OT: Ocala anybody??

Hubby is active duty Army reserve and he just got orders for Ocala Florida. Anybody from Ocala or around there that can give some advice on areas to look for houses...lol or areas NOT to look for houses even? Thanks! Cathy

Cathy, you might look in the "Villages" area just South of Ocala on Hwy. 301 that horse country & loads of golf courses. Why not come to the Florida OH Conference starting the evening of May 4th with the Conference all day Saturday May 5th. Check in EVENTS for may 2007. Oh and pre-welcome to Florida, Mike

I used to live in Ocala for about 3 months...........I did not like it but that has alot to do with me raising 3 kids by myself...........I now live in Palm Coast and it is very family friendly. Feel free to message me on here if you want Hugs Margo Marie

Thanks for the reply! What didn't you like about it? I have 4 kids( almost 18,13 yr old twins and an almost 7 yr old) so I'd prefer a place that is kid friendly but because of hubby being military and stationed in the reserve unit in Ocala we really can't live more then 30mins from his work. Thanks Cathy

Welcome.... I live in Citrus County, just 20 min from Ocala (in Marion County). I love it here, very country, many, many spots where you could settle without the traffic and city life many parts of Ocala sport,,,,ummmmm, unless that is what you are looking for??? There are many gated and deed restricted communities here, as well as really out of the way country homes. It's a buyers market right now, so it's a great time to find a really good deal. Good Luck.

Thanks for the reply! LOL Hubby wants "very country" so he'd love that but with 4 kids, 3 of which are teenagers very country would make them very miserable! I do want a family & kid friendly area without being so close to your neighbor you can see into windows though. Anything like that in Citrus county? My husband isn't supposed to really be more then a 30min drive from work which is in Ocala Thanks Cathy

I live in Ocala and it's just lovely here. The NW is the worst area, but even further out NW is nice. You will be able to see very quickly where you are going to want to live. Ocala is quite spread out, I'll warn you, and if you live just outside the actual city limits, as I do, it's less expensive as far as both utilities and taxes. It's definitely a buyer's market in real estate right now. There is an inventory of houses 21 months out!

Thanks for your reply. I've done a lot of research online about Ocala and areas around there...I have to admit a lot of what I've read and heard from other people has me wondering what in the world I'm getting myself into! One man on a state forum website I found was going on and on about all the poisonous snakes and alligators. That his neighborhood in Ocala was over run with bobcats the size of boxers and rattle snakes sunning themselves on the road. I am so not a critter person! Another poster on the website was telling me Ocala was a horrible place to bring children because of the huge amount of registered sex offenders in the area. This will be the first place I've ever lived in my life not affliated with a military base so it's way out of my comfort zone. Part of me thinks people just like to focus on the negative and make things worse and the other part wonders if it's really that bad? So please give me the scoop since you say it's lovely. LOL Am I going to walk out to my mailbox and find an alligator chasing a bobcat in my front yard while a rattler suns himself in my driveway?? Thanks! Cathy

Did this man on the State Forum have a really, REALLY firm grip on your leg as he was typing all that crap about bobcats? Because he HAD to have been pulling your leg BIG time. I haven't seen a bobcat EVER in Ocala. I have seen a few alligators because they live in the Silver River and some lakes, but it's not like you have them in your swimming pool every day and have to shoo them out so you can take a dip!!! GEEZ! It's Florida and there ARE critters, but there are also bald eagles and owls that you hardly ever get to see. It's a beautiful state. Go download Google Earth and go look at the downtown area or Silver Springs, the Attraction. It's gorgeous here and was named #1 city in America a few years back. We are rural and not too citified, yet we have quite a bit of traffic, but not like Orlando or Jacksonville. You may or may not like life in Ocala, but that depends on where YOU like to live. I love it here.

I grew up and lived in Dunnellon, Florida for about 13 years (outside of Ocala) and I have seen lots of wildlife there...lol...then I lived in Gainesville for 4 years, too. ...My mom and sister still live in Ocala and they love it. They both have horses and I think it is a very family friendly place. Plus, it is close to a lot of things...Orlando is an hour or so south...we always had year passes to some of the attractions there, as it was so close..and they have really good malls... Tampa is about 1 1/2 to 2 hours away, and then there are lots of natural springs, wildlife, fishing and camping (and bobcats & lots of deer) out in the Ocala National Forest..and if your husband is into football and sports - Gainesville is only 1/2 hour north....Go Gators!!..Daytona Beach is about 1 1/2 hours away, so that covers some more beaches and racing..lol.... There are also smaller beaches near Crystal River and Inverness...not as pretty as the East coast - but close by. So it is pretty central to anything you could want. Ocala itself is growing tremendously. Anyhow, I wish you a lot of luc****ep trying to talk my husband into moving there!!