LisaM41

hi vicki I have been coming here for the last 5 years but have always had to go back home again. Now its more settled between us im looking to make a life here and I see its taking off which is lovely xxx I see were getting a little group going now how exciting!! ill be betting a car to hire shortly so please keep in touch and keep me in the loop we can all meet for a pow wow as I told michelle its so good to speak to y'all !! very exciting.

LisaM41

HI michelle (again not sure if there two michelles now) so good to hear from you too. We live around the Lake Nona area which is pretty nice has shops etc. It has a range of prices of the homes here which can be from 3 to 5 bed homes all are gated communities and the area is very up and coming.....who in your family is moving here in january?

LisaM41

Yes it seems so !

michelle40

hi lisa, great to here from you it would be great to meet up i will be
moving over on 29th feb 2010 nice to know someone before i get there
how thing going for you over there is there anything you miss about the uk.
keep in touch michelle

LisaM41

Hey babe did you mean 2011? Id love too keep in touch yes its always a good thing to know people before you arrive. Ive travelled alot but havent really got to know many in florida yet, i do have a girlfriend in miami who ive known for years but none here so itll be lovely. Anything I miss about the uk, my pillows!! the food here is always good so i dont miss the food over there. Actually Im developing a better lifestyle here as im walking daily only a couple of miles but its a start for someone who hasnt exercised for years!! Believe me my back and hips are feeling it each morning too but itll pass (hopefully). Whats the area like where you are in the UK can you go to parks etc and whats the population like there in terms of europeans? Its become so over populated in Essex its just not that good there any more for people of my/our age Im not sure how you feel about the bar lifestyle but there allover my home town and the teens, 20s, 30s are all out drinking, cant say I ever did that good too hear from you too X

Wibblypig

Hi Michelle,

I would be tempted to rent first, mainly to make sure you like the area and also to get an idea of how the housing market works here. As your son is only 4 he won't be in school, they start a year later here, so renting also gives you time to research the schools when you are here. www.greatschools.org I found was a great website for info on schools, although don't expect the nearest school to necessarily be the one that your son would go to as the catchment areas are a little weird here. We have a school that we can just about see from our house but the school that we come under is 6 miles away! Although that doesn't bother us as it's a better school and the one we wanted them to go to

As for utilities, where we are there isn't gas! It's electric and water. The electric bill is a killer, which will be worse when it's the height of summer with the air-conditioning on all the time I have been told to expect bills of $500-$600 a month during that time!!! As for water, well it depends on how often you water your 'yard', we are restricted here to once a week unless you have a good reason such as new 'sod' (turf, we had to google that one ), we are yet to have a normal water bill......I can let you know when we do.

Groceries are probably the biggest bill for us, we pay about double what we did in the UK if not more! We do however eat a lot of fresh food. I am getting better now knowing what is a good price (for here!) and what isn't

Another thing is 'gas' (petrol), it's quite a bit cheaper over here but I find I am doing a lot more miles so spend about the same amount each month, maybe even more!

I do love it here though the weather is fab at the moment

Vicki

Wibblypig

LOL Lisa I see you are picking up the lingo already Let me know when you have transport and we can meet up, during term time I am free every morning from 8:30 till 11

Vicki

michelle40

hi feb 2012 i be over, i live in a small town in the uk semi rural not to much around good for going on long walks but not much else my nearest place for shopping is preston which is over crowded and the traffic is always at a stand still. im really looking forward to a change of life its a bit scary leaving your old life behind and the security of what you know how you coped with all the changes

michelle40

hi vicki
thankyou for all your advice its much appreciated the electric bill are are a bit steep but i have to get use to it the sunshine will be a big bonus its very grey and rainy here today. where hiring a car for a couple of months till we buy one any advice on where best to hire
michelle

Bob

They're all like of like, if doing long term, ring up corporate, to get long term rates. Probably better off looking to buy a banger fairly soon though till you've built up some credit history, and getting a small loan paid off over a year on a car would be a great way to do that.

I live in MA, so it's not as sunny or nearly as hot as it is in FL...but it is still oppressively shit, when you can't get out and about to do anything and you're stuck with no seasons. It is weird looking forward to a bit of shit weather

LisaM41

Hi Michelle, How have you been hun? I've been thinking since we last spoke that I miss fresh cream cakes and bread sauce!! mmm it seems Im on a mission to find some

LisaM41

HI Vicki, how are you honey? How are you coping as a new mommy? X If you need help I can come and see you I have a hire car tomorrow for 2 days x

AndyBell

We live in Celebration and love it, quite a few Brits here, but all make the effort to integrate. Its a very close community with a distinctively English feel.A little more expensive than some areas but we feel it is well worth it.
I have lived in many places in the US and this is my favourite so far.
Good luck
Andy.

michelle40

hi andy
thankyou for your reply its not long now till we move over any advise on buying property or any pit falls you can think of let me know all advice welcome thanks michelle

AndyBell

Ha Ha, I know the feeling well, its like waiting for Christmas when you were a kid...you will love it, but it can be hard sometimes, the best advice someone gave me was wait 2 years at least before you make any decisions about wether to go back to the UK or to stay......if you wait you will stay, it just takes some getting used to.
I would look to rent probably to start with and then take the time to find out where you would like to live.

feel free to email if you have any questions...I know there is alot to get your head around, Im happy to help if I can.
Im looking to set up an expats club in Celebration just to get a few people together to be a resource for people like yourself.

<snip>

79 degrees today
Andy