Best 5 areas in Orlando? (Miami, Winter Springs: houses, neighborhoods, good schools)

[doom1001]

What would you guys say are the best 5 areas to live in the Orlando area.I'm in Miami right now but plan to move somewhere in the Orlando area sometime and just want to get an idea of what people think!!

[sunstate]

Different people have different needs and therefore like one area over another. Singles will be happy close to downtown but folks with kids want good schools etc. etc. Depends on what you are looking for.

[pianogal]

My top picks for various reasons.....

Windermere - if you've got the BIG bucks....

Winter Park - if you have the BIG bucks OR don't mind paying BIG bucks for a small, 50-60's style ranch home

East Orlando (NOT the area around 436) Waterford Lake, Vista Lakes, Lake Nona, etc. There are a number of GREAT, newer family friendly neighborhoods built in the last 10 or so years that are reasonable priced but much nicer and newer than what you'll find in the above two areas for the money. GREAT schools, great access roads that will take you anywhere in Central Florida quickly, and larger lot sizes than some areas.

Oviedo - Has most of the same advantages as New East Orlando but seems to be a little pricier.

Lake Mary - Good schools and has some very upscale communities, i.e. Heathrow as well as middle income homes - although the homes tend to be higher here. To me, Lake Mary is a little far out and you would be forced to use I4 to commute downtown, but it depends on where you work - you may not need that commute.

Having said that, know that all these areas have 'pockets' of places I wouldn't live - except perhaps New East Orlando and that is because it was developed out of the swamp - there are not really any old communities there. That is one of its appeals IF you like that kind of thing - everything is modern, fresh, clean and new. Some people love the older architecture, etc. think it gives a place character.

There are also some great communities in areas I didn't mention - but they may be very near so not so great areas - I have friends in great communities built in Longwood, Winter Springs and even Casselberry.

[zzNEWYORKzz]

is poinciana a good are 2 live in

[Prichard]

[I'm writing this without first looking at other responses]

1. Isleworth - multi-million dollar McMansion neighborhoods on Buttler Chain of Lakes - Nuvo-rich.

2. Windermere - Nice, quaint, area with large expensive houses on Buttler Chain of lakes

3. Dr. Philips area and Bay Hill - $600,000 - multi million dollar houses.

4. Winter Park - Old blue-blood expensive neighborhoods with a mixture of McMansions. The lowest price for a "dumpy" house will be close to $700,000.

5. Heathrow / Alaqua - newer area with large gated communities, golf courses and homes rangingin price from about $500,000 - multi-millions of dollars.

6. Orlando - Delaney Park area and Thronton Park - mixture of big "vintage looking" houses on small lots - mature trees - old city look to it, smaller renovated houses as well. $600,000 - $2,000,000.

7. Maitland - Nice older neighborhoods just north of Winter Park, very family oriented - average starting price is around $500,000.

8. East Winter Springs - $400,000 - multi million dollar.

9. Oviedo: Family oriented in East Seminole County: $350,000 - 900,000.

10. West Longwood: $400,000 - millions?

11. Lake Mary - just east of Heathrow. $350,000 - close to a million.

12. People also like Mt. Dora, which is NW of Orlando, but it is still considered a seperate city, and it is in Lake County. Tavares, Mt. Dora and Howey-In-The-Hills (yep, real place) are all towns on the large Dora/Harris chain of lakes.

[nb_mitch]

Originally Posted by zzNEWYORKzz

is poinciana a good are 2 live in

No, you can see it hasn't made anyone list yet; but then neither has Celebration - Disney's answer to the real world

I don't get Windermere either, yes it is a cute little area, with dirt roads, grossly overcrowded and built up by thousands of subdivisions that want that Windermere address. 10 years ago, if you like dirt roads, it would have been nice, but now, I don't get it, unless you live next to Tiger in the Isleworth subdivision, but only if he gave out free golf balls

[Prichard]

The dirt roads in Windermer keep the unwanted "outsiders" out. It's allways been that way. They don't pave their roads because they don't want a bunch of nosey "lookey lous" driving up and down their roads. And I can't blame them one bit! The best way to keep outsiders out of your neighborhood is to stop paving the way for them to move right next door to you.

[nb_mitch]

I've heard that before and it is just plain stupid and it sure didn't stop the massive traffic from overrunning the downtown area in the last few years. Yes, it may keep a few lookers from driving their residential streets, but I won't want to live on dirt, unless there are farm animals involved

I guess they don't have running water and indoor plumbing either

[Prichard]

When I grew up in the suburbs of Orlando, most of the Seminole County roads were not paved. Even many Winter Park roads were not paved. In fact, it was quite common for people to live on dirt roads. I'm kind of glad that Windermere doesn't feel the necessity to conform by paving their roads because non-residents think its "stupid". Good for them! It wouldn't stop me from living in Windermere.

[BlackBearAgency]

I live on the north side of Orlando and think it is the best part of town