Young family looking to move to Orlando area (I think...maybe)! (Melbourne: renting, mortgage)

[shannonsky]

Hubby and I both grew up in northern CT and moved to the DC metro area after college. I've pretty much wanted to get back to New England since then, but the high COL and high taxes, combined with not a lot of job opportunities, and all of our family moving out of the area, have us convinced that it's just not going to happen. Until recently, I'd been dead set against a move to FL purely because the heat, lack of seasons, and general environment are just so foreign to me. However, I've come to the conclusion that if we're not going to move back to FL and we know we want to get away from here, our options are A) continue to live far from family, and start over in a new location with no friends AGAIN; or B) move to FL, where DH has his parents and sister, and I have an aunt. So now I'm really trying to consider it, because I'd love to be near family most of all.

So here are our big things:
1) Good schools for our kids - if we MUST, we can probably swing private school tuition, but it'd probably mean sacrificing our current rate of saving for college.
2) Assuming DH can keep about the same salary he has now (it looks like the COL is about 30% lower than where we are now), we'd like to keep the mortgage below ~$330k.
3) We're really looking for a good, small-town feel. Rural/semi-rural feel, but no more than 15min to the nearest grocery store and 30min to the nearest Target.
4) We'd love to be on at least a half acre of land, and would choose more land over being on top of the beach.
5) We'd like to be within a 40min drive to Melbourne Beach, and within 30min of Orlando (assuming that's where DH would be working - unless there are any other options semi-near Melbourne?).

So what do you all think? Is there anywhere in the area that would be right for us? Thanks!

[AONE]

I'm thinking based on this criteria... Oviedo. good schools, a rural feel, close to shops, good prices for what you get. Close to the beach while still close to downtown.

Lake Mary - too far away

Lake Nona- misses on schools and lot sizes

Winter Park - older homes smaller lots

That's my quick armchair analysis

[FL2MT]

I would proceed cautiously.
Incomes from DC or the northeast rarely translate in a 1:1 ratio to jobs down here.
You've been dead-set against moving to Florida due to heat, lack of seasons and a foreign environment. None of those things have or will change.

I have no statistics to back this up, but from a general sense of reading these boards for people who don't like the heat, want seasons and are moving down here with the primary reason being closer to family members, the happiness/success rate seems to be pretty low.

Florida is great for some, not so great for others but from what you've posted I would really really suggest renting for a year before you even consider buying a place if you do move down.

[shannonsky]

Originally Posted by FL2MT

I would proceed cautiously.
Incomes from DC or the northeast rarely translate in a 1:1 ratio to jobs down here.
You've been dead-set against moving to Florida due to heat, lack of seasons and a foreign environment. None of those things have or will change.

I have no statistics to back this up, but from a general sense of reading these boards for people who don't like the heat, want seasons and are moving down here with the primary reason being closer to family members, the happiness/success rate seems to be pretty low.

Florida is great for some, not so great for others but from what you've posted I would really really suggest renting for a year before you even consider buying a place if you do move down.

Oh yes, we would absolutely be renting before buying for sure. I think if we took family totally out of the equation, I'd be pushing for Colorado Springs, but if we move there, we'd see family maybe 2x per year, and it's just not enough.

[4Florida2]

There are a lot happy in FL, being close to family would be a great factor
I say go for it

[firmbizzle]

What's DH?

[Crane's Rooster]

Try looking along sr46. Plymouth sorrento also comes to mind and maybe bithlo wedgefield. We dont havea complete lack of seasons we just dont have distinct northern seasons. For instance the lows this week were in the 40s and 50s. But it is a little different when its 70 on christmas day. I happen to think if your moving here for family your likely to do ok. In my experience its the people who move here knowing nobody and leaving family behind that have a hard go of it.