Pine Hills, one of Orlando’s first suburbs, was established in the 1950s for Martin Lockheed employees. Just over 5 miles from the city’s central business district, this community of 83,000 became popular with the upper-middle class until desegregation in the ‘70s led to white flight. Overlooked by the county and abandoned by most private investors, crime rates increased and social stigmas plagued the predominantly African- and Caribbean-American community.
But despite the adversity, dedicated community groups and locally owned businesses have emerged to support residents. Initiatives like the Pine Hills Business Redevelopment Task Force and the Pine Hills Neighborhood Improvement District were established in the early 2010s, and they continue to proudly stride toward a better-connected, better-represented and better-understood Pine Hills community.
Pine Hills offers a suburban lifestyle right outside of Orlando.
Single Family homes with large lots can be found at Pine Hills.
1/2
Central Florida has the perfect climate for tropical gardens
Streets in Pine Hills are lined by sidewalks and mature trees, from live oaks and magnolias to towering palms. Many take curb appeal seriously here, competing to win the “Yard of the Month” sign, a bragging right awarded by the Pine Hills Community Council. Abdius Alexandre, the broker and owner of Centric Realty Services, says tropical landscaping is popular. Alexandre grew up in the community and opened his brokerage in 2019 after gaining experience in his family’s Pine Hills-based mortgage business. “In the typical backyard of a family here, you’ll find ackee trees, mango trees, papaya trees, lemons, oranges and tomatoes,” he says.
Pine Hills has tens of thousands of classic ranch-style houses on small to mid-size lots. Most of these properties were built between the 1950s and ‘60s with septic tanks. Spanish eclectic and New Traditional houses, connected to sewer lines, cropped up in the ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s. Recently, Pine Hills received $4.3 million for its septic-to-sewer program to transition older homes to a wastewater system. The project’s estimated completion is set for 2026.
The median home price here is around $299,000, considerably less than the national median. “In the Orlando area, Pine Hills is one of the few options for first-time homebuyers to get a starter home in good condition,” Alexandre says. “In the past 10 years, it’s attracted a lot of investors that have modernized many of the older homes… There was a taboo before, but I think people are embracing the community a bit more.
Flood insurance is recommended across Orange County. Hurricane season ranges from early June to the end of November.
West Oaks offers stunning stucco ranch homes with quiet streets.
Backyard pools line the streets of Hiawassee Hills.
1/2
Silver Star Recreation Center and Barnett Park
Pine Hills has two main parks on opposite ends of the community, both featuring gymnasiums, fitness centers and a variety of youth programs. The west end is home to Silver Star Recreation Center, popular for its well-kept cricket ground and pickleball courts. On the east side, Barnett Park has offers tennis, disc golf, skateboarding, baseball and more. Visitors and their four-legged friends can enjoy scenic lakeside strolls to the park’s dog runs. Residents can walk, bike or skate to the park via the Pine Hills Trail, an almost 2-mile multimodal path that connects Alhambra Drive and Silver Star Road. Infrastructural changes, like widening sidewalks are currently underway to improve Pine Hills's walkability. Other recreational resources include a local Boys & Girls Club and the Wayne Densch YMCA Family Center. “I went to that YMCA on Hastings as a kid, and I benefitted from a sponsored membership then. It helped me a lot. It has a lot of youth outreach programs, like free meals and free summer camps.
Residents enjoy Barnett Park Walking Trail with their pets.
Several parks, including Rolling Hills Park, have activities for Pine Hills youth.
1/2
Orange County Public Schools
Niche reports that Orange County Public Schools, graded A-minus, is the second-best school district in the Orlando area. Evans High School, located on the north side of Pine Hills, earns a B-minus – a much higher grade than it would’ve received before it was rebuilt and reopened in 2012. “The Evans High School today is completely different from the one I went to in the 2010s,” Alexandre says. According to the district, the high school’s graduation rate was only 64% in 2010. By 2019, the rate had increased to 99%. The thriving school offers dual enrollment, so juniors and seniors can take courses at Valencia College for credits.
Rolling Hills Elementary School serves students in Pine Hills.
Pine Hills Elementary School serves students K-5th in Pine Hills.
1/2
A new LYNX station in Pine Hills
Pine Hills is about 20 miles from Orlando International Airport and less than 10 miles from the closest ramp onto Interstate 4. U.S. Highway 408 is a mile away, on the south side of Colonial Drive. The Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority operates LYNX buses throughout the community, and the new Pine Hills Transit Center is set to open in early 2025. Several bus routes run to the closest hospital, Orlando Health – Health Central Hospital, just over 5 miles west.
Silver Star Road and Colonial Drive
Silver Star Road and Colonial Drive are the community’s commercial corridors, connecting to longstanding fast-food joints and shopping plazas with convenient chains and locally owned businesses. Pine Hills is an area locals know they can come to for authentic Caribbean food and groceries at spots like the family-owned Caribbean Supercenter.
Frank's Crab House, on Hiawassee Road, has the freshest seafood in Pine Hills.
Pine Hills shoppers can get their fill at the local Bravo Food.
1/2
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office
As a CDP, Pine Hills is served by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. In 2010, the department reported a 15% decrease in crime, and the downward trend has steadily continued, as seen in reports from 2020 and 2023.
On average, homes in Pine Hills, FL sell after 64 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Pine Hills, FL over the last 12 months is $294,000, down 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
With more than 20 years as a highly regarded real estate professional, Crystal Grohowski has contributed to the industry full-time since 2003. As a member of the Corcoran Premier Realty team, she brings extensive knowledge and invaluable experience to the company’s thriving Winter Park office. Crystal's genuine approach and unwavering commitment to her clients' satisfaction continue to fuel her success in real estate. Her exceptional reputation and dedicated work ethic have resulted in various accolades including winner of the Five Star Award the last five years and ranking in the top 1% the last six years in Orlando board – earning 79th out of all agents in 2024. Crystal is also proudly Luxury Institute Certified with CHLMS and Guild, as well as Global Relocation Certified since 2005. Originally from East Tennessee and having also lived in Germany for 4 years, Crystal has since been a resident of Florida for 30 years. She loves calling Central Florida home and is able to share her knowledge of the local area with clients as they seek to buy or sell their homes. Teammate is fluent in Vietnamese and Cantonese.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
