Diverse, safe area for couple with kids (Orlando, Altamonte Springs: hotels, home)

[halfgitana]

We are a multi-ethnic family, Brazilian American family and we are like the colors of the rainbow (wonder bread white to cafe mocha). We are in Indiana and looking to go someplace warm. Of course, we would like an area with some diversity with affordable, but safe housing and good schools. (When I say safe, we are accustomed to urban definitions of safe.) We aren't necessarily burb people so a walkable area or an area near the beach would be great. We are looking at buying around $200K. Thanks!

[FloridaNative35]

How many bedrooms would you want and how old are your children?

Also, any idea where you might end up working?

[halfgitana]

I have a home based business so no issues about where I am. My husband works in tourism/hotels.

Our boys are 2 and 10.

[LuvOrlando]

If you find it, let me know.

Realtors are little help. They are so afraid of being sued that they won't discuss race...or even crime. You have to phrase your questions very carefully.

I came here from the Midwest, for the warmth and looking in for something around your price range, too. Where I came from, you had the horrid city and bad suburbs near it. The further out you went, the better off you were, generally. Not so here.

In Orlando, aside from the most wealthy areas, it's all a mish-mash. Lovely neighborhoods next to crappy ones...all over.

I wanted a middle class area, low in crime, with a nice racial mix of people who liked living in a place with that sort of mix. We had three areas like that back home. If it exists here, I never found it.

Good luck.

[Crane's Rooster]

Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Hunter's Creek, Lake Mary, Winter Garden, Waterford Lake, Avalon Park, Conway, Winter Park

[halfgitana]

We are living in Indianapolis currently and the mis-mash of good neighborhoods next to bad is certainly true of this city. Right now we live in a historic district that is being revitalized and we love it. It's residential with a local "square" that has a variety of restaurants, age groups, and ethnicities. However the area is probably classified as working class and slowly becoming "gentrified".

My husband does get tired of everyone calling him a Mexican (which he is not) and assuming he doesn't speak English. I would like some place where our children can grow up seeing role models from a variety of walks in life.

But mostly we are just tired of the cold weather.

[halfgitana]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Hunter's Creek, Lake Mary, Winter Garden, Waterford Lake, Avalon Park, Conway, Winter Park

I saw a post in another thread that said Hunter's Creek is becoming more diverse, but not in a good way and causing friction. Any thoughts about that?

halfgitana

[FloridaNative35]

I second Maitland, Winter Park, Avalon Park, Waterford Lakes, and Conway. Also College Park. Lake Nona is probably worth considering, although it is hard to tell what it is going to be like in the future.