What is so great about living in/near Orlando? Who loves or hates it & WHY? (Country Club: credit)

[bdpop]

Yes good post. One of the best ones I have read on this forum.

[kinglouix]

Originally Posted by Magnulus

Orange County is largely a dump. Aside from Winter Park/Maitland and downtown Orlando, there isn't much to talk about, it is just suburban sprawl, bad traffic, and too much crime. Lake Nona isn't too bad but there is very little there and if follows the rest of the county it'll be consumed by useless developement in time. I think the major business in Orange County has to be Amscott- they are everywhere. You could drop a neutron bomb on this area and I don't think the world would be worse for it. Glut of service industry froth (nail salons, chain restaurants, that sort of thing), not alot of real jobs that actually produce anything necessary.

Seminole County is somewhat better, and I'd rate Oviedo, Winter Springs, and Sanford at the top of the list for liveability. There is also more greenery. Casselberry is probably the ugliest city in Seminole County, and Altamonte Springs and Lake Mary aren't too far behind. But they are still better than most of the stuff in Orange County.

Osceola County? Well, it isn't as overgrown as Orange County but it also has very little to do there unless you are into the tourism industry. The commute to Orlando or Seminole County can be ridiculous, too, and vice versa.

Very well put, I think there is a group of people that can be categorized as "Orlando denialists" who go around fabricating niceties about Orlando so they don't appear stupid to their friends and families who told them, "don't move to that, grotesque urban sprawling, beachless, crime infested, traffic ridden, roach infested, melting pot of criminals." And that was before the taxes and cost of living became unmanageble. What's sad is these people are ruining other peoples lives under the misery loves company umbrella by saying things like, "there are other cities where the crime is as bad, maybe downtown will get better, you can avoid the crime if you know what your doing, The weather's nice for parts of December through March, maybe we won't have total grid lock in five years, some day it won't be a transient population." Please people get real!!!!

[frozennortherner]

I find it interesting how so many people are complaining about Orlando. Why don't you travel more outside the state and try freezing most of the fall and all of the winter. I feel like I have been hibernating the past months other than going to Orlando for 2 weeks in Feb. where I became alive again.

I have 2 friends that will be moving there in the next couple months.

I am in Bethlehem, PA which is about 1.5 hrs from Philly and NYC.

Both of these friends are getting pay raises in the Orlando Area. Also they are selling their homes here and able to buy far larger homes. One is buying a home in Maitland the other in Windemere.

And yes both of these families have visited the area over the past years and know what it is like.

My parents also bought a second home and live in Davenport after taking their motor home there for many years. My parents absolutely love it. They live in a breathtaking community on a golf course with lakes, fountains etc. They live their during the fall and winter months. My fathers health problems have gone away living there. He no longer has to suffer all winter with his lungs like he did for many years. My daughter has eczema and it started clearing up when we visited, but of course soon after coming back it has gotten worse.

As far as the traffic. I did get stuck on I4 for 2 hrs and it was a nightmare but I was trying to be cheap if I would of taken the toll road it would of only been a 45 minute drive.

We are considering moving down also with the cheap houses. Our homes here have gone way up because of all the people who work in New Jersey and NYC moving here to save money from the astronomical costs in NJ and NYC. I have a small 1200 sq. ft house and with my sale and about 30 to 50k more we should be able to buy a nice 2,000sq ft home. My wife is an RN and was offered numerous jobs. The benefits are not as good as her hospital now but the night differentials are far better. Here it is only an extra .75/ hr in Orlando she will get $3/hr more for 4 hours till 11 then $8/hr more for the last 8 hrs of her shift. Also she is almost done with her BSN and they will give her an extra $1/hr in Orlando here in PA NOTHING extra.

Maybe us Northerners are willing to work hard and less desirable shifts but there is a reward for that in Orlando. The nurse recruiters want hard workers. Here my wife is working her butt off in the hospital and that is what is expected. In Orlando if you do that you will be noticed.

[Wilshire81182]

Some people who post, you have to take with a grain of salt. There are several of us who have next to nothing to complain about =)
Orlando is not for everyone, but it is perfect for me!

[shadow1376]

Originally Posted by frozennortherner

I find it interesting how so many people are complaining about Orlando. Why don't you travel more outside the state and try freezing most of the fall and all of the winter. I feel like I have been hibernating the past months other than going to Orlando for 2 weeks in Feb. where I became alive again.

I have 2 friends that will be moving there in the next couple months.

I am in Bethlehem, PA which is about 1.5 hrs from Philly and NYC.

Both of these friends are getting pay raises in the Orlando Area. Also they are selling their homes here and able to buy far larger homes. One is buying a home in Maitland the other in Windemere.

And yes both of these families have visited the area over the past years and know what it is like.

My parents also bought a second home and live in Davenport after taking their motor home there for many years. My parents absolutely love it. They live in a breathtaking community on a golf course with lakes, fountains etc. They live their during the fall and winter months. My fathers health problems have gone away living there. He no longer has to suffer all winter with his lungs like he did for many years. My daughter has eczema and it started clearing up when we visited, but of course soon after coming back it has gotten worse.

As far as the traffic. I did get stuck on I4 for 2 hrs and it was a nightmare but I was trying to be cheap if I would of taken the toll road it would of only been a 45 minute drive.

We are considering moving down also with the cheap houses. Our homes here have gone way up because of all the people who work in New Jersey and NYC moving here to save money from the astronomical costs in NJ and NYC. I have a small 1200 sq. ft house and with my sale and about 30 to 50k more we should be able to buy a nice 2,000sq ft home. My wife is an RN and was offered numerous jobs. The benefits are not as good as her hospital now but the night differentials are far better. Here it is only an extra .75/ hr in Orlando she will get $3/hr more for 4 hours till 11 then $8/hr more for the last 8 hrs of her shift. Also she is almost done with her BSN and they will give her an extra $1/hr in Orlando here in PA NOTHING extra.

Maybe us Northerners are willing to work hard and less desirable shifts but there is a reward for that in Orlando. The nurse recruiters want hard workers. Here my wife is working her butt off in the hospital and that is what is expected. In Orlando if you do that you will be noticed.

Just be careful... it's easy to look at things through rose colored glasses when you're unhappy with your situation. If you have a lot of money to spend and can live in a golf course community or in wealthy areas like Windermere, you probably WILL be very happy. If you are middle or lower income family, Orlando is questionable in many areas (see my post on page 11). Happiness with where you live is not just about the weather.

[CURT]

There are people who will spend their entire lives searching for some perfect place and bit_cth the entire time until one day they are old or dead. It really is a matter of sh_it or get off the pot.
happiness has nothing to do with weather but sometimes it takes good weather to do things that make you happiest..I came here a long time ago and guess what,,,,,sometimes the grass really is greener.

[Fnix]

I don't like how much of forest and enviroment they cut to build things. But it comes with city growth.

[Wilshire81182]

i feel that way too. Filll some of the house before you build more!

[CMR6307]

Hi
We Are Thinking About Retiring Near Bithlo. Can Anyone Tell Me About That Area?
Thanks!

[CMR6307]

Between N Alafaya Tr And Bithlo