I got an email from reader with a question about where to live downtown and asked my Realtor friend David Dorman if he could help out with it. Then I thought "I bet other people want to know the same info." So I am sharing it here on the blog. Hope it helps!
Hello Mark!And here is the response from Realtor David Dorman (321-299-2240). I know David from back in the day when he asked me to sing in a couple of his benefit cabaret shows. He is very generous with his time in the community and is a nice guy all around.
I am 24 working at Disney and live in Celebration. I cannot stand living in this isolated town where there are few people my age!!! I love downtown Orlando and I am pretty set on moving there. However, I don't know where to live downtown! I don't know many people, and those that I do live around Celebration. Could you give me some advice? I want to be where the young
people are and more artsy types (as I am a designer). More like the BBQ bar social crowd. Can you help me?
Thanks,
Caroline
Downtown has some great choices for those looking to live there. The best part is that there is something for everyone, based on price and location. Let's break it down to the good and the bad!
Choice #1: Downtown High Rise. For the homeowner that likes to spend more time in their home then working on it, many prefer the lifestyle in a high-rise. The good is that the location is right in the heart of everything! Many of these buildings offer work facilities, concierge services and in general, are very low maintenance. The bad, is that these services come at a cost. There is also the neighbor effect, meaning you tend to have people above and below you, so noise becomes a
factor, both how much you can make, and how much you might have to deal with! Parking in these buildings can be difficult as well. It really depends on what your priorities are.
Choice #2: Thornton Park. This is a very trendy area with some great restaurants and bars and most everything is within walking distance; however you will probably pay more per square foot than anywhere else down town for a single family home. I love to visit here, but could never see myself living here, simply because I could never justify paying for the amount of space I would want. I do love being able to walk around and enjoy the sites. It's a great place to meet people and definitely has that down town neighborhood feel. If you don't need a huge place and like older homes, this might be the place for you.
Choice #3 Delaney Park and Colonial Town. Located a bit further East and South of down town, these areas offer an alternative to Thornton Park and a much better price point. The homes are still older, but many have been renovated. Downside, not as close to all of the action and not many sidewalks to get around on. Homes are still a bit smaller, but you can still call it down town! Overall, these homes have stood the test of time and are safe places to call home. You should be prepared to take care of your yard and have regular maintenance, just like Thornton Park.
Choice #4: College Park. I love this area. It's a little bit of small town, but close enough to the city. The homes are a bit older and smaller then if you were to travel to the West side of town. There are bigger homes on this side of town as well as some pretty high-end homes. Then, when you round the corner, you can find the cutest little cottage. It's truly all over the place with style and price. The heart of this area is Edgewater Drive which offers some nice restaurants and shops; however you should be prepared to use your car a little bit then if you were right downtown.