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Old 02-07-2014, 12:26 PM
 
8 posts, read 12,344 times
Reputation: 10

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With the winter being so harsh this year my fiancee and I have been considering the idea of moving down south to raise our family. My father is moving to the villages come 2015. We are getting married this year and plan on starting a family soon thereafter. The extremely harsh winter we have been having has been making us second guess staying in NJ.

That being said. I am a tax accountant and he is a lawyer. We would only move to Florida if at least one of us could find a job first. I know that will be difficult considering we live in NJ. But I am more concerned of where we would live right now before we seriously start looking.

I don't see a point in relocating if we are not at least 30 minutes from my father in the Villages. I am very concerned with the condition of schools in Florida. He keeps boasting about the family community near the villages (Parkwood) but I know our children would not be able to attend the Villages Charter school (A rated) unless one of us works for them. However, the idea of a gated community with activities appeals to me because it would provide a place for me to make new friends.

I have been reading good things about Lake Mary in Florida. That is about an hour drive from the Villages which is as far as i would want to be from my Dad. Good schools, nice homes but a little more than we would like to spend.

What areas can you recommend within an hour at most from the Villages that is good to raise as family. I would like to be within an hour from Disney and hopefully we would be able to get jobs in Orlando. I commute 40-60 min each day depending on traffic so a commute to work is not an issue for me.

thanks for your help!
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Old 02-07-2014, 01:39 PM
 
27,224 posts, read 43,942,133 times
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Look at neighboring Sanford, particularly the west side (west of the 417). The schools are of similar (or better) quality, equally as safe and home prices tend about 20% lower on average because the other end of Sanford isn't as nice, but not close enough to impact quality of life.
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Old 02-07-2014, 02:31 PM
 
4,167 posts, read 9,342,054 times
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Lake Mary is not anywhere near 30 minutes from the Villages, more like 1hr +. The nearest areas that I could think of would be Leesburg, Tavares, Mt. Dora. Only Mt. Dora would be within your commuting time to Orlando.
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Old 02-07-2014, 03:10 PM
 
776 posts, read 1,673,527 times
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Sounds like Clermont might be the best choice. If you are near a turnpike interchange would be easier access to both The Villages and Disney
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Old 02-08-2014, 06:02 AM
 
27,224 posts, read 43,942,133 times
Reputation: 32327
Quote:
Originally Posted by rrali33tt View Post
With the winter being so harsh this year my fiancee and I have been considering the idea of moving down south to raise our family. My father is moving to the villages come 2015. We are getting married this year and plan on starting a family soon thereafter. The extremely harsh winter we have been having has been making us second guess staying in NJ.

That being said. I am a tax accountant and he is a lawyer. We would only move to Florida if at least one of us could find a job first. I know that will be difficult considering we live in NJ. But I am more concerned of where we would live right now before we seriously start looking.

I don't see a point in relocating if we are not at least 30 minutes from my father in the Villages. I am very concerned with the condition of schools in Florida. He keeps boasting about the family community near the villages (Parkwood) but I know our children would not be able to attend the Villages Charter school (A rated) unless one of us works for them. However, the idea of a gated community with activities appeals to me because it would provide a place for me to make new friends.

I have been reading good things about Lake Mary in Florida. That is about an hour drive from the Villages which is as far as i would want to be from my Dad. Good schools, nice homes but a little more than we would like to spend.

What areas can you recommend within an hour at most from the Villages that is good to raise as family. I would like to be within an hour from Disney and hopefully we would be able to get jobs in Orlando. I commute 40-60 min each day depending on traffic so a commute to work is not an issue for me.

thanks for your help!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster View Post
Lake Mary is not anywhere near 30 minutes from the Villages, more like 1hr +. The nearest areas that I could think of would be Leesburg, Tavares, Mt. Dora. Only Mt. Dora would be within your commuting time to Orlando.
Maybe I read it wrong but I thought the phrase used was being at least 30 minutes away from The Villages?
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Old 02-10-2014, 07:10 AM
 
8 posts, read 12,344 times
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I would like to aim to be no further than 30 minutes from the Villages, but an hour at most if it means living in a significantly better neighborhood. I had read Lake Mary is one of the best places to live in the country. I apologize if i was cryptic.
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Old 02-10-2014, 07:54 AM
 
26,585 posts, read 62,054,681 times
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Clermont, specifically the Legends community. Gated and guarded, very secure. Mostly professionals, executives, medical, etc. Close to shopping, libraries, houses of worship, restaurants, etc.

Lot's of families, lot's of activities and amenities. "A" rated schools. 30 minutes give or take to the Villages, Disney, downtown Orlando.

Let me know if you want more info.
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Old 02-10-2014, 06:41 PM
 
4,278 posts, read 5,178,918 times
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If your number one concern is education I would not move down to Florida. Here is a quote from a paper for the results of the last FCAT results.

FCAT writing, high school reading scores released


Oh..that "A" rating for your schools....well...we sort of fudge the numbers.....but let just say...NJ is not the only corrupt state in the union...

Florida’s change to school rating system called ‘scam’

It is funny at times...I live in Orange County/Orlando and the library will deliver books to your home for free....you just order them off their very nice web page...2-3 days later...they are delivered sealed in a nice blue plastic bag...by a nice young cheerful guy...who places them neatly by your door....any book you want...just order it...for free....well..paid via property taxes of course..you have to take it back on your own...but what the heck..how can you beat that service....yet...50 percent failed the reading test at the 10th grade...you just can't make this stuff up!

A lot of parents put their children into private schools to get around the public schools. Not all public schools are bad and some a very good, but think of this. With so many kids failing a simple reading test..where are those kids going to end up in life?....

We do have a great college/university system...really good...but you have to get into it...and stay....

I grew up in Ohio...hated the snow/slush/ice...feel your pain....

Oh...don't forget about hurricanes and home insurance....Central Florida is not so bad...but the state insurance system is going out of business and it will be interesting to see how that shakes out...my insurance went from 1100 per year to 2100 last year in four years..no claims....no hurricane in FL since 05...but sink holes in Tampa are causing the rise now...


Have you looked at Northern VA or Texas? Away from your dad, but Northern Va has a lot to do..expensive....but better schools...Tx has bad public schools...but very good for jobs...cheap prices for homes....
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Old 02-11-2014, 08:50 PM
 
112 posts, read 328,110 times
Reputation: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by rrali33tt View Post
I would like to aim to be no further than 30 minutes from the Villages, but an hour at most if it means living in a significantly better neighborhood. I had read Lake Mary is one of the best places to live in the country. I apologize if i was cryptic.
Unless you are sure you can land a job that allows for telecommuting most of the time, you should be aiming to be 30-60 minutes away from wherever the most jobs available are for your fields. There's no sense in being 30 minutes away from your dad and then spending 3 hours a day in traffic to get to and from work.
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Old 02-12-2014, 10:27 AM
 
10 posts, read 17,972 times
Reputation: 32
Don't know why Lake Mary was rated so high by money magazine. We couldn't find a home that didn't have ridiculous HOA fees there, (600K0 moved to west Sanford and go to LM for most of our needs. It depends on what you are used to. I thought I could like it here (depended on stats and the LM hype) but am disappointed in the lack of things here and the higher prices in everything but the taxes. I love the weather but want to move out of this area closer to a big city. Bigger than Orlando. I thought if Sanford or LM doesn't have what I need I would go to Orlando, not. People beat you up on your personal opinions here but a suburban Philly girl would find it hard to like it here unless you are busy running kids around. Empty nesters would find it hard to make friends in my new development, no one seems to want to get to know each other. Very strange and discouraging but I digress......Just don't believe all you read about Lake Mary, it is nice enough but not nirvana.
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