Moving to FL? Advice please!

[DisneyMelissa]

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I've posted. I am hoping to get some advice/information about moving to the Orlando area.

I'm thinking about moving to FL after I finish school (about 2 years from now, but completely depending on the circumstances). I live in Wisconsin right now and would LOVE to get a break from another winter! Orlando is somewhere I have wanted to live pretty much my entire life.

I have been doing some hunting on Craigslist for prices of apartments/condos around the Orlando area (Altamonte Springs, Winter Park, etc) and the prices seem reasonable compared to where I am living now.

I know things will change a lot within the next 2 years, but I was wondering if someone could please answer a few questions for me...

1. Can you recommend any suburbs to look at close to the Orlando area? I have heard that Orlando itself has a high crime rate, but the surrounding suburbs are a lot safer.

2. On Craigslist, I have found apartment complexes that look like gorgeous resort settings, and they rent for about $900 a month. Is this too good to be true, or are there really places that reasonably priced out there? My price range (at an estimate for 2 years from now) would probably be around $800 - $1000 for an apartment.

3. Has anyone made the move from a place like Wisconsin to Florida? Did you like it or regret it?

Any other advice is welcomed!! :)

Also, I guess I should mention I am 20 years old, and would be about 22 or 23 when I move. There is a good chance that I would be able to keep the job I have (working in Information Technology) and work remotely from home, so I would probably not need to worry about looking for a job.

I am still going to do a bunch of research, but I think even if I only ended up living there for a year, it would be a great experience!

Thanks in advance :mickey:

[Disneyfun]

Orlando and the surrounding burbs can be tricky to research just through the internet. Areas you want to avoid are Pine Hills, Union Park, Metro West, a good portion of Kissimmee, most of Winter Garden, and most of Orlando west of hwy 50 south of downtown and east of 50 to Kirkman Rd.
Celebration is definetly nice, but pricey now. There are defitely parts of Kissimmee that are nice, but it is shot gunned with areas that I wouldn't live in.
I would recommend taking a 2-3 day trip down there so that you can see the apartment communities for yourself. The photos really don't do anything any justice.
When I moved down there in 97, I thought that I had found a great place due to the ad in the apartment guide (For Rent I think). When I got there, it was run down and looked shabby. I saw a cable install tech walking towards the complex and asked him what he knew of the place. He said not much but he wouldn't live there! So definetely don't belive those wonderful pictures - they can be very misleading.

[DisneyMelissa]

Thanks! That's really helpful. I'm going to try to plan a trip next year to go take a look (and also stop by WDW!)

[LauraleeH]

Well you said yourself that even if you lived there just a year it would be a great experience for you, so with that mindset, why not?
Personally, I wouldn't. I'm 20 and I can't wait to get out of Florida. But everyone is different, and even if you live here for a while and don't like it, at least you can say you tried it out and you won't ever wonder what if...
If you give it a try and decide you love it, then perfect!
If you own your own house in Wisconsin, I wouldn't recommend selling it. Maybe try renting it out for a year. If you know you don't want to go back, you can always sell it then. But if things in Florida don't work out, you can come right home! :thumbsup:

[Figaro]

As stated, there are a few areas to stay clear of. I lived in Altamonte Springs, which really, was a nice area and i'd recommend it to anyone. I lived off the intersection of 434 and 436. It was a bit ways from Disney, so it was a long drive to work every day, but was a nice area. I-4 traffic into Downtown or the WDW area was sometimes a nightmare. Winter park also to my knowledge is a nice area. A friend of mine lives out there. The complex I lived in I only paid 745$ a month for a large 1 bed/1 bath place. There are some nice places for decent rent. Orlando does have a high crime rate, but don't let that totally frighten you. There are still nice areas, but as also said, take a trip down to Orlando and look around. There are some services in Orlando that can help you find a place to live, also.

[Piglet822]

Winter Park is nice, but pricey. South Clermont is a nice area - Windermere is also nice, but pricey but very close to Disney.
You can always start your research on the internet then throw the questions at us locals if you find a certain area you're interested in.
Not all of Orlando has high crime, certain areas yes, but that's with any large city.
Good luck on your quest!

[Marci]

try ocoee

[MNNHFLTX]

I've been in your shoes, Melissa! After growing up in Minnesota, I moved to Orlando when I was 23 waaaayyyyy back in 84, as I was tired of the long (and bitterly cold) winters. Orlando was a lot smaller back then, and it certainly was an adventure getting my bearings and building a life down there. I don't regret it a bit, but I do think that there was a certain mental adjustment that I had to make before I truly could feel at home. Probably the hardest thing was realizing that living in Florida was not the same as vacationing in Florida. It was tempting (and frustrating) at times to want to go to the beach or lay out by the pool all the time, when there was the business of life to attend to. Work, school, grocery-buying, household chores--all the sometimes mundane daily tasks that made living there less exotic than I had imagined. But maybe you're a more practical than I was at that age, lol! :)

As far as where to live, I have not actually lived in the Orlando area for a number of years now, so am not the most knowledgeable about that. I have always loved the Winter Park and College Park areas. Lake Mary, Heathrow, Maitland and Lake Nona were all pretty nice too. Of course it all depends on where you end up working (from home or not), as you will not want to have a huge commute in in heavy traffic! I agree that it really is vital for you to come down on a fact-finding trip to personally look at the neighborhoods you are considering. When I moved down I did not have the benefit of the internet and moved into an apartment off of South Orange Blossom Trail (I hear you Central Florida folks going "uh-oh" as I type). While the apartment complex itself was nice, the area surrounding it was not and I moved as soon as my one-year lease was up.

[dnickels]

Well since this is a disney centric board, are you looking to live near/in Orlando closer to the downtown area or are you looking to live really close to Disney?

If the latter, there are a few apartment complexes right behind the magic kingdom's rear cast member entrance that you might want to take a look at so you could be at Disney in a matter of minutes. I'm not sure of their names, but they're on Reams Road, maybe someone else here will know. That rear entrance to Disney gets closed during fireworks, but otherwise it's just like any other public road (note I don't think it's actually public, just that there's no security or gate to stop anyone from going in). Or you might look for places on craigslist in a subdivision called 'Independence' It's off the same road about two miles north so it's close to the park. It's your typical cookie cutter subdivision of McMansions, but there are also apts, trails and a pool clubhouse.

EDIT: Try searching for "Falcon Square" in Winter Garden for the apts in Independence, or Buena Vista Place in Windermere (the place right behind the rear MK entrance).

[DisneyMelissa]

Thanks everyone for your help! I will definitely be starting my research soon. :mickey:


LauraLeeH: No, I do not own my own home in Wisconsin. I'm currently renting an apartment for $800 per month (900 sq ft, without a roommate). I am estimating that by the time I am able to move down to FL, I would be able to afford between $800 and $1000 rent for a one or two bedroom. Of course a nice place with cheaper rent would be great!

dnickels: The closer to Disney, the better! I think the farthest (ideally) I would want to be away is maybe an hour / hour and a half drive away.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions, I really appreciate it! I now have a great starting point of knowing where the good and the bad (South Orange Blossom Trail!!) areas are. Thanks again, I'll be back soon with more questions...I'm sure of it! :thumbsup:

[MNNHFLTX]

I now have a great starting point of knowing where the good and the bad (South Orange Blossom Trail!!) areas are. FYI--South Orange Blossom Trail is abbreviated as SOBT in real estate guides. :)