Orlando Relocation Research Questions

[ABOMIBOT]

We're planning to pop open the escape hatch and permanently leave New York City in just a few more years. One potential destination for us is the Orlando area. So this June we're arriving in Orlando a few days early before our Gay Days vacation to explore the area as potential residents, not tourists. We've done some research on suburbs/neighborhoods and such on the web but want to familiarize ourselves first-hand with the area. We'd also be interested in viewing a few select homes that are currently for sale just to get an idea for the kinds of things available in our projected price range.

So, a couple of questions, please:

1. Can any locals recommend a LGBT or LBGT-friendly Realtor who might spend a few hours with us even though we're a few years away from buying? Do you think this is an unreasonable request for a broker? I'm figuring it might be worth their time to build a relationship with us now in the hopes we'd work with them later when we're ready to buy.

2. What are the top "to-be-avoided" areas, in your opinion, and why?

3. What are your favorite areas to live and why?

Any other advice you'd care to share? (Other than what the heck are you thinking coming here?!? We've heard that already, thank you very much.)

We have our eventual destination city worked down to a few choices and I appreciate any help you can provide us to better evaluate Orlando. Thanks!

 

[rpmdfw]

Scott and I have lived here almost six years and we LOVE it! Don't let the naysayers get you down. Central Florida is a good place to live.

First off, David Dorman is a gay realtor who does a LOT of charity work in the community, and he's a genuinely nice guy. Everything I've read about him indicates that he's a really good realtor as well. (We met him after we moved here, so we didn't use him). http://www.daviddorman.com/

One thing to keep in mind is that there is no "gay neighborhood" to speak of here. I moved here from Dallas and Scott moved here from West Hollywood, so we were both used to having a "boystown" to go to where there's a concentration of GLBT shops, cafes, bars etc. That does not exist here, and we do miss it, but we've adapted.

In terms of where to live . . . that's a personal decision. We're in the Windermere, Ocoee, Winter Garden area (roughly 8 miles north of Magic Kingdom) and we love it. It's far enough from the tourist areas to not have to deal with that hassle, while still being close enough to get to Disney or Universal or downtown Orlando quickly. We've got friends in the Hunters Creek area and in the Clermont/Davenport area, and they love living in thos places, as well.

The only "avoid it at all costs" areas I can think of are Pine Hills and Parramore. Mostly due to crime rates.

Hope this info helps!

Rob

 

[rpmdfw]

If you don't mind me asking, after reading up on it, which areas are you considering looking at?

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Can't recommend a realtor, but the man Rob has told you about is well known for being a very nice guy.

We live in the same general area as Rob and really like it. Low crime, easy access to major thoroughfares, and a wide price point for homes, and styles (HOAs, non-HOA, metropolitan (so to speak) country... very wide variety).

Orlo Vista is another area to avoid, as well as some places in Kissimmee. Our O'Mike can better speak to that.

There is a bit of a concentration of gay folk in the Thornton Park area of Orlando, but it's not a "neighborhood" by any means. Pricey, too for older homes, but I don't know what you have in mind.

Coming out of NYC the first thing is going to be culture shock. Seriously. Look around very well when you are here. We felt the loss of neighborhoods the most, the loss of bakeries, ethnic shops, those sorts of things. Coffee roaster for the Ethiopian, artisinal cheeses, that sort of stuff is what I mean when I say culture shock. If you can't get what you want in Whole Foods, Fresh Market, or Publix, you aren't going to find it here. :sigh:

I'd avoid Lake county too, by the way (Clermont is in Lake county). They have impact fees and other charges (haven't kept up with it).

Osceola has some odd fire codes, as does Seminole county.

Orange is good, but again, be sure you know where to be in Orange.

Oh, and Windemere... nice enough place, but they don't pave their roads!

 

[Sphyrna]

Good information. Thanks guys. I'm interested in hearing what people think since I plan to move to Orlando in a few years (if not sooner). For me, the area would depend on where I get a job. I don't want to be too far from work, since I go there every day. It's interesting that Orlando doesn't have a particularly "gay" area. I'd like to find a place in an area that's growing. A place where hopefully property values will increase. Orlando seems like a pretty big place so there are many neighborhoods to choose from. My friend lives in Longwood. When I get closer to moving I'll probably do the same thing as you, take a couple days out of my trip to tour the area and look at houses and stuff. Every so often I do like to pull up houses for sale online and just check them out.

 

[OrlandoMike]

I'm in the Hunters Creek area. (Between the airport and Disney off of the 417) and I like it.

Easy access to everything via the 417 and the turnpike, low crime, lots of shopping and dining in the area.

Avoid anything near the "Millennia" or "Metro West" area's. It's gotten pretty bad over there......

 

[ABOMIBOT]

We have Windemere, Winter Garden, Celebration on our list, definitely. To be honest we keep getting Winter Park and Winter Garden mixed up in our heads, so hopefully a physical tour will help sort that out. We're curious about some of the new luxury condos in downtown Orlando, too, but A) they haven't withstood the downturn well and we're pretty sure at least one is totally bankrupt, and B) we want a yard and a pool and a garage, etc.

We're thinking we want to be West or Southwest of downtown, probably. Closer to the mouse, certainly, but also these areas just seem more attractive to us.

We know there's less value and less privacy in Celebration but the architecture can be a lot of fun in some cases. Imagine one of those updated classical shells filled sparsely with mid-century modern furniture. Conservative on the outside; edgy on the inside. Could be cool. But to get a Celebration home with a big enough yard can apparently be very expensive. Plus taxes and fees seem a little nuts there.

Anywhere else you'd suggest?

 

[OrlandoMike]

Winter Park is on the other side of town.....East. But very nice!

Celebration is a little too "stepford" for me......

 

[ABOMIBOT]

What about Davenport? All the real estate listings are so (apparently) less expensive than other areas it seems suspicious.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Davenport (The 4 corners area) is nice enough. But for me, and this is for me, its just too far away from access to Downtown or the airport.......

 

[ABOMIBOT]

Coming out of NYC the first thing is going to be culture shock. Seriously. Look around very well when you are here. We felt the loss of neighborhoods the most, the loss of bakeries, ethnic shops, those sorts of things. Coffee roaster for the Ethiopian, artisinal cheeses, that sort of stuff is what I mean when I say culture shock. If you can't get what you want in Whole Foods, Fresh Market, or Publix, you aren't going to find it here. :sigh:

Are you from the city?

 

[rpmdfw]

Winter Park is on the other side of town.....East. But very nice!

Celebration is a little too "stepford" for me......

WAYYY too Stepford!

We're just north of Windermere, technically in Ocoee. It's a nice area. Close to both the 408 and the 429 as well as the Turnpike which makes getting around very easy.

 

[rpmdfw]

What about Davenport? All the real estate listings are so (apparently) less expensive than other areas it seems suspicious.

Davenport (The 4 corners area) is nice enough. But for me, and this is for me, its just too far away from access to Downtown or the airport.......

I'd have to agree. We have friends who really like it, but it's WAYYYYY to far out there for me.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Hunter's Creek is a very nice area.

Winter Garden is near Lake County; SW Orange county. Winter Park is "north" of Orlando, and has higher prices on real estate (for the most part) and taxes.

Davenport? Nope. Too far out for us. The four corners (Osceola, Polk, Lake and Orange counties come together) is ok, but there is that stretch of 192 that I HATE! Ugh. (192 west, the heart of tourist driving).

"From the city" as in lived there forever before coming here? No. For a bit? Yes.

 

[ConcKahuna]

I'm in Haines City. It's the next town south of Davenport, so even further from Orlando, but really cheap. There's also a gay owned/operated Cafe in downtown Haines City called the "3 Boys Cafe".

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Wow. I didn't know that ConcK! We'll have to remember that if we ever get down your way.

What sort of food do they serve?

I'm with the "stepford wives" team when it comes to Celebration. Some of the houses are downright silly looking, too! We were walking along one of their paved walkways and saw one house that looked like a turreted castle. Funniest bit is that it was on a postage stamp sized lawn! Really dorky looking.

 

[ConcKahuna]

Wow. I didn't know that ConcK! We'll have to remember that if we ever get down your way.

What sort of food do they serve?

I'm with the "stepford wives" team when it comes to Celebration. Some of the houses are downright silly looking, too! We were walking along one of their paved walkways and saw one house that looked like a turreted castle. Funniest bit is that it was on a postage stamp sized lawn! Really dorky looking.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/26/1430030/restaurant/Orlando/Three-Boys-Cafe-Haines-City

 

[ABOMIBOT]

Thank you all! Very helpful!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Thanks for the link ConcK. So the "boys" isn't a reference to the owners, rather their dogs?

Looks like a homey place.

 

[cmpdw4me]

That is SO our 4 year plan. Have to wait till the child is done highschool, before we can move!