Central Florida or Central Texas?

[puddlejumper101]

you all have been tremendous help...it is a hard decision to make. If it wasn't for my parents being in Miami I would move to Texas in a heart beat. I might just do that anyways. I am familiar with Miami and how upside down it got...I did not realize Orlando went down with it. All I know if it is anything like Miami then this decision is rather easy. You could not pay me to live in Miami and raise a family...maybe Orlando is headed in the same direction.

[puddlejumper101]

Originally Posted by 940

Puddlejumper, I would avoid Orlando like the plague. My other half's parents and other family members live there and I always dread going there because it's always a nightmare...not the family but the whole set-up there...it seems just so small-town to me acting like a large metro, IMHO. I have to echo one of the previous posters when they mentioned the freeway situation. I'm amazed that a metro of 2 million or so literally has NO real freeways except for I-4. It's all parkways and boulevards with light after light after light and strip mall traffic contributing to the mess. Case in point, San Antonio has a metro about the same size and yet they've got one of the best freeway systems for a city its size including not one but two loops that encircle the area. Even the Austin area is expanding its freeway system at record pace. Orlando has nothing like that. Toll road after toll road or parkway with traffic lights everywhere is more like it there. Orlando is also populated with folks who really don't know how to drive and will cut you off in a second. A left-turn/right-turn blinker on cars doesn't exist there either! Crime is bad and that thug mentality is everywhere. I just left there the other day after the Thanksgiving holiday and the day we left, there was a wild chase including gang stabbings at one of the nicest malls there. Sure that can happen anywhere but it seems to be the norm more and more there, according to the in-laws, who are getting just as tired of the area and are considering a move to Texas. Some of their friends have already moved to Round Rock and to San Antonio just last year. Housing prices are way overblown too..1300 sq ft square boxes with no upgrades, etc sell easily for 225K-250K and up...way up.

We also work for a major airline but we choose to live in the suburbs of our hub city (DFW) b/c we could never commute anymore. Too much drama and playing that game and avoiding bad weather, etc etc...case in point, ice and snow are forecast for the DFW area come Thursday/Thursday night..I would never want to have to commute and deal with the stress of all that. That's just one issue out of many but to each his own. Also, a commute out of MCO can be an issue b/c it's always busy there with families and the like heading to the parks. Rarely do I get a real seat when traveling there..mostly it's a jump seat and I can't imagine having to jump seat all the time just to get to work or to get home.

If Houston and Dallas are not a choice, then I'd definitely pick either the Austin or San Antonio areas over Orlando. The hill country areas of both metros is highly desirable and you can live in a beautiful home in a great neighborhood up in the hills with terrific views all around. And the schools are top notch. I grew up in San Antonio so I'm very familiar with what the hilly northwest/west area of town can offer. I'm not so familiar with Austin but spent a lot of time visiting there while growing up and it's a great city with many advantages too. You'd do well to consider either metro over MCO.

I know exactly where you are coming from...I will be working for the carrier out of DAL...wich has a base in MCO. I lived in the DFW area when Delta had their hub...I was with (and still am for another 3 days) with ASA/Delta Connection, but making the switch to LUV. Having lived in the DFW area for 4 years I am very familiar and have considered moving back to DFW...except I know how nice Austin/San Antonio area is. LUV has bases in HOU and DAL...so I would be commuting from AUS or SAT...but it's not horrible (or so I hope). Lot's of decisions to make in the next year...thanks for all your input...this forum does help more than I thought.

[pioneer8]

Not that you need anymore advice here, but my vote goes to Texas. That's from someone who doesn't hate FL and actually spent 34 yrs. in the Tampa area and much time in Orlando. True, I've only lived a bit over a year in Texas, but based what I have experienced and read about both of the above... Texas gets my vote too. Much luck to you.

[LABRAT16]

I'd check the Florida Forum for info. Florida is going through some big changes at this time. Property Values are amking an adjustment after having outrageous growth increases and homeowner insurance in places is going through the roof. There are alot of people losing their homes and some have had to abandon them because they just aren't selling well.

[Spree]

We live in the Brandon/Valrico area of Tampa. There are plenty of (Southwest) pilots that live in this area that commute to Orlando. If you stay in the Valrico/Lithia area, it's about a 60-80 min. drive to the Orlando airport, and since you only drive there and back once a week, it's doable. We have a friend that flies for Southwest and has a few overnights in Tampa and comes home to be w/the family and heads back to the Tampa airport in the morning.

Miami is about 250 miles or so from Tampa. We have family in Coral Springs and travel either by way of 75 south and across Alligator Alley, or across hwy 60 and then south on the turnpike.

If you look in the Bloomingdale area of Valrico or in FishHawk Ranch area of Lithia, you'll have good schools to choose from. Lots of families in this area, little league, soccer, dance etc for the kids.

Just thought I would give you another perspective rather than Orlando. Orlando is very congested. We've also lived in San Antonio and loved it. You've got a hard decison to make.

Best of luck to you ~ b

[jread]

My wife is from Orlando and I've been there many times. There is no way in hell I would ever live there. It's humid and flat and pretty much a complete mess. There is no density or feeling of "city" in the Orlando area... it's like one giant suburb. I also did not care for the general attitude of the people there (native Floridians were nice, but most people in FL are not natives). They are very angry and rude... especially on the road. I kept telling my wife that someone would get their ass kicked if they came to Texas and acted like that.

As said earlier, Central FL and Central TX are very different places in every aspect. Also, for what it's worth, I see Florida license plates here on a daily basis. They seem to be coming here as fast as the Californians.