What makes a home MAGICAL?

On a scale of 1 to MAGICAL, we take a number of factors into consideration.  Lynda is a huge fan of the Disney theme parks and these Magical Factors have influenced our own personal housing decisions for several years.  We focus a lot of our attention on real estate that meet these criteria.  So, according to Jim and Lynda, the top factors that make a property magical are: Within a 35 minute drive to one of the Disney World theme parks in Orlando (Buena Vista), FL The property has its own private pool or a resort like community pool available to residents and guests. You can see (and sometimes hear!) the daily fireworks from the Disney theme parks. No HOA is a huge plus! But if there is an HOA, to be considered Magical, both the monthly fees and the restrictions imposed must be reasonable.  This can take many forms because a high HOA monthly fee may be reasonable if it includes a number of amenities, services and utilities. Allow for Short Term Rental of the property when not in use by the owner. The community is friendly to visitors but also keeps a level of quiet enjoyment late at night (after the parks close). There is more than one way to access Disney World and Universal Studios from the property. Traffic can be a challenge at times.  But when there are a combination of back roads, highways and toll roads available, you can usually make the right choices for avoiding congestion. A good ratio of Bedrooms to Bathrooms. (We have 5 kids.  We need more than 2 bathrooms in a 4+ bedroom house ok!?)