Opinions on the town of Harmony, FL (Orlando, Beverly Hills: real estate, home)

[912]

Harmony: Making Holopaw look "purty".

[e-ticket-lizabeth]

Harmony High School is the high school for the East Lake/Narcoossee Elementary schools, too. My son is in East Lake now, he'll go to Narcoossee Middle, and then Harmony HS, if we stay here. Just an FYI!

Originally Posted by muggums

This sums it up pretty well.

We notice Harmony every time we pass it on the way to Orlando because it looks so odd. It's not in the middle of the city or really close to anything at all, except they have a gas station now. There is a large high school, but I can't imagine how they keep it running. The pop. sign says 12,000 people live in Harmony. Even if that were true, how many of those are high school students? My husband compares it to something out of a Dr. Suess movie. Perfect little place, in the middle of nothing. I think it looks like something out of the "Stepford Wives", too perfect and controlled, almost artificial. I have been told it was supposed to some great new development, and then it failed like the rest of the housing market. It's listed on google maps as a "master planned unincorporated community". The nearest walmart is 11 miles away. Target is 19-22 miles away. That's a long way to go for groceries, unless you are already going to St. Cloud.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Enjoy the 20 min+ trips to civilization to catch a movie, work out at the gym or get your groceries

You know that is really not a bad thing. Gives you time to think, pray, or just get out of the "work" mode to the at home mode. It takes 30 minutes for me to drive across town to see a movie etc. and I live in town. Shoot, it takes me 15 minutes in traffic to get to work in the morning and that is within 4-5 miles of where we live.

[ayla2hearts]

Are there multicultural/multiracial families in Harmony? Are there HOA fees? Are there fees for the community garden?

[lindabalash]

I've lived in Harmony for almost 7 years. My husband and I can live anywhere in the country, but choose Harmony. My daughter and grandchildren moved here and also love it. This is the closest place we can find to remind us of where we grew up in the North. It's peaceful, very community minded, and you can do as much or little as you choose. A 4 1/2 start golf course, several places to eat and socialize, community events, awesome neighbors. It is in my opinion an ideal location - 35 minutes to the beach - 30 minutes to the airport - 20 minutes to Lake Nona - 45 minutes to Disney - 6.5 miles to Publix and Walgreens. We have a 30 minute drive east(WITH NO TRAFFIC) to shopping in Melbourne, i.e. Macys, Penneys, an entire mall and every other franchise you can imagine. Personally, I am very pleased NOT to have a WalMart or KMart in my backyard. Lake Nona is fine, but homes are a better value in Harmony. Osceola County taxes are lower. Traffic is steadily growing in there. Before we found Harmony, we lived in a couple other places in Osceola County, and frankly I was ready to move back North. It's all about the type of people you want to live with. Our 1300 residents occupy about 400 homes +/-. People bike, jog, walk their dogs on the numerous pathways, kids play basketball and volleyball in the parks, dogs romp and play with other dogs in the dog parks, neighbors talk to neighbors, parents know parents, kids walk to school. I wouldn't trade that for a short drive, heavy traffic, congestion, drivers with "attitude" any time day or night. People that criticize Harmony, don't know Harmony. When you live here, you get it.

Originally Posted by muggums

This sums it up pretty well.

We notice Harmony every time we pass it on the way to Orlando because it looks so odd. It's not in the middle of the city or really close to anything at all, except they have a gas station now. There is a large high school, but I can't imagine how they keep it running. The pop. sign says 12,000 people live in Harmony. Even if that were true, how many of those are high school students? My husband compares it to something out of a Dr. Suess movie. Perfect little place, in the middle of nothing. I think it looks like something out of the "Stepford Wives", too perfect and controlled, almost artificial. I have been told it was supposed to some great new development, and then it failed like the rest of the housing market. It's listed on google maps as a "master planned unincorporated community". The nearest walmart is 11 miles away. Target is 19-22 miles away. That's a long way to go for groceries, unless you are already going to St. Cloud.

[LuvOrlando]

Harmony is very nice. It is still pretty rural, but they keep building.

Less worldly people - those who are unfamiliar with more rural areas - get a little freaked out about Harmony or any other rural area.

It is far from many things, but if you live in a place like that, it is probably what you prefer - peace and quiet over hustle and bustle.

[Osceola Redneck]

I am a local from the nearby unplanned community of Bull Creek. I hate Harmony's claims that it is green because you can both live and work there, this is BS the vast majority of residents will alway have a very long commute to work. Also Osceola has a land use plan to combat urban sprawl, but County officials have always been for sale, Harmony is urban sprawl at its worst.

There are disadvantages to living in a rural community, unless you are retired and stay at home you are going to be driving a lot.

But for me there are a lot of advantages. Land is cheap (I have about 20 acres) I can rise livestock (pigs, goats, chickens), ride around on my fourwheeler, can go hunting, or shooting, have a bonfire at night. work on cars & trucks, no one cares what color my house is or how many car, boats, trailers I have or where they are parked, hell I can't even see my neighbors from my property, you cant do any of that living at Harmony.

Harmony has all of the disadvantages of rural living and none of the advantages. it is a zero lot line suburb with a intrusive homeowners association, I understand many people prefer a urban lifestyle but why commute to a remote rural location to live it ?

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Osceola Redneck

I am a local from the nearby unplanned community of Bull Creek. I hate Harmony's claims that it is green because you can both live and work there, this is BS the vast majority of residents will alway have a very long commute to work. Also Osceola has a land use plan to combat urban sprawl, but County officials have always been for sale, Harmony is urban sprawl at its worst.

There are disadvantages to living in a rural community, unless you are retired and stay at home you are going to be driving a lot.

But for me there are a lot of advantages. Land is cheap (I have about 20 acres) I can rise livestock (pigs, goats, chickens), ride around on my fourwheeler, can go hunting, or shooting, have a bonfire at night. work on cars & trucks, no one cares what color my house is or how many car, boats, trailers I have or where they are parked, hell I can't even see my neighbors from my property, you cant do any of that living at Harmony.

Harmony has all of the disadvantages of rural living and none of the advantages. it is a zero lot line suburb with a intrusive homeowners association, I understand many people prefer a urban lifestyle but why commute to a remote rural location to live it ?

So true.

Seriously, unless you work at the high school or the gas station, you're going to be commuting for pretty much anything (either to St Cloud or Melbourne).

[F Maldonado]

My family and I will be relocating to Florida during summer time from Puerto Rico, and are planning to buy property in Harmony. We have a 10 year old daughter going to six grade next school year and wanted to know how good the school system and teachers really are?, since our daughter comes from a great private Catholic school, where education is graded 10 out of 10. I also wanted to know if the community is really multiracial welcoming like we have been told, we sure want to feel like home and accepted like we accept everyone else.

[Consigliere]

Originally Posted by F Maldonado

My family and I will be relocating to Florida during summer time from Puerto Rico, and are planning to buy property in Harmony. We have a 10 year old daughter going to six grade next school year and wanted to know how good the school system and teachers really are?, since our daughter comes from a great private Catholic school, where education is graded 10 out of 10. I also wanted to know if the community is really multiracial welcoming like we have been told, we sure want to feel like home and accepted like we accept everyone else.

If you are planning on purchasing a property in Harmony, please do some research the your property's proximity to one of the largest natural gas transmission pipelines in Osceola County, which unbelievably runs right through the middle of the development.