Both are great places to live, and they’re about as far apart as two Orlando-area choices get, on opposite sides of the metro. The right one usually depends on where you spend your weekdays. Here’s how I walk buyers through it.
Where they sit
Lake Nona is in southeast Orlando near Orlando International Airport and SR 417. It’s home to Lake Nona Medical City, including Nemours Children’s Hospital, the UCF College of Medicine and the Orlando VA Medical Center.
Windermere is a small town in southwest Orange County known for the Butler Chain of Lakes, with nearby unincorporated areas that also use a Windermere mailing address. Check the parcel, not just the mailing address.
Homes
Lake Nona is mostly newer planned neighborhoods. Many of them carry Community Development District (CDD) assessments on the property tax bill in addition to HOA dues. Windermere mixes established lakefront and gated neighborhoods with newer construction on its outskirts. Ask about HOA rules and dock or lake access before you fall in love with a view.
Test the commute both ways
Drive each one at the hour you’d really commute. Lake Nona works well if your days are at the airport or Medical City. Windermere works well if your days are on the west side. A route that looks short on a Sunday map can feel very different at 7:45 a.m.
Costs to put side by side
- CDD assessment and HOA dues
- Flood zone and insurance quote (get one early)
- Homestead exemption: file by March 1 once it’s your permanent home
Schools
Both are in Orange County Public Schools. Zoning is set by address and boundaries can change, so verify any specific home with OCPS before you write an offer.
How I help
I’m Will LaValle with IRL Homes, RE/MAX 200 Realty, local since 1978 and licensed since 1989. I’ll help you compare real listings in both areas on the same day so the choice gets clear fast.
Weighing Lake Nona against a more established Orlando neighborhood instead? See my Orlando versus Lake Nona living comparison, and use my homestead guide once you’ve picked a home.
Thinking about selling?
What is your home actually worth?
An online estimate is a starting point, not a price. Send me your address and I’ll put together the recent closed sales near you, the current competition and a price range that holds up with an appraiser, from someone with over 37 years in the Real Estate Industry.
Or ask me a question here and I’ll get back to you the same day.
