Orlando is a beautiful city filled with opportunity, entertainment, and more! This city has so much, from world-famous theme parks, wonderful weather, and amazing nightlife. On top of this, there are delicious restaurants, picturesque lakes, and everything in between. There is never a shortage of things to do and there is truly something for everyone. Are you or someone you know thinking about moving to the Orlando area? Here are ten things you’ll want to know!
1. More than Just Theme Parks!
Orlando is the theme park capital of the world! Famous parks like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Sea World and many more call Orlando home. However, many people don’t realize that there are more than just theme parks here! One of the cool things about Orlando is that there’s a ton of beautiful nature to take in.
Image (right) by City of Orlando
Did you know there are 100 lakes alone in Orlando? Here you can see picturesque lakes like the Butler Chain, the Harris Chain, the Conway Chain and more. There are lots of outdoor activities to do here as well like biking, running and lake sports! It’s nice to have this all in our backyard with the theme parks as an added amenity. It’s also nice to have the option to do something else when the theme parks are extremely busy.
2. Food Scene
If you’ve been to Orlando before, you know that there is almost every chain restaurant imaginable. Places like Applebee’s, Red Robins, and more are some of the many chain restaurants found here. Downtown and in pocket areas like Winter Garden, there are lots of food halls and artisan shops popping up as well! It’s nice to see a vibrant and unique food scene start to emerge rather than the same old chain restaurants.
Images: (left) Harrell’s Hot Dogs & Cold Cones (@_whats.up.dog_), (middle) Twenty Pho Hour, (right) Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria (@pompomsteahouse)
Shout out to Jeff’s Bagel Run – they have the best bagels in Orlando. Stop by at their location in Ocoee to see them and grab one!
3. Weather
Everyone knows that Florida is the “Sunshine State”. We get about 266 days of sunshine per year! Did you know that Florida is also the lightning capital of the entire country? We see most of that in Orlando!
Image by Michael Seeley
It is very hot and humid here during the summer, but you get a nice reprieve from the occasional rainstorms that roll in. Nothing feels better on a hot day than to be cooled down by a passing rain shower! It is always important to plan accordingly when dealing with the weather down here because it can rain for 5 minutes or up to an hour at random.
6. New Construction
Although there are some older homes, many home sales here in Orlando are new construction. In fact, 30% of home sales across Central Florida are new construction. What most people don’t realize is that with the supply chain issues going on right now, it can potentially take a year or more to get you into your new home. Many older homes have been rehabbed and beautifully restored in many of the downtown areas, among others. If you are interested in new construction, we have an article that will take you through the process step by step here.
7. City vs Suburb
There’s a huge difference between living in the city of Orlando (especially the downtown areas) or living in a suburb. Many Disney fans may think of parts of Orlando as Celebration, or the resorts and Airbnb areas. While those are beautiful areas, they are vastly different from the quaint downtown areas like College Park, Baldwin Park, Thornton Park and Delaney Park. A lot of these up-and-coming areas are getting gentrified. If you are looking for a non-suburb opportunity with good schools, you can definitely find that here!
Pictured above: Downtown Winter Garden
Winter Park is a great place to go as well you are looking for an upscale, older neighborhood. However, if you’re looking for something new with a master plan community and resort-style pools – we’ve got that too! It’s important to come visit the area and drive around when looking for a home in a new areas. Contact us at The Pozek Group and we will give you a map of the area with great spots to hit, then we can help you dial in on the lifestyle that you are looking for.
8. Schools
Schools are often a very important factor when considering a move. Orlando schools are run by the county, unlike many of the schools here in Florida which are run by the city. There are a lot of private options, such as Windermere Prep, Lake Hyland, Bishop Moore, and more. There are also great pockets of public schools as well. Make sure to check online or ask us and we can guide you to reports and rankings to help make your decision a little bit easier!
Image by Windermere Preparatory School
9. Toll Roads
Another thing many people don’t think about before moving here is the toll roads. You will want to include the toll roads in your budget. In other areas of the country, there are potholes and other hazards that cause damage to your car and make for costly repairs. Here, instead of paying to constantly repair our cars, we pay for toll roads to keep the roads in good shape. You should put aside about $100 per month for tolls, especially if you’re going to be commuting to work at any given time. The new I-4 Express Lanes just opened, which will be anywhere from 50 cents to three dollars one way.
Image by Sunpass Tolls
10. Job Market
Whether you are working from home or being relocated here for a new job, there are plenty of booming industries that are starting to dominate. This includes many beyond the hospitality industry that Orlando is already known for. There are many Aerospace opportunities, healthcare, and an emerging tech space with tons of new companies coming to the area.
Images by Wikipedia (AdventHealth Orlando – left), business.orlando.org (EA Games Facility – Maitland, FL)
If you are an electrician, a plumber, a roofer, a framer, or have experience in any type of trade field, there are also lots of opportunities here for you because of the new construction boom!
Overall
Orlando is a beautiful city filled with so many things to do, see, and eat. Many areas of Orlando are booming and growing, and it is amazing to see all the change and welcome more residents to enjoy it. With so many people moving here from all over the world, Orlando is becoming one of the most popular places to live! Hopefully this list will help you along the way as you decide to call Orlando home.
The Orlando Real is sponsored by The Pozek Group. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in Orlando, reach out and we would love to help!
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