Moving in Sanford
Sanford is the seat of Seminole County, about 20 miles northeast of Orlando, on the south shore of Lake Monroe where the St. Johns River becomes navigable. In 1836, during the Second Seminole War, the Army built a road here that is now Mellonville Avenue, and the city grew as a river port and then a railroad town. Today it is home to Seminole State College, the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and Orlando Sanford International Airport. Toro Movers is a family-owned company that began in 2024, and we serve Sanford in English and Spanish.
Moving in Sanford: what to plan for
Sanford has a wide range of housing, and the best way to plan is to ask what kind of block you are on.
The official city map identifies four historic districts: Downtown Commercial, Georgetown, Old Sanford Residential and Sanford Avenue Commercial. Old Sanford Residential has older houses with narrow stairs and mature landscaping, so tell us about the bedroom doorways and the staircase. Georgetown is another recognized historic district, and Historic Goldsboro, an African-American community with its own place in the city's history, is described in the city's Pathways to History walking tours.
Downtown on First Street and Magnolia Avenue has apartments above storefronts and no off-street parking. We plan for a curb stop and a longer carry, and for a downtown event day, we advise moving earlier.
At the other end, the western side near Heathrow and the I-4 corridor has newer subdivisions and townhome communities with HOA rules and gates. Heathrow, just south of the city, is a guard-gated golf community with a Lake Mary address and an unincorporated Seminole County location.
Neighborhoods and anchors we use
- Historic Downtown Sanford and the Sanford Riverwalk on Lake Monroe
- Georgetown and Historic Goldsboro
- Old Sanford Residential, with older homes near downtown
- The area around Seminole State College
- Heathrow and the Lake Mary line, near I-4
Roads, rail and weather
State Road 417, the Seminole Expressway, begins in Sanford at I-4 and forms the eastern beltway around Orlando, ending near Walt Disney World. For most moves to Orlando, I-4 and SR 417 are the two sensible routes, and we choose between them by time of day. The Sanford SunRail station is at 2720 W. State Road 46, near Airport Boulevard, with a free trolley to the historic downtown.
Sanford has a dry season from October through May and a wet season from June through September. Our crews wrap furniture and stage plastic-wrapped boxes inside the truck during wet months, and we plan outdoor work for the morning.
