EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, YOU'LL FIND LAKES
By Mick Lochridge
Nothing says "Florida living" quite like boating across a lake or catching a gorgeous sunset from your backyard dock. The lure of the lakes — and there are 30,000 of them statewide — can be strong for Central Florida homebuyers.
"Living on the water is all about lifestyle," says Angie Cable, broker and sales associate at Lakes of Mount Dora, a project of Medallion Home in aptly named Lake County, north of Orlando.
"Homeowners enjoy the fresh air, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets against the water, and the spectacular views without having to leave their homes," she says. "Living on the water truly makes it feel like you're on vacation every day."
Most people who choose lakeside living are passionate about it," says Jakub Pilecky, general manager of Orlando Watersports Complex, a facility off S.R. 528 where enthusiasts and beginners can train and hone their skills on skis and boards.
"With our busy schedules, it's important to get away from work and the stress of everyday life," adds Debbie Warner, general manager for the Orange County Sportsmen?s Association, a nonprofit, private boating and sportsmen's club with 1,800 member families.
"Our lakes invite us to relax and to spend quality time with friends and family," she notes.
With so many lakes of all sizes — there are more than 100 just within Orlando's city limits — dotting the Central Florida landscape, homebuyers wanting a waterfront lifestyle have plenty of choices.
LAKESHORE
In southwest Orange County, Toll Brothers is building Lakeshore, a 367-home community (liveatlakeshore.com) in the Horizon West area.
Horizon West is a 23,000-acre, multi-community development that encompasses portions of Winter Garden and unincorporated Orange County. Two decades ago, it was mostly covered by groves — and retro-chic Winter Garden was a sleepy citrus town
Lakeshore offers townhomes that are priced from the upper $200s, and range in size from more than 1,900 to 2,500 square feet. In addition, there are one- and two-story single-family homes that are priced from the upper $300s, and range in size from 2,169 to 4,650 square feet.
There are three lakes and two parks boasting winding nature trails — so residents tend to spend plenty of time outdoors.
"Waterfront living at Lakeshore offers a relaxing escape after a busy day, with resort-style amenities, sparkling water views and easy access to the outdoors," says Brock Fanning, vice president of Toll Brothers' Central Florida division.
"The community also has a variety of family-friendly activities on-site, which makes it an appealing choice," he adds. "Plus, Horizon West is a highly desirable location."
Lakeshore features expansive homesites and Toll Brothers? signature luxury homes. Amenities include The Lakehouse, a 4,100-square-foot private amenity center on Panther Lake, which was getting ready to open at presstime.
It features a resort-style swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga room, a beach volleyball court, an outdoor fire pit, a paddleboard and kayak station and dock, and a social room with a catering kitchen — all overlooking two lakes with golf course views.
An on-site activities director will oversee programming and events at The Lakehouse.
The community is convenient to Lake Louisa State Park, the West Orange Trail, the Horizon West Town Center, several golf courses and, of course, the theme parks.
BELLALAGO
In Osceola County, AV Homes continues building single-family homes in Bellalago, located on the banks of Lake Tohopekaliga, a 22,000-acre-plus body of water famous for its bass fishing and bird watching.
Bellalago (avhomesinc.com/bellalago) offers homes that range in price from $224,000 to $527,990, and range in size from 1,813 to 5,646 square feet. The community, located in Kissimmee, currently has 1,100 homes, with plans for a total of 1,800.
Residents have access to a 1,300-foot boardwalk along the lake where there's a fishing pier and two boat ramps with lifts for powerboats up to 26 feet. There are more than 300 acres of inland lakes and waterways as well.
"Bellalago provides a reprieve from the travails of daily living, and makes every day a once-in-a-lifetime memory," says Robert Kanjian, AV Homes' sales manager. "Waterfront living increases home values — and it creates a lifestyle, not just a community. You can enjoy it 24/7."
In addition to what nature has already provided, AV Homes has built two 8,000-square-foot water complexes that feature a community pool, a junior Olympic lap pool, a waterslide, a kiddie pool, an interactive fountain, a kid's interactive water park, spas and a sundeck with lounge chairs, tables and umbrellas.
BELLA COLLINA
In Lake County, luxurious Bella Collina (bellacollina.com) is nestled on 1,950 acres in Monteverde, among the rolling hills on the western shore of Lake Apopka.
Winner of the 2017 Parade of Homes Grand Award for Best Community, Bella Collina features golf villas ranging in price from $479,000 to $1.5 million, and ranging in size from 2,650 to 5,500 square feet.
Estate homes range in price from $1.2 million to $12 million, and range in size from 3,500 to 30,000 square feet.
There are two lakes within the community. The private, 350-acre Lake Siena is for low-impact recreational use, such as fishing, sailing and low horsepower boats. Lake Apopka, at 30,000 acres, is the state?s third largest lake and a popular location for fishing, sailing, waterskiing, jet skiing and power boating.
"The ideal Bella Collina homebuyer is drawn to the quality of nearby schools, privacy, ease of access and price — especially compared to Windermere and Winter Park lakefront properties," says Matt Matthews, vice president of real estate sales with the Bella Collina Real Estate Company
"Waterfront living provides a luxurious lifestyle along with serene seclusion," he adds. "Homes are designed to offer scenic views from just about every room."
Developer DCS Investment Holdings currently is building Siena Towers, a 100-unit condo lodge overlooking Lake Siena. It will have two- and three-bedroom units available.
Personal training services are offered at the fully equipped gym, and the Nick Faldo signature golf course overlooks lakes Siena and Apopka.
JOHN'S LAKE LANDING
Still in Lake County, just south of U.S. Highway 50 in Clermont, David Weekley Homes is building one- and two-story homes at John?s Lake Landing (davidweekleyhomes.com).
The homes range in price from the $260s to the $440s, and range in size from 1,600 to about 4,000 square feet. Amenities include a community pool and cabana.
John's Lake Landing sits on — you guessed it — John's Lake, a 2,400-acre ski lake that's rated among the 10 best bass-fishing destinations in Florida. A public boat ramp is less than three miles away.
"There's no better way to enjoy the gorgeous Florida weather than a home on the waterfront," says Valerie Wagoner, marketing coordinator for the David Weekley Homes' Orlando division. "That's why outdoor living areas are a huge selling point in John's Lake Landing."
Homebuyers enjoy extended covered patios with ceiling fans and fireplaces for al fresco dining. Some have fully equipped outdoor kitchens.
LAKES OF MOUNT DORA
As long as we're in Lake County, we should visit picture-postcard Mount Dora, one of the prettiest small towns in the state. That's where Medallion Home is building in the Lakes of Mount Dora (medallionhome.com), an active-adult community.
Lakes of Mount Dora, a gated community that's ranked among the Top 50 Best Master-Planned Communities in the U.S. by Where To Retire Magazine, combines Southern hospitality with small-town charm.
The community encompasses 4.5 miles of continuous man-made lakes and 10 wildlife islands, all of which are all accessible to residents. Single-family homes are priced from the mid-$200s, and range in size from 1,524 to 3,252 square feet.
Residents whose homes back up to the water can store their kayaks, canoes or paddleboats on their homesites. The community also offers boat storage facilities and a community boat ramp. Watercraft with electric motors up to 25 horsepower are permitted on the lakes.
"Our homeowners love to go fishing," says Angie Cable, broker and sales associate at Lakes of Mount Dora. "The lakes are catch-and-release. But it's more about getting on the fresh water with friends and family, and enjoying time on the water together."
The lakes and islands in the community teem with wildlife, including ducks, turtles, egrets, blue herons and sandhill cranes.
Amenities include an 18,000-square-foot clubhouse, fitness studio, library, resort-style pool and lap pool, various sport courts, and walking and exercise trails.
There are also more than 40 clubs and associations within the community.
MONDRIAN WINTER PARK
Closer to the urban core, Icon Residential has launched Mondrian Winter Park (mondrianwinterpark.com), a 30-unit townhome project on Lake Killarney.
Eight homes are underway, with prices ranging from the $500s to the $700s, and sizes ranging from 2,100 to 2,500 square feet. Homebuyers can choose from among six floorplans.
Waterfront features include two boat docks with 10 slips and a covered pavilion. Homes include modern boutique interior designs, private balconies or rooftop living areas with views of this urban lake, which is ringed by homes, shopping and dining.
It's what you'd expect in Winter Park, which has been for generations one of Central Florida's most prestigious addresses.
"Mondrian Winter Park is essentially an urban utopia with a unique pedestrian-friendly location," says Ryan Studzinski, a principal with Icon Residential. "Residents are a short walk from upscale shopping, dining and entertainment. But at home, they're in a lakefront oasis where they can escape everyday stresses with soothing water views."
The 240-acre lake offers many water recreation activites, including waterskiing powerboating, paddleboarding and fishing.
"Residential real estate doesn?t get more coveted in Central Florida than lakefront in Winter Park," Studzinski adds.
PULTE HOMES
Pulte Homes (pulte.com/orlando) has a number of waterfront communities underway throughout Orange and Osceola counties. "We understand the attraction of waterfront living, and seek locations that offer the chance to incorporate water views into everyday life," says Tristan Knop, Pulte's marketing manager in Orlando. ?Many of our communities include viewing piers or boat docks, so residents can enjoy their Florida lifestyle with ease.?
Here are a few of Pulte?s projects.
• Ruby Lake: The community, located on Lake Ruby in the Dr. Phillips area, has 237 homesites, 80 of which are on the water. Homes are priced from the mid-$400s, and range in size from 2,104 to more than 5,000 square feet.
Amenities include a pier with a viewing platform from which to watch nightly theme-park fireworks.
• Lake Pickett Reserve: In east Orlando, this gated community on Lake Pickett has about 10 homesites left out of 52. Residents have lake access, and there?s a private community boat ramp.
Single-family homes are priced from the high $300s, and range in size from 2,560 to 4,242 square feet. Homesites are a half acre to an acre.
• Lakeview Pointe: In the Horizon West area, this community on 110-acre Huckleberry Lake offers three-story townhomes and single-family homes.
Homes are priced from the low $200s, and range in size from 1,464 to more than 4,000 square feet. Amenities include a viewing dock, and the lake is large enough for skiing.
So, with an abundance of lakes and waterfront communities throughout Central Florida, homebuyers can take full advantage of all the benefits that living on the water can offer.
"When you get in the water on a boat, jet ski, canoe or paddleboard, you shed the stress and enter a world of calm," says Warner, with the Orange County Sportsmen's Association.
And Warner gets the benefit at work as well. The association itself is housed on Lake Sheen in southwest Orlando on the Butler Chain of Lakes.
"Like any other sports or form of exercise, water sports are good for the body," adds Pilecky of Orlando Watersports Complex. "They're also good for the mind. The tranquil quality of water reduces stress, anxiety and depression."