Moving from New York to Orlando (Altamonte Springs, Winter Park: rentals, HOA, hotels)

[LongIslander212]

Hi there!

My wife and I are moving to the a orlando area in the next few months. Here in New York, she is the Executive Assistant to a Wall Street CEO. She has accepted a job working for Disney Corporate offices, as the Assistant to a pretty senior guy. I was able to transfer to a job in the downtown Orlando area (West Church Street). We have 2 kids. My daughter who will be finished with high school early in a couple weeks (she's been accepted to UCF) and our youngest who is just starting Junior HS.

We have sold our home, and our closing is scheduled perfectly well with our moving date. My wife will arrive in Orlando about a month and a half before she starts her new job, and the rest of the family (myself and the kids) will be arriving shortly after she starts her new job. My question is, we don't know where we would prefer living. I hear Winter Park is great, but her new colleagues (she has a few people she already knows in Disney) are advocating towards Hunter's Creek because if the proximity to Disney's corporate offices. My wife likes the shopping area in Park Avenue, and Millenia. I would like to be able to navigate to and from work (both hers and mine) as well as shopping, etc with ease.

I also like Baldwin Park, but not the lack of outdoor space in their homes. I would prefer to live in a community bag offers a very good pool club and amenities, as we do not want to be bothered taking care if a lawn or a pool. Would anyone be able to give some insight on places to live BASED on out preference?

Please don't try to talk us out of moving, we know how hot and humid it is there (we both grew up I. A military base in Panama, Central America. We just aren't cold weather people. As great as New York City is, we are miserable here because we don't like Broadway's shows, or Lincoln Center, or museums. We are more warm weather people, and like to lay low. As we project to the years when we are get older, we just wan a lower maintenance life away from the deep freeze, crowds, subways, and snow.

Greatly appreciated.

[sean1the1]

If you are not satisfied with winter park try Dr Phillips, Winter Garden, Windemere, And ocoee. Dr Phillips is very convient to Disney, Downtown, and the Mellinia area you are also right around the corner from the other attractions.

[FL2MT]

I live a little further out west so I'll leave the recommendations to posters who are more familiar with the commutes you and your wife would be doing but given that you guys would be completely new to the area and want to find a place to live long-term as you get older I would highly, highly recommend renting for the first year or so. There are just so many cities in the area that 'could' fit what you want and so many more communities or neighborhoods in each of those cities that there's no way you or your wife can see them in just a few weeks of house hunting.

Renting first, spend the weekends visiting a new area each weekend, maybe when they've got a festival or special event going on. Get out of the car, walk or bike the neighborhoods, talk to the people out and about. I just think if you plan to be here long-term it's good to wait and find the neighborhood that's perfect for your family rather than taking the best thing that you can find in the first few weeks of being here.

Congrats on the upcoming move and best of luck.

[annerk]

Are you looking to rent or buy? What is your price range? That will narrow it down significantly.

If you want a house in a HOA with a pool and other amenities, Dr. Phillips should be able to provide that as well as good schools. I would not want to commute from Winter Park every day.

[Mr Idealism]

I would recommend Dr. Phillips, as it is in between Disney and Downtown. Plan on a 30 minute commute with traffic to downtown, and about 20 minutes to Disney. It's a bit less without traffic. The schools in the area are some of the best in Orange County, and you have shopping and dining in the immediate area. Houses range from $200k-multimillion, though the low inventory has caused a spike in prices lately.

[sellingflhomes07]

Congratulations on your move to the Sunshine State. I see you will be working in Downtown Orlando & Disney and wanted to give you some input and options on locations to live.

How far you are willing to drive and your housing budget is most certainly going to dictate the location options. I noticed you said you will have a child in Junior High School so obviously schools are also going to be a factor. Seeing that you are from NY I am guessing you are accustom to a long commute to work so for the sake of you wanting a commute and shopping with ease, I will only address locations 15 miles from the middle of both your work locations.

I would suggest to try and stay to the East of I-4, unless your budget allows you to be in Windermere/Bay Hill, Dr. Phillips then its ok to be on the West side of I-4. Your travel time and ease can become more difficult by traveling I-4 so keep that in mind. Be mindful that as you go further to the South of Orlando you are dealing with higher volumes of tourist traffic and many of the communities that allow short term rentals.

Try and land in Seminole Co if possible (school reasons). All Middle Schools in Seminole are "A" rated except for 1 which is a "B" school. All High Schools are either an "A" or "B" rated. Cities that are within this perimeter are: Altamonte Springs, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park.

While there are more schools in Orange County (34 in Middle Schools only 16 of them are "A" rated and 20 High Schools and only only 6 of them are "A" rated) it is going to be important if schools are a concern that you be sure to check that the school zoning is desirable in many of the Orlando addresses. Orange Co. Choices that are in this perimeter of Orlando are: Some parts of Winter Park (Winter Park is split between both Orange & Seminole Co) Belle Isle, Celebration, Windermere and then the suburb of Orlando such as (Lake Nona, Bay HIll, Dr. Phillips/Bay Vista, Hunter's Creek, College Park and Moss Park)

Now, most of all these areas (assuming you are in the 300k+ price range) many are going to offer community amenities such as pool, fitness and may even be gated. Very few offer lawn care, but can be hired at a very reasonable price.

Many of these choice that I have discussed will have plenty of great nearby shopping, outstanding restaurants and top notch schools. While there are many other great areas I could have included, my main point that that should not have a hard time finding a great location that meets all your families needs.

[lovfl]

I suggest Windermere and Winter Garden. They are lovely areas and are considered Disney's backyard. 15 minutes to Disney and only takes me 20 minutes to get to Mall of Millenia.The schools in Windermere and most of Winter Garden are great from what the parents have told me.

[tayjaygray]

Hello.....

I realize this will probably read like a very silly comment/question and my apologies for offending anyone but...

I am thinking about relocating to Fla from the Northeast with my mother. She does not want to relocate because of lizards and gators. My niece rented a home in Orlando last summer for a two week vacation and said lizards were all over the front yard.

As a child I spent a lot of summers in Orlando but we stayed in hotels on the Walt Disney World grounds so no lizards there.

Any thoughts...

Thanks to all!

[brinkofsunshine]

Originally Posted by tayjaygray

Hello.....

I realize this will probably read like a very silly comment/question and my apologies for offending anyone but...

I am thinking about relocating to Fla from the Northeast with my mother. She does not want to relocate because of lizards and gators. My niece rented a home in Orlando last summer for a two week vacation and said lizards were all over the front yard.

As a child I spent a lot of summers in Orlando but we stayed in hotels on the Walt Disney World grounds so no lizards there.

Any thoughts...

Thanks to all!

There are lizards all over Disney World. And in probably every patch of grass/bush/tree in this state. They're everywhere. They're not going to harm you; they're actually pretty cute. I hardly notice them anymore.

Gators can live in pretty much any body of water. You won't really see them that often unless you really look for them. If you don't want to be bothered by gators, don't live in a lake or river, go boating, etc.

[sellingflhomes07]

We do have lizards and we do have alligators here in the sunshine state. The lizards eat insects and as long as you dont get in the water with them the alligators wont eat you. I have been here for years and have never had an encounter with an alligator. Like the previous post said if you live close to a body of water you will likely see them.