Moving to/living in Orlando

[Feralpeg]

When considering HOA fees and gated neighborhoods, keep in mind that some emergency services are not available in gated communities. Also, the residents of gated communities are responsible for the maintenance of roads within the gated area.

We looked into gated and decided against it. They sound safer, in reality, it is very easy to get into a gated neighborhood without the gate code. For one thing, people give their codes out haphazardly. It's also really easy to tailgate a resident entering their community. I've done that a few times.

I've had no issue living in a non gated community.

Very important. Check on the parking situation in the neighborhood. Parking can be a big issue since many homes have very small driveways and people tend to use their garages for storage rather than parking. Many homes are multi-family or multi-generations resulting in more cars per household.

Our neighborhood has extra wide streets with designated parking spaces. You can't park on the street other than in those spaces. Love it!

 

[dish rag]

When considering HOA fees and gated neighborhoods, keep in mind that some emergency services are not available in gated communities. Also, the residents of gated communities are responsible for the maintenance of roads within the gated area.

We looked into gated and decided against it. They sound safer, in reality, it is very easy to get into a gated neighborhood without the gate code. For one thing, people give their codes out haphazardly. It's also really easy to tailgate a resident entering their community. I've done that a few times.

I've had no issue living in a non gated community.

Very important. Check on the parking situation in the neighborhood. Parking can be a big issue since many homes have very small driveways and people tend to use their garages for storage rather than parking. Many homes are multi-family or multi-generations resulting in more cars per household.

Our neighborhood has extra wide streets with designated parking spaces. You can't park on the street other than in those spaces. Love it!

You have a good point about the parking. The newer areas behind the air port and east Orange County that have sprung up the last 10 years are awful. Only God knows how many people live in these homes. I had to go into several of these homes and you have no idea. They are nice new homes but the typical Florida construction that won’t age well. Not just a few but about all the homes if not all of them. The driveways are all full. Some in the yards and both sides of the entire neighborhoods are lined with cars. It’s really bad. It’s hard to get down the streets in these residential areas. It’s not believable unless you see it. We took some videos to show some folks and only then did they believe it. It’s normal for 10 to 15 people to live in these areas in a home.

 

[jerseygal]

You have a good point about the parking. The newer areas behind the air port and east Orange County that have sprung up the last 10 years are awful. Only God knows how many people live in these homes. I had to go into several of these homes and you have no idea. They are nice new homes but the typical Florida construction that won’t age well. Not just a few but about all the homes if not all of them. The driveways are all full. Some in the yards and both sides of the entire neighborhoods are lined with cars. It’s really bad. It’s hard to get down the streets in these residential areas. It’s not believable unless you see it. We took some videos to show some folks and only then did they believe it. It’s normal for 10 to 15 people to live in these areas in a home.

Wow, enough said for me. Don’t think that it is “my cup of tea”, not desirable.

 

[jerseygal]

THANKS to all for the wealth of information that this thread provides for potential relocations!

 

[Haley R]

When considering HOA fees and gated neighborhoods, keep in mind that some emergency services are not available in gated communities. Also, the residents of gated communities are responsible for the maintenance of roads within the gated area.

We looked into gated and decided against it. They sound safer, in reality, it is very easy to get into a gated neighborhood without the gate code. For one thing, people give their codes out haphazardly. It's also really easy to tailgate a resident entering their community. I've done that a few times.

I've had no issue living in a non gated community.

Very important. Check on the parking situation in the neighborhood. Parking can be a big issue since many homes have very small driveways and people tend to use their garages for storage rather than parking. Many homes are multi-family or multi-generations resulting in more cars per household.

Our neighborhood has extra wide streets with designated parking spaces. You can't park on the street other than in those spaces. Love it!

You have a good point about the parking. The newer areas behind the air port and east Orange County that have sprung up the last 10 years are awful. Only God knows how many people live in these homes. I had to go into several of these homes and you have no idea. They are nice new homes but the typical Florida construction that won’t age well. Not just a few but about all the homes if not all of them. The driveways are all full. Some in the yards and both sides of the entire neighborhoods are lined with cars. It’s really bad. It’s hard to get down the streets in these residential areas. It’s not believable unless you see it. We took some videos to show some folks and only then did they believe it. It’s normal for 10 to 15 people to live in these areas in a home.

Yeah that doesn’t sound good. Our town is slowly getting to that point but nowhere near that bad. I’ve been trying to look for houses with a 2 car garage because that’s a big deal for us but I have seen some in winter garden that are just 1 car. That’s a little strange to me because I’m so used to bigger garages up here in the north but we need it for winter.

That sounds horrible about the multigenerational families. I actually grew up in Georgia and we visited two summers ago. I noticed the exact same thing there. The quiet neighborhood I grew up in turned into an area that was overcrowded and the shops had deteriorated. There were hookah and e-cig stores everywhere. Would this be something we would easily notice by visiting the neighborhood and driving through it?

 

[AntimonyER]

Yeah that doesn’t sound good. Our town is slowly getting to that point but nowhere near that bad. I’ve been trying to look for houses with a 2 car garage because that’s a big deal for us but I have seen some in winter garden that are just 1 car. That’s a little strange to me because I’m so used to bigger garages up here in the north but we need it for winter.

That sounds horrible about the multigenerational families. I actually grew up in Georgia and we visited two summers ago. I noticed the exact same thing there. The quiet neighborhood I grew up in turned into an area that was overcrowded and the shops had deteriorated. There were hookah and e-cig stores everywhere. Would this be something we would easily notice by visiting the neighborhood and driving through it?

Good luck with the home search, I grew up in this area, lived in Windermere (off Winter Garden Vineland Rd, in that time, it was our neighborhood by itself with orange groves and empty fields with a clear view of the MK fireworks from my bedroom window. Now its a sea of houses) until 8th grade, and then moved to Clermont where my parents lived until 5 years ago. Funny enough, I live in Georgia now.

 

[Haley R]

Good luck with the home search, I grew up in this area, lived in Windermere (off Winter Garden Vineland Rd, in that time, it was our neighborhood by itself with orange groves and empty fields with a clear view of the MK fireworks from my bedroom window. Now its a sea of houses) until 8th grade, and then moved to Clermont where my parents lived until 5 years ago. Funny enough, I live in Georgia now.

What part of Georgia are you in? I grew up in Forsyth county

 

[Feralpeg]

Good luck with the home search, I grew up in this area, lived in Windermere (off Winter Garden Vineland Rd, in that time, it was our neighborhood by itself with orange groves and empty fields with a clear view of the MK fireworks from my bedroom window. Now its a sea of houses) until 8th grade, and then moved to Clermont where my parents lived until 5 years ago. Funny enough, I live in Georgia now.

Did you live in Lakes of Windermere? If so, we were neighbors!

The first night after moving to our home in Florida, DD and I ran to the front porch to watch the fireworks over Magic Kingdom. It was great! Slowly, more and more houses were built obstructing our view. The orange grove at the end of the street later became housing, as did the beautiful field of pines behind our home. Overstreet was a small two lane road where a farmer grazed his cattle (now it's a blueberry farm). CR535 was just two lanes from Chase Road north toward hwy 50 and a beautiful drive south, toward Disney, of undeveloped countryside. So many types of wildlife around the neighborhood. Those days are long gone.

I can still see the fireworks from my new neighborhood, but my neighbor constructed a pergola that makes it difficult to see them. Now, I feel like i"m living in a large city.

I'd like to be able to complain, but it wouldn't be fair. After all, I moved to Florida for many of the same reasons that so many others making the move. Yet, Orlando is growing much faster than I ever dreamed. It just isn't the same.

 

[AntimonyER]

What part of Georgia are you in? I grew up in Forsyth county

Live near Savannah.

Did you live in Lakes of Windermere? If so, we were neighbors!

The first night after moving to our home in Florida, DD and I ran to the front porch to watch the fireworks over Magic Kingdom. It was great! Slowly, more and more houses were built obstructing our view. The orange grove at the end of the street later became housing, as did the beautiful field of pines behind our home. Overstreet was a small two lane road where a farmer grazed his cattle (now it's a blueberry farm). CR535 was just two lanes from Chase Road north toward hwy 50 and a beautiful drive south, toward Disney, of undeveloped countryside. So many types of wildlife around the neighborhood. Those days are long gone.

I can still see the fireworks from my new neighborhood, but my neighbor constructed a pergola that makes it difficult to see them. Now, I feel like i"m living in a large city.

I'd like to be able to complain, but it wouldn't be fair. After all, I moved to Florida for many of the same reasons that so many others making the move. Yet, Orlando is growing much faster than I ever dreamed. It just isn't the same.

Lived in Butler Ridge. Not too far from there. It is where 535 used to take a hard turn (if you were heading towards winter garden), and people would constantly miss it and crash through our neighborhood wall.

 

[dish rag]

Live near Savannah.



Lived in Butler Ridge. Not too far from there. It is where 535 used to take a hard turn (if you were heading towards winter garden), and people would constantly miss it and crash through our neighborhood wall.

Lol I know right where that bend is. Used to be hardly anything in that area.

 

[Haley R]

Well Dh got the dreaded email....no job offer in Orlando. I feel so bad because he’s been waiting so long only for them to say no. He did get a call from a manager at the same Orlando location today about a different position. We aren’t sure how that’s gonna go

 

[Feralpeg]

Well Dh got the dreaded email....no job offer in Orlando. I feel so bad because he’s been waiting so long only for them to say no. He did get a call from a manager at the same Orlando location today about a different position. We aren’t sure how that’s gonna go

Sorry to hear this. I know you were both so excited. Tell him to keep looking. Orlando isn't going anywhere. It will be ready for you when the time is right.

 

[dish rag]

Sorry to hear this. I know you were both so excited. Tell him to keep looking. Orlando isn't going anywhere. It will be ready for you when the time is right.

And every day will have on average 1000 more people.

 

[Haley R]

Sorry to hear this. I know you were both so excited. Tell him to keep looking. Orlando isn't going anywhere. It will be ready for you when the time is right.

Thanks. He got a call from another manager at the same location for a slightly different position so that could be promising. Now he’s saying he has potential jobs in Dallas, Colorado, and Alabama but it’s hard for me to switch my mindset from Orlando

 

[jerseygal]

Thanks. He got a call from another manager at the same location for a slightly different position so that could be promising. Now he’s saying he has potential jobs in Dallas, Colorado, and Alabama but it’s hard for me to switch my mindset from Orlando

Sorry to hear the news, it is very disappointing when you do all the research and picture your new life in another city, BUT hopefully something better will come along for him soon!