If you’re thinking of moving to Deltona, Florida, there are 5 surprising things you should know BEFORE you make that leap. I’ve lived here in Central Florida area for many years, and I’ve sold a ton of homes in Deltona, but these 5 things are false beliefs that I hear many have BEFORE they move to Deltona.

These 5 things may surprise you, so be sure to read them all, as they aren’t listed in any particular order, although number five is one that may be a make or break for many of you. So let’s jump right in to #1.

1.  If, and when you move to Deltona, you probably WON’T be going to Disney or any theme park on a daily, or even weekly basis. While there are some people around that have annual passes, they aren’t usually going on a weekly basis. Google Maps may tell us that Disney is only 45 minutes away, but that’s at like Sunday at 5am because that’s about the only time you can count on getting there WITHOUT traffic. The reality is that Deltona is a great place to live, but an hour’s ride isn’t something you’ll be doing after school or work.

Let’s suppose you take issue with this, and you’re one of the few that is just fine with that ride and the traffic. Maybe you’ve got a job that has you working nights, or maybe you work, like 20 hours a week, and you WOULD visit the park regularly. Can you AFFORD to use it regularly? Yes, some do, and they love their annual passes, but for the majority, that annual ticket that STARTS at around $400, BEFORE parking, taxes, etc, isn’t something that’s a reality.

I’ve taken my family to Disney and all the attractions, and we’ve done them when school was out, and it was HOT! As such, we did that like ONCE as that heat just seemed to suck the joy right out of it. Yes, Disney and all the attractions are wonderful and I’m sorry if I’m sounding like I’m hating, but in real life, it isn’t like Deltona is right next Disney and that you’ll be there every day.

2.  When I get calls from subscribers about moving to Deltona, or anywhere else here in Central Florida, they’re often concerned about alligators. Yes, we’ve got a lot of alligators and some big ones, too. It’s also true that occasionally an alligator will snatch up a dog and you’ve probably heard it on the national news about someone that was swimming and was bitten, or worse, killed by an alligator. So, alligators are dangerous; however, people being attacked or killed by an alligator is actually quite rare.

It isn’t like they’re chasing us around, or making us avoid the waters altogether. Many people are swimming, water skiing, paddleboarding, and fishing in these waters regularly. Locals here just learn to live with them and avoid doing dumb things like swimming in a quiet pond at dusk!  I saw one article that noted that we’ve had 25 human fatalities from 1948 through 2021.

Yes, I take those 25 lives seriously, but compare that to the deaths caused by icy roads up north, or even tornadoes and that number seems much more reasonable. People moving to Deltona seem to have a similar fear of sharks over at the beaches, but again, the fear is worse than the risk itself, unless you’re one of those unlucky few that’s having a VERY bad day!

3. Florida is known as the Sunshine State, and I love the Florida sunshine. Sunscreen is a regular thing here and swimming pools and beaches are a great place to enjoy that sunshine. However, what I believe is often overlooked is THE HEAT! While preparing for this video to go live, the high in Deltona today is predicted to be around 98 degrees-that’s hot! Plus, the “feels like” temperature is supposed be like 110 degrees.

Swimming pools, beaches, and air conditioning, they all mitigate that heat to some degree, but so many people still have to work in that heat. I DON’T work in it per se, but if I’m outside talking to a customer for like 30 seconds in it, I’m breaking out in a sweat. Then, when I get in my truck, it’s another minute before I even begin to feel that AC kick in! I love Florida and the winters are FANTASTIC, but don’t think the summers aren’t hot here in Deltona, or anywhere in Florida for that matter.

4. There is really nothing to do IN Deltona. Deltona is a residential community, THAT’S IT. Yes, there’s talk of building a downtown area, or even multiple downtowns, but that’s just not a reality in 2023. Deltona has some fantastic parks, but that’s about it. Locals around here have to head to Deland or Orange City, or maybe down to Sanford or Orlando for restaurants, shopping, nightlife, or just about anything else.

The beaches aren’t too far, but they’re still 30 or 35 minutes up I-4. So, like the Disney area attractions, you won’t just be “popping over” on a regular day after work. Yes, there are a couple grocery stores and a couple restaurants, there’s a Lowes and Walmart, but that’s not much considering that Deltona is the largest city in Volusia County with somewhere around 94,000 people.

5. Real estate is relatively inexpensive in Deltona, but the word is out, and prices are rising. In the past ten years the median sale price in Orlando has increased by almost $160,000, and that’s a lot of dough. However, the median sale price of a home in Deltona over the SAME period increased by over $221,000. That’s a difference of $61,000! The median sale price of a home here in Deltona is just over $300,000 versus Orlando’s median sale price of over $385,000. So, you can see that Deltona is still a better over value for a home, but the gap is shrinking.

People have learned that you don’t have to live IN Orlando to be able to work there. Just a short ride down I-4 just 30 minutes will get you into Orlando, and you can get more bang for your buck on a home in Deltona than can get down there. Deltona is STILL where many come to avoid the higher prices of Orlando proper, and Deltona’s affordability is still pretty good, but I don’t think the comparative affordability of Deltona is anything like it was just ten years ago.

If you’re considering a move to Deltona or anywhere in Central Florida, give me a call and Kyla or I would be happy to help.

Published on September 12. 2023 / no comments.