LET'S TAKE A STAYCATION

By Mick Lockridge

For the second consecutive year, metropolitan Orlando was ranked as the No. 1 "staycation" location in the U.S. by WalletHub.com, a personal-finance website that also produces research reports and surveys.

Staycation, of course, means having all the perks of a vacation without leaving town. The website cited the region's theme parks as well as its recreational facilities, natural attractions, fine dining and eclectic shopping, among other factors.

Tell us something we don't know. But, since this magazine is read primarily by people who are considering a move, perhaps this news offers third-party validation of what locals have been saying for a long time:

Living in Orlando is like being on vacation — all year long.

Resorts have long capitalized on pampering guests with lavish amenities. Increasingly, residential developers today are latching onto that concept with resort-style communities.

There are championship golf courses, elaborate spas and fitness centers, parks and recreation areas, bustling town centers and much more.

That's a winning combination for homebuyers, who can have a resort-style pool and clubhouse within their neighborhoods while living within easy driving distance of the attractions and beaches.

It's the best of both worlds, you might say.

"Resort-style communities give Florida residents the feel that they can always be on vacation," says Robert Kanjian, sales manager for AV Homes, builder of several such communities in Central Florida.

Dr. Joshua Harris, director of the Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate at the University of Central Florida, says competition leads to communities that offer increasingly elaborate amenities.

"The reason developers are including resort-style amenities in some new communities is to offer points of differentiation that will hopefully lead to a faster rate of sales," he says, adding that new homes in communities with lots of perks can command higher prices.

A second reason, Harris adds, is a trend toward smaller homesites. "The higher the density and size of the development, the more a developer can budget for amenities," he notes.

Potential homebuyers considering resort-style communities can find a number of locations in all directions across Central Florida. Here are some of the most popular.

SOLIVITA

For 17 years Solivita (avhomesinc.com/solivita) has been a success story for AV Homes. The 55-plus community on the Osceola-Polk County line encompasses a long list of resort-style amenities ? including golf courses, fitness centers and tennis courts. 

Single-family and courtyard homes range in price from $159,990 to $379,990, and range in size from 1,102 to 2,840 square feet. Currently there are 4,800 homes, with plans for a total of 6,200.

"All the facilities are established and ready for residents from the moment they move in," says AV Homes? Kanjian. "A full-time lifestyle team manages the clubs and events, like an activities director on a cruise."

Many buyers have relocated from the Northeast, and relish the opportunity to enjoy the amenities all year long — something many locals take for granted.

And there's plenty to enjoy. Solivita boasts 36 holes of championship golf, a village center, two spa and fitness centers, 14 pools and courts for tennis, pickleball and bocce ball.

Says Kanjian: "At Solivita, we've thought of everything."

LAUREATE PARK AT LAKE NONA

The 7,000-acre Lake Nona area itself is an amenity, with more than 40 percent of the land dedicated to parks and green space. For example, there are 44 miles of nature trails, biking and walking paths.

In Laureate Park, the village center includes a resort-style aquatic center. There's also a zero-entry family pool with deck jets, a water cannon and a 20-foot-tall vortex wave dumping bucket.

An adult pool features private cabanas, free-form swim areas and four junior Olympic lap lanes. A 3,400-square-foot fitness facility and lakeside restaurant and cafÇ also recently opened.

In addition, the United States Tennis Association has opened a 64-acre, state-of-the-art tennis facility and campus at Lake Nona.

Builders in Laureate Park have seen significant interest from medical professionals because of the community's location near Lake Nona's Medical City.

But retirees and families with no affiliation to health and medical facilities are also helping Laureate Park break sales records.

SPRING LAKE AT CELEBRATION

An amenity center anchors the Spring Lake at Celebration, a community by David Weekley Homes (davidweekleyhomes.com). In fact, the amenity center is so elaborate, let?s see if you can make it through the list of goodies:

• A 1,600-square-foot pool ranging in depth from three to five feet.
• A 4,800-square-foot paver pool deck area with a shade arbor, lounge chairs, cafe tables and umbrellas.
• A 1,000-square-foot multipurpose room with treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes and other exercise equipment.
• A covered breezeway and a porch overlooking the pool and conservation area.
• A barbecue pavilion with charcoal grills and picnic tables.

Still with us? Good, because we haven't even gotten to the homes yet. Spring Lake has three-story duplexes that are priced starting in the mid-$400s, two-story townhomes that are priced starting in the mid-$300s, and two-story single-family homes that are priced starting in the $400s.

FESTIVAL

One of Minto Communities' (mintofla.com) newer projects, Festival offers resort-style amenities in addition to resort-style homes that can be used as second homes or vacation homes.

Plans call for 500 homes within the gated neighborhood, which is surrounded by wetlands and lakes. Many homes will offer views of protected natural areas.

Festival townhomes range in price from the mid-$200s to the low $300s, and range in size from 1,732 to 2,232 square feet, with as many as 10 ? yes, 10 ? bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms. Homes can be put in the rental pool when owners are out of town.

Located just off I-4 south of Osceola County, the community includes a downtown area with a resort-style pool and private cabanas. There are also a kids' water park, a fitness center, a general store, an ice-cream parlor, a high-tech video arcade, a Florida-style bar and grill, a putt-putt golf course and a volleyball court.

ROYAL CYPRESS PRESERVE

Set in the midst of Orlando's attractions area, Royal Cypress Preserve (royalcypresspreserve.com) more than holds its own in terms of amenities.

Built by Toll Brothers, the gated community includes a 4,300-square-foot clubhouse with a host of amenities, including lake views, a zero-entry swimming pool and a fitness center with free weights and cardio machines.

There's also an open-air pavilion with an outdoor kitchen and lounge seating, a social room with a catering kitchen, and a boat launch for small watercraft.

Homes in Royal Cypress Preserve offer water views and are adjacent to a picturesque nature preserve, "allowing homeowners to enjoy a tranquil oasis so close to Orlando," says Brock Fanning, vice president for Toll Brothers' Central Florida division.

One- and two-story single-family homes are priced starting in the low $400s, and range in size from 2,077 to more than 4,100 square feet. Plans call for a total of 206 homes.

The homeowner's fee covers yard maintenance, including lawn care, irrigation, tree pruning and fertilization. That means residents can spend more time relaxing at home or entertaining friends and family — and no time doing yardwork.

Central Florida homebuyers may find they can have their cake and eat it too when it comes to resort-style living in a resort-rich location. 

"If you can have fun at home without traveling, why wouldn't you?" asks UCF's  Harris. "Living in resort towns has long been popular with retirees — but if you can do it during your working years, it's a plus."