Hello fellow Fchatters! I am a regular over here in the sunny southwest (scottsdale, AZ). I lived in FL in the past and we are thinking of moving back to FL this year. We are thinking about the Orlando area. If anyone has recommendations about where to look or where to avoid, it would be greatly appreciated. I have 2 very young kids, so we are very interested in good schools, good areas to raise kids, etc. Thanks in advance. Feel free to PM me also. Would love to chat with some of you , if possible. If we make the move, I am happy that I will be joining another community of car enthusiasts with a Cars and Coffee already running.
Lake Mary - There's a decent amount of restaurants, good schools, nice neighborhoods, and Cars and Café is right down the street once a month.
I grew up in Maitland/Winter Park area about 4-5 miles from downtown. Great schools (public and private) and beautiful neighborhoods - lots of lakes, brick streets, etc. Back in the day, Winter Park was a rich-folks' winter resort town (hence the name) so there are some great old homes, etc. WP is pricey, but you can get into Maitland right next door for less (same school district for the most part). WP High is a good school with an International Baccalaurate program (http://www.ibo.org/), and there are two (maybe more now) well-regarded private schools that go from 6th-12th grade (Trinity Prep and Lake Highland Prep). Mom has been an public elementary school teacher in the area for 20 years, and has always been very happy with the quality of kids and teachers there. Orlando exploded over the last decade or two, so there are lots of new-ish communities on both sides of town (e.g., the Bay Hill/Dr. Phillips/Windemere area by Disney and the Sanford area), but I haven't lived there for a while, so I'll leave that to the current residents.
Maitland/ Winter Park is are the best places to live. Both are great locations. You are out of the tourist area and into some of the best schools and residential areas. I have a realtor who has helped out a number of my clients in locating homes in the Orlado area with Winter Park and Maitland as his main locales. Let me know if you want his name.
The realtors name is Phil Dinnis. He is a Brit but, he will work hard for you. His phone number is 407-908-0275. If you want to call me with any questions you may have about the Orlando area, my office number is 407-339-3443. Good luck.
