Best area in Ocala? (Silver Springs Shores, Belleview: foreclosure, rentals, HOA)

[KathyA11]

We're looking to relocate to Ocala in about 18 months. We live in NJ, and are currently handicapped by doing all research on the Internet.

I'd like opinions on the Silver Springs Shores area, as well as Deer Path, and Marion Oaks (I've read the Marion Oaks threads, and my head is spinning from all the information).

We're in our mid-late 50s, no children, with pets. The quality of the school system doesn't matter, but we want a piece of property that's 1/4-1/2 acre (that much property sounds like paradise, since our current lot is only 5000 sq feet).

I'd like to get a part-time job once we move (probably Barnes & Noble -- I devour books, and their 30% employeee discount is very appealing), or, if possible, a job in an office of one of the Thoroughbred farms in the area.

[OneSweetWorld]

Silver Springs Shores is quite shady. Marion Oaks is not alot better although north of CR484 is rather new and somewhat spread out. plenty of retail jobs available. The 'nicer' part of town is west of I-75 but all in all Ocala is a beautiful part of the country...

[NicoleinOcala]

Originally Posted by KathyA11

We're looking to relocate to Ocala in about 18 months. We live in NJ, and are currently handicapped by doing all research on the Internet.

I'd like opinions on the Silver Springs Shores area, as well as Deer Path, and Marion Oaks (I've read the Marion Oaks threads, and my head is spinning from all the information).

We're in our mid-late 50s, no children, with pets. The quality of the school system doesn't matter, but we want a piece of property that's 1/4-1/2 acre (that much property sounds like paradise, since our current lot is only 5000 sq feet).

I'd like to get a part-time job once we move (probably Barnes & Noble -- I devour books, and their 30% employeee discount is very appealing), or, if possible, a job in an office of one of the Thoroughbred farms in the area.

of the 3 subdivisions you mentioned, Deer Path is best of the 3. Silver Springs Shores in located on the S East side of Ocala, and Marion Oaks on the S West Side of Ocala. Marion Oaks is looking to become its own city, so buyers beware. Taxes, fees, etc may go up if this happens.

Silver Springs Shores is growing rapidly as is Marion Oaks. It really just depends which side of town you want to live on.

Typically, I-75 divides the East from the West, and 40 divides the North from the South. On the West side there are many new restaurants, shops, etc. They just completed the new mall out there. While on the East side, Walmart is breaking ground out in the Shores. You are near Lake Weir, and not all the SR 200 traffic.

Deer Path is on the East side of town. It is a very nice subdivision right off of Baseline (CR35) and close to HWY 40. It's smaller than The Shores and Marion Oaks and most of the lots have homes on them, not like the Shores and Marion Oaks. Many homes, but many more vacant unkept lots.

Just my 2 cents.

[Reshma]

Hi Kathya11,

I am also planning to move to Ocala in the silver springs shore south area and I was wonder if you have move already and how is it down there ? I would really like to hear from some who move recently , Is Ocala a really nice place to live ? how about the schools and the crimes.
any information you can share would be helpful.
Thanks
Reshma

[KathyA11]

No, I haven't retired yet (my target date is late June '09), so we're still in NJ. We won't be going anywhere for a year to 18 months.

I know nothing about the schools -- we're in our 50s and childless, so we have other concerns -- a fairly large piece of property (1/4-1/2 acre) in a safe area that's convenient to shopping, water/sewer instead of a well and septic, no HOA (or one that's minimally restrictive), good veterinarians (including an avian vet).

[beer980]

Reshma
Ocala is a lot different then Toronto. It is more laid back, some prefer to say slowcala. Winter is mild of course, right now in the upper 70's. You can get a nasty thunderstorm during the summer months as well. In the Shores you can get very different areas. You can find 20 year old houses for $100,000 in the east part. There is a mixture of rentals and new builds. We are living in the west part of the Shores until our house sells. I have been here since 1984 and we are relocating to Fort Worth for my job. There are three different high schools serving the Shores area. Our daughter goes to Belleview High and it is an A school so I can't speak for the other two schools.

[kaleeh]

Check out the SW area of Ocala. Retirement areas....On Top of the World, StoneCreek.....Barnes and Noble is opening a very large new store about 5 min drive from that area in March, 2009.

[Charlotte Shoemaker]

Kathy, You aren't going to find many communities that offer half acre lots that have community water and sewer. In fact, I'm not aware of any that have sewer. Marion Oaks has water and sewer in the older section but I really don't think that's where you want to be. I live in Marco Polo Village II a really nice subdivision that has mostly half acre lots. It has community water but each house has it's own septic and I think that's about what you are going to find is pretty standard. There is a nice family, gated community in Belleview (Hidden Grove) but the lots are quarter acre. It's on city water, city sewer, city gas (for heat & cooking) and there is cable available. The whole subdivision only has ten houses and there are still eight of them available. There are fees but they are very reasonable. The fees cover the gate and street lights.

Hope this info is helpful,
Charlotte

Originally Posted by KathyA11

No, I haven't retired yet (my target date is late June '09), so we're still in NJ. We won't be going anywhere for a year to 18 months.

I know nothing about the schools -- we're in our 50s and childless, so we have other concerns -- a fairly large piece of property (1/4-1/2 acre) in a safe area that's convenient to shopping, water/sewer instead of a well and septic, no HOA (or one that's minimally restrictive), good veterinarians (including an avian vet).

[sords]

When I was looking at homes my realtor told me Marion Oaks was a salt and pepper neighborhood. I saw the middle school kids getting off the bus there were 1 or 2 white kids and about 18 black kids. If this isnt a problem with you houses are about 10-25% cheaper there and its mostly recent construction and empty lots. Silver springs shores is also cheaper than most of ocala and there is also more crime there than most parts of Ocala.

Im in my early 30s and live on a 1/3 acre if I hustle I can mow my entire property in about an hour and 45 minutes, this needs to be done about once every 7-10 days in the summer and not at all from October-April. Unless you are going to lay down a bunch of mulch beds that attract all kinds of cockroaches or rock beds that can set you back a grand and a lot of work if you do it yourself. Also consider getting a property that has large trees especially trees that will shade your home from the afternoon sun. This will save you a ton on your electric bill. I bought a home with not really any trees after watching all the property shows and how trees often hurt the curb appeal, but they truly are an asset down here.
SECO electricity which serves part of Ocala seems to be about half the price of Ocala Electric. I have Seco, my electric bill is about $80 a month in the winter and peaks at about $220 a couple months in the Summer. There are people on Ocala electric paying double that.
Id prefer a septic system over sewer. I just had my septic system pumped out and that needs to be done every 3-5 years and it cost under $200. No idea what a city sewer costs but Id imagine alot more than $200 a year. My water bill is only about $15 a month. We dont have a pool and we water the yard here and there.
Home prices are currently dirt cheap and interest rates are 4.75%. You could probably get a nice 3/2/2 foreclosure for about $100K and have a $500 a month mortgage. Who knows maybe if you are paying that much you can afford a landscaper and get your half acre.
Good luck finding a job, Marion county's unemployment rate is about 2-3% more than the rest of the country.
There's a ton of restaurants and new stores that have opened, this would be an ideal place to retire as long as you are financially stable, but forget about trying to find a decent job and raising a family here. You have to have dirt floors to get any kind of financial assistance in this state.

[Beth Anthony]

The best way to decide where to settle is to view the communities in person. There are some great places to live here and with fees that are less than On Top of The World.