Deltona

Oakdale is a spread-out neighborhood in the marshy, farm-heavy community of Osteen, about 23 miles northeast of downtown Orlando. Fewer than 400 people occupy this area just north of the St. Johns River, averaging about one person for every 6 acres. “Osteen is more of a rural community,” says Realtor Charlie Peterson of Keller Williams Heritage Realty, who sells frequently in the Deltona area. “If you’re looking for more space, more property, a place to spread out and be more creative with agricultural uses of property, Osteen is great. Yet it’s close to the beaches and Seminole County.” Besides their pastoral properties, residents can access several outdoor amenities that make the most of Oakdale’s swampy setting. The community overlaps with the Lake Monroe Conservation Area, part of the Lake Monroe floodplain, to the southwest. Visitors can traverse wetland trails on foot or horseback — horses are common sights here. Walkers, runners, bikers and roller skaters can access the East Central Regional Rail Trail to the north. This 12-foot-wide paved trail connects Deltona to Edgewater and is part of the 260-mile St. Johns River2Sea Loop. “If you’re a true, avid cyclist, you’ve got several hours' worth of trails there,” Peterson says. About 1 mile west of Oakdale is Beck Ranch Park, a public green space covered in towering oaks. Soccer and football fields, volleyball courts, a playground and a dog park fill this former cattle ranch’s 25 acres. Ranch-style and manufactured homes comprise the bulk of Oakdale’s housing stock. While most homes are roughly 150 square feet below the national average, the typical lot is over 2 acres. However, some homes sit on relatively small properties. “A manufactured home on ¼ acre could be $150,000 and up,” Peterson says. Two-bedroom mobile homes on larger lots — say, 4 to 5 acres — start at around $250,000. The median Oakdale price tag is about $450,000, which could get a four-bedroom rambler with a pool on less than 1 acre. For the peak price of $1.5 million, homebuyers can find a custom house with a pool and equestrian facilities on 11-plus acres. “As far as things to do, people don’t look at Osteen as an entertainment district,” Peterson says. However, a handful of restaurants and retailers operate along state Route 415 to the west. These include Osteen Diner, a simple, downhome-style restaurant serving the area since 1999. It’s popular for its breakfasts and the Osteen Double Decker, a ham, turkey, bacon and tomato sandwich on grilled sourdough. “We have the same clients almost daily, and the servers know their orders before they sit down,” says owner Karen Felcedo. “You can’t get that in the city.” Dollar General has a location across the street from Osteen Diner, and Walmart Supercenter operates about 2 miles north on Route 415. Three public schools serve Oakdale students within about 4 miles. Osteen Elementary School accommodates prekindergarten through fifth grade and has a B rating overall from Niche. Heritage Middle, rated a C-plus, welcomes nearly 1,000 sixth through eighth graders. Over 1,600 ninth through 12th graders attend Pine Ridge High School, rated a B-minus. Its career academies invite students to explore several potential professions, from healthcare to HVAC. State Route 415 is the quickest connection from Oakdale to nearby hotspots like downtown Orlando and Daytona Beach. It also offers a 12-mile drive to Orlando Sanford International Airport, which provides direct flights to dozens of U.S. and Canadian destinations. Oakdale is also about 8 miles east of Interstate 4 and 15 miles west of Interstate 95.