Is Sorrento considered a "growing" area?

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by tonyp22

Gaa! From Orange "out" to Mount Dora, or "out" to 437? Regardless, that's right around where those nice neighborhoods are! (on the North side of WB Road)

Going towards 437. East of 437 between the school/park and 46 is a small ghetto. Following that is Red Tail, which is very nice, but pricey.

North of WB is fine.

[tonyp22]

Okay, but I'm guessing there's nothing like this around the Windermere and Clermont areas?

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by tonyp22

Okay, but I'm guessing there's nothing like this around the Windermere and Clermont areas?

Not in Windermere.

Clermont has some, but much less.

[tonyp22]

Clermont? Really? Whereabouts?

[BellaOrlando]

Originally Posted by tonyp22

I've been a regular visitor down to Central Florida for well over a year now. I've limited my searches to Lake, Seminole, and Orange Counties because I like what I've seen there. I've seen pretty much everything from Mount Dora to Lake Mary to Casselberry to Dr. Phillips to Clermont to... many more. But something keeps bringing me back to the small number of neighborhoods off Wolf Branch Road in Sorrento. They seem... serene - which is ironic as it's the opposite of the sort of "every convenience no more than 15 minutes away" mentality that the other part of me has.


I keep hearing about and seeing the work on Route 46, which should bring in additional development, but people I've spoken to kind of chuckle and say that's been going on for years with no end in sight. It's also further away from the more lively areas I like, like Winter Park and the Dr. Phillips / Windermere area. The Sorrento area also seems to have fewer choices when it comes to good hospitals; from what I understand the Advent Health in Eustis is not the best, when compared to other hospitals in the area.


What concerns me is that there seems to be nothing in the way of alternative choices in that area. You want a major hospital - there's one. You want a town where maybe you can get a good meal and a pleasant day - you got one (Mount Dora). And yet... for as much as I could afford a place in parts of Windermere, those neighborhoods off Wolf Branch just draw me in. The question is - is there any real sense of growth in that area? Or is it still and for the future going to be less in terms of choices? I don't want the sort of house on top of house feeling that so many of the other areas has, but it would be nice if someday a Fresh Market or a Whole Foods showed up, maybe another hospital to bring in some competition for all of them to improve and grow... or am I hoping for too much?

I’m late to this thread but a new forum member.

My community is next door to Sorrento, and I’ve lived here for 5 years now and visited many times before when I was house hunting. I totally agree with your feelings about Wolf Branch Road, since the setting is very pretty and peaceful with the trees, horses, and homes with large tracts of land. This part of Lake County, as well as NW Orange County, still has a rural, more tranquil pace of living that - after years of living in the super hectic metro Orlando area - is so appealing. And one of the last parts of the metro Orlando that is still reasonably affordable for homes, too. But growth and changes are already underway, with more to come.

Traffic signal was added at the intersection of Wolf Branch Road and Round Lake Road to accommodate growing local population as well as the increased traffic coming from the Wekiva Parkway interchange. Another signal is going to be installed later this year at Britt Road and Wolf Branch Road.

The planned Wolf Branch Innovation District will bring jobs and growth.
http://www.ci.mount-dora.fl.us/Docum...mentation-Plan

Work is well underway to widen State Road 46 as well as Highway 441, and future plans are to extend Round Lake Road (crossing Wolf BranchRoad) to State Road 44. Once completed, the infrastructure will be in place for considerable growth to follow.

New home communities planned soon on 437 near Wolf Branch as well as on 437 near Kelly Park Road in Apopka. In fact, the area around Kelly Park Road and 437 is in the beginning stages of new commercial and residential growth due to the Wekiva Parkway interchange there. A future Publix has just broken ground, as well as a few new home communities. Orlando Health has purchased 50 acres to build a medical facility. ((Regarding nearby hospitals, there also a relatively new AdventHealth hospital now in Apopka, off of Ocoee-Apopka Road/437.))

The Kelly Park Road growth will be part of the planned Kelly Park Crossing that is supposed to also bring a hotel, school, retail stores, restaurants, etc., similar to Winter Garden Village. This will dramatically change the current setting of modest homes, farms/ranches, and the many landscape nurseries all around here.

Personally, I am in no hurry to see this area explode with growth like I’ve witnessed in Clermont and other areas of Central Florida over the past 30 years. While I do enjoy going to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s occasionally, most of what I need for everyday living is located within close proximity. Several Publix locations, an ALDI, Target and Super Walmart, as well as the Hometown Market in Eustis and the Mt. Plymouth IGA. Numerous chain and independent restaurants. Driving 30 minutes to occasionally go to Lake Mary, Altamonte Springs, Winter Park, etc., is not a biggie... I just bring an insulated bag with ice packs to stock up on my favs from Whole Foods and TraderJoe’s.

Regarding Bravo Supermarket (now a Key Food supermarket) in Mount Dora, I can attest that many people in my local area were excited to have another market come to town, and the availability of Hispanic foods and products that were previously not easy to find here. I’m not Hispanic and can’t speak Spanish, but the store employees I’ve interacted with have been helpful and friendly. I love the hot food buffet selection (very generous servings of delicious foods at super reasonable prices), the bakery, as well as their produce. It has been a nice addition to the area.

I guess, if you haven’t already made a decision about Sorrento, that you consider what factors are ultimately most important to you in selecting the place you would call home. Right now, Sorrento is still a rather sleepy, laidback, more rural-oriented community with (in my experience) friendly, down-to-earth folks. It offers the appeal of a slower, calmer pace of life, more affordable homes, acreage, less crime, etc., but still provides easy 30-minute access to many other larger areas of metro Orlando. Change is definitely on the doorstep, though.

However, if the current lack of diverse choices within close proximity to Sorrento would mostly inconvenient and a drawback, then other areas like Winter Garden, Winter Park, Lake Mary, southwest Orlando, etc., may be a better overall fit.

Good luck!

[tonyp22]

Hey, thanks BellaOrlando. I appreciate the info. I guess the one thing ultimately that swayed me away from Sorrento (and I may live to regret it) is the distance to and access to a variety of health care options. Eustis is a bit of a drive to get to the nearest major hospital, and when I checked for access to medical professionals in the area (I'm an older guy with a small share of problems) it seemed like there wasn't much in the way of specialized health care. That may change over time, but when I hit the ground wherever it is I land I'd like to know I'll have easy access to specialized medical care.

[Grace512]

Ssh. Sorrento is our best kept secret. We are not small minded. We love our rural feel. Doesn't offend me if people bypass us. Not too crowded right now.

[tonyp22]

Don’t get me wrong, Grace. I love Sorrento. Just didn’t check all of the necessary boxes for me. Very unhappy about that, but practical priorities drove my decision.