Possibly moving from Seattle area (Bellevue) to Orlando area (Windermere). Questions! (Winter Park: foreclosures, renters)

[ethanwa]

I have the luxury of moving anywhere in the world because my job is 100% on the computer (I run a small business that makes software and I make a more than decent living). We want to stay in the USA, so Florida seems to be the place my wife and I with two young kids 5 & 7 seem to always talk about. The cost of living, even in Windermere, is so much cheaper than the Seattle area as far as I can tell (I'm looking at a $12k-20k/yr savings by moving), and our family loves Florida because there is so much to do and the weather is amazing.

- Anyone else move from WA to FL? Experiences?

- Is Windermere considered a great place to live for locals? I see the schools are highly rated. What else is good/bad about the area?

- Is Windermere considered "Orlando".... as in, if you go out of state do you say "I'm from Orlando" like I currently say "I'm from Seattle"?

- We are looking to rent a nice home in the area... should we be weary of foreclosures? Any advice for home renters in the area? Are rental prices pretty negotiable right now?

- Anyone have experience on a big cross-country move? I don't even know where to start! What is a good moving company that does big moves and how much will it generally cost me? We MUST have movers... we can't do the do-it-yourself thing going from WA->FL.

- For people have moved from a cold climate to a warm one (like we may do), what is the best part of Florida for you besides the weather?

[brinkofsunshine]

I haven't ever lived in Washington, but I have lived in Windermere, so I'll try to help:

Yes, Windermere is considered a great area for locals to live in. It is one of the safest and most affluent areas in the metro, and you can find everything from palatial estate homes in gated communities to small ranch homes on sprawling oak-canopied dirt roads. The downtown is very small but the area is very charming. It is considered Orlando, as it is only about 5 minutes from the city limits.

The rental market, from what I've noticed, is very hot and therefore prices are pretty high.

Good luck with your move!

[ethanwa]

Originally Posted by brinkofsunshine

The rental market, from what I've noticed, is very hot and therefore prices are pretty high.

Low compared to the area I currently live in!

Bellevue, WA: Home built in the 80's, $3500/mnth, 2500 sqr ft (this is the ONLY home available under $4k/mnth for that size, not even in the best school area)

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/90...48927042_zpid/

Windermere, FL: Home built in 2006, $1700/mnth, 2600 sqr ft

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/88...71061880_zpid/

I'm currently paying $3500/mnth rent for a home that is having a rent increase this summer to $4500. No matter what, we are moving. Let's just say that my rent were to stay at $3500/mnth here, if I moved to Florida I'd save $21,600 a YEAR for a home that I would consider better in FL! Crazy.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by ethanwa

I have the luxury of moving anywhere in the world because my job is 100% on the computer (I run a small business that makes software and I make a more than decent living). We want to stay in the USA, so Florida seems to be the place my wife and I with two young kids 5 & 7 seem to always talk about. The cost of living, even in Windermere, is so much cheaper than the Seattle area as far as I can tell (I'm looking at a $12k-20k/yr savings by moving), and our family loves Florida because there is so much to do and the weather is amazing.

- Anyone else move from WA to FL? Experiences?

- Is Windermere considered a great place to live for locals? I see the schools are highly rated. What else is good/bad about the area?

- Is Windermere considered "Orlando".... as in, if you go out of state do you say "I'm from Orlando" like I currently say "I'm from Seattle"?

- We are looking to rent a nice home in the area... should we be weary of foreclosures? Any advice for home renters in the area? Are rental prices pretty negotiable right now?

- Anyone have experience on a big cross-country move? I don't even know where to start! What is a good moving company that does big moves and how much will it generally cost me? We MUST have movers... we can't do the do-it-yourself thing going from WA->FL.

- For people have moved from a cold climate to a warm one (like we may do), what is the best part of Florida for you besides the weather?

I used to live in Edmonds, which is nearby you, I'm sure I don't need to tell you that though lol. If you have been to Florida and enjoyed it, you'll enjoy it when you move here. I like it more as a local than as a tourist because having your own outdoor pool and jacuzzi is great. The only thing I can see you missing are the mountains and ethnic restaurants.

1) You would say you are from Orlando. If you are talking to people in Orlando, you would say Windermere.

2) If you plan on living in that house for awhile, I would make sure the landlord is financially stable. We didn't budge on the rental price on the home we're renting out in Dr. Phillips. I don't know about other landlords though.

3) I've moved numerous times across country, I don't remember the companies I used, but I always had good luck just googling and checking their reviews.

4) The weather during the summer can be overbearing, but it still beats the pain from coldness. Everything is green year-round, the streets are beautifully landscaped, beaches, I love how all the buildings and cars look new and clean, boating, fishing, pool/jacuzzi etc.

[DebSchroeder]

I live in Windermere and love it! As another member said, the rental market is hot and I haven't heard of any negotiating the rental amounts.

To answer your question...yes, when I go out of state, we just say that we live in Orlando

[ethanwa]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

I used to live in Edmonds, which is nearby you, I'm sure I don't need to tell you that though lol. If you have been to Florida and enjoyed it, you'll enjoy it when you move here. I like it more as a local than as a tourist because having your own outdoor pool and jacuzzi is great. The only thing I can see you missing are the mountains and ethnic restaurants.

1) You would say you are from Orlando. If you are talking to people in Orlando, you would say Windermere.

2) If you plan on living in that house for awhile, I would make sure the landlord is financially stable. We didn't budge on the rental price on the home we're renting out in Dr. Phillips. I don't know about other landlords though.

3) I've moved numerous times across country, I don't remember the companies I used, but I always had good luck just googling and checking their reviews.

4) The weather during the summer can be overbearing, but it still beats the pain from coldness. Everything is green year-round, the streets are beautifully landscaped, beaches, I love how all the buildings and cars look new and clean, boating, fishing, pool/jacuzzi etc.

Thanks for the input! Can I asked why you moved? And do you ever have the urge to move back?

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by ethanwa

Thanks for the input! Can I asked why you moved? And do you ever have the urge to move back?

No problem!

I've lived in a lot of places and I moved from Seattle to Australia then to Orlando. I currently live in San Francisco, but still have the house in Orlando. I plan on moving back to Orlando because I've realized I want to settle down in a warm climate. The summers can be rough because of the humidity, but as long as you have A/C and a pool, it's fine. I never thought about moving back to Seattle when I was in Orlando because I was really tired of the weather. It's nice being able to wake up and just jump in your pool to wake up then shower and start your day or come home after a stressful day and swim at midnight. I also love it on sick days because you can just lay out, cover yourself with a towel and sweat all the toxins out. I did miss some things about Seattle. I missed the variety of Asian restaurants and grocery stores. I actually missed the variety of restaurants in general. Orlando and Florida are full of franchises and a lot of the independent restaurants are just okay. There are still good options, but Seattle by far wins. I missed the scenery of the ocean and mountains. Orlando is green, but there isn't much scenery. There are a lot of lakes in Windermere, so you should be able to find something on one of those lakes. Seattle on a sunny warm day is nearly perfect to me, but unfortunately those days are limited. If you live in Windermere, Dr. Phillips, Winter Park, I wouldn't worry too much about regretting your decision because those are very nice areas. If you were to say Lake Mary, Celebration, Lake Nona, I would be concerned. These areas are still very nice, but out of the way and boring in comparison to Bellevue/Seattle. I actually think you should get a Disney Pass. There aren't many cool festivals in Orlando, but Epcot Center has some interesting ones, but you need a pass or ticket to experience them.

[brinkofsunshine]

Originally Posted by ethanwa

Low compared to the area I currently live in!

Bellevue, WA: Home built in the 80's, $3500/mnth, 2500 sqr ft (this is the ONLY home available under $4k/mnth for that size, not even in the best school area)

901 145th Pl NE, Bellevue, WA 98007 - Zillow

Windermere, FL: Home built in 2006, $1700/mnth, 2600 sqr ft

8850 Abbotsbury Dr, Windermere, FL 34786 - Zillow

I'm currently paying $3500/mnth rent for a home that is having a rent increase this summer to $4500. No matter what, we are moving. Let's just say that my rent were to stay at $3500/mnth here, if I moved to Florida I'd save $21,600 a YEAR for a home that I would consider better in FL! Crazy.

I have no doubt that Windermere is cheaper than Seattle, but keep in mind that the example house you posted in Windermere is part of the newer, slightly less desirable part of the town. It's not unsafe, but the assigned high school (West Orange High), is not nearly as good as the high school designated for the older part of Windermere (Olympia High). Also, I wouldn't consider new necessarily better than old in Florida; the new Windermere subdivisions were created by plowing down all of the trees and then building house right next to house.

Older Windermere, which has the charm, the dirt roads, the huge trees, etc. has higher rents and for the most part, more expensive properties (however, according to Zillow, it's still cheaper than WA!). Personally I'd much prefer to live in a 80's home in a neighborhood like Windermere Downs rather than a new one in Lakes of Windermere, for example. But that's just my opinion

[ethanwa]

Originally Posted by brinkofsunshine

I have no doubt that Windermere is cheaper than Seattle, but keep in mind that the example house you posted in Windermere is part of the newer, slightly less desirable part of the town. It's not unsafe, but the assigned high school (West Orange High), is not nearly as good as the high school designated for the older part of Windermere (Olympia High). Also, I wouldn't consider new necessarily better than old in Florida; the new Windermere subdivisions were created by plowing down all of the trees and then building house right next to house.

Older Windermere, which has the charm, the dirt roads, the huge trees, etc. has higher rents and for the most part, more expensive properties (however, according to Zillow, it's still cheaper than WA!). Personally I'd much prefer to live in a 80's home in a neighborhood like Windermere Downs rather than a new one in Lakes of Windermere, for example. But that's just my opinion

Thanks for the input, it is useful. We have a 5 and 7 year old and are looking for that dense cul-d-sac like neighborhood where the kids can ride their bikes on paved roads and have fun playing street games with the other kids around. We would like a bit more spacing between houses though.

Eventually I agree, I would like something more secluded, but for a family we're actually looking for a nice family neighborhood like this. (not saying we would move to the one I showed, just using it as an example).

[ethanwa]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Seattle on a sunny warm day is nearly perfect to me.

I agree with this. This week we are having that right now... high 70's all week, not a cloud in the sky. VERY unusual for this time of year. But you are right, the nice days here are rare, and 9-10 months out of the year it's cold, cloudy, and depressing. Weather is a major (but not only) reason for the move.

We are a HUGE Disney family so we know all about the passes. That is all already planned.