Lake Nona Input (Orlando, Oviedo, Ocoee: rental, HOA fees, car insurance)

[JMJ1024]

Hi Everyone,

I would really like to thank everyone who has posted on the Orlando board...I've been reading past posts and have gotten so much helpful information. I can't imagine how people relocated before the internet!

I was hoping for a little guidance. We will be relocating this summer from Cleveland to Orlando. My husband got a job downtown right next to Lake Eola. We have a 3 year old, 6 month old, a dog and 2 cats. I'm a first grade teacher in Ohio, but when we move, I'm going to stay at home with our kids for a while, but maybe tutor on the side. We are going to rent for a year to make sure Florida is a good fit for us. We checked out many of the often recommended areas; Winter Park, Baldwin Park, Thornton Park, College Park, Lake Mary, etc...but it seems that renting that close to the city is going to be just too expensive for us. We'd like to keep rent to around $1,500 with another $300 or so for HOA fees, keeping our total rental costs to under or around $2,000. We'd also really need a 3 bedroom with a little outdoor space for our dog, and a community pool and playground nearby.

So, after much research here we're leaning heavily toward Lake Nona. We know it's a bit out of the way, but we feel comfortable making that concession for a year if it means having more money to put toward a house in an ideal location in the future. Is anyone aware of any major issues in the Lake Nona area? I know it's near the airport, but it doesn't seem like there are major sound complaints. The air quality is cleaner than where we are now. We wouldn't want to be near any major environmental pollutants, like a coal factory, for example. We're just looking for red flags from people who are more in the know than we are.

Having said all that, we are open to other neighborhoods, if you have any recommendations. Again, we really appreciate your help.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by JMJ1024

Hi Everyone,

I would really like to thank everyone who has posted on the Orlando board...I've been reading past posts and have gotten so much helpful information. I can't imagine how people relocated before the internet!

I was hoping for a little guidance. We will be relocating this summer from Cleveland to Orlando. My husband got a job downtown right next to Lake Eola. We have a 3 year old, 6 month old, a dog and 2 cats. I'm a first grade teacher in Ohio, but when we move, I'm going to stay at home with our kids for a while, but maybe tutor on the side. We are going to rent for a year to make sure Florida is a good fit for us. We checked out many of the often recommended areas; Winter Park, Baldwin Park, Thornton Park, College Park, Lake Mary, etc...but it seems that renting that close to the city is going to be just too expensive for us. We'd like to keep rent to around $1,500 with another $300 or so for HOA fees, keeping our total rental costs to under or around $2,000. We'd also really need a 3 bedroom with a little outdoor space for our dog, and a community pool and playground nearby.

So, after much research here we're leaning heavily toward Lake Nona. We know it's a bit out of the way, but we feel comfortable making that concession for a year if it means having more money to put toward a house in an ideal location in the future. Is anyone aware of any major issues in the Lake Nona area? I know it's near the airport, but it doesn't seem like there are major sound complaints. The air quality is cleaner than where we are now. We wouldn't want to be near any major environmental pollutants, like a coal factory, for example. We're just looking for red flags from people who are more in the know than we are.

Having said all that, we are open to other neighborhoods, if you have any recommendations. Again, we really appreciate your help.

Good luck on your move. I can honestly say, you can't go wrong with Lake Nona. Beautiful new development that will become ultra vibrant as things continue to progress. The commute should b your top worry, but as you said you won't mind being a bit far out. That being said again, Lake Nona is good. I wouldn't recommend anything above it except downtown Orlando, but I'm personally not sure about HOA fees so I won't misguide you.

[orlando2012]

If you rent, why you have to pay HoA?

[FloridaNative35]

I was wondering the same thing... if you are renting, you won't have any HoA fees, as far as I know. And if your budget is then 2000 for rent alone on a 3 bed, you can certainly find something closer to downtown. I live just south of downtown (3 miles) in a large 4 bedroom with a yard and I pay only 1200 (admittedly, I got a good deal, but there are tons of homes around me for 1500 or so).

But, I won't try to discourage you from Lake Nona. Other than the commute, it is a nice place to be. Will be even nicer in a few years.

There are a number of community pools and splash pads - and Orlando has a billion parks. For locations, just Google "Orlando parks" and then ALSO Google "Orange County Florida parks"

[LuvOrlando]

I'm from Cleveland. Lake Nona is nice and won't feel too totally foreign. Has a bit of a North Royalton/ Strongsville feel.

Clermont is most like home and seems like a great place to live now...it's where I originally wanted to go! Clermont seems like they're building a lot and I wonder if it won't turn into a Mayfield (Mayfield in the 80s, anyway) in ten or fifteen years. but if you want a place where you'll feel more like home, check out Clermont.

I try to compare Orlando to Cleveland, but it's very hard to do. It really is very different here...and not just the weather. There is like no zoning. I'm sure there is some, but it isn't like the Cleveland suburbs. Some places in Cleveland are over-zoned, but it seems like just about anything goes down here. It isn't bad, just different.

Another weird thing is that you'll find crappy neighborhoods right next to good ones. I looked at a place in Winter Park (I think that was it) where they had nicer houses right next to slummy-looking ones. They put up a brick wall...I suppose so people didn't look out at the crummier houses. But you'll find this situation all over Orlando. It's how we roll, I guess, lol.

They build houses one on top of the other. The neighborhoods where you have any kind of real yard (like your typical suburban Cleveland yard) are few and far between.

If you live on the west side, you'll notice this less than if you're an east-sider, but Florida is pretty flat. That is the best part of Clermont - they have hills.

Healthcare is very different. In Cleveland, you take the Clinic for granted. You figure that's how healthcare is. Not everywhere! Not most places! And not here. When places like the Cleveland and Mayo clinics talk about "World Class Care" they aren't just whistling Dixie. I never realized how different it was in most of the rest of the country.

Also, everyone drives like lunatics. You get used to it. Car insurance...oh, my word...my insurance nearly tripled when I moved.

I have become more adept at dealing with heat. I used to think 75 degrees was just way too hot for inside the house. Now I won't set it under 78 and frequently have it higher. When I have a visitor who is used to 72 degrees, I set it there...and even though that's what I lived with for forty years, I now feel cold and put on capris and warm polo shirts.

And, of course, no Dick Goddard. I had no idea how much I'd miss him, lol.

Good luck in your search.

[whitny]

We relocated to Orlando from NorthEast last year. We have kids in similar age group, and renting in similar price range. Also, my dh has to commute to downtown/Lake Eola area. Our 'short list' became: Lake Nona as you mentioned, but also older areas like Maitland and Winter Park. Also, people hate on it, but I also like Waterford Lakes/Avalon Lakes. I'd love to live in Ocoee area, but too $$$ for us. GL! Everyone from NorthEast told us not to do it. So far, we're loving it. (But I can tolerate hot/humid climates ; )

[JMJ1024]

Thanks so much for your input everyone! Good point about the HOA fees! To be honest, I just totally flaked out on that. It's nice to have a little extra padding in our budget, although I think we'll still try to keep our rent as low as possible.

LuvOrlando, thanks so much for all the Cleveland parallels, especially the Clermont recommendation. We're going to check that out! We actually love Cleveland a lot and can't believe how different it is from Orlando in so many ways. We've already noticed the some of the same things that you mentioned. Like you said, not negative, just different. We're going to embrace the differences and soak up as many opportunities as possible while we're there, but it was nice to have a little heads up to help us prepare.

Whitny, we're going to look into Maitland again. From the Google "walks" we've taken, Maitland seems similar to where we grew up (for LovOrlando: Mentor). I think we'd LOVE Winter Park, but the houses in our budget seem to be in some pretty sketchy neighborhoods. Again, this is all through Google Maps, so I could be way off. My husband is going to be visiting Orlando again before the move, so he can check things out for us.

Really, thanks again everyone. This move was totally unexpected and I was way stressed about it. But the more I read and see, the more excited I get. I think we're going to make some wonderful memories in Orlando, and I really thank you for the part you all played in that!

P.S. Dick Goddard really is the best! Maybe he'll retire to Florida!

[brerjeff]

Originally Posted by whitny

We relocated to Orlando from NorthEast last year. We have kids in similar age group, and renting in similar price range. Also, my dh has to commute to downtown/Lake Eola area. Our 'short list' became: Lake Nona as you mentioned, but also older areas like Maitland and Winter Park. Also, people hate on it, but I also like Waterford Lakes/Avalon Lakes. I'd love to live in Ocoee area, but too $$$ for us. GL! Everyone from NorthEast told us not to do it. So far, we're loving it. (But I can tolerate hot/humid climates ; )

I'm just curious, where in Ocoee is too much $$$ compared to Lake Nona and the other areas you mentioned?! Did you mean Oviedo, or thinking Windermere is part of Ocoee? It's also possible I don't know everything about Ocoee so maybe I'm missing something but if you can afford all the places you mentioned, I am thinking you can afford Ocoee.

P.S. I live in the Lake Nona area, so maybe I'm biased.

[whitny]

Originally Posted by brerjeff

I'm just curious, where in Ocoee is too much $$$ compared to Lake Nona and the other areas you mentioned?! Did you mean Oviedo, or thinking Windermere is part of Ocoee? It's also possible I don't know everything about Ocoee so maybe I'm missing something but if you can afford all the places you mentioned, I am thinking you can afford Ocoee.

P.S. I live in the Lake Nona area, so maybe I'm biased.

We looked in Ocoee right next to Windermere. Some would call it Windermere (which we DEF could not afford--at least not the home we want) but it's Ocoee. Also, Ocoee is too far for my husband's commute (like OP, he needs to get downtown) I know Lake Nona is no joyous commute : ) but better than Ocoee.

As an aside: Do you find any/much diversity in Lake Nona?

[volk2k]

Originally Posted by whitny

We looked in Ocoee right next to Windermere. Some would call it Windermere (which we DEF could not afford--at least not the home we want) but it's Ocoee. Also, Ocoee is too far for my husband's commute (like OP, he needs to get downtown) I know Lake Nona is no joyous commute : ) but better than Ocoee.

Actually... Ocoee (near Windermere) is a MUCH faster commute to Downtown than Lake Nona... it's not even close.

I'm pretty sure I know where you are referring to in Ocoee, and all you would need to do is take Old Winter Garden to Good Homes road, hop on the 408 and you will be there in no time..

To get from Lake Nona to downtown, you'd have to take 528-to-I4 or 528-to-417-to-408.... or take surface streets all the way there. None of these ways is faster than Ocoee to downtown.