Moving to SW Orlando and need some help (Apopka, Conway: new home, buy)

[gunshipgator]

I'm moving to Orlando and need some help narrowing down the search for a new home. New job will be in SW Orlando area (Windmere, Winter Garden area, just north of the Disney parks. Need info on schools, places to live, shopping, entertainment, traffic, what have you. Have 1 son going into 2nd grade and another in Preschool. Home budget could be as high as $350K but would prefer to stay around $300. I'm taking a decent pay cut to come here and can't sell my house in the panhandle so risky decision financially. For house, looking for over 2700 sqft, 2+ car garage, parks playgrounds running/biking, the works. Is this a bridge too far, or are there places there where all these attributes work? Any colorful characterizations would help too - my wife's convinced we're going to be living next to a stripmall and neverending lines of foriegn Disney tourists. Say it ain't so!

[chopchop0]

I think Winter Garden/Windermere ("new" windermere off 535) would work here but I'd check with a realtor to make sure that budget would work (I think it would, last I remember)

[Crane's Rooster]

I also agree with Winter Garden. If you don't mind commuting a little longer, Clermont would also be a great option to get alot of house for your money and keep you well away from the tourists. You could also look at Conway/Belle Isle/Pine Castle if you want to live in the city. Lake Nona would be about equal distance as Clermont in the opposite direction but has alot of nice new communities.

I left out the colorful characterizations.

Winter Garden is great little town that basically in the Orlando urban area but feels more like it's own little town in places. It has a quaint downtown right off the west Orange trail which is a 20+ mile walking/biking trail. It's also nearby to Lake Apopka which has alot of walking/hiking/nature trails. Close enough to work, but far enough from the tourists.

Clermont is about a 25-35 min commute up FL Turnpike to the NW. It's a developing community but still has alot of it's own character and charm. It's known most for it's rolling hills, probably some similar to some areas of the panhandle such as Tally. Has some country charm for a suburb. Mostly newer homes.

Conway/Belle Isle/Pine Castle is what's considered old Orlando. It's the area basically just south of Downtown all the way to nearly Sandlake road. The area is dotted by lakes everywhere. You can find everything from old bungalows to multimillion dollar homes in the area. Very busy area, fairly diverse area, city living. Would be about a 30 min commute because you would already by on the southside and not have to worry about getting through downtown.

Lake Nona is basically brand new. It's anchored by the medical city which is a developing cluster or medical treatment and research facilities. They have very grand plans for the area and it's looks like it's starting to take shape. Lots of trails. Housing a little expensive but I think you can find something that meets your criteria. Newest and least developed of the areas I mentioned. It's basically right next to Orlando International Airport and about a 25-30 min commute.

All the areas mentioned have good schools and are safe.

[Mr Idealism]

Originally Posted by gunshipgator

I'm moving to Orlando and need some help narrowing down the search for a new home. New job will be in SW Orlando area (Windmere, Winter Garden area, just north of the Disney parks. Need info on schools, places to live, shopping, entertainment, traffic, what have you. Have 1 son going into 2nd grade and another in Preschool. Home budget could be as high as $350K but would prefer to stay around $300. I'm taking a decent pay cut to come here and can't sell my house in the panhandle so risky decision financially. For house, looking for over 2700 sqft, 2+ car garage, parks playgrounds running/biking, the works. Is this a bridge too far, or are there places there where all these attributes work? Any colorful characterizations would help too - my wife's convinced we're going to be living next to a stripmall and neverending lines of foriegn Disney tourists. Say it ain't so!

If you're looking in the new section of Windermere and Winter Garden you will be living next to strip malls, and quite a bit of home/road construction. The Disney Tourists don't really venture too much into either places, but there will be a lot of cast members. I think $300k is doable, but might be tight considering the size house you want. Anything over 2500 sq ft in Windermere is closer to $350k, though Winter Garden is going to be cheaper. Neighboring Dr. Phillips would be a consideration, but you're looking at $350k easy for a house that size.

[Eric1026]

Originally Posted by Mr Idealism

If you're looking in the new section of Windermere and Winter Garden you will be living next to strip malls, and quite a bit of home/road construction. The Disney Tourists don't really venture too much into either places, but there will be a lot of cast members. I think $300k is doable, but might be tight considering the size house you want. Anything over 2500 sq ft in Windermere is closer to $350k, though Winter Garden is going to be cheaper. Neighboring Dr. Phillips would be a consideration, but you're looking at $350k easy for a house that size.

Not sure if I agree with this poster or at least we might be thinking of different sections of new Windermere/Winter Garden. Basically one of the main reasons everyone wants to be in and around Windermere is because it does NOT have strip malls. It is full of grass, parks, trees and the downtown Windermere area has cobblestone streets with round a bouts. It is simply stunning and is the reason we moved to Orlando. In terms of Winter Garden there is a section called Horizon West that is a complete planned growth community of about 30,000 acres. There are going to be six villages with shopping located in a central cluster so it will not have strip mall type development. They are just starting on the main village called Hamlin and if they pull it off it will be simply stunning. We are talking retail on a boat lake and the main center retail will have a large dock where boats, kayaks, etc. can drive up and go shopping, eating, movies, etc.

I am completely hooked on the concept and we are moving from Windermere to that area to be a part of it (so they better actually develop that main town center or else :-)).

Clermont is probably the best value for the dollar IMHO and parts of Apopka are really nice in that price range too. Good luck with the search!

[bmw335xi]

I would buy in Dr. Phillips, good schools, nice community, my favorite part of Orlando.

[Mr Idealism]

Winter Garden and Windermere have a ton of strip malls and they will continue building. Just drive down 535. The Winter Garden Village is one huge strip mall surrounded by others on either side. There's also one off Summerport Parkway and 535, as well as the new one off 535 and Reams. Downtown Windermere is a whole other ball game, and when talking about Windermere they get lumped together. They are very much different though, and have a lot more character than the developments going in "New Windermere." I should know, I lived in Lakes of Windermere for nearly a year, and now where we once saw orange groves, there's a sea of homes, dirt, and construction. It's one of the many reasons we bought in neighboring Dr. Phillips.

Originally Posted by Eric1026

Not sure if I agree with this poster or at least we might be thinking of different sections of new Windermere/Winter Garden. Basically one of the main reasons everyone wants to be in and around Windermere is because it does NOT have strip malls. It is full of grass, parks, trees and the downtown Windermere area has cobblestone streets with round a bouts. It is simply stunning and is the reason we moved to Orlando. In terms of Winter Garden there is a section called Horizon West that is a complete planned growth community of about 30,000 acres. There are going to be six villages with shopping located in a central cluster so it will not have strip mall type development. They are just starting on the main village called Hamlin and if they pull it off it will be simply stunning. We are talking retail on a boat lake and the main center retail will have a large dock where boats, kayaks, etc. can drive up and go shopping, eating, movies, etc.

I am completely hooked on the concept and we are moving from Windermere to that area to be a part of it (so they better actually develop that main town center or else :-)).

Clermont is probably the best value for the dollar IMHO and parts of Apopka are really nice in that price range too. Good luck with the search!

[tinytrump]

I am in Clermont and the schools are top dog- I am w grands here and my son won't move closer to work because of the schools- he rather commute- I am commuting too, but eventually will head nearer to ORL airport where I work...the drive is actually great until I get to 192----at 5pm aghhrhrhrhhrhrh- I do not know about the other areas but Clermont doesnt NOT look like Florida,,, more like the hills of SC...

[Eric1026]

Originally Posted by Mr Idealism

Winter Garden and Windermere have a ton of strip malls and they will continue building. Just drive down 535. The Winter Garden Village is one huge strip mall surrounded by others on either side. There's also one off Summerport Parkway and 535, as well as the new one off 535 and Reams. Downtown Windermere is a whole other ball game, and when talking about Windermere they get lumped together. They are very much different though, and have a lot more character than the developments going in "New Windermere." I should know, I lived in Lakes of Windermere for nearly a year, and now where we once saw orange groves, there's a sea of homes, dirt, and construction. It's one of the many reasons we bought in neighboring Dr. Phillips.

A TON OF STRIP MALLS. Oh boy. I will go look up the word ton and see if it equals three places or not - LOL.

With that said Winter Garden Village is NOT a strip mall. It is a shopping mall with about 1 Million square feet of retail. Summerport (with the Publix) IS one of the centers of the village concept called Horizon West. You must have some place to go get milk and groceries or are you one of those people that want to live in the woods and have to drive 30-60 minutes to get aspirin?

When most people ask about "strip malls" they reference roads such as highway 50, or Kirkman or S Orange Ave....etc. I suggest you look up Horizon West which is a planned growth community concept in Winter Garden. It is purposely building mini-villages that contain centrally located retail shops where people can go to get their essential needs......and once again the Summerport Publix IS one of the center villages. They are about ready to start on another village which is the main town center of Horizon West and it is called Hamilin. When that is done it will be twice as large as the Winter Garden Village but it will not be considered a strip mall.

[norrodh]

Have to agree with Eric!! The Winter Garden/Windermere area is really nice and safe and definitely in your price point. Now I'm talking about the area of Winter Garden that is on the Windermere side. When you get to 50 it will be all strip malls but no houses there. Then the downtown of Winter Garden is alot nicer than Windermere!! I think anyway!! I live 2 blocks from downtown so I guess I'm prejudiced. haha! Its got cobblestone streets and boutiques and small eateries and music on the weekends. Its super nice!! The Horizon West that Eric is speaking about is supposed to be really nice and its been talked about for many years and they are finally breaking ground. Its so close to Disney, that you get to watch the fireworks from most places in that area. Its all residents and no tourists as most dont even know its there!! Definitely look into that area!! I dont know how good the schools are as my children homeschool.