Independance neighborhood (Orlando, Sunset, Winter Garden: transplants, cliquey, house)

[Boarderline77]

Hi everyone! I have been reading a lot of these posts lately and really appreciate everyone's insight and opinions on neighborhoods around Orlando. My husband has a possible job with the airlines flying out of MCO and we are considering moving to the area. We have 3 children (9, 7 and 4) so one of my biggest concerns is schools for them. My husband is down there right now and he drove through Independence and said it looks like a really cool neighborhood. It seems like homes there are zoned for West Orange high right now. Does anyone know if they will go to the new high school that is supposed to be built in the next few years?

Another big concern for me is sense of community. I have read some posts talking about how orlando is a very transient area in general. We have moved many times because my husband was in the military and we have noticed that some areas are definitely more friendly and welcoming than others. My kids have had a super hard time making friends in our current location because people seem to be very cliquey and don't welcome new comers. I'd love to find an area that is welcoming and friendly, but also doesn't have people constantly moving in and out all the time. We are looking to put down roots somewhere and are hoping to find a neighborhood where people are involved and there are lots of community activities and such.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give us!!

[FL2MT]

Originally Posted by Boarderline77

Hi everyone! I have been reading a lot of these posts lately and really appreciate everyone's insight and opinions on neighborhoods around Orlando. My husband has a possible job with the airlines flying out of MCO and we are considering moving to the area. We have 3 children (9, 7 and 4) so one of my biggest concerns is schools for them. My husband is down there right now and he drove through Independence and said it looks like a really cool neighborhood. It seems like homes there are zoned for West Orange high right now. Does anyone know if they will go to the new high school that is supposed to be built in the next few years?

Another big concern for me is sense of community. I have read some posts talking about how orlando is a very transient area in general. We have moved many times because my husband was in the military and we have noticed that some areas are definitely more friendly and welcoming than others. My kids have had a super hard time making friends in our current location because people seem to be very cliquey and don't welcome new comers. I'd love to find an area that is welcoming and friendly, but also doesn't have people constantly moving in and out all the time. We are looking to put down roots somewhere and are hoping to find a neighborhood where people are involved and there are lots of community activities and such.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give us!!

I've lived in Independence for 4+ years and I've been very happy with my purchase here so I'll throw in my 2 cents.

First I'm assuming you know Independence is on the opposite side of town from the airport, it's easy to get there via the toll roads but just worth keeping in mind. Probably about 30 minutes on average to get there.

The kids would almost 100% certainly go to the new relief high school. Remember, the school is not built yet and everything points to it getting built by the time your kids would attend but some of the NIMBYs fighting it do have some money so hopefully they aren't able to delay it so long it would affect your kids.

Being a newer subdivision you'll find a lot of us are transplants rather than locals. I tend to make friends pretty easily and I've found it very welcoming, have made lots of good friends and know most of my neighbors, people that have invited me to Thanksgiving dinner, that sort of thing. There are also some jerks in the neighborhood and some people who pull out of the garage in the morning, pull back in at night and don't interact with anyone so it really comes down to making yourself a part of the community.

There are community events, we recently had a fundraiser for a neighbor who was severely injured in a car crash, friends and neighbors set up a 5k, silent auction, games for kids, etc. all within a few weeks. We have a food truck night once a month and they do community festivals (Fall festival, Winter festival, that sort of thing), there's a movie night (kid/family appropriate) each month and I'm probably forgetting some others but the point is there are plenty of opportunities to meet people.

In addition, the downtown of Winter Garden has quite a few festivals (Music, Springtime in the Garden, BBQ), they have live music every Friday night at the fountain, they have a car show every month and all of those events are very family friendly and well attended. Windermere is just as close and has a lot of similar things. Obviously just going to those things alone probably won't make you feel a part of a community, but if you make it a point to introduce yourself to enough people and start seeing those familiar faces then it certainly will feel like home.

Feel free to ask me anything else or send me a direct message and I'll try my best to answer it.

[Boarderline77]

Thank you so much!! Lots of great information. I have seen that it's on the opposite side of town but my husband didn't seem to mind that fact so I'm thinking that it won't be too big of a deal (I don't know much about the commercial pilot side of things but I am guessing that he won't have the normal 9-5 schedule and won't have to be driving in every day so his commute doesn't matter to us as much as some of the other factors). From what you've described it sounds like a wonderful place to live. Thanks again for posting ��

[Chitownr]

Originally Posted by FL2MT

I've lived in Independence for 4+ years and I've been very happy with my purchase here so I'll throw in my 2 cents.

Thank you for throwing your change at us. We will be closing on a house this next month near that new elementary school (our oldest will be in 1st grade in the fall). We are excited about the area and it is good to hear good things.

[EditorJul]

Originally Posted by Chitownr

Thank you for throwing your change at us. We will be closing on a house this next month near that new elementary school (our oldest will be in 1st grade in the fall). We are excited about the area and it is good to hear good things.

When I went for kindergarten orientation for my kiddo at Sunset Park last week, heard that the new elementary school is now officially called Independence Elementary. The mascot and motto still need to be decided. (It isn't going to be the Eagles, so I'm wondering if it will be the Patriots.)