RyanSws6

iTrader: (72)

So I'm moving from S. Fla to Central/Orlando area. So please help me with a couple questions...

We're looking at several areas, Lake Mary, Winter Haven, Altamonte Springs, & Oviedo. I have have a daughter in Elem, 3rd grade, so schools are very important.

For car stuff, I'll need a good tunner since I'll be sliding in my cam before moving.

Cops, how are they? I'm not a street racer but some spirited driving at times.

Please help a fellow gear head.

performabuilt2

I live in MT dora about 20 mins from west orlando if you need a place to live my wife can probably help you out she is the manager of the complex we live at but its not cheap luxury apts. 3 beds are right at 1500 but they are 1375 sq feet. The place is called Hammock Oaks in Mt Dora if you wanna look it up.

CFPC_2010

Ryan,

I live in Oviedo and really like it since I am not that far from downtown Orlando and don't have to get on I-4 to get around unless I am going to Daytona. I-4 is a headache for commuting anytime. All of the places you listed are in Seminole County except for Winter Haven which is a long way from the others - Seminole County public schools are pretty good, definitely better than Orange County. Lake Mary would be my second choice and schools up there are good or better than Oviedo but you would be stuck using I-4 for most travel, not the end of the world but it would get old quick.

As far as tuners I use Next Level Performance in Altamonte, their expertise is GM LS motors and work on and build some nice cars. Police - well I have been get away with driving an really dark tinted, headers-with-no muffler Camaro for sometime without trouble and I mess around some on the street and haven't had any issues but I don't street race. That is something they are trying to stop due to accidents around here. 10 minutes from Oviedo is Orlando Speedworld for drag racing. Not the best track but it keeps me out of trouble.

Hope the info helps and feel free to PM more questions - Terry

RyanSws6

iTrader: (72)

Thanks so much guys! We are going to call an agent today. We are looking for a house 4br 2or 3 car garage. Tired of the rat race in S.Fl. Wife got laid off in the middle of buying a house so we're now in the middle. Her job held us down here. I work from a remote site so as long as I have a PC and a phone I'm good. Time to take advantage of flexability and lower cost of living. My 4/3 2g 2500sqft house is great but too expensive, my area has held its price and not dropped.

So is I4 an issue? Too much traffic? I know when we go up there to Disney I4 is always a parking lot.

So if Lake Mary is your second choice, what's your first?

Thanks so much!!!

NeXuS

Have you Considered Winter Park? I grew up in apoka/Altamonte Springs area .. and when i was in college i lived in winter park/UCF area...Both nice places

ec_nova

iTrader: (5)

Another vote for Lake Mary. Great schools, and fairly close to everything. 30-40min from the beach and 20min from downtown. 417 and I-4 are both very close, which is nice. Unless you're commuting at 8am and 5pm on weekdays I-4 is great. I use it every morning for work and rarely have to drop below 80. Lake Mary is a low crime city, so the cops are pretty strict on speeding/etc, but not TOO bad. You'll learn what roads you can speed on real quick lol.

SSJIMMY

iTrader: (8)

im in the sanford-geneva area im about 10 miles from lake mary and the sanford mall and most everything. I also drive I-4 everyday to apopka where i work and its really not bad for me but im also on I-4 by 6:45 in the morning so miss most of the traffic but it can be a parking lot sometimes on the way home or if i am later in the morning..

Lake mary has the worst cops in the area but they still have let me get away with dark tint and no cats and cutout and never said anything about it.

as far as tuners next level is about the only close by one since norris moved

Blasted2hell

iTrader: (2)

I spent a lot of time in south florida, it's definately a differently lifestyle here in the Orlando area.

I used to live in Oviedo, and it or Lake Mary would be my choices from your list. I live in west orange county though, which is nowhere near any of those places heh.

RyanSws6

iTrader: (72)

For some reason I like the sound of Lake Mary. I do need to stay within a reasonable distance from Ft. Lauderdale. I will need to drive down 1-2 times a month. If low crime rate then the cops love to harass locals for revenue.

It seems like most things are some what close, beach, Disney, down town, etc...

I'm not a 9-5er. So I-4 may not be an issue. Best thing to do is take a trip up there. We are planning to do this next weekend.

S. Fla is for younger crowds, its been a long time since we had the night life, kids will do that to you.

Glad to know there is a nice F-bod following in Central FL.

Thanks again to all for the info.

GRN ENVY

iTrader: (1)

You may want to look into the Belle Isle /conway area of orlando. I live there and its a great little area, 10 mins from downtown, 20 mins from the airport. The schools are great to. I don't know how seminole schools are but the ones in this area are getting A's in the ratings. As far as the cops, as long as you aren't being stupid or dangering people, you won't have an issue. I am close to I-4, the 408, and the 528. Also I am about 15 mins from Altamonte if there is no traffic. Pretty central to every where, the malls are about 10 mins up the road to, that maybe good or bad for you.

A3VETTE

iTrader: (2)

+1

Also south orlando (hunters creek area) is pretty good.

Only downside is its close to kissimee so lots of little kids in hondas driving around on the weekends.

RyanSws6

iTrader: (72)

Yeah the mall would keep the wife busy while I turn my wrenches. The schools and house is the key. Thanks for the Belle Isle tip. Up to now I didn't see anything about it.

Funny, when I've been up there with the family, I mostly see rice. I even saw one that had ***** hanging from the rear bumper...

Didn't have time today to call an agent, but for sure tomorrow.

A3VETTE

iTrader: (2)

Theres 2-3 houses for sale in my neighborhood that are very nice. Plus a very good elementary school (Freedom) right down the road.

GRN ENVY

iTrader: (1)

Well you may be able to get lucky like one of my buds, he just bought a house on the lake conway chain which is the area I am talking about for 90k and it retails for 300k or so, its a 3/2 and about 2600 sq ft. If you need any dirction feel free to ask. and Good luck.

camaroextra

iTrader: (10)

Another Lake Mary vote, I went to Lake Mary High School too. If you research the schools you will see that Seminole county has the best schools in the area.

And yeah you just have to know what roads to speed on.

Mike Norris

iTrader: (10)

Here is a website to help you out with looking into schools. According to this site Oviedo is ranked 21st as far as cities go and the highest ranking ciy in the Orlando metro area.

http://www.schooldigger.com/go/FL/ci...do/search.aspx

The area is very nice and if I had not settled out in the Winter Garden area, I would have been in Oviedo, Lake Mary or Winter Springs. What is nice about that area is you can avoid I-4 if you want and are close enough if you need to use it.

The cops can be strict, but that is a good thing in maintaining safe streets, good schools and a good, safe community.

Hope this helps.

Mike Norris

RyanSws6

iTrader: (72)

Thanks to all!

Sanford seems to have several homes of interest.

Though I'm still looking.

Thanks for that web site Mike. Sounds like your in the area, yet your shop address says IN?

About the cops...no tickets in 20yrs of driving HOWEVER does a ticket for a muffler too loud/missing count?? This was about 2 yrs ago and in my LT1 with a borla, I said wow slow night?

RsSean

iTrader: (27)

Sanford is a nice place to live. There are several nice subdivsions around me. There is a day care about a mile from my house, there is also a several middle schools/elem school with in 5 miles of my place.

philsblwnz28

iTrader: (10)

I live in Crack Town don't move to Kissimmee

Mike Norris

iTrader: (10)

I used to have my shop in Winter garden, but just moved up to Indy the week before Christmas and set up shop here. You can always come this way

I use that website as I watch for my kids first when choosing a location. Florida schools are iffy at best and when you find a good school system you do what you can to make it work. We sacrificed quite a bit to send our son to Montverde Academy when we could not get settled on a public school.

I used to own Next Level Performance and the guys there should be able to take care of you.

Good luck on the move.

Mike Norris