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Kissimmee Florida Homes

The city of Kissimmee is located in the heart of Osceola County, in Central Florida on the northwest shore of Lake Tohopekaliga. But most Americans know it as the home of one of our nation’s favorite vacation destinations—Disney World! Visitors to Disney World often choose one of Kissimmee’s many luxury resorts, hotels or motels for their accommodations, when they come here to visit with Mickey. There’s a bed here for every budget and the town really does have a charm all its own.

The atmosphere here in Kissimmee has more of a home-town feeling than neighboring Orlando. It’s an historic city, with rodeos, cattle auctions and petting farms as part of its “cow town” traditions. As the tourism industry has grown and largely replaced cattle ranching, Kissimmee has also become known for its heritage parks, theme parks, spectacular resorts and golf courses. And Kissimmee is a great place for dinner and a show, with some of the best entertainers and gourmet food in Florida.

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Long before the Civil War, Kissimmee was a small trading post called Allendale. When Hamilton Disston, a visionary from Philadelphia, purchased four million acres of Florida property after the war, he drained the marshland and deepened the Kissimmee River. That opened up a trade route from Allendale to the Gulf of Mexico. The area became a major producer of cattle, sugar cane and cypress lumber and grew into a prosperous community. Steamboat captains used the navigable chain of lakes and waterways leading from Kissimmee to the Gulf to take local produce to far away markets.

In 1883 the area was incorporated as a city, and the citizens changed its name to Kissimmee. A thriving citrus business had developed by the mid-1900’s. The population quickly grew to 3,700 after the Army Corp of Engineers constructed the Kissimmee Airport during World War II, and the accompanying real estate boom made millionaires out of many citrus farmers overnight. Kissimmee’s population grew further in the ‘50’s as more and more retirees traded earmuffs and a white Christmas for sunscreen and 65 degree January temperatures. The population is now approaching 57,000, but many savvy investors still see further growth in the area. Taken as a whole, Oceola County’s population is just over 100,000, with over 1,200 new residents arriving each month.

Buy Kissimmee Florida Home

Kissimmee’s most famous citizen, Mickey Mouse, made his home here in 1971, when Walt Disney opened the gates of Walt Disney World. After that the tourism industry really went into overdrive. Hotels, motels, resorts and restaurants sprang up and people began coming to Kissimmee from all over the nation and later on, the world. They came to enjoy the nearby beaches, brilliant sunshine, the magic of Disney and some of the world’s most famous tourist attractions. Theme parks like MGM Studios, Sea World, Universal Studios and many others in the area really wrote the book for family fun and entertainment.

But for many of the permanent residents of Kissimmee, the tourist industry can be just a great place to work. Locals spend their leisure time relaxing and fishing in Lakefront Park, enjoying what in many ways is still a traditional small-town atmosphere. And everybody has a favorite lake they visit and the championship golf courses in the Kissimmee area are legendary. Downtown the murals and sidewalk insets portray local history and remind residents of the importance of cattle to the economy here. And everybody has a treasured diner or eatery serving good “down-home” food in a convivial atmosphere. People are very friendly in Kissimmee. Nobody stays a stranger for very long. One of the reasons for that is that many Kissimmee residents are newcomers themselves so they are keen to make new friends.

For those looking to re-locate to central Florida, Kissimmee is an excellent choice. The economy, solidly based on tourism and agriculture, is thriving and unemployment is under half that of many northern states. And you can still buy a three-bedroom family home here, near to all the amenities, for under $250,000. Here the taxes are low, the air is clean, and many types of properties—estate homes, condos, single family homes, ranches, weekend getaways, maintenance free villas, retirement or investment properties—are available at realistic prices.

KISSIMMEE FLORIDA REAL ESTATE

Kissimmee’s educational system is one of the finest in the country. Our fully accredited schools rank high on standardized tests, and it’s no wonder! Many highly-qualified teachers and other professionals are making their homes in this lovely area.

If you are thinking about investing in Florida’s real estate market, we can devise a strategy that will suit current market conditions and fit your resources. No, we don’t believe the thirty and forty percent levels of appreciation will continue over the coming two or three years, but for investors that just means adopting a different strategy. You can still build a solid rental property portfolio from a low base. Look at Florida Investment Property for more information about strategies in a softening market.

Or if you are thinking of moving to Florida to begin a new career, or to retire, let the Rigler team introduce you to Kissimmee and the Orlando region. We know the real estate market here and will find a home that is right for you, your budget and your lifestyle.