Good Grief... (Orlando, Pine Hills, University: for sale, how much, homes)

[Dee2e]

The old saying "misery loves company" applies to many posts here on this board.

I've lived in florida for 20 years. l used to live in PA. I've never regretted being in Florida.

Life is not perfect anywhere for anyone and life is what you make it. Come on down! The weather is a lot better than in Ohio!

[Stupid Flanders]

I think the difference for me coming from Georgia is that I am used to good sides of town being north of [insert street here] and bad sides being south of [insert street here].

In Orlando, it seems like the bad areas surround the good areas on all 4 sides. You are NEVER more than 3 miles from a ghetto or "not-so-nice" side of town. Even if you have the cash to live in Dr. Philips, Windemere, College Park or Thornton Park you can get into a crummy neighborhood in less than 5 minutes!

That's why we have decided not to buy, and to relocate as soon as possible. I refuse to spend $380k for a 3 bedroom home in a nice area and have to "watch my back" in the parking lot at my local Publix shopping center.

Screw that noise.

[Prichard]

Atlanta used to be like that, maybe 15 years ago. However, there are pleanty of areas north of Downtown Atlanta that are every bit (if not more) as sketchy as some of Orlando's lower priced areas. Stone Mountain, North of 285-85 intersection, Sandy Springs around 285, Marietta, Smyrna, Buford Highway, five points, even parts of Buckhead and Midtown.

Atlanta is just more spread out than Orlando (if you can believe that), so there are some very large pockets of wealthy areas. There are large areas in Heathrow - Lake Mary that have no sketchy areas; same with Windermere-Isleworth.

Orlando is more like LA than it is like Atlanta. It is a conglomeration of small towns that suround Orlando. Each small town, at one time before desegregation, had a "black" side and a "white" side. You could at one time see this with Orlando, Winter Park, Sanford, Maitland/Eatonville, Oviedo, and Apopka. Don't forget that Orlando was a pretty segregated place up until about 1980. To a large degree, you can still see the lines of segregation.

Atlanta, with the exception of Marrietta, was black on the south side and white on the north side, until it started to become more of an international city about 20 years ago. Marrietta had its white and black sides as well, independantly of Atlanta. I believe that Marta helped to desegregate Atlanta, together with a significant influx of black middle class and professionals.

[blueoktober]

I cannot wait for all these people who are "leaving Orlando" to just leave. I was having a conversation with my neighbor about a house across the street from me DOWNTOWN and we just laughed about how everyone is perpetuating the "downtown is soooooo scurry!" image. It leaves us with wonderful neighborhoods, lakes, parks and shopping without the hassles and congestions of every other area in Orlando. So yes, please keep spreading the rumor that Orlando is this horrible place that is just so crime-ridden you cannot walk outside.... It helps thin the herd.

[Stupid Flanders]

Originally Posted by Prichard

Atlanta used to be like that, maybe 15 years ago. However, there are pleanty of areas north of Downtown Atlanta that are every bit (if not more) as sketchy as some of Orlando's lower priced areas. Stone Mountain, North of 285-85 intersection, Sandy Springs around 285, Marietta, Smyrna, Buford Highway, five points, even parts of Buckhead and Midtown.

Atlanta is just more spread out than Orlando (if you can believe that), so there are some very large pockets of wealthy areas. There are large areas in Heathrow - Lake Mary that have no sketchy areas; same with Windermere-Isleworth.

Orlando is more like LA than it is like Atlanta. It is a conglomeration of small towns that suround Orlando. Each small town, at one time before desegregation, had a "black" side and a "white" side. You could at one time see this with Orlando, Winter Park, Sanford, Maitland/Eatonville, Oviedo, and Apopka. Don't forget that Orlando was a pretty segregated place up until about 1980. To a large degree, you can still see the lines of segregation.

Atlanta, with the exception of Marrietta, was black on the south side and white on the north side, until it started to become more of an international city about 20 years ago. Marrietta had its white and black sides as well, independantly of Atlanta. I believe that Marta helped to desegregate Atlanta, together with a significant influx of black middle class and professionals.

You are absolutely right, but I have to insist that in Woodstock where I lived, my neighborhood felt like MY neighborhood. By that I mean I am white-collar middle class, and my grocery store, gas station, restaurants and other hangouts were 99% white-collar middle class. I could drive 10 miles west to Town Lake, 10 miles east to Roswell, 8 miles south to Marietta, and 80 miles north to Chattanooga and get the same "feel". I can't do that in Orlando.

But then again, as you correctly pointed out, Orlando is more like LA than ATL. That's fine, and I'll get used to it, but people should know that buying a nice home in a nice area guarantees you NOTHING in Orlando. You could be living in a $500k home in a gated community and still have crappy schools and feel unsafe at your local grocery store.

The wife and I will make it work. We are just taking it one day at a time and trying to transition.

[pianogal]

Flanders, being born and raised in South Carolina, I can relate. In fact, in my old Winter Park neighborhood - most everyone looked like me - except they were ALOT older! LOL Really we had many retired people, it was hard when our son was small because he had few neighborhood friends to play with. Last week, I drove by our old house and those same nosy old men were still sitting out in their driveway, watching everybody come and go, just like they did the 18 years we lived there!

Now, my neighborhood is really diverse! White like me is not really the norm, neither is african american, spanish, etc. It is truly a melting pot of all ages and vocations.....for instance my closest neighbors are: 40 something African American Lawyer, Retired New York Jewish Realtor, Retired Hispanic NYPD Detective who is still quite young, 30 something Muslim Pharmacist, 40 something White IRS Agent, 50 somthing Black Computer Information Specialist, 30 Something White Engineers, 30 Something Oriental Engineer at Lockheed, 40 something Hispanic Chef etc.....

It is the way of the future and we may as well accept it. Certainly there are pockets of the country that look the same as they did 40 years ago, but they too will change over time. I had no problem adjusting to our current community because I expected it...however when my parents visited from South Carolina - they were not sure how to react.

However, my muslim neighbors, who are the sweetest people you could ever meet, came over and brought us dessert while my parents were here. They stayed and visited and we had a great time together. After that, my parents relaxed and I never heard another word about it.

[beckycat]

I've moved here from PA 7 1/2 years ago. I don't regret it. We have A rated schools and my neighborhood is safe. I do agree in parts of Orlando the crime is bad, but that is expected like any other large city. By the way, I live in Lake Mary.

[backtofla]

there are good and bad parts of every city. orlando is now a big city, and we have big city problems. our crime index and registered sex offenders are higher in orlando than miami. there are a lot of mad ppl here. and a lot of criminals. why orlando lands so many, i dunno

[Stupid Flanders]

Originally Posted by pianogal

Flanders, being born and raised in South Carolina, I can relate. In fact, in my old Winter Park neighborhood - most everyone looked like me - except they were ALOT older! LOL Really we had many retired people, it was hard when our son was small because he had few neighborhood friends to play with. Last week, I drove by our old house and those same nosy old men were still sitting out in their driveway, watching everybody come and go, just like they did the 18 years we lived there!

Now, my neighborhood is really diverse! White like me is not really the norm, neither is african american, spanish, etc. It is truly a melting pot of all ages and vocations.....for instance my closest neighbors are: 40 something African American Lawyer, Retired New York Jewish Realtor, Retired Hispanic NYPD Detective who is still quite young, 30 something Muslim Pharmacist, 40 something White IRS Agent, 50 somthing Black Computer Information Specialist, 30 Something White Engineers, 30 Something Oriental Engineer at Lockheed, 40 something Hispanic Chef etc.....

It is the way of the future and we may as well accept it. Certainly there are pockets of the country that look the same as they did 40 years ago, but they too will change over time. I had no problem adjusting to our current community because I expected it...however when my parents visited from South Carolina - they were not sure how to react.

However, my muslim neighbors, who are the sweetest people you could ever meet, came over and brought us dessert while my parents were here. They stayed and visited and we had a great time together. After that, my parents relaxed and I never heard another word about it.

I understand what you're saying, and I want to make myself clear on one thing: It's not the race of the people I'm concerned about, it's the class. I'm white, my wife is from Brazil, and my sister adopted 2 girls from China. Our family photos look like an advertisement for the United Colors of Benetton!

All I am saying is that if I make middle class money and spend it on a middle class home in a middle class neighborhood, I shouldnt have to pack a pistol to the grocery store, post office, or dry cleaners! Right now, that's the feeling I get in Orlando. How a $490k home in Windermere can be 3 miles from ghettoville on Kirkman, and a stones throw from Pine Hills is WAY beyond me.

I hope I'm wrong...seriously, buecause we may be stuck here for a while. It would be nice to find a place where we can be comfortable for a few years.

[blueoktober]

You really need to check out the neighborhoods downtown. Not that it matters, but I would say Delaney Park where I live is nearly all white professionals, or people who come from old money. Granted you cannot drive 3 miles south or you will be in less than desirable areas. But you can drive all the way to Winter Park and be just fine. You can drive all the way to Lake Mary actually and be fine.