Orlando suburbs (Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Pine Hills: sex offenders, crimes, new home)

[FiremanDud]

I was born in Orlando and lived there ever since. It's really starting to get very bad. I've grown to hate it, it has forced me and my family to move out of state to find afforabable housing. Like someone said before, you need at least 260K to find something o.k to live in. I have all my family here and it's making me leave them just so I can call a place my own. I work for the goverment and I can't even live where I work. I would have to drive 45min to 1hr just to find a place that I could afford in some small town that has nothing to do but watch t.v. This place was the place to be about 25-30 years ago when my family moved here but now it's that place to move away from. I should be able to find a place where I work but you need to be wealthy.

[pianogal]

on the southeast side of Orlando - Waterford Lakes/Stoneybrook East/Avalon Park are the larger subdivisions in my area. And yes, we do love it - quiet, peaceful - lots of families and we never hear of any crime - when we're at home it's like we're living in the woods, but the area has all the shopping, restaurants, etc. within a short distance.

For instance, where I usually shop there is a Walmart Neighborhood Market, a Lowe's and a Home Depot a block apart, a BJ's, Ross, Target, T.J. Maxx, Old Navy, American Eagle, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Circuit City, Best Buy, Kohls, Bath and Body Works, Kirkland's, Bombay Company, Barnes and Noble, L.A. Fitness and lots more. Restaurants are Red Lobster, Smokey Bones, Johnny Rockets, Panera, California Pizza, Crispers, Longhorn Steakhouse,
Romano's Macaroni Grill, TGI Fridays and many more. All of this within 3-4 blocks.

The schools are all A schools. In fact, a good friend of mine is the music teacher at the elementary school. She transferred there from another Orange County School and feels like she's in heaven here. She says the children are smart and well-behaved, she has a huge budget for anything she needs and more parental support than she ever imagined was possible.

I lived in Winter Park before and although it was a beautiful area and the schools there were good, there was much more crime and terrible traffic. Because we are in a new area, the roads are multilane and the traffic flows much better than in some of the older areas with narrow streets. You can also get MUCH more house here than in Seminole County or Winter Park. In Winter Park most of the homes were built at least 30+ years ago and are small ranch houses with low ceilings, small, cramped closed off rooms, etc.
That's mostly what you'll find in any area closer to town.

[backtofla]

toojays!!! good place to eat!!!

[FLmomof2]

Toojays is one place I would definitely miss if we moved! Breakfast is YUMMY!

[pianogal]

We've never tried Toojays. I'm always a little hesitant to try new restaurants if I haven't heard anything about them. Now I have the scoop and we'll plan to try it out soon!

[yellowsmileyface]

Someone said crime in Winter Park is bad. I live here and I don't think so at all. Stay out of Pine Hills and MetroWest. If you've heard about there being a lot of murders this year, the majority of them are in this area. I don't ever remember there being a murder in Winter Park.

Traffic is bad in all of Central Florida, but Winter Park has everything. I don't ever have to venture out to I-4, but if you live in Seminole (Lk Mary, Sanford, Altamonte Springs), how else would you get downtown? It is quite a commute.

[over florida]

Stay away from Orlando, very high housing costs, traffic is terrible and all of the burbs are getting to be the same way. We live in the Clermont area which used to be beautiful and quiet and now is just as bad as Orlando.

[curiousfromnj]

PLEASE check your private mail...
THX

[curiousfromnj]

Hi RedWingsFan!

I was reading your post and you seam like you know about Orlando are.

Would you mind please telling me more about SW area of Orlando? West of Intl' Airport and FL/RR Turnpike, or Orange Blossom Trail!. On the google.maps (satellite) it looks like it's nothing there and yet on the Web you can find apartments there. Is it maybe new development?
How is that are for the family? I am 24 and my husband is 50, we have 3y old baby girl so we would like something on a quiet side, but not too far away from the city or other attraction.
BTW we are moving from NJ due to HIGH living expenses. Is it worthed? We are currently paying $1600 for 2B/1B apt!!!

Thanks I really appreciate any thoughts.

[deboart93]

I was born in Miami and lived there until i was 18, then i moved to Orlando I've been here for about 3 yrs now and i have to tell you that if you come form somewhere like miami that is actually a big city and probably las vegas you will not find Orlando to be a busy city, you will not find it expensive, and you will think there is no traffic. My advice to you is that you can find nice places in Orlando with good schools, mostly in Seminole County. The reason i don't suggest the south east coast (i.e. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, etc..)is because it is twice as busy as orlando and twice as expensive but as for hurricanes your just as likely to get them anywhere nowadays, where before they were more likely along the coast. I'm looking to move out of florida in a few years because i predict Orlando will become just like South East florida and so on. Right now anything central or above would probably be nice but in 5 more years i'm not so sure.