Relocating to Florida with elementary aged kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not try a message board or Facebook group in a place like, oh, Florida?

I posted here because the input would be from a perspective of people who have atleast lived in the DMV at some point in their lives vs a Florida board filled with lifelong Floridians. Looking for a different perspective. For example, if you are from here you would compare FL schools differently and could comment that public is going to work there. If I posted on saw FL board the perspective woul be different.

I know I have read several posts on DCUM from people that have relocated or suggested Florida as a place to relocate to.

OP I lived there.

This is 1000% the wrong time to be moving there with kids.

In public school the teachers are leaving in droves they are scared of DeSantis. It is not going well in schools. Banning of books is crazy not to mention teachers are being fired for the most absurd things. Racist and Nazism are growing and in the public schools getting worse by the day.

Here goes.
Weston east coast
West Boca east coast

Clearwater on the West coast

Stay away from Naples, Fort Meyers, Lakewood Ranch, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale. Delray, Miami


Private schools suck in Florida do not pay for them please. American Heritage would be your best bet that is on the east coast.

Public schools change districts like crazy there. Also, DeSantis is going to privatize schools. That means you will need cash in the budget for better schools that might be far from your home.

Good luck.

Are you a graduate of Florida public schools? If so, your grammar is a convincing argument against them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am remote but have to be in Florida. So literally anywhere is game. Budget is 500k if using public school if I have to go private budget would be less. I am hoping there are some areas that have good public schools but I have no clue. Mixed race family if that matters

I'm from Florida. I'm used to Florida bashing (and I get it!) but it was an amazing childhood. Obviously a state of 21 million people will have some variety. Check out Winter Park. VERY wealthy area (but you could get something cute for $500k), great schools, great town.

You can’t find anything nice in winter park anymore for $500k. It’s been discovered over the past 2 years.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for st John’s county. I have to be in central florida due to work but if I could work remote that is where i would love and raise my kids.

[Anonymous]

Don't do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another vote for st John’s county. I have to be in central florida due to work but if I could work remote that is where i would love and raise my kids.

No way, St Johns is too Trumpy

[Anonymous]

There are lots of places in FL you could get a beautiful home for that budget. I second St. John's County and Winter Park as places well known for great schools. If I were you I would also google "best public schools in Florida" and you will find there are many.

Pay no attention to the nitwits on DCUM who just love to trash talk Florida. I assume you already knew it gets pretty hot down here. There are numerous positive reasons to move here anyway. DeSantis isn't one of them, but you will find wacky right wing governors in many states, including Virginia. I don't include Hogan in that.

There's so much to do and fun to be had in Florida I would highly recommend it as a place to raise kids, they will thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am remote but have to be in Florida. So literally anywhere is game. Budget is 500k if using public school if I have to go private budget would be less. I am hoping there are some areas that have good public schools but I have no clue. Mixed race family if that matters

I maybe somewhere around Cocoa Beach. It seems as if the Kennedy Space Center people must send their kids to good schools.

[Anonymous]

Question for the Gainesville posters recommending Buchholz zone. Which middle school do you recommend?

[Anonymous]

born and raised in Tampa. I understand the desire to return (whichever poster said that). I also despise Desantis. If I had to move back, I'd look to South Tampa. Good schools, great and closeby airport, good restaurants and activities, good youth sports. Bad flooding potential is the downside. And not sure how far 500K gets you, but it is a really nice area to grow up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question for the Gainesville posters recommending Buchholz zone. Which middle school do you recommend?

Ft. Clarke or Kanapaha. Also check out PK Yonge if you end up there. It’s UF’s K-12 lab school. It’s a lottery school, but I’ve heard really good things.

[Anonymous]

Good luck getting homeowners’ insurance. Will cost you more than many private schools. The industry is collapsing in much of FL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good luck getting homeowners’ insurance. Will cost you more than many private schools. The industry is collapsing in much of FL.

This inadvertently is another vote for Gainesville--not near the water!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Central Florida. Look at Audubon Park in Orlando. Zoned for Audubon Park K-8 and Winter Park HS. Walkable to a small retail area. Another option is the part of Winter Park that's zoned for Brookshire ES, Glenridge MS, and Winter Park HS. Another option is parts of Maitland zoned for Dommerich ES, Maitland MS, and Winter Park HS. All of these are excellent schools with racial and socioeconomic diversity. For $500K, you could get a 3BR/2BA MCM home in good condition but not completely updated. Maybe with a pool.

Our kids went to WOTP schools in DCPS and we would be happy with any of these schools. The above areas are close to lots of shopping and dining. You could go a little further out to somewhere like Lake Mary that might be a little less too. Lake Mary isn't my scene but YMMV.

Me again. Check out this one: https://www.redfin.com/FL/Orlando/3904-Corrine-Dr-32803/home/46818520 You can walk to the shops and restaurants in both Audubon Park and Baldwin Park. It's a very family friendly neighborhood. Your kids can walk or bike to Audubon Park K-8, and it's zoned for the excellent Winter Park HS. It's on a busy road, which is why you can get a fully renovated home with a pool and zoned for excellent schools listed at $469,900. It's a very safe area, and your kids could walk to their friends' homes, to get ice cream, etc. by themselves in that area. There's also a weekly art/farmer's market and lots of small festival type stuff going on there.

I'm very familiar with the area. Feel free to post any homes you find and I'll answer any questions you have.

I live in St Pete - come check us out! - and we go over to Orlando every few months just to eat. There's so many good and interesting restaurants around there. We've spent a little time in Baldwin Park and it is just lovely. It's a new, mixed-use community - which is not my favorite architectural style - but there's some terrific restaurants and shops, and a great lake with a walking path around it. We go eat at this place when we're in that neighborhood - it is deeee-licious: https://tasteofchengdufl.com/menu-baldwin-park/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. The only part of Florida I am very familiar with is Lee County: Fort Myers Cape Coral Pine Island Naples etc. My mother lived there for years and so has extended family. I love the weather and beach but can't really imagine living there full time.

I am open to Tampa Area, Jacksonville, Central Florida/Orlando etc. Not interested in South Florida Miami and also priced out of it. I love St Pete but assumed I was priced out. I have family in Pensacola but have never been there and not sure about it. I have heard good and bad about the Panhandle.

Thank you all so much for the specifics about Orlando and Jacksonville. Florida is a huge state and any insight helps.

I’m from Florida and am very familiar with a few of the cities mentioned above. I think the nicer parts of Tampa with good schools are out of your budget (at least until/unless the housing market crashes there). I’d stick to St. John’s/Jacksonville and maybe Seminole County (suburban county of Orlando with generally good schools).

I'm in St Pete and you may not be priced out here. It depends on what you need - if it's a new construction, waterfront house with four bedrooms, then yes.

But something like this is available for right around what you want to spend: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5910-35th-Ave-N-Saint-Petersburg-FL-33710/47024546_zpid/

This house is close to downtown - not walking distance but a very short drive. It's right on the edge of a neighborhood that's already gotten really hot - Kenwood - so assuming St Pete keeps growing the way it's been, the neighborhood should appreciate. We'll see what happens with real estate with interest rates going up, I suppose. I think it does need flood insurance, so that would probably knock it out of the running for me - but it's just an example of a place in St Pete that is on the affordable end of things. There's others - though less every day - but def worth looking, if you like St Pete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Central Florida. Look at Audubon Park in Orlando. Zoned for Audubon Park K-8 and Winter Park HS. Walkable to a small retail area. Another option is the part of Winter Park that's zoned for Brookshire ES, Glenridge MS, and Winter Park HS. Another option is parts of Maitland zoned for Dommerich ES, Maitland MS, and Winter Park HS. All of these are excellent schools with racial and socioeconomic diversity. For $500K, you could get a 3BR/2BA MCM home in good condition but not completely updated. Maybe with a pool.

Our kids went to WOTP schools in DCPS and we would be happy with any of these schools. The above areas are close to lots of shopping and dining. You could go a little further out to somewhere like Lake Mary that might be a little less too. Lake Mary isn't my scene but YMMV.

Me again. Check out this one: https://www.redfin.com/FL/Orlando/3904-Corrine-Dr-32803/home/46818520 You can walk to the shops and restaurants in both Audubon Park and Baldwin Park. It's a very family friendly neighborhood. Your kids can walk or bike to Audubon Park K-8, and it's zoned for the excellent Winter Park HS. It's on a busy road, which is why you can get a fully renovated home with a pool and zoned for excellent schools listed at $469,900. It's a very safe area, and your kids could walk to their friends' homes, to get ice cream, etc. by themselves in that area. There's also a weekly art/farmer's market and lots of small festival type stuff going on there.

I'm very familiar with the area. Feel free to post any homes you find and I'll answer any questions you have.

OP, Corrine Dr. is super busy. You don’t want to live right there. The general area is nice though. Orlando is still incredibly overpriced as a result of the pandemic migration to FL and the associated housing bubble. You won’t get much for your money there with a $500k budget. I like the St. John’s County recommendation. I’d also check out Gainesville. You’ll get more for your money there, and it’s a nice college town with some good schools.

It's true that Corrine Drive is busy. It depends what OP's priorities are. If she wants fully renovated with a pool, very safe neighborhood, excellent schools, and walkable to fun stuff and the K8, then this is a rare opportunity to get all that for under $500K. If the busy road is a deal breaker, then OP could get a similar home that's not renovated on a quieter street and get most or all of the rest for $500K. At a max budget of $500K, preferences will need to be prioritized.