Debary Florida has some serious advantages, but it’s got its problems too! Today, I’ll be sharing some of the pros AND cons of Debary from a local’s perspective. I’m Chuck Shaver, and I work and play here in the Debary area all the time and while little Debary, Florida is growing up, I believe that the advantages and disadvantages of Debary really haven’t changed that much. So stick around until the end of this video when I’ll be sharing what I believe surprises most people about this little town and I’ll also be sharing another video with what I believe is the biggest news in Debary for the last several decades.

First, let’s take just a quick look at what Debary IS. Debary is a little town of around 23,000 people about halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach along I-4. Debary is about 45 minutes north of The Mouse and all the Orlando area attractions. Debary is a little bedroom community that I believe is often overlooked by some other local cities like Sanford and Deland. Before we get to the Cons, let’s get started with the Pros of this little suburb of Orlando.

So, I just mentioned Debary’s location, which is what I believe is Debary’s greatest asset. There aren’t many people that live in Debary for Debary itself, most locals here live here for Debary’s proximity to everything else. Daytona and New Smyrna Beaches are just 45 minutes up I-4 to the east and Orlando is just 30 minutes down I-4. Lake Mary, just 15-20 minutes to the south has all sort of administrative, tech, and financial service jobs.

Deland, about 20 minutes to the north is the biggest small-town here in the area and they’ve got a wonderful downtown district with all sorts of shopping, restaurants, and all that. Debary is really situated between everything else, which I believe is one of the pros that makes Debary so great.

Another Pro of Debary is charm. Charm is something that I believe much of Central Florida lacks. Don’t get me wrong, there are other cities not too far away with charm, but in my opinion, Debary is one of the closest Orlando suburbs with any charm at all. The people here are usually friendly, and they tend to look out for each other. The Christmas parade along 17-92 and the fireworks at Gemini Springs are something that we look forward to. They’ve got just a few restaurants and coffee shops, the Bagel King Express, and all that, but it’s pretty quiet here. Its MUCH more quiet that right down across the St. Johns River in Sanford or Lake Mary.

The next pro of Debary is the traffic. Now, I’ll be the first to say that this IS one that is changing as the locals around here all seem to be up in arms over all the new traffic lights and reduced speed limits, but in MY mind, it’s all relative. Down in Sanford and all down in the Orlando area 5 o’clock means that if you aren’t already out, stay home!

I think we’re kind of spoiled up here and so now, when we MIGHT have to sit through ONE light, we’re having a fit, whereas down in the Orlando area and those suburbs it’s a regular thing. I’ve lived down there, and I work in that mess, too, so that’s why this one, in MY opinion, is still a clear pro for Debary, Florida.

I know that some of the locals will still say the traffic is a con, so that brings me to the next pro, the SunRail. Debary’s SunRail is a commuter rail system that connects from down south of Orlando in Poinciana with several stops, including one here in Debary, with the last station being added next year in Deland.

As of today, you can go round trip, from one end to the other for under $10. Plus, if you’re under 18 or have disabilities, you can ride for half price. It may not be something you’d move to Debary, FOR, but if you’re here I think it’s definitely a pro.

The next pro of Debary Florida is the cost of living. The overall cost of living here in Debary is pretty close to the national average, maybe just a tick under it. The utilities and taxes are becoming more fodder for complaints here in Debary, but I think that’s pretty much the same as everywhere as we’re all dealing with inflationary pressures. While the median price here in Debary is quite a bit more than Orange City, it’s neighbor to the north, you’ll get more bang for your buck here that you will down closer to Orlando in cities like Sanford and Lake Mary.

You can get a 3/2 single family home with a private pool here in Debary in the low 300’s. I know that’s still a lot of dough to many, but that’s even more of a rarity down closer to Orlando. Debary has all sorts of housing options, too. Debary has a couple golf communities and gated communities with homeowner’s associations, but they’ve got all sorts of homes without HOA’s that are affordable, too. There are some mobile homes on land, including a couple of them with St. Johns River access that I think are well worth their money.

Every rose has its thorn, and you might be thinking that I’m trying to SELL you on Debary, but that’s not the case. Debary is FAR from perfect. Let’s reflect back on a Pro that I spoke of earlier…location. Remember me saying that people move to Debary for its proximity to everything else? Well, that’s because there’s almost nothing to do IN Debary. Yes, there’s the St. Johns River, which is really nice and that’s a huge asset for this little town. There’s Gemini Springs and let’s throw in the cycling trails, which ARE fantastic, but that’s about it.

The Swamp House Grill is about the most upstanding restaurant we’ve got here in Debary, but the name should give you an indication of how upscale that is. Yes, it’s good, but it’s the Swamp House and it’s way down at the end of a dead-end street on the river. Want nightlife? You’ll need to head down into that traffic towards Orlando.

Want shopping or restaurants? There’s not much of that here. There’s La Strega Italian Bistro, that’s really nice, but it’s new, so we’ll see if it sticks around. Genuine Bistro is about to reopen as the Salted Goat or something like that. We’ll have to see how that goes. You’ll need to head down south or up into Orange City or Deland for anything else. How about jobs? There aren’t many of them here in Debary either. Again, Debary is really about what’s AROUND in, not what’s IN it.

Want to head downtown and hang out?  There IS NO downtown here. Yes, there is a commercial district, but it’s not much. The walkability of Debary is quite poor in my opinion, too. The traffic along 17-92 has gotten much worse in recent years and even IF there WAS somewhere to walk to here, most wouldn’t feel safe doing it because of the increased traffic.

It seems like new traffic lights are popping up all the time slowing me down. Although a downtown area is in the works, who knows when that’ll be a reality. I THINK it’ll be pretty cool, but time will tell.

Next, while it isn’t specific to Debary itself and it is shared by many of its neighbors, Debary gets HOT here in the summer. I know, I know. I live in Florida, and I should expect that, right? I guess that’s fair enough. But I spend a good bit of time over in New Smyrna Beach, and it’s become pretty clear to me that Debary is simply too far inland to take advantage of any of those ocean breezes. I used to think that we’d still get those ocean breezes here, but I don’t think I could’ve been more wrong!

If you’re think about buying or selling in DeBary or anywhere in the Central Florida area, give me a call, I’d love to help.

 

 

 

Published on August 10. 2023 / Tags: #delandfl, Central Florida Real estate, debary, downtowndebary, FL, Moving to Central FL, Moving to DeBary, Moving to Orlando / no comments.