THE LURE OF LAKE COUNTY
By Mick Lochridge
In Mount Dora, Carolyn Wood found the ideal location to live and open her own home-décor business. Widely recognized for its mix of culture and small-town ambience, the Lake County city boasts a popular downtown surrounded by historic homes.
For Wood, those traits were more than enough to entice her and husband, Brian, to move from southern New Jersey last year when she launched her shop, Love Home Harmony.
“I knew Mount Dora would be the perfect fit for my new venture,” says Wood, 36. “Lake County reminds me of where I grew up in South Jersey. It was a bit rural with horse farms, orchards and not overly built up. We like the fact that it’s less crowded and a slower pace than Orlando, but yet it’s still very close.”
That sentiment likely is shared by many Lake County residents, who now number more than 316,000. It’s a county teeming with friendly, small towns; a long list of cultural and recreational opportunities; and hundreds of lakes that dot rolling landscape along with homegrown businesses such as quaint antique emporiums and yummy barbeque joints.
And it’s growing. County official predict a growth rate of 25 percent over the next 10 years. As the population grows, so grows the number of students in the public school system. Student enrollment is projected to climb from 42,231 in 2016 to 48,795 in 2024, according to Sherri Owens, communications officer for the Lake County School Board.
Parents of those kids will need places to live. As a result, Lake County is popular with homebuilders and homebuyers for several reasons, including quality of life, cost of living and access to urban services, according to Robert Chandler, director of the county’s economic growth department.
Chandler notes that permit activity for new homes is at an all-time high. “We represent a good alternative to living in the more costly and congested metro urban area,” he adds. “Our motto, ‘Real Florida. Real Close,’ pretty much says it all. You get the best of both worlds at a reduced cost.”
BUILDERS ZERO IN
Chandler identified two locations expected to absorb the majority of growth as metro Orlando expands: the southern part of the county that encompasses Clermont, Groveland and Minneola; and the northeast part of the county that encompasses Mount Dora and Sorrento.
Clermont, for example, is expected to increase in population from about 32,000 today to more than than 54,000 over the next decade, according to Darren Gray, city manager.
For many years, Clermont’s rolling hills and pristine lakes have drawn people to the city, which also boasts an array of recreational opportunities. No wonder Clermont has landed on both Forbes and Money magazines’ lists of top communities for retirees.
Notes Gray: “Builders love Lake County because it’s such a hot market.” Indeed they do, and indeed it is.
Richmond American Homes (richmondamerican.com) is the company behind the Bella Lago community off U.S. Highway 27. The gated enclave offers homes priced from the low $300s to the $600s. Sizes range from 2,250 to 4,250 square feet.
The company chose to build in south Lake because it’s just 22 miles west of Orlando and 20 minutes from theme parks, says Jack Lazinsk, vice president of sales. “The area allows us to offer larger home sites for buyers who enjoy outdoor living, but shopping, dinning and schools are still conveniently nearby,” he adds.
Chandler cited two projects that have accelerated growth in this area.
The Minneola interchange on Florida’s Turnpike, which runs from Interstate 75 through Lake County and south to Orlando and beyond. It’s less than 30 minutes to downtown Orlando via the Interchange.
The Wellness Way Urban Service Area, a 16,000-acre mixed-use project south of Clermont. It will include about 16,000 homes and 12 million square feet of non-residential uses.
Other homebuilders in nearby communities are also reaping the benefits. For example, Dream Finder Homes (dreamfindershomes.com) launched projects earlier this year in Howey-in-the Hills, home to 1,200 residents, and Minneola, population 10,700.
In Howey, the company is building Venezia, where homes are priced from $189,990 to $309,990 and range in size from 1,711 to 3,509 square feet. In Minneola, the company is building larger and more expensive homes in Ardmore Reserve. Homes there are priced from $282,990 to $373,990, with sizes ranging from 2,306 to 4,431 square feet.
“We felt these two communities were strategically placed where people are moving as Orlando continues to expand beyond its city limits,” says Jenn Stewart, marketing manager.
“South Lake offers the next big suburbs of Orlando, and homebuyers enjoy communities with great schools, shopping and local restaurants for convenient living,” she adds.
Royal Oak Homes (royaloakhomesfl.com) also is building in Ardmore Reserve. Its homes are priced from $230,999 to $288,999, and range in size from 1,695 to 3,237 square feet.
“Most of our buyers are moving from within a 10-mile radius of Ardmore Reserve,” notes Matt Orosz, co-president of the Central Florida division of AV Homes, the parent company of Royal Oak. “We’re zoned for some of the best schools in the area — and our location offers close proximity to the new turnpike interchange.”
Just a few miles east of Minneola and across the turnpike sits the town of Montverde, population 1,500. That’s the home of Bella Collina (bellacollina.com), a 1,900-acre, private waterfront community owned and operated by DCS Investment Holdings.
There, golf villas are priced starting in the $470s, while custom estate homes are priced starting in the low seven figures, according to Matt Mathews, vice president of sales. There are 51 homes today, with 28 on the way, he adds.
From Clermont, a drive west on U.S. Highway 50 leads to the growing towns of Groveland, with a population of more than 11,000, and Mascotte, where more than 5,400 people live.
Mascotte, which has grown almost 9 percent since 2010, is expected to be home for nearly 9,000 people in the next 10 years, according to Jim Gleason, city manager.
“It’s a great place to raise a family and also to retire,” Gleason says. “Mascotte still provides small-city living, but it’s close enough to big-city amenities. It’s a culturally diverse and socially progressive city.”
BIKE FEST AND BIG LAKES
About 20 miles straight north is Leesburg, a bustling city of more than 21,000. It’s home to Lake-Sumter State College, the Leesburg International Airport and the annual Leesburg Bike Fest.
With a 7 percent growth rate since 2010, the city is popular with homebuilders and homebuyers for a number of reasons, according to Al Minner, city manager.
“Leesburg is the Lakefront City,” Minner says. “With amenities such as Lake Harris, Lake Griffin, Venetian Gardens and our historic downtown, it’s a great place for families to live, work and play.” He notes that five new-home developments are underway within the city’s corporate limits.
A few miles north on U.S. Highway 441 are Fruitland Park (population 4,600) and Lady Lake (population 14,000), which is tucked inside the northwest corner of the county and is just a stone’s throw from The Villages, a massive retirement community that sprawls across three counties.
Lady Lake has grown almost 12 percent over the past 10 years, according to Kristen Kollgaard, town manager. By 2030, nearly 22,000 people are expected to call it home.
“Lady Lake is a growing community with a lot to offer, whether you’re just starting a family or looking to retire,” Kollgaard says. “Even though we’re growing, we strive to keep that small-town friendliness.”
Due east as the crow flies is the town of Umatilla, located on a stretch of State Road 19 that leads into the heart of the Ocala National Forest, a 607-square mile heaven for camping, hiking and other outdoor activities.
With a population of nearly 4,000, Umatilla is expected to grow to nearly 5,000 in the next 10 years, according to Scott Blankenship, city manager. He said homebuilders and homebuyers are attracted to the city because of the peaceful, friendly atmosphere and natural beauty of the area.
“Umatilla embraces the small-town culture of a friendly community,” Blankenship says. “Local merchants know most of their customers by name. When someone has a need, the community residents pull together to help.”
THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE
Perhaps the most popular area of Lake County is the so-called Golden Triangle, made up of the cities of Eustis, Mount Dora and Tavares.
Tavares, the county seat, has doubled in size during the past decade to 15,000 residents, says John Drury, city administrator. Another 10,000 people are expected to move there over the next 10 years.
As with many Lake County cities, Tavares counts access to local waterways among its strongest amenities. The city’s seaplane base at Wooton Park on Lake Dora is a highlight.
“The three small cities that make up the Golden Triangle are connected by freshwater lakes, biking, rail, seaplane flights and winding roads along scenic lake views,” Drury says. “Each city has its distinct small-town charm.”
Neighboring Eustis (population 19,000) shares a similar story. “Eustis is able to take advantage of the proximity to Orlando,
while still maintaining its unique identity and small-town charm,” says Tom Carrino, economic development director.
Reasonable land and home prices are attractive to both homebuilders and homebuyers, who enjoy convenient access to local amenities and comfortable commutes to jobs in Orlando, adds Carrino.
Among Eustis’ attractions to visitors and residents alike are Ferran Park on Lake Eustis, the Bay Street Players community theater and the George Washington Birthday Festival and Parade.
Mount Dora (population 13,500) may be the best-known city in Lake County, thanks to such publicity as a recent feature story in Southern Living magazine. The city was spotlighted as one of five “Small Towns We Love.”
“Mount Dora would make a great base camp for vacationers, but residents consider this peaceful retreat a reason to stay put,” wrote the magazine’s editors. “Established in the 1880s, the charming village is known for tree-lined streets, antiques, historic inns, and a welcoming small-town atmosphere.”
It’s also home to a number of large festivals throughout the year, including the annual Mount Dora Arts Festival. The city has grown about 11 percent since 2010, with future growth forecast mostly on the eastern edge of the city, according to county officials.
That’s where the Wekiva Parkway (State Road 429) will connect Mount Dora to Interstate 4 in Sanford and complete the beltway around metro Orlando. As a result, it will bring change to Mount Dora as well as Sorrento and Mount Plymouth, located east of the city. In addition, plans call for the Wolf Branch Innovation District, a 1,300-acre business center, to go in nearby.
Homebuilders see a big opportunity. For example, in Sorrento K. Hovnanian Homes (khov.com) is building 317 homes in Red Tail, a gated community where homes are priced from $365,000 to $483,000 and range in size from 2,619 to 4,867 square feet. The community attracts homebuyers from both Central Florida and out of state, according to Susan Moss, marketing manager.
“The area provides close proximity to major employment centers, shopping and historic Mount Dora,” Moss notes.
It’s that Mount Dora cachet that also caught shop owner Carolyn Wood’s eye, and what she brags about to her friends back in New Jersey.
“I love the fact that whether I’m working at my shop, walking down the street, or eating at a local restaurant, I almost always see friends or acquaintances,” she says. “We always have something fun to do, and of course we love rubbing it in when our friends and family back home are shoveling snow!”