Considering Relocating To Orlando Area (Plantation, Ocala: property taxes, house, condo)

[marmalade7]

If you've lived around or traveled any, I find it really hard to believe that you wouldn't concede that Orlando is a dump. I've lived here 21 years, and have watched it slowly decline in many ways over the last ten. Aside form the attractions -- which aren't even technically in Orlando -- there are no real landmarks or historical edifices or any effort toward preservation -- a key element in a city's look and character, by the way. That's thanks to all the great zoning loopholes and crooked dealings between the city council and local contractors trying to get rich quick. Downtown is over in the blink of an eye, and it's comprised mostly of tattoo parlors, bars, and more bars. Not really family oriented. The surrounding landscape is an ugly mass of corporate chains, man-made lakes for the jet skiers, strip malls and lame Tuscany-themed condos. The economy is only held aloft by the theme parks and the hospitals. The professional job market is a bit of a joke -- comprised primarily of service industry jobs, hospitality or medicine. Let's face it -- people move here for the theme parks and because of no state tax. Meanwhile, the overall tax burden is more than made up for in obscene property taxes on the now legendary overpriced homes here. Homeowners insurance is also a major issue, given the Hurricane seasons of years past. Did I mention that we are number six in violent crimes here? And those numbers keep going up. The pros? There are some. Some of the beaches are very pretty, we have some great little independent stores scattered about, as well as restaurants. There are still some very nice old style neighborhoods near to downtown, and the weather in the cold season is usually unbeatable, though the last four years have been unusually warm and wet. The biggest problem, really, is that I have always gotten the feeling that nobody really cares about Orlando -- they just use up, pretending like they're in Margaritaville. Maybe in fifteen or twenty years this city will have a revival. Let's hope.

[ronizworld]

I am also looking toward relocating to Orlando. Any advise about the best hospital's to work? What part of Orlando is decent for teenagers? I also have an Autistic child. Is there any special area i should look into concerning school for my diabled child?

[Magnulus]

Originally Posted by lwenger63

I am considering relocating to the Orlando area from New Jersey. I have two small children, and school systems are important to me. I figure Orlando being the number one tourist city in the world finding respectable work should not be a big issue. I was hoping that there may be someone who is originally from NJ that could possibly share their experience with me.

First off, London, Las Vegas, Miami, and New York are bigger tourist destinations than Orlando. Orlando's tourism consists mostly of just one thing, Mickey Mouse. Take that away and alot of people would not come here to visit. We have few spaces or places outside of Disney that are worth remembering, unlike other cities, it just is not a street-life friendly area. So Disney is the main draw. A certain demographic just has to come to Orlando to visit as a rite of passage (usually for the kids) but on the whole there are many other tourist oriented cities out there.

There are plenty of jobs in Orlando but finding "respectable work", that is another story. Florida has a "sunshine tax", meaning you get payed mostly in sunshine, not in $$$. Incomes are lower than some other parts of the country, however the cost of living is not necessarily. I'd say the cost of living is out of proportion to the pay in most neighborhoods in the metro area. The Orlando Sentinel in 2006 calculated you would have to make 20 dollars an hour to afford an apartment in Orange County. We also have bad traffic and poorly planned streets. Our traffic in fact is worse than Miami.

I don't know too much about the schools here, so I won't comment extensively on them, other than to say on the whole they seem to be OK, about like anywhere else, and they hardly seem to be the worst in the country. I wouldn't say they are the best, though.

[Kali's Grandma]

Originally Posted by ronizworld

I am also looking toward relocating to Orlando. Any advise about the best hospital's to work? What part of Orlando is decent for teenagers? I also have an Autistic child. Is there any special area i should look into concerning school for my diabled child?

The two main hospital in the Orlando area right now are Orlando Regional and Florida Hospital. Both have mulitple properties. Both are highly rated. I can't tell you about pay because I honestly don't know. I've spent time in both and have no complaints.
If you have school age children I would suggest Seminole County. They consistantly have higher rated schools.

Princeton House Charter School is an excellent school for Autistic Children. I work with three parents whose children go there

Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Oviedo are all very nice areas. I would suggest Sanford but I would have to get real specific as to what areas. It's going thru it's own growing/image pains.


Good luck in your search!

[KrisCole]

I moved here from New Jersey also - Mountain Lakes to be exact. Mountain Lakes has one of top ranked school systems in New Jersey. I was very nervous to give that up when we moved down here. However, we found a great situation in the Lake Mary area. Seminole County has some of the best schools in Central Florida. You can check that out by visiting the Florida Department of Education's home page and compare FCAT test scores. Also, Lake Mary finished 4th in Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live". If you have further questions send me an e-mail. I am a teacher and basketball coach. My wife is a realtor. If we can't answer your questions, we might be able to point you in the right direction.

[djones87]

We are relocating with two young children but I need to be close to MCO. I really want safe area with good schools - and a place with young families out and about doing things -- can you recommend anything closer to MCO then up north of orlando?

[KrisCole]

djones87,

You could consider Winter Springs & Oviedo. I'm just very partial to Seminole County Public Schools. You should probably go to the Florida Department of Education home page and check out FCAT scores when considering your move.

[kinglouix]

I lived in New Jersey prior to living here, other than property taxes and car insurance being higher in New Jersey, if I had a check list of the top 100 things to consider in moving to an area, the other 98 important things would all be in New Jersey's favor. When you come down to Florida and make that move and find out that it is not what it is advertised to be in any way, remember you can never get away. You drive 300 miles and it is flat hot and ugly. You don't like where you are in New Jersey and want to get away, you can drive to Atlantic City, NYC, Philadelphia, New Hope, Amish Country, Washington DC, MOUNTAINS, Baltimore, Cheasepeake Bay, ETC.,,,,,,,, Once your stuck in this hell, you'll never get out. ORLANDO would be the biggest mistake anyone could ever make in anyones lifetime, unless your puerto rican and your biggest concern is to be where there is a large puerto rican population.

[OrlFla100]

Yes, there have been changes since I've been here and they haven't been all great but there are way too many negative posts on here. The one person from NJ saying don't move here it' hot and this and that. Where are you going to go that's perfect? Give me a break!
Maybe you should think about NJ again? It's overcrowding here anyways and the negative people should just move. Yes, it's hot, humid, and there are bugs. Yes it's gotten more expensive and the crime has gone up. Orlando is a growing city and it's becoming diverse. You can either live in the country and not work, or work on a farm, or live in a major metropolitan area and try to make a living. No place is going to be perfect, yes some better than others but I hear too much negativity about Orlando. Charlotte and Greenville in the Carolinas are growing as well and you can't tell me that crime is not climbing there. No way! Open your eyes and accept what is out there. That's reality and you need to live with it. Another thing, I love the people saying Orlando's crime is at an all time high. With the population being more than small town usa the chances of you being a victim is very small with more people. Think about that.

[Rogue Red]

I have been thinking about relocating to Orlando but am rethinking about it since hearing that coming into a company I would probably be making about seven dollars an hour. Is the job market really that bad down there?