Avalon Park area builders (Orlando, Oviedo: for sale, apartment, townhomes) - Florida (FL) - City-Data Forum

kvoss016 · 04-02-2007, 01:45 PM

We are looking at relocating to the area and had been looking at the northwest part of Orlando until several posts about the Avalon Park area. It seems so much nicer and alot more convenient for travel to the downtown area. Can anyone provide me with some contractors that are building in that area? We were planning on building through Cambridge Orlando (we fell in love with one of their plans) but they are not building homes in that area. Also any other information on that area is apprecated, especially information on the schools. We have three young children and my wife will be teaching at the elementary level.

pianogal · 04-02-2007, 10:12 PM

Lennar and Toll Brothers are currently building at Timber Springs in Avalon Park. You can check the floor plans/prices on the builder's websites. Lennar's community is called Bella Vida. The model there is the same home as my neighbor built and it is absolutely beautiful.

Toll Brother's community is called River Oaks at Timber Springs. Their homes seem to be a little more upscale but are also little pricier than Lennar.

kvoss016 · 04-03-2007, 10:36 AM

Thank you for the input. Toll Brothers has some beautiful homes. We found a floor plan that we love but it is built by Cambridge Orlando. As far as I can tell, they are not building in that area. I am afraid we will have to go custom to get the floorplan we want and I have the feeling the builder will make me pay for that. I would appreciate input on any other developments that are going up in that area. We would like for our children to attend either Avalon or Stone Lakes elementary school. We hear nothing but good things about those two schools.

pianogal · 04-03-2007, 12:15 PM

It would be difficult to go custom in that area ... because there is little land available and you're right you would pay through the nose for custom here. There is land available further east but you wouldn't be zoned for the same schools. Do you mind sharing which Cambridge floorplan you liked so much? Cambridge built in our community and we orginally had a deposit on the Yorkton but we changed our minds because we didn't like how Cambridge made you make deposits on the house all through the time they were building.

We built in 03/04 while the market was moving like crazy and by staying in our current home while our new home was getting built, we were able to gain double equity. If we had gone with Cambridge, we would have had to sell our home first, because they required not only the 5% at contract as the other builders but also payments all along so that by the time you got to closing you had already made the full downpayment plus. We stayed in our home in Winter Park, closed on it in December and moved into our new home in January. We paid the 5% at contract from savings and then the remainder at closing from the sale of our old home - nothing in between and we only had to stay in an apartment for a month...Thank God! We could not have done that had we gone with Cambridge - unfortunate because they have some beautiful homes.

kvoss016 · 04-03-2007, 01:40 PM

The home we are looking at through Cambridge goes under two names depending upon what community it is in. It is called either the Georgetown II or Versailles. We think the floorplan is perfect for us.

Thank you for the input on Cambridge, I was warned to watch your pocketbook with them because they will pick away at it. We initially were looking at the Eustis area and have toured two of their developments there twice. The second time we were there we got to visit with a husband of one of their employees. They had just purchased a home through them and he gave me alot of advice on the side. He told me you have to stand your ground with them or they milk you for everything you are worth. I think to a point all of them are like that though.

We will probably just have to take a trip and look around the Avalon area. If Cambridge has built homes in that area its possible we could find one on the market. We would prefer to have new construction but would consider a home a couple years old if we could find one on the market with a similar floorplan.

pianogal · 04-03-2007, 02:15 PM

I'll do some checking around. I do believe Cambridge did build in a nearby community 3 or 4 years ago. If I discover anything I'll let you know. By the way, they built the Georgetown series in our community as well. They had Georgetown and Yorktown Models here. It is a beautiful home - I can understand why you like it. There were a couple for sale, I'll try to find the mls numbers and you can look them up. I am in east Orlando, but not in Avalon Park.

pianogal · 04-03-2007, 02:36 PM

The following are recently built Georgetown models currently on the market..however they are not built in Avalon Park. The only thing Cambridge is currently building in this part of town are townhomes. The closest community you can build a Georgetown is The Preserve at Black Hammock. This is in Oviedo and has fantastic schools. The homes are also on 80' lots - something you would not find in Avalon Park.

You can view these by going to realtor dot com.
MLS ID#: O4744467
MLS ID#: O4752403

I thought I remembered Cambridge building off east 50 near Avalon Park, but I can't find any information on that. Perhaps you could check with a local realtor for that information.

Good Luck!

kvoss016 · 04-03-2007, 02:52 PM

Thank you for all of your help. We have looked a little a the Preserve at Black Hammock but not too much. I will look into Ovideo and their schools. I may have a hard time changing my wife's mind. She is pretty set on either Avalon Elementary or Stone Lakes Elementary. Thanks again for your help.