Incoming Professional Studio Music Teacher.... (Orlando, University: foreclosures, renting, houses)

[jonathanp35comcast]

Hello Orlandoians. I would like some suggestions on neighborhoods with the main concern being to have a flourishing music studio. I will be running a studio out of my home providing lessons for guitar, piano, drums, bass, and ukulele. I am a State of Wisconsin certified educator. With the understanding that Realtors logically visit these forums, I have included some details for them here. I apologize if this is too wordy.

I have friends in the Oviedo and University Place areas and would like to be close by to them. However, I am completely open to all suggestions based on my other "requirements."

-I love old historic houses. Again, I'm open to anything, but would much prefer a turn of the century home. I am quite handy and really enjoy restoring a house like this as well. As long as it's structurally sound, has the right floor plan for running a studio, and is in a family friendly neighborhood I'm game. For the right price I'm happy to tear down and rebuild the walls and restore the woodwork if I have to.

-I am motivated by an active, fun, and exciting neighborhood. As a 42 year old, I'm not certain I fully understand what a modern hipster is, but I've been catching on to the idea that neighborhoods known to be hipster hotspots are pretty alluring to me. The nightlife, parks, festivals, music performances, (not the stuffy stuff; I mean rock, blues, punk...), these are the things that get me off the couch. I also have a culinary degree so a neighborhood with great restaurants would be a plus. Oh, and BTW Mr.Mrs. Realtor, a house with an extra kitchen for a side business would be just dreamy!

-Walkable is important. Gardens, hiking, kayaking, fishing, and camping are some of my favorite things in life.

-My main concern is to be in an area where there is a high concentration of families who will become my customer base.

-Despite college transcripts that a doctor would be respectful of, I am not a monetarily rich man. I will have approximately 100,000 up front to put down on a house and be willing to take out 10,000 on a mortgage. (We're talkin' semi-retirement here.) Seriously, 110,000 is it. I know Mr./Mrs Realtor...I know.

[ZeusMutation]

I came from CA. I'm a recording engineer/musician. This is what I found...

Everyone I met at first mentioned FullSail. It's their audio engineer school... you could potentially work as an instructor.

Orlando has some amazing talent, mostly due to Disney and some legends retiring here. Musicians don't really retire. lol.

The music scene is not so great... maybe 10 years behind is my feeling.

Lots of music teachers here.

Great amount of jazz talent.

Metal heads, rappers, or old dudes doing covers... I'm old, just pointing it out.

Main challenge... money. No quality studio is cheap. You know this... offering a room in a house with PT and a digital board isn't really a draw. Not a lot of people have disposable income here either.

Look into the Winter Park area. NOT winter Garden(its far out, easily confused). WP is somewhat hipster... for a city behind the times. Certainly compared to places like L.A. and NYC.

Look at School of Rock... I was getting lessons from a legendary student of George Lawrence Stone's at one of the locations. A lot of kids there. I'm sure there is a market for you.

I by example live in Lake Nona... truth be told, its too far from anything cool in Orlando. However, its the 'new' area and a lot of families out here... you may look into being one of the only teachers/studios in this part of the greater Orlando area.

My wife and I cannot stand FL... so we are leaving ASAP. That said, if I had to stay here... I'd look at places around the following streets.

Colonial to the 408 (run parallel)
Bumby to Crystal something or other. Basically just at the executive airport. (also run parallel). That is a rectangle shape I listed.

Additionally, from Mills Ave at Colonial (not sure it that's still E. Colonial or W?) upwards towards Winter Park/Longwood is somewhat hip too.

It takes me 30 minutes to get to the closet record store... driving the fastest rout.
45 to the Winter Park Guitar Center
10 to the GC on Orange Blossom Trail
30 to Sam Ash on E. Colonial
45 to Sam Ash on Lee Rd... just to give you an idea of time. Everything is between 20 & 40 miles away... of Lake Nona.

Hope that helps!

[brinkofsunshine]

The most hipster neighborhoods are going to be in or near downtown. I'd say Audubon Park and Colonialtown/Mills50 would be the most appealing to you. Historic homes, neat cafes, music venues, etc.

It's going to be extremely difficult to find something within your budget. There are a few foreclosures that are under your budget downtown if that interests you. Also keep in mind that turn-of-the-century is pretty rare in Orlando (although they do exist). You'll find plenty of 1920's bungalows to 50's/60's ranches though, and everything in-between.

[MrKnight]

The downtown neighborhoods such as Thornton Park, Eola Heights, Audubon Park, Mills50, and Ivanhoe Village will be your best bet, these are by far the most artsy, lively, and up and coming neighborhoods in the area.. Winter Park (specifically along Park Avenue) is also an alternative to downtown.. There is a good amount of music programs in the area which could be a potential source of employment for you, but once again, you will have to be in areas such as downtown..

I would NOT recommend Oviedo, while I personally lived there for several years and LOVED the area, it is far from artsy and you will not find what you are looking for there.. Its a great place to live but not a great place for your other endeavors.

[BMR1974]

Originally Posted by MrKnight

The downtown neighborhoods such as Thornton Park, Eola Heights, Audubon Park, Mills50, and Ivanhoe Village will be your best bet, these are by far the most artsy, lively, and up and coming neighborhoods in the area.. Winter Park (specifically along Park Avenue) is also an alternative to downtown.. There is a good amount of music programs in the area which could be a potential source of employment for you, but once again, you will have to be in areas such as downtown..

I would NOT recommend Oviedo, while I personally lived there for several years and LOVED the area, it is far from artsy and you will not find what you are looking for there.. Its a great place to live but not a great place for your other endeavors.

This is pretty spot on. Your budget may be an issue in these areas however. Have you considered renting for a year to really get a feel? Rollins College has a pretty amazing music program and so quite a bit of talent flows from the Winter Park area. Also lot's of affluent folks willing to do private lessons.

[BrokerHarry]

Being at a relatively young age of 42 years old, & already planning to enter semi-retirement, while putting $100K down on a fixer house in a safe / hip / walkable Orlando neighborhood that is zoned to operate a home business, & hoping to find a bank willing to write a $10K mortgage...

...is not what I would consider a well thought out plan, with much chance of success.

If the OP truly hopes to locate, build & operate a flourishing home studio business that will attract quality students anywhere close to the hipper areas of downtown Orlando, where "historic" fixer homes cost almost the same per sq ft as newly built homes in the more far flung suburbs...

...I suggest Jonathon is going to have to substantially raise his housing budget, put less cash down as a down payment, qualify for a larger mortgage, set aside additional cash for remodeling as well as business start up costs...

...& postpone his early retirement goals for at least another decade, or more.

And I'm not entirely unsympathetic to the OP's goals, other than I waited until I hit 65 to enter semi-retirement.

Prior to being a RE broker, I had a 2 decade career as a musician in LA, & I still play & record music in my home studio just about every day:

https://scontent.ftpa1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...44&oe=56BA2E03

[jonathanp35comcast]

i appreciate all the input given here. I understand from what you've all provided, my biggest hurdles would be the cost of homes and the competition for students among many qualified teachers in the areas I would prefer. My plans do include this move happening in 10-15 years and having a significant amount of dough saved up. However, I didn't realize there would be as much competition for students given the sheer amount of people living there. I also appreciate the statement regarding homes being zoned for business activities. Though this is something I know to look into, I hadn't yet. (Not all cities require this). That saves me some time. Thanks.

If I do choose Orlando, I see I will be better off taking a part time job in a school, and/or working for an established music facility offering lessons, at least to first get established. I am encouraged by the idea of finding an area in the greater Orlando area where there might be more demand for teachers close by to those families.

At the risk of sounding a little defensive, but really just to clarify on few things, I am not a recording engineer. I am a State of Wisconsin, music teacher with certifications in instrumental, general, and choral education pk-12. As a musician and music educator with many years under my belt working for public schools, I absolutely can retire. I just won't want to. I fully expect to teach and perform till I can't any longer. Semi-retirement at my planned age of somewhere around 55-57 means only teaching 25-30 students as opposed to 40 or more per week. Planning for semi-retirement is as much a hobby for me as it is a wise and necessary endeavor to ensure my continued happiness into old age. It's perfectly OK with me if Orlando is too big of a city for me. Thank you all for your input. I really do appreciate it.

One day wiser...OP.

[annerk]

Considering that many professional musicians with "brand names" and endorsement deals now give lessons in this area when not on the road or over SKYPE when they are, I'm not sure how realistic your plan is.

PS--No bank is going to write a $10K mortgage. Maybe a HELOC after you purchase, but not a 1st mortgage.

By the way, for certain genres, this area remains hot. There's a great active rock scene and a good jazz scene. There's a decent Contemporary Christian scene. I'm talking original music, not cover bands.

[jonathanp35comcast]

I appreciate the reality check. Although I suspect I could make it happen if I really wanted given some compromises, at least for now I have come to the conclusion Orlando is probably not a place I would be happy. Thank you all for helping.