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If you're looking for a liberal area, Orlando is very liberal. Orange county is very liberal.
From what I gather, Kissimmee has a high Puerto Rican population. My Venezuelan friends are not fans of Kissimmee.
Orange county schools are very average.
You won't meet your housing request on that budget. I've found that housing here is relatively expensive in relation to wages. You're looking at $1.00-1.25 per square foot here to rent. We pay $1,525 for 1,500 square feet; it was definitely sticker shock coming from El Paso where we paid $1,250 for 2,200 square feet.
Most areas are HOA but that doesn't mean the HOA has any bite to their bark. Ours is worthless, I bypass them and go straight to the county with complaints about residents doing things such as dual wheeled vehicles parked in residential areas, running a business out of a residence, etc.
As far as rentals go, that may not be too bad for us. We are used to 3 bedroom rentals in the 1100 to 1200 sq. ft range. Our current rental is 1200 sq. ft., and it is just fine. Would love more room, and the girls' bedrooms are a bit small, but they are young girls with their own rooms - they will be fine. Especially if we're living in Florida. . We'll focus on getting a bigger house for our forever home.
I'm a member of several birding forums; one is based in the UK.
They are always inquiring about places to stay, whether or not to rent a car, what nature and wildlife hotspots are near the theme parks, how long does it take to get between each- birding especially is a big business. Of course they want to see the gators, etc.
Lake County has Wings and Wildflowers every year; the Avian Reconditioning Center in Apopka has the Owl Fest ; Umatilla has the Florida Wildlife Festival. Horseback riding at Rock Springs Run, canoeing and kayaking in sooooo many lakes , rivers, creeks--
One of our favorite things to do in Central Florida is to stay in Mt Dora and then go hiking around the area.
Perhaps you could package something related to those things and all the festivals in Mt Dora etc that many people never hear of.
I live in Palm Beach county and so many people have no clue about anything besides the theme parks when Central Florida is a truly awesome place with so much more.
Jeez! I moved out of Orlando area and back to NY Metro area in 1999, and I can't believe the cost of a home and HOA fees you guys are talking about to live in a decent neighborhood! I can live in NY for almost the same prices, but a Florida townhouse/house/condo would be bigger for the same money. For instance, I looked at a NY 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo, 1400 sq ft. in a nice development, excellent school system, 24 security, EMT service, pool, clubhouse, gym, golf course, etc. cost is $350,000, HOA is $350, taxes are $3200 yearly.
When I moved to Orlando I was warned not to move to Kissimmee because the electric bills were sky high, so I would check on that.
I liked living in Orlando back then, but the crime wasn't as bad as it is today, and the medical care is much better in NY, so I have no desire to return, but I have fond memories of my fun time living there. Good Luck!
Areas near Orlando that are decent, diverse and fairly affordable are
Poinciana Large Puerto Rican and Caribbean population.) or
Polk county(Lakeland, aburndale,)
Lake county/Northwest Orange county (my favorite) Clermont (my dora, taveres, etc)
Deltona also fairly affordable rentals at your prices.
Ocala ( about two hour drive from Orlando metro but still considerd Central Florida)
Unfortunately, the Orlando metro has gotten very expensive and eventually many moderate and low income people (half of Central Florida btw) will be pushed out and/or living check to check even with plentiful employment because the jobs don't match the the expenses. Low income jobs make it hard for new business to come here except for Tourism. However I still think Central Florida has some of the freindlist and down to earth people and is is a fantastic area for anyone to live just do a little research before coming. Im Black from the north east lived here for ten years let me know if you have any questions.mrgregsir@aol.com
Why not look into buying both units of a duplex and renting one out in whichever way is most profitable? You could find a repo and rehab 1/2 while living in the other half. Eventually, you could sell to move into your forever home. I agree with other posters, most HOA areas will not allow any short term rentals that they allow in the coastal Carolina areas. Think politics. Resorts are a big politically connected. Haines. Think Disney, Busch Gardens, Sea World cruise lines. They will out compete the small man the person with the bird watching idea is spot on. If you want to compete, you will need to find a niche market. Ybor City in Tampa, Bradenton, St. Augustine, Cape Canaveral, Sanibel. There's areas that don't have the giant corporate resorts where the little man can make a decent living.
On another note, please do build up your business before relocating. Jobs in Florida generally do not pay as elk as places further north. I would hate to see you stuck in a situation where you can't get out. With kids, you have to have six months salary saved up if you move to Florida. Layoffs, reliance on a good eceonony (people don't travel as much in a bad one), and events such as hurricanes can put you out of business in a second.
Unfortunately, the Orlando metro has gotten very expensive and eventually many moderate and low income people (half of Central Florida btw) will be pushed out and/or living check to check even with plentiful employment because the jobs don't match the the expenses.
OP,
If you forget anything from our posts, this is THE one thing you don't want to forget, IMO.
You have a sound strategy. The Tampa Bay area is a fantastic area to call home. For the budget and diversity you mentioned, check out these possible cities/municipalities: Wesley Chapel, Citrus Park, Brandon, Riverview, Clearwater, Countryside, Safety Harbor, St. Petersburg, Largo and Seminole. For more information on demographics, please go to each counties' website: Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco. Yes, there are available condo/townhome rentals within budget but may not necessarily be a big unit or have more than 2 bedrooms. The rental rates in both of your desired areas have steadily increased.
If you desire an investment property, anywhere along the beaches (Clearwater, Indian Rocks, Treasure Island, St. Pete) is a fantastic choice, especially if you purchase in a building where they (condo association) allow 3-7 day rentals. Yes, owning an investment property is a big responsibility but that can be alleviated some by working with a reputable property management company. There are other desired areas in Pinellas County that are great for investment of annual rentals: Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Countryside, Safety Harbor, downtown St. Pete, Seminole.
Wishing you and your family the best with whichever choice you make. But, you've already made the best choice: moving to Florida!
I think you guys have a sound plan and from the depth of detail it is certainly well thought out. Given the industry your in and the potential idea of renting your own secondary property out Orlando is a no brainer. There are a number of great communities which are within a stones throw of the parks and attractions that would work for you in terms of both the rental and ultimately purchasing side of your budget.
One thing I will say and this is as a realtor who has over 10 years experience in the Central Florida market, keep in mind a couple of things.
1. If you are wanting to rent initially in a short term rental area, keep in mind the likelihood is your neighbors may change frequently and because it is a holiday vibe noise levels can sometimes be high. This is not to say every short terms rental community is like this but it is something to be prepared for.
2. There are a number of townhome developments zoned for short term rental that you can live in full time as well. Keep in mind HOA fees, and depending on some communities recreation fees vary depending on the amenities. Whilst you want something which is going to be attractive to potential tenants you don't want something which is going to have an excessive amount of these fees which is going to impact you ROI.
3. Central Florida is by its very nature very diverse. I can count on one hand how many people I know who are born and raised in Orlando. Everyone is from somewhere which makes for a great melting pot.
I hope this helps and if you guys have any questions don't hesitate to contact me.
Nick
Quote:
Originally Posted by Minerva78
This post is very, VERY long, because of trying to explain our unique situation and wants, so feel free to skip to the end.
My husband and two girls (8 and 9) and I are considering a move to either the Orlando area or Tampa area. I've researched Tampa some, and it seems like a nice cultural place, with many things to do that would interest my daughters. We live in eastern NC now, and are going to see if we can get ourselves together financially to make the move to Florida. If we do that, the idea would be to move to an area, rent for a year, and then consider buying. So ideally we'd like to move to an area where we could eventually buy.
We will be running a joint business from home, as independent travel agents, so we can work from anywhere. Which I thought was nice, but so many options makes it hard. After SO much planning and research, we are feeling so great about the prospects of this, because we have so much time to putting into making the business grow. Within the past 7 months, I had to leave my full time job and go on disability due to a mental health condition that got much more severe under increasing stress, and my husband got phased off of his job. So we had just pull ourselves up, figure out how to reinvent ourselves, and after researching the feasibility of being travel agents (using a host agency but organized as our own business) we feel great about this. We're focusing on cruising and group travel, because I have planned out all of the past 6 cruises we've been on since 2010, including the last two with our children, so I already know A LOT about the mass market cruise lines. I do want to get a specialty in selling Disney travel eventually as well, because I have thoroughly researched and planned Disney trips for the past five years, but always got voted out to go on cruises instead, lol. Florida seemed like a great choice to relocate, particularly in the middle part of the state, because we will be so close to the majority of cruise ports, and want to be near an international airport - so either Tampa or Orlando.
After that background, I am trying to just get some direction of what type of areas to look at. We are on a three year plan - staying in NC for another year, then either renting in Florida for one or two years before buying a home, depending on how successful our business is able to be. So at least 2 years before buying a home but ideally within 3 years. Looking for rentals in the $1100 - $1200 range, likely houses in the $200K - $275K or so range? Maybe more or less for the house? All of this is dependent on how successful our business can be.
We are African-American, so living in an area where we are less than 10% of the population just is not ideal, especially if the area is heavily conservative. We love being around many minority cultures though, so any area that has a strong Hispanic population and a decent Asian population would be great too. We want to be near "decent" schools, but they don't have to the "best" schools. Between living in Greensboro for 11 years and Eastern NC for the past 2 years, my girls have gone to a rated 1 pre-K and kindergarten in Greensboro, a rated 7 magnet school for early elementary in Greensboro, and a rated 4 school in eastern NC for elementary. And honestly I can't say I liked one school significantly over the other (although they went on more field trips at the magnet school), because what really made my girls' years were their teachers and the principal. I absolutely loved two pre-k teachers at the 1 rated school, hated the kindergarten teacher there. Really liked the teachers at the 7 rated magnet school, but absolutely loved their second grade teacher the best at the rated 4 school, who they were both so fortunate to have, and my oldest's third grade teacher was ok.
So honestly, my goal is to live in a middle class area, with schools at least in the 4 - 6 rating, I do not "need" an extremely highly rated school, although who wouldn't enjoy rated 8 - 10 schools for their kids? However, just in my own personal experience and personal research in other areas of NC, the more highly rated schools tend to have less diversity, and my goal is really to strike a balance between the two. I loved Magnet schools, although I've found Charter schools seem a bit more popular in this area, but options for either would be great.
Tampa is an option, although my research of schools and rentals/houses there seem a bit hit or miss, although it "seems" to be a more cultured city. But I do not want to live in some old, tiny home just because it is very close to downtown. I'd prefer a newer home, built in the last 20 or up to 30 years. I have very good friends from college who live in Tampa, so I will find out more when I talk to them.
But the Orlando area also seems so appealing, because it is in a central location to cruise ports. And since this is such a hot tourist area, as a travel agent, it would be great to live here and learn this area extensively. However, although we are home based and will be booking with people all over the country, I would like to also develop a local base of clients, particularly for groups. Do people in this area tend to stick to the entertainment options they can drive to in the area, or are they very eager to try other travel? It's a good area to travel not too far for cruises, I guess if you get tired of Orlando options.
The other complication is that my husband has a hair brained idea of buying a 3 bedroom condo or townhouse in a vacation rental area, live in it for a few years, then move to a 4 bedroom home and turn the condo into a rental. I really thought that was crazy...but now I am seriously considering it. Because as a travel agent, who wants to appeal to families, the idea of booking onsite vacations AND having the option to promote our own 3 bedroom condo to a larger family who can't afford the family onsite options at Disney...is interesting. That is straight profit in our pockets and not just commission. I'd imagine having it on our website, "Are you a family who wants to consider larger, offsite accommodations for your Orlando vacation? Contact us or click here for more information" that then links to our rental website. If we could get the numbers to work out, that could be a VERY interesting, potentially profitable, out-of-the-box thinking, business opportunity.
I would love to find a condo to buy in the Kissimmee area to live in that could be an eventual vacation rental when we move, but does anyone actually do this? Is it really a hair brained idea like I originally thought? I was initially looking at Windsor Hills, because that is such a popular place people recommend on the Disney boards. But 3 bedroom condos run around in the $160K - $180K range, with 3 bedroom townhouses around the $200K - $225K range, and I don't know if trying to buy there is really worth that price for us, we might have to stay longer than I would like. Especially because I really hate the kitchens in the 3 bedroom condos, and don't like the set up of the townhouses for our family (one daughter would have to be downstairs while we would be in the master and the third bedroom for the other daughter upstairs). But the popularity of the resort is appealing. 4 and 5 rated schools.
Then I stumbled upon condos to buy in the Caribe Cove Resort which I liked SO much better. It was still close to Disney. The 3 bedroom condos are 1700 sq. feet (compared to the largest sized condo at Windsor Hills at 1450 sq. feet), I LOVE the kitchen set up with the bigger prep area and bar seating, and the balconies are HUGE, with entrances from the master and the living room. And these were selling in the $105K to $120K range! But of course there is a catch. The Caribe does not have as many bells and whistles as Windsor Hills, although they do have several amenities. But worst are the exorbitant HOA fees. I think I calculated current HOA fees for a Windsor Hills condo to be around $380 a month (don't quote me on that) while the HOA fees at Caribe were around $630!! I wonder if the condo prices are so much lower because of the high HOA fees, because the resort is newer than Windsor Hills. So I don't know. I would prefer to live at the Caribe, but the idea is to not stay there forever. And the idea would not be to sell right away, we really want to use it as rental income. I figure being able to rent out the place for just one week a month should at the very least cover HOA fees. Also the same 4 and 5 rated schools, I believe.
Sorry that is A LOT of info, I hope it is helpful for any advice. But the main points are: Orlando area (specifically Kissimmee) vs. Tampa, availability of middle class areas with at least average schools, best area for attracting local travel clients, the feasibility of buying and living in a vacation rental condo for a few years before renting it out (with the idea of attracting renters through our travel agency), and if so, any vacation resorts you could recommend?
If you've read this far, a big THANK YOU! . And I appreciate ANY ideas, about anything I asked.
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. We'll focus on getting a bigger house for our forever home.
Lots of questions
