My heart breaks for Orlando. (Miami, Tampa: real estate, property taxes, fsbo)

[RobinRS]

I know that many people still love Orlando, God, I still have that "love" for Orlando and I don't want to sound like I'm only dwelling on the bad things that are happening there. This is my story.

I fell in love with Orlando in 1968 while visiting relatives during spring break. I'm originally from NW Indiana. Grew up very close to wonderful Lake Michigan. I always dreamed that someday I could possiby live in that beautiful little town in Florida. I had been to Tampa and Coral Gables in Miami to see other relatives, but Orlando..just had that something.

Years went by. I moved around a lot in the military. Went to different countries and have absolutely no fear or discomfort of multiculturism. In 1997 I met a man from South Florida and decided to move in with him ( uh, we're very progressive and although I could say he is my husband, we aren't really crazy about "marriage". ), so I guess I'll call him my SO.

Down through the years I had two or three chances to visit Orlando and I fell in love even more because I was raised on The Mickey Mouse Club! Disney World was like heaven to me. Now I know this is just a matter of perception, a fantasy, if you will, but I had it bad. Orlando, even before the Mouse and all the attractions felt like the place I should be. I felt "centered" there.

Uh, this is too long, sorry. Anyway, my SO has a good paying job here in SoFlo and we knew we woud have to wait until he retires to even think about moving to Orlando. Believe me, I made the 3+ hour drive "up north" several times to get my "fix".

In 2001 I found out I had an illness that isn't exactly life threatening, but could cause problems. My sweetheart set me up with an apartment..I'll even tell you where..Plantation Park Apt. right off Lake Buena Vista on I-4. I was one exit away from the Animal Kingdom exit that takes you to my favorite place, TYPHOON LAGOON! He wanted to make sure I got to live in Orlando just for awhile. My main objective was to be very close to Disney World and I got the first apartment I looked at. Had done some research and the neighborhood seemed reasonably safe. I signed a 7 month lease one week before September 11, 2001.


Well, I got to see Disney World without the crowds. It was a very surreal feeling. I had planned on working while I was there to help pay for the apartment and I realized..what awful timing. Guess what? Disney hired me in December. LOL!! I only wanted to work there for the fun of it and I was in HEAVEN. I never for one moment felt unsafe in my apartment. I ended up staying there for 15 months. I would drive around Orlando in a daze of happiness that I had finally made it to the place of my dreams.

I've read what people have said about working at Disney and I agree with a bunch of it. I was worked to death. Didn't help my physical problem much...actually, I am now on disability. But, I won't totally blame Disney for that. heh It was a very rough job though. I also thought they used the college program kids as almost slave labor. Pile a bunch of them in apartments, make them pay more rent than would normally be paid..and well, it was ugly. Most of the kids loved it, though. Spirits were always high because it was LIKE ONE BIG VACATION. Sorry for the caps, but, honestly, most of my coworkers and people all around were very happy to be in Orlando. Is Disney a ruthless corporation? You betcha. But, there a lot of people who got into Disney years ago, worked up or had connections, whichever, and wouldn't trade their jobs for any in the world.

I had to move back to SoFLo December 31st, 2002, hoping that someday, SOON, I could get back there. Since 2000 or so, especially from that time until now, we have had 12 MILLION illegal immigrants come into this country. That is an invasion. The people need work desperately and our government opened up the gates and let them in. This was done purposely, but I won't go into that. Most are here to work and send money home, to start a new life, to do good, BUT, they are here illegally. There is also a small percentage that are here to join gangs, to make stealing, drug dealing, prostitution all the crimes you can think of, a cottage industry.

These illegal immigrants along with some who are not, I'm sure, are organized, focused and they know when new people move into a neighborhood, who has what, who goes where...I mean it really is a nightmare. I've heard this from several people I know from the area and most of this has happened since I left. Crime was always there, just like in any growing city, but this is exponential and devastating.

Just recently my SO was thinking that we could get a second home "up north" a bit above the Orlando area. I think he is only thinking about this for me, but he is also thinking about hurricanes that are usually worse on areas on the coast, although 2004 proved that to be not entirely true and the fact that insurance and taxes have gone crazy down here. Plus, to be honest, I have hated SoFlo since the first day I moved here. Sorry, South Floridians who might be reading this. I wanted Orlando.

Well, I've been listening to friends, reading many sites, not only this one, realizing that this illegal immigrant problem is not going to go away, only get worse...oh, by the way, I had wanted to move to Canada briefly when I was very disappointed in what was going on with this administration and guess what? They had too many Americans applying for citizenship. LOL!! Point being, I wouldn't go to Canada illegally, or Germany, or France. I mean at some point I would have to realize I was doing something illegal and I didn't speak the language, at least on the last two.

Oh, it's just a mess. I was going to live my last few years in the Orlando area. It was all planned out. But, I don't want to live in fear every day. It's just heart breaking that's all. I know there are places you can go, especially because this would be retirement and good jobs wouldn't be the deciding factor. Money isn't even that big a deal. I just don't want to live where I'm afraid. Not this late in life.

Maybe I'm all wrong about this. We're still thinking of looking at the Mt. Dora area, he has an old friend there, but I know how this sociological phenomenom usually works out. The problems, for whatever reason they are happening, will keep spreading out to outlying areas. Crime is a business. Sadly, along with the crime the forecast of hurricanes that can wipe out a whole portion of the state at any time, the heat, which I have never really gotten used to, I'm realizing my Orlando, Florida dream is just about over.

With tears in my heart, because I loved it with all my heart, I think we will be moving out of state.

Thanks for letting me vent...not that you had a choice.

[Prichard]

Ok, I'm going to bring a little reality to this picture. I have lived in Orlando since the early 60's. I remember Orlando in 1968 - pre Disney. It didn't look that much different than many parts of Central Florida still look today. In fact, if you want to know sort of what Orlando looked like in the '60's Just drive out to Deland, west Deland, DeLeon Springs, the Ocala Nat. Forest, etc.

With one exception. We no longer have miles of Orange Groves. I'm sure some of the tourists that visited here when Orlando was nothing but orange groves somehow miss them. I don't. I grew up in the middle of orange groves. Orange trees are not pretty trees. It was the grove owners, not developers, that cleared tons of big beautiful oaks and other trees to plant their citrus trees. Tons of chemicals are sprayed on them. The rotting fruit attracts hoards of rodents. Drunk migrant workers worked the groves, leaving behind tons of beer cans and liquor bottles. They were also used for illegal dumping. And, after picking season was over, the processing plants filled the air with the thick sweet smell of burnt oranges. If you've lived here, you know the smell (not as bad as wood pulp, but still sickening.)

The rural parts of Orlando that weren't Orange Groves were covered with ugly palmettos, sand spurs, cactus, and other ugly low vegitation. There was nothing beautiful about these scrubby areas. It was always hot as hell in the summer.

The one thing I do miss is the lakes. You used to be able to get your boat on just about any lake and they weren't crowded. Now, forget it. Sure, there are some public boat ramps, just no parking. And some of the lakes aren't as clean as they once were. However, other lakes are cleaner because the Grove Owners no longer dump fertilizer and pesticides by the tons into the lakes.

Central Florida is not, nor ever was, some beautiful paridse. At best it had some attractive features like lakes, springs, and was close to the beaches. Sometimes, I wonder what people think they saw when they came to Florida in the '60's.

[Nirvana-Guy]

I feel for Orlando too.

THis formerly WONDERFUL town is now run down and a dump for illegal aliens and corrup real estate people.

Thank God I am gone from this city. It is going to the toilet.... hope someone flushes it.

[RobinRS]

Prichard, I agree with what you said. In fact, I didn't see all that much of Orlando when I visited in '68. I remember my cousin driving me around somewhere and there were these beautiful trees, but it was a "feeling" that I have never been able to explain. I had great trees in Indiana. It wasn't really scenery from what I remember. But you are most definitely correct about me over romanticizing Orlando. Yep. I did.

My SO said that it used to a bunch of orange groves down here also. Now they've paved over every square inch of SoFlo. There is a golf course right behind our house that was destroyed by Wilma and they want to put houses there. Well, they did until this housing down turn. Now, I don't know.

I get in sad moods and I post strange stuff. I'm still not sure I won't end up somewhere up there. I know the SO is now saying he can make more money in Georgia if I've given up on the Orlando area.

I've read a lot of your posts NirvanaGuy. I know you really, really hate Orlando. I sure hope you find some Nirvana where you have decided to live...I mean that. I'm not being facetious.

BTW, the place I sold to come down here was a acre or so on a river..all paid for, large two car garage out building, sheds, fruit trees, sycamore trees......very rural, slow paced. Had my own well for water and a large cellar that my Mom used to store canned foods she made from her garden. It was in NC Indiana and I called it my sanctuary. It was her place and she left it to me. What did I do? Sold it and moved to Florida.

Florida is a beautiful, amazing state. I'm sure it will survive anything that comes it's way. Saying that, I deeply wish that I would have come down here for a one or two year visit and gone back to Indiana. Hey, I think homes are really cheap up there right now. No one wants to live there. Ha! Florida is still a draw for many people and I hope they all have great experiences here. I don't really want to be as critical as I came off, but I was critical and I guess I'll stand by what I said, even though I DO KNOW there are a lot of great things about the Sunshine State...and Orlando.

[Jammie]

Robin, that was a beautiful post.

[Nirvana-Guy]

Robin,

I do NOT really hate Orlando. I hate what Orlando has become. Orlando is MY TOWN. I grew up here. I enjoyed high school here andf raced cars with friends at the track in (yuck) Bithlo all the time.

Orlando WAS wonderful. I am ANGRY that illegal aliens and disrespectful northern people from NY, NJ, CT, and MA have done to MY TOWN!!

I am sick and tired of the violent crime in Orlando. It was NOT always like this. The city was once safe.

I am sick and tired of the aggressive drivers and rude people in grocery stores and banks. Native Floridians and southern people are WONDERFUL people... it is the rude aliens and rude NYC and Masschussetts people who have made it so unfriendly.

I am sick and tired of jobs paying less and less in Orlando due to the over-abundance of people.

I am sick and tired of raising rent costs, high HOA fees, high property taxes, extremely high car and home insurance costs.

So I am done feeling sorry for Orlando. I am ANGRY this formerly wonderful town has been ruined by disrespectful and illegal people.

I am sorry I am venting like this. I have had my fill of watching this place to Hell in a handbasket. My town is a piece of **** now. And it makes me angry!! I can deal with the heat and the bugs, but seeing this town go to the toilet makes me really mad!! GRRRRRR....

Go OrlandoFloridaSucks.com --> you are telling the truth! Orlando NOW sucks.

[Dalt10]

I still want to know how the criminals know how to stop from going into Lake Mary. Is there a sign that tells them not to come in there? They are everywhere around central Florida except Lake Mary. Is there gaurds on every street? Or do they know not to mess with Lake Mary people and cops? I can't figure that one out yet.

[RobinRS]

Hey Jammie! Thanks!

Nirvana-Guy..I apologize. I've read too many of your posts surfing this board to make the kind of blanket statement I made. Believe me, I do understand what you are saying. I try to look at underlying causes for social behaviour and I try very hard not to make assumptions based on people of color or ethnicity. The town where I grew up had a horrible thing called white flight take over and what was once a picture card perfect little city on the outer edge of a big city, into an area that was full of crime and, well, it just changed practically over night. So, I've seen this before and I'm saddened that instead people of different races and colors trying to meld together and form a great diverse neighborhood, the change in current and past culture happens too quickly and all kinds of bad things start happening.

This is probably one of the big problems with a city like Orlando. It's a great destination for many people. It's just impossible for so many thousands of people who speak a different language to come into an area that has mostly low paying jobs and smoothly assimilate into the society. When I lived in Germany, I didn't learn to speak German. And I had gotten straight A's in high school German class. I didn't have to learn because I was stationed there with fellow military personnel and we stuck together. That's what's happening with a lot of the legal and illegal immigrants. There are so many of them that they have their own everything and they don't feel a need to learn English. Down here, I hear several different languages everytime I go to the grocery store. It was hard to get used to at first and if I was younger and healthier I would have spent more time on trying to learn at least a few phrases in all of them. I envy people who speak Spanish and other languages and English!

It's pretty obvious our main problem is crime and rightly so. It's no fun having to constantly be on watch and hope that if you go to work or just out for awhile that you don't come home to an "emptied" house or apartment. I don't have that many friends left up in the Orlando area and everyone of them had told me they've had at least one break-in. The ones in apartments have said that it has happened with no obvious break-in. In other words, someone is using a key. Several think some apartment complexes are not paying enough attention to who they are hiring and people who work there who have access to keys, have easy access to your apartment.


Plantation Park used to have a bolted lock that did not have a key entrance from the outside. So at least when you're home you feel relatively safe. They've changed that now. The place has all new locks that you have to have two keys for. One for the deadbolt lock. I almost moved back there a few months ago, but I actually chickened out when I saw this.

I could be exaggerating everything concerning crime. I don't know.

Dalt10, I suppose criminals still go for the easiest targets. I know that we don't live in a completely crime free area down here, but we have two big barking dogs and I think that helps some. Matter of fact, crime is terrible down here...don't know why I keep complaining about Orlando. Maybe it's because SoFlo didn't change quite as fast as Orlando seems to have.

JR82!!! Wonderful things to say about Orlando!! I'm house sitting in Port St. Lucie this week and you made me want to take a quick ride up there and visit! Maybe play in the wave machine at Typhoon Lagoon!

Right now I'm going to go jump in my friend's pool and enjoy this very nice Florida day.

[GOODTOGO]

Hello: I moved from So.Florida almost 2 years ago to Central Florida and can't believe how far behind the times this so called Orlando is. All they have is I-4. The heat is Brutal compared to the south and, yes, there are many illegals here just like SoFla. I miss the weather and all the ez accesses to the intrastates however, I don't miss the language of Spanish, but it is more so here. Bottom line, there is no escaping it. One post said that working for Disney World is like working for the gastapos. As for the Real Estate Market, it bites. Nothing is moving; unless you give it away...we sold our So.Fla. home in 48 hrs. by FSBO in 2005 and realize that will NEVER happen again. It will come back again, but when is the question.

[TravelingDude]

Mine too.... my Orlando has gone to the dumps. It is so sad that if i didn't have relatives living nearby, i would never go back. Just seeing my poor city 'suffering' like this breaks my heart and brings tears to my eyes. The crime, the traffic, the anger, the urbal sprawl.... Someone please save whatever is left of this formerly wbeautiful town....

Originally Posted by RobinRS

I know that many people still love Orlando, God, I still have that "love" for Orlando and I don't want to sound like I'm only dwelling on the bad things that are happening there. This is my story.

I fell in love with Orlando in 1968 while visiting relatives during spring break. I'm originally from NW Indiana. Grew up very close to wonderful Lake Michigan. I always dreamed that someday I could possiby live in that beautiful little town in Florida. I had been to Tampa and Coral Gables in Miami to see other relatives, but Orlando..just had that something.

Years went by. I moved around a lot in the military. Went to different countries and have absolutely no fear or discomfort of multiculturism. In 1997 I met a man from South Florida and decided to move in with him ( uh, we're very progressive and although I could say he is my husband, we aren't really crazy about "marriage". ), so I guess I'll call him my SO.

Down through the years I had two or three chances to visit Orlando and I fell in love even more because I was raised on The Mickey Mouse Club! Disney World was like heaven to me. Now I know this is just a matter of perception, a fantasy, if you will, but I had it bad. Orlando, even before the Mouse and all the attractions felt like the place I should be. I felt "centered" there.

Uh, this is too long, sorry. Anyway, my SO has a good paying job here in SoFlo and we knew we woud have to wait until he retires to even think about moving to Orlando. Believe me, I made the 3+ hour drive "up north" several times to get my "fix".

In 2001 I found out I had an illness that isn't exactly life threatening, but could cause problems. My sweetheart set me up with an apartment..I'll even tell you where..Plantation Park Apt. right off Lake Buena Vista on I-4. I was one exit away from the Animal Kingdom exit that takes you to my favorite place, TYPHOON LAGOON! He wanted to make sure I got to live in Orlando just for awhile. My main objective was to be very close to Disney World and I got the first apartment I looked at. Had done some research and the neighborhood seemed reasonably safe. I signed a 7 month lease one week before September 11, 2001.


Well, I got to see Disney World without the crowds. It was a very surreal feeling. I had planned on working while I was there to help pay for the apartment and I realized..what awful timing. Guess what? Disney hired me in December. LOL!! I only wanted to work there for the fun of it and I was in HEAVEN. I never for one moment felt unsafe in my apartment. I ended up staying there for 15 months. I would drive around Orlando in a daze of happiness that I had finally made it to the place of my dreams.

I've read what people have said about working at Disney and I agree with a bunch of it. I was worked to death. Didn't help my physical problem much...actually, I am now on disability. But, I won't totally blame Disney for that. heh It was a very rough job though. I also thought they used the college program kids as almost slave labor. Pile a bunch of them in apartments, make them pay more rent than would normally be paid..and well, it was ugly. Most of the kids loved it, though. Spirits were always high because it was LIKE ONE BIG VACATION. Sorry for the caps, but, honestly, most of my coworkers and people all around were very happy to be in Orlando. Is Disney a ruthless corporation? You betcha. But, there a lot of people who got into Disney years ago, worked up or had connections, whichever, and wouldn't trade their jobs for any in the world.

I had to move back to SoFLo December 31st, 2002, hoping that someday, SOON, I could get back there. Since 2000 or so, especially from that time until now, we have had 12 MILLION illegal immigrants come into this country. That is an invasion. The people need work desperately and our government opened up the gates and let them in. This was done purposely, but I won't go into that. Most are here to work and send money home, to start a new life, to do good, BUT, they are here illegally. There is also a small percentage that are here to join gangs, to make stealing, drug dealing, prostitution all the crimes you can think of, a cottage industry.

These illegal immigrants along with some who are not, I'm sure, are organized, focused and they know when new people move into a neighborhood, who has what, who goes where...I mean it really is a nightmare. I've heard this from several people I know from the area and most of this has happened since I left. Crime was always there, just like in any growing city, but this is exponential and devastating.

Just recently my SO was thinking that we could get a second home "up north" a bit above the Orlando area. I think he is only thinking about this for me, but he is also thinking about hurricanes that are usually worse on areas on the coast, although 2004 proved that to be not entirely true and the fact that insurance and taxes have gone crazy down here. Plus, to be honest, I have hated SoFlo since the first day I moved here. Sorry, South Floridians who might be reading this. I wanted Orlando.

Well, I've been listening to friends, reading many sites, not only this one, realizing that this illegal immigrant problem is not going to go away, only get worse...oh, by the way, I had wanted to move to Canada briefly when I was very disappointed in what was going on with this administration and guess what? They had too many Americans applying for citizenship. LOL!! Point being, I wouldn't go to Canada illegally, or Germany, or France. I mean at some point I would have to realize I was doing something illegal and I didn't speak the language, at least on the last two.

Oh, it's just a mess. I was going to live my last few years in the Orlando area. It was all planned out. But, I don't want to live in fear every day. It's just heart breaking that's all. I know there are places you can go, especially because this would be retirement and good jobs wouldn't be the deciding factor. Money isn't even that big a deal. I just don't want to live where I'm afraid. Not this late in life.

Maybe I'm all wrong about this. We're still thinking of looking at the Mt. Dora area, he has an old friend there, but I know how this sociological phenomenom usually works out. The problems, for whatever reason they are happening, will keep spreading out to outlying areas. Crime is a business. Sadly, along with the crime the forecast of hurricanes that can wipe out a whole portion of the state at any time, the heat, which I have never really gotten used to, I'm realizing my Orlando, Florida dream is just about over.

With tears in my heart, because I loved it with all my heart, I think we will be moving out of state.

Thanks for letting me vent...not that you had a choice.