Compare living on the south side of Orlando vs the north side of Orlando (Kissimmee: rental homes, insurance)

[itsajourney]

I would like to hear from anyone who has at one time lived anywhere on the south, southest, southwest side of Orlando and then moved to the north side--anywhere--whether it be Orange, Seminole or Lake county.

I spent my first 4 years in Orlando in the Champion's Gate area--like before all of the Champion's Gate & Reunion area was built. At the time there was nothing there business wise/shopping. It was all Disney employees and vacation rental homes. Have spent the last 5 years in Hunter's Creek. Though Hunter's Creek is a nice, safe area and I am not far from a lot of shopping and theme parks, etc. I am just really tired of this area. I often wonder if it would make a difference to me if I lived on the north side of the city.

What is your personal experience with this? and Thanks!

[Crane's Rooster]

The northside is the more established side of town. Rarely will you see new cookie cutter type of developments north of downtown. Most of the communities here were built in the 70/80s. That's not too long ago but in Central Florida development that's like ages ago. The Northside also tends to be much less transient. Maybe because the homes are older and smaller, it just doesn't attract alot of newcomers. I grew up on the Northside in Altamonte, it was much like many other suburbs across the country. Most of the news revolved around the local high school sports. Friday night was all about football. Most of my classmates had been in the same school district from elementary until high school. Most of the population on the northside work in jobs to support the local economy (restaurants, insurance, government, hospitals, construction, landscaping), other than high school students it's very hard to find people that work in the tourist industry. It's a much different vibe than the southside.

On the flipside, it can be very boring at times also.

[EndersDrift]

Orlando by EndersDrift

Northside has two comic book stores;
Southside has one.
Northside has two universities;
Southside has none.
Northside is full of liberals that hate the constitution;
Southside is full of crime and prostitution;

Northside is older and the houses are small;
Southside's best part is the Florida mall.
Northside has roads that are easy to follow;
Southside has OBT and thats hard to swallow.
Northside is full of very good schools;
Southside is full of degenerates that can't follow rules.

Orlando we love thee.

[DavieJ89]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

The northside is the more established side of town. Rarely will you see new cookie cutter type of developments north of downtown. Most of the communities here were built in the 70/80s. That's not too long ago but in Central Florida development that's like ages ago. The Northside also tends to be much less transient. Maybe because the homes are older and smaller, it just doesn't attract alot of newcomers. I grew up on the Northside in Altamonte, it was much like many other suburbs across the country. Most of the news revolved around the local high school sports. Friday night was all about football. Most of my classmates had been in the same school district from elementary until high school. Most of the population on the northside work in jobs to support the local economy (restaurants, insurance, government, hospitals, construction, landscaping), other than high school students it's very hard to find people that work in the tourist industry. It's a much different vibe than the southside.

On the flipside, it can be very boring at times also.

That is how I feel about the north side of Orlando. It is older and very established (most homes just north and east of downtown were built as early as 1900) So some of the homes are quite historic, I like the bungalow style homes of the 1920s in Thornton Park and Near Lake Eola

I also know how the OP feels about Hunter's Creek, it is a nice area but I am tired of it as well

North Orlando (Rosemont, College Park, Winter Park, Maitland, and Altamonte Springs) have their advantages and disadvantages

ADVANTAGES
Less transient
Very established homes
Close to downtown and all its amenities
Lots of upscale shopping and dining
Lots of Mom and Pop businesses
Strong sense of community
Road access east-west and north-south is easier. North Orlando is almost grid-like

DISADVANTAGES
Overpriced homes (because its close to the downtown jobs)
Little to do other then downtown and Altamonte Mall
Elevated crime rate (Rosemont is problematic, and close to Parramore)
Far from most shopping and tourist attractions
Little freeway access, I-4 is only nearby freeway through most of North Orlando

It seems to be the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages (all of which are not major except maybe the cost of living)

[DavieJ89]

ADVANTAGES
Lots of freeway access (528, Turnpike, and 417)
15 Min from Airport and Attractions
Less traffic then North Orlando
Very low crime rate
Lots of shopping and dining options (The Loop, FLA Mall, Millenia Mall)
Lower cost of living then North Orlando
Excellent schools
Medical City being built nearby
Easy north-south road access (John Young, OBT, and Orange Ave)
The only "good" part of South OBT
Nicer newer homes

DISADVANTAGES
Far from downtown, and UCF
Lots of cookie cutter subdivisions (built between the 1980s-2006, depending on your development)
Mostly chain restaurants and stores
Close to Buenaventura Lakes and Kissimmee
Lack of east-west roads (only ones are 528, Central FL Pkwy, Town Center Blvd, and 417)
People aren't exactly the friendliest (though not the worst)

I think South Orlando breaks even on pros and cons. Personally I am done with Orlando in general but it could be MUCH worse

[Wilshire81182]

I think the posts reflect this, but the Northside has many more affluent and established areas, better schools, less crime, etc.

If I use 408 as the dividing line, the North side gets a majority of the nicest areas: Lake Mary/Heathrow, Longwood, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Maitland, College Park, Winter Park, Thornton Park, Wekiva area, Baldwin Park, Audubon Park, etc.

The south side's best feature is not the Florida Mall. Even Millenia is better. There are a lot of nice areas, just less than the north side. There are: Hunters Creek, Celebration, Avalon Park and Waterford, Delaney Park, Conway, Belle Isle, Windermere, Dr Phillips, Winter Garden (the nice half of WG that is), Williamsburg, Lake Nona, Reunion, Wyndham Lakes, etc.

I would still pick the north side over the south side, but I live South of the 408 in a nice area of Conway and I definitely do not lament it. The HS in my district is Boone which is one of the best.

Please remember Pine Hills and most of Parramore are on the northside and they are worse than the worst parts of the South side as far as crime. I would say then that the northside has some of the best and worst and the south side has a lot of average areas (except Windermere/Dr Phillips).

The South side may have the nasty OBT strip, but the north side also has a pretty ugly stretch of 441 and some of the dumpiest parts of 4396/Semoran. Orlando is so pocketed that these kinds of observations and comparisons can be pretty interesting. It is definitely not as easy as some cities where you cross a street and one side of town is night and day from the other.

[Crane's Rooster]

Even if you read the post the general trend (emphasis on general) is that the most common complaints (traffic, transient, crime, no sense of community) involve new developments in either the south or east sides of town. I've rarely seen anyone on here complain that Lake Mary or Sanford or Winter Park are too transient or have no sense of community. But the thing that brings most people to Central FL, nice new LARGE homes on big lots, are located in places that years back were cow pastures. Its surprising to most newcomers that as soon as you leave the urban areas and get into the smaller communities than you really are in the south. People just have to realize that if you move into a neighborhood full of other residents who all came from somewhere else looking for something better or something new, in the beginning you will all feel lost.

[DavieJ89]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Even if you read the post the general trend (emphasis on general) is that the most common complaints (traffic, transient, crime, no sense of community) involve new developments in either the south or east sides of town. I've rarely seen anyone on here complain that Lake Mary or Sanford or Winter Park are too transient or have no sense of community. But the thing that brings most people to Central FL, nice new LARGE homes on big lots, are located in places that years back were cow pastures. Its surprising to most newcomers that as soon as you leave the urban areas and get into the smaller communities than you really are in the south. People just have to realize that if you move into a neighborhood full of other residents who all came from somewhere else looking for something better or something new, in the beginning you will all feel lost.

The other thing is up until about 20-30 years ago, most of south and east Orlando was cow pasture, orange groves, or swamps

[**NoodLes**]

I like the south side better. You have Disney, SeaWorld, Universal, I-DRIVE, the airport. It just has a much more "happening" vibe to it. Everything is pretty convenient down here. Oh yeah, the Convention Center, too. It doesn't take me too long to get anywhere from where I live, and the housing is much more reasonably priced for an average person.

I've been to the North side only a handful of times but I never liked the areas I went to. Also seen some really bad areas, much worse than the "bad" areas down here.

[lr5497]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

I like the south side better. You have Disney, SeaWorld, Universal, I-DRIVE, the airport. It just has a much more "happening" vibe to it. Everything is pretty convenient down here. Oh yeah, the Convention Center, too. It doesn't take me too long to get anywhere from where I live, and the housing is much more reasonably priced for an average person.

I've been to the North side only a handful of times but I never liked the areas I went to. Also seen some really bad areas, much worse than the "bad" areas down here.

what area in the south do you live in?