Orlando ranks #4 of places Americans want to live most... (short sales, real estate)

[Wilshire81182]

Originally Posted by bostontoorlando

I moved to Orlando recently and like it quite a bit. I find people here to be quite friendly, for what its worth.

I'm visiting New Orleans tonight for business and met some residents- they love it here despite the problems (high crime/unemployment/low wages etc.,) and are from families that have spent several generations here. A larger portion of Orlando's population is relatively new and there is not as many with allegiance to the place, or not in its current form, which has evolved rapidly over the last few decades. The sense of place and identity is still evolving here and will for quite some time. I can understand how people might not like a different Orlando from that which they identified with some years ago. Orlando is a work in progress but has many strong underlying fundamentals that bodes well for the years ahead.

I agree. Very well put. Orlando is definitely evolving as you put it and growing with the growing pains.

[Wilshire81182]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

Speaking of crime...I never once took down my radar detector or iPod player when I parked my car. In the Bay Area, you'd be crazy not to.

I also just want to warn you about this. When my family was in town, I left my GPS on my dash for about 15 minutes while I ran in and got my family out of their hotel in Lake Buena Vista to go to dinner. One of the resort security guards was waiting out by my car until I came back (which was very nice for one) and warned me that there was a rash of smash and grabs and to be careful leaving those types of items in the car. I would hate to see your property damaged, so just be careful. Even if you perceive that your property is safer here than the Bay area, you should still be cautious since you are in a major metro area.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

There is a difference...first hand experience living in both areas for over 2 years. There aren't many street walkers for one in Orlando. Everyone drives. There aren't many homeless people, especially around grocery stores or malls. Everything is spread out in Orlando. You get my point.

Burglars have cars too. I'm not trying to be decisive, but just saying that it really does happen in Orlando. A parking lot acutally provides a lot of places for a burglar to hide.

[Concrete Mixer]

You have to be careful, and should lock your doors wherever you may be.

[Jonotastic]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Burglars have cars too. I'm not trying to be decisive, but just saying that it really does happen in Orlando. A parking lot acutally provides a lot of places for a burglar to hide.

I understand, but I'm talking about the likely hood. Anything is possible, anywhere in the world. It is still possible to have your car broken into in Orlando, but the chances of that happening are much lower than for example the Bay Area. You don't have as many desperate people especially homeless walking around. In Orlando you can sort of better your chances by looking at the neighborhood you are in. If you have dinner at Seasons 52 in Dr. Phillips, you don't really have much to worry about versus parking in Crime Hills. Where in San Francisco, you could park in Nob Hill (one of the most expensive areas), but have a much greater chance of being broken into because homeless are everywhere, there aren't security SUV's patrolling because it's public property etc. The tenderloin isn't less than a mile away...Dr. Phillips to Tangelo Park or Pine Hills are not even walking distance. Maybe I was just lucky in Orlando and unlucky in San Francisco. However, from my experience it's more than luck, I know many friends who had their cars broken into in San Francisco and have no friends in Orlando who have had their car broken into. People live in the suburbs for a reason, it's usually common knowledge that you are safer in the suburbs than living in a downtown atmosphere. It doesn't really matter to me, I'm young, I'd rather be in the action and take that risk, but to some people especially with families this is a reason why Orlando (suburbia) appeals to them.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

I understand, but I'm talking about the likely hood. Anything is possible, anywhere in the world. It is still possible to have your car broken into in Orlando, but the chances of that happening are much lower than for example the Bay Area. You don't have as many desperate people especially homeless walking around. In Orlando you can sort of better your chances by looking at the neighborhood you are in. If you have dinner at Seasons 52 in Dr. Phillips, you don't really have much to worry about versus parking in Crime Hills. Where in San Francisco, you could park in Nob Hill (one of the most expensive areas), but have a much greater chance of being broken into because homeless are everywhere, there aren't security SUV's patrolling because it's public property etc. The tenderloin isn't less than a mile away...Dr. Phillips to Tangelo Park or Pine Hills are not even walking distance. Maybe I was just lucky in Orlando and unlucky in San Francisco. However, from my experience it's more than luck, I know many friends who had their cars broken into in San Francisco and have no friends in Orlando who have had their car broken into. People live in the suburbs for a reason, it's usually common knowledge that you are safer in the suburbs than living in a downtown atmosphere. It doesn't really matter to me, I'm young, I'd rather be in the action and take that risk, but to some people especially with families this is a reason why Orlando (suburbia) appeals to them.

A lot of it is also perception, but point well taken. I guess it's my luck to have my car burglarized in the suburbs three times (once in Lawrenceville, GA, once in Huntersville, NC, and once right here in Weston, but I forgot to lock my door).

[ngrome]

Originally Posted by blueoktober

National survey ranks Orlando 4th most popular city in U.S. -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Must be attracted to all the crime, rude people, and traffic! </sarcasm>

How could I have guessed that you'd post something like this. I thought the same thing, that Orlando was a wonderful place to live in, til I actually moved here. I actually don't mind news like this is being passed around, so it'll help when I finally post that For Sale sign out in the front yard. It actually won't keep me moving back to where I'm going, which is right now somewhere even -3 to 15 degrees, but the cold weather won't keep me from going back. It's a miracle I lasted her 10 years, but I'm am now counting the days, with each day passes, the closer I am to going home. Three years is just not coming fast enough.

[ngrome]

Originally Posted by blueoktober

This is very true - in cities like San Fran or Chicago everyone walks or takes public transportation. One thing I hated about Chicago is they have a 3" rule that when it snows more than 3" on residential streets you have to move your car or it will be towed. I digress.... When you live in a walkable city the chances for car theft or vandalization is MUCH higher than a city where everyone drives.

One thing no one can dispute, Orlando is a clean and beautiful city. They spend more on landscaping than they should, but it makes a difference.

This reminds me of the time when I moved away from Chicago to San Bernardino, CA. When I finally arrived at San Berdoo, I asked the gas station attendant, so where's this city, San Bernardino? He said, son, you're right in it! I was looking for any semblance of skyscrapers, etc. and the tallest building was a hotel, LOL!

Now, Orlando, I think either the county building or a bank is one the tallest buildings, right? I could even count the structures as I see the skyline over 408, about 13-14 of them, LOL.

I can see why you love Orlando and hate Chicago, we're the total opposite. I will agree with you that Orlando is clean, but based that's given the fact how many people actually occupy the streets, compared to those who walk in NY or Chicago? Chicago is pretty clean for a city of it's magnitude. And NY has cleaned up quite a bit as well. I sort of equate Orlando to a town like Indianapolis, not really a city, even though some would like to think of it that way.

[Wilshire81182]

"Not really a city" ... is a judgement statement and not a fact.
I love Chicago from visits, haven't actually lived there and I love Orlando.
I realize they are very different and Chicago and New York are both exponentially larger than Orlando. It has nothing to do with being a real city and more about when the cities were founded, built and experience massive urban growth. SunBelt cities will never be really the same as the older northern cities but that does not make them "fake". I think Chicago was very clean when I went, I was really impressed. I thought NY was disgustingly dirty when I went, but it was about 8 years ago that I went.

[blueoktober]

Originally Posted by ngrome

This reminds me of the time when I moved away from Chicago to San Bernardino, CA. When I finally arrived at San Berdoo, I asked the gas station attendant, so where's this city, San Bernardino? He said, son, you're right in it! I was looking for any semblance of skyscrapers, etc. and the tallest building was a hotel, LOL!

Now, Orlando, I think either the county building or a bank is one the tallest buildings, right? I could even count the structures as I see the skyline over 408, about 13-14 of them, LOL.

I can see why you love Orlando and hate Chicago, we're the total opposite. I will agree with you that Orlando is clean, but based that's given the fact how many people actually occupy the streets, compared to those who walk in NY or Chicago? Chicago is pretty clean for a city of it's magnitude. And NY has cleaned up quite a bit as well. I sort of equate Orlando to a town like Indianapolis, not really a city, even though some would like to think of it that way.

I never said I hate Chicago. Way to take a sentence out of context and run with it. Chicago is my favorite city in the world and if it weren't so cold I would move back in a heart beat. Chicago is absolutely stunning downtown and is very clean....and IMO, it is safe as well. Many people say Chicago is horrible just like the people try to paint Orlando. My experiences there were when I was in College and would do really stupid things like walk home 10 blocks at 2 in the morning. Never had any issues. I gained street smarts - and that's why it's a joke to me when people say Orlando is so dangerous.

If a city means having a large skyline, then duh, Orlando isn't a city in your eyes. Downtown Schaumburg is bigger than Orlando. I know that. Hell, even Naperville is bigger...but still, it's comparing Apples to Oranges. People ask me why I walk so fast everywhere I am going and it's because that was what I was used to in Chicago trying to catch my train or just keeping up with the crowd. Orlando is pretty, it is laid back (where I live), it's got everything I need in a place to live. It also has this for millions of others.

It just sounds so disgruntled when people blame Orlando for not having tons of skyscrapers - how hard was it to find that out before you moved here? If skyscrapers make a city then who on Earth would choose Orlando? In fact up until 2005 or so Orlando had about only 5 sky scrapers... Hell my apartment in Streeterville In Chicago was on th e 63rd floor - taller than any building here.