good part of the city. New Orleans? lol NO, Monster Park (SF 49ers)? etc. Lake Eola is in the same area. Downtown Orlando along with almost every single city in the South lack thriving downtowns. Have you ever been to downtown Atlanta late at night? What about downtown Los Angeles? lol seriously. You would probally **** your pants if you are scared at Lake Eola.

Trust me I probally have triple the experience than you. I've lived all across the United States and overseas. Open your eyes and you will realize Orlando is like Disney World compared to major cities around the US. Almost all of the areas that are crime ridden, if you don't live there, there is no reason to go there. If you live in San Francisco, you don't go to Richmond. Try walking in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. Don't talk to me about "never leaving my fortress" the fact you think going to see a Magic Game or going shopping at the Florida Mall is a dangerous outing...wow...all i can say...wow.