Windermere and Isleworth

Windermere in Orange County was established in 1898 but it wasn’t until 1925 that it was chartered. It has the Butler Chain of Lakes which make for one of the most picturesque towns in Florida. The Butler Chain includes Lake Butler, Lake Down, Wauseon Bay, Lake Louise, Lake Isleworth, Lake Tibet- Butler, and Lakes Chase, Blanche, Sheen and Pocket. The lakes are considered to be of excellent water quality and result in outstanding fishing. They are also sand bottom and interconnected through a system of canals

When visiting Windermere one will note many unpaved roads, this is done in order to protect the lakes from the runoff and chemical pollutions coming from roads. The ecosystem is fragile and much effort is extended to protect it. Some non-native plants like Hydilla have been introduced to the lake by aquarium owners and now pose issues with strangling out the natural vegetations.

Windermere is an area with the lowest crime rates and as a result it has become a favorite community for families. An upscale community it is home to many professional athletes, judges and even a General. Olympia High School on Apopka Vineland and serving the East side of Windermere is one of the A rated schools in this area.

Isleworth is a very upscale and gated community in Windermere but is actually not Windermere but Orange County. Once the target for annexation it met with much resistance from the County which stood to lose a great deal of tax money. The homes in Isleworth start around $1,500,000 and can be as high as $10,000,000 for the homes with better than 15,000 sq ft of living space. Isleworth was a golf community developed by Arnold Palmer. It has beautiful fairways among the lake and fantastic homes. It also has a nice collection of sculpture from famous artists like Moore, Miro and Rodin.

The homes of Windermere offer homes in many budgets from the low $200’s to $100,000,000 for the lavish palatial estate of David Siegel, the king of time shares which boasts 10 acres of Lake Butler waterfront, over 65,000 square ft and its own bowling alley. There are many distinguished neighborhoods including Down Point, Summerport, Keenes Point, The Reserve at Lake Butler Sound, and Belmere to name a few

Windermere, the lake community that anyone would like to come home to. Search for homes in Windermere at www.apexonerealty.com

Driving in Winter Park

Winter Park is a fairly large town though the population is under 30,000 There are a few main roads that serve the area. From East to West Aloma Avenue serves as a main artery for the community. As it goes West from Tuskawilla it passes Goldenrod (SR 551) and Semoran (SR 436). Lakemont is the road the high school is off of and a couple of the hospitals. Continuing West the road takes a 90 degree left and becomes Brewer for a couple blocks as it head towards Lake Mizell. With a right above the lake it becomes Fairbanks until Edgewater which is West of I-4 From end to end It is around 12 miles for the portion that is in Winter Park.

Park Avenue is bisected by Fairbanks at Rollins College. The roads curve in order to get around the many lakes in the area, Virginia, Osceola, Mizell, and Sue to name a few.

The homes from Lakemont to New York Avenue to the north and South of Aloma/Fairbanks can be very costly, ranging from $400,000 to upwards of $7,000,000. The stately lakefront homes are among the finest properties in the Central Florida area.

Winter Park FL, Ken is the Key to Winter Park

Winter Park came into existence around 1885 when a group of Northern business men incorporated the town. Heavily promoted it was the destination of presidents, industrialists and celebrities. The town became accessible when the railroad line was laid and the train station which are the heart of Winter Park and still operational today.

Home to Rollins College, Full Sail University and other landmarks it is a jewel in Florida and was once described as “the prettiest place I’ve seen in Florida” – President Chester A Arthur

The population is about 28,000 and the average household income is in excess of $48,500, well above the national average. The town is full of lakes including Lakes Virginia, Osceola, Mizzell and Berry to name a few.

Homes in the area are often older, the simple homes can run in the 100’s but the more established neighborhoods will start in the $300’s and rise quickly. A large home on a lake can easily exceed $3,000,000. The tree lined streets curve and turn and offer the opportunity to explore hidden neighborhoods.

The area has several Art Museums and as such has attracted a rather eclectic group of residents. http://www.morsemuseum.org/  This is the Morse Museum in the heart of Winter Park.  The Polesak Museum is another near by http://www.polasek.org/ While a fairly well to do area it is also rather Liberal in its politics and is an easy place to find health food stores, Rolfers http://www.rolfingorlando.com/Site/Rolfing_Home.html  and yoga studios.

Close to Orlando’s downtown, Winter Park offers convenience and some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Central Florida. Park Avenue has charming shops and restaurants that allow patrons to eat on the walks and watch the world pass by. The Weekend offers dog owners the chance to gather in the park and meet with lovers of all breeds of dogs. The farmers market is also on the weekend  and allows residents a chance to pick up the freshest produce in an open air setting.

Winter Park has some of the best schools in the area with their “A” rating. Winter Park High School which dates back to 1928 and is now the home of the 9’th grade center. The High School was relocated in 1969 to its present location oat 2100 Summerfield Rd. For private schools Trinity Prep is also among the areas finest schools. Winter Park has long been recognized as the best location for families requiring outstanding education.

That educational tradition continues with Rollins College which has distinguished it’s self as one of the best private schools in the Southeast. Its campus is one of the most beautiful settings in all of academia. Just shy of 1800 students the school has personal attention to the development of students.

In this Realtor’s opinion Winter Park offers one of the best lifestyles in Florida. A Winter Park home on a lake is as good as it gets. Not only does it have beautiful luxury homes but Winter Park also has luxury condominiums and townhomes, some also set on the areas lakes. The picture windows will allow residents the opportunity to take in the serene settings and spectacular sunsets. Take a look at  homes in the area at http://apexonerealty.com/

Azalea park, Orlando homes, a driving tour.

Azalea park is a neighborhood approximately 6 miles from Downtown Orlando , Due East on the 408. The highway actually divides the area in half. The area according to census data has a mean income of just under $38,500 which is $4,000 under the national average.

This is a working class community where only 13% of adults over 25 have bachelors degrees. It is in Orange county with a zip code of 32807. The High school serving the area is Colonial which recently achieved a “B” rating. a school of about 4500 students it is a large school with 10′th, 11′th and 12′th grades.

Located close to Valencia Community College ithey offer college credit while in high school. This dual enrollment actual can allow students to complete their first year of college, while in high school.
There are no real industries, just service related business in the area.
It’s main roads are the 408 toll way, Semeron (436), Goldenrod (551) and Curry Ford. It is approximately 15 minutes to the International Airport.

Check out the driving tour on you tube, KenIsKey

http://www.youtube.com/user/keniskey

Winter Park, Florida, homes, real estate, and more

Hello, I am a real estate broker here in Central Florida and want to share what our areas are like. People from all over the world want to know more about various neighborhoods and I want to have a blog that talks about these places and shows video of the area.

It is my goal to talk about all sorts of places including Windermere, Dr.Phillips, Orlando, Winter Park, Winter Garden, Oviedo and all the many areas nearby.

I hope you enjoy and love the area as much as I do.
Ken is your key to real estate in central Florida.

Florida Real estate

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