Clermont (Orlando, Mount Dora, Minneola: for sale, real estate, foreclosures) - Florida (FL) - City-Data Forum

mzkisha2011 · 08-10-2011, 03:20 PM

I will be relocating to FL next summer and just wanted some information on the Clermont area. What's the living like? How are the private schools. Is it an affordable place to live???

Booya · 08-11-2011, 09:00 AM

Yes Clermont is very affordable at this time. Lots of forclosures and short sales. YOu can buy a house for cheap there at this time.

Clermont is about 35 minutes from Orlando. It had a huge growth spurt around 2000 and not necessarily in a good way. Too many houses but not the infrastructure to support them. Lots of fast food places and homes for sale. The lakes are nice if you are in to boating etc.
It's pretty layed back. The problem is what would you do for work? The commute to Orlando is really not fun. Or maybe you are retired. A lot of people like it because it is fairly close to Disney but that gets old after a bit. And it is still a hall if you work at Disney.

I use to love Clermont with its quaint small town vibe, but now I'm not so sure. It has potential but for some reason it has yet to be realized. There is a cute downtown area right on Lk. Minneola but for some reason people prefer the newer strip mall area. The downtown is a gem in the rough-it could be Like Mount Dora (Art Festival is well known) but it just doesn't seem to take off.

annerk · 08-12-2011, 02:36 AM

I've lived in Clermont since 2004. If you like suburban settings, it's great. We've had some growing pains, but are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

There aren't all that many foreclosures left, and real estate is starting to sell again in the more desirable neighborhoods.

I agree with the previous poster, downtown is a gem in the rough. It was starting to cook and then the economy went south. Hopefully as things inprove it will revitablize. I think the work they've done on the lakefront will help.

The private schools in Clermont at all Christian. Real Life is the biggest, and I've heard great things about it but don't have firsthand info.

I've answered numerous questions about Clermont in detail. Rather than reposting it all, just do a search and then ask if you have any other questions.

annerk · 08-12-2011, 05:18 AM

I should mention that there is a private school that is not Christian fairly close by. Mont Verde Academy is highly regarded. It's also expensive, I think around $12K a year.

Booya · 08-12-2011, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annerk

I should mention that there is a private school that is not Christian fairly close by. Mont Verde Academy is highly regarded. It's also expensive, I think around $12K a year.

Mount Verde is an "International School." A friend of mine, a teacher, checked it out for her children and found out they were pretty far behind where her child was because they are more solicitous of the internationals.

mzkisha2011 · 08-12-2011, 01:51 PM

Thank you both for the information...

FlNativeGal · 09-15-2011, 11:13 AM

Hi Can you tell me which Elementary Schools if any in Clermont I shoud stay away from? And which ones are the best in the area? I am looking at moving to North Clermont.

annerk · 09-15-2011, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlNativeGal

Hi Can you tell me which Elementary Schools if any in Clermont I shoud stay away from? And which ones are the best in the area? I am looking at moving to North Clermont.

Cypress Ridge and Lost Lake are considered the best, they are both "A" rated schools.

MovedfromFL · 09-17-2011, 07:49 AM

Grassy Lake is good also. "A" rating this past year, and also made AYP.

Keep in mind that with Cypress Ridge, it has a lottery entry system, so you would have to sign up when they open the lottery and then wait to see if you get accepted. Also, there is no bus service, so you have to provide transportation for your student there. (or daycare centers will send a bus over to the school)

Cypress Ridge always has the highest test scores of all the local elementary schools. However, the facility is kind of older and crowded, and isn't in the best area of town. Lost Lake is also very crowded. Grassy Lake is the newest school, but again, it's over crowded and they just put in portable classrooms.

If you end up at Lost Lake or Grassy Lake, be prepared because these are BIG schools. Some people might not be comfortable with that if they moved from a small town where the elem. schools only had 200 to 600 kids.

Lost Lake also has a pre-k program on site for 4 year olds.