SUMMER HEAT

Just how hot is Volusia County these days? With temperatures typically reaching 90 degrees all summer, it’s hot. And, almost just as easily, the same can be said about new housing. Builder activity remains heated as the county’s resident population continues to climb. 

A few numbers: In 2022, Volusia’s population was roughly 565,000, more than a 14.2% increase from 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Today, that count exceeds 601,000 residents.  

Further, during those same years the county grew by an average of 1.3% annually. Yet, in the past two years, that growth rate has accelerated to roughly 1.8%. Of the top 15 (out of 67) counties in Florida for fastest population growth, Volusia ranks No. 12.  

Not coincidentally, residential building permit activity has increased each year since 2012, with the average value of homes constructed in 2023 reaching $373,613. And, for the 12 months ending in December 2023, an average of 292 new residential building permits were issued monthly. 

In sum, that’s a lot of homebuilding to quench quite a thirst for new housing across the county. For more perspective, consider the market for existing homes. In April, Volusia home prices were up 3.8% compared to April 2023, selling for a median price of $348,000.  

In other words, people want to live in Volusia County. Nowhere is the vitality of Volusia homebuilding more evident than at Minto Communities’ Jimmy Buffett-themed Latitude Margaritaville in Daytona Beach. The first residents of the 55-plus community arrived six years ago.  

Today, the last of 3,900 available house lots are expected to sell by this fall. The late singer, whose company partnered in the development, would certainly lift a glass and make a toast. 

More proof of housing’s current size and scope comes from Ormond Beach, where for more than two decades master-planned Ormond Crossings has been central to the city’s future growth.  

Now, finally, construction might begin on approximately 2,500 single-family homes in the 3,000-acre project, in addition to nearly 2.5 million square feet of retail, office, light industrial and warehouse space.  

Last December, the Ormond Crossings property was acquired by Bradford Kline and Associates, which has been in the development business for more than four decades. While there’s a plan to build a commerce park in Ormond Crossing, new homes are on the drawing board, too.  

Meritage Homes, one of Florida’s largest home builders, is in discussions to build those 2,500 homes and create some 45 acres of parks. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year, along with an expected $340 million worth of upgrades to the U.S. Highway 1/I-95 interchange. 

As many as 200 homes per phase could be built, with an estimated buildout of 10 to 15 years. Notably, the land for Ormond Crossings was originally platted in the early 1900s for “dense residential lots,” according to Ormond Beach city records. Now seems like the right time to make it happen. 

Earlier this year, Meritage Homes was also in the news by helping to welcome Jones Homes USA back to Volusia. Meritage sold 95 homesites in the 141-acre Legends Preserve community in Daytona Beach to Jones Homes, which returned after completing the 285-home Westport community in Port Orange a few years ago.  

Jones Homes’ first closings occurred this spring at Legends Preserve, just west of LPGA Boulevard and 12 miles from Daytona’s beaches. The company, a subsidiary of The Emerson Group, one of the United Kingdom’s largest privately owned property development companies, is offering seven floorplans.  

Those selections range in size from 1,987 square feet with three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms to 4,957 square feet with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Each floorplan has a three-car garage.  

In DeLand, another substantial subsidiary has sprung into action this spring. Richmond American Homes of Florida, part of M.D.C. Holdings, acquired 70 homesites in the Grandview Gardens neighborhood near downtown DeLand. There, Richmond American is sharing construction acreage with Mattamy Homes in what will total 100 single-family homes.  

Richmond American is offering five single- and two-story floorplans from its Seasons Collection, with two plans featuring an extra tall “UltraGarage.” The floorplans, with open layouts, offer up to five bedrooms and 3,030 square feet. And that’s only a start. What else is happening across the county?  

In Deltona, Lennar is busy at Vineland Reserve, a community of new single-family homes that borders the unincorporated town of Osteen, an area largely marked by forests, preserves and wildlife. Not far from Blue Spring State Park, Vineland Reserve features landscaped common areas that contain a community park, playground and pool.  

Emblematic of Lennar’s offerings is the Hartford model’s open layout. The owner’s suite is located in a back corner and there are three secondary bedrooms. Another prominent feature is an expansive sliding-glass door that opens to a patio. The Hartford is priced at $391,750 for four bedrooms and two baths in 1,936 square feet.  

In Bulow Creek Preserve at Halifax Plantation in Ormond Beach, residents can take advantage of the Halifax Plantation Golf Club and its plentiful recreational amenities, along with Bulow Creek State Park.  

The big selling point, though, is Landsea Homes’ single-family homes, with prices that range from $454,990 to $549,990 and sizes that range from 1,949 to 2,287 square feet. That includes the one-story Begonia model ($549,990), which measures 2,287 square feet for three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a three-car garage with a covered porch. 

Another Halifax Plantation community is Windchase, where Taylor Morrison has 68 oversized lots and six open-concept floorplans. The designs feature tile roofs, brick paver driveways, chef-inspired kitchens, secluded primary suites, three-car garages and outdoor living spaces. Prices for the homes, which range in size from 2,721 to 3,929 square feet, are between $559,995 to $842,000.  

One particularly notable floorplan is the two-story Tortola model, at 3,461 square feet with five bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and a three-car garage. The primary bedroom and tucked-away fifth bedroom are downstairs, where a two-story foyer sets an airy tone. The other bedrooms are upstairs, tied together by a game room/flex space.  

Woodhaven, a gated community in Port Orange by ICI Homes, features one- and two-story luxury townhomes and single-family homes. The homes, which are priced from $385,900 to $922,900, range in size from 1,541 to 3,364 square feet.
A pool/cabana area and a tot lot are among the community highlights.  

One particularly popular model is the two-story Santa Maria, which has 2,912 square feet with four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and a three-car garage. The foyer flows into the gourmet kitchen with a large island and dining area, while the dining room leads into the living room, which in turn opens onto a covered lanai. The master suite is located on the first floor, with the other bedrooms upstairs. 

In DeBary, Rivington sits about one mile from a SunRail station, which effectively connects the area to Seminole and Orange counties to the west. The M/I Homes community is highlighted by a pool, a park and playground areas as well as trails, a greenbelt and a pond. 

Ten floorplans, all designed with  flexible spaces, range in size from 1,857 to 3,610 square feet with three to six bedrooms. The homes, which feature welcoming front porches and colorful shutters and front doors, range in size from 1,603 to 2,780 square feet and are priced between $378,990 and $735,700. The Sebring model, for example, is priced from $419,990 for three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in 2,341 square feet.

Pulte Homes has new single-family homes in the heart of DeLand at Canopy Terrace, one mile from I-4. Featured community amenities include wooded walking trails, a pool with a cabana and a playground plus high-speed internet and TV included with HOA dues. Pulte’s nine home designs, which range in size from 1,662 to 2,894 square feet, are priced from $339,990 to $436,500. All are equipped with Pulte’s built-in Smart Home technology.  

One model, the Highgate, which is priced at $355,990, measures 1,850 square feet and encompasses four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Highlights include a covered lanai, a gathering room with a tray ceiling, and, in the kitchen, white cabinets with quartz counter tops and luxury vinyl flooring.  

Nearby is Kolter Homes’ The Reserve at Victoria in DeLand, with its playground, tennis and pickleball courts and clubhouse with pool. Kolter Homes has a collection of flexible floorplans, each of which offers more than 20 structural options.  

Those options include a three-car garage, a secondary owner’s suite, an in-law suite and a second-floor bonus room. Prices range from $395,990 to $469,990 for homes offering between 1,668 to 2,289 square feet. The three-bedroom Kimberly floorplan exemplifies that flexibility: It has an island kitchen that provides open access to the dining area and great room, where large windows deliver ample natural light. 

The owner’s suite and secondary bedrooms are separated for privacy, and the laundry area is conveniently situated in the center of the home. Also, the Kimberly has structural options that include three different exterior choices, second-floor bonus room variations and a four-foot rear extension of the home, among others. 

In Daytona Beach at aptly named Champions Drive, Gray Hawk at Hole Two is a community by CFB Homes that overlooks an LPGA course. In addition to golf, the community offers a swimming pool, a fitness center and social events along with homes priced from $424,990 for 1,678 square feet to $524,990 for 2,980 square feet. 

The two-story Karrie model, priced from $494,990, has four bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in 2,493 square feet, plus a two-car garage. It features an open-concept kitchen, a primary downstairs bedroom, walk-in closets, a dining room, a family room, a loft, a covered patio and a porch. Three bedrooms are upstairs. 

Finally, Stanley Martin Homes is another builder in DeLand at Beresford Woods. The location provides easy access to I-4, the Central Florida GreeneWay (S.R. 417) and DeLand’s future SunRail station. Lake Beresford Park, with its hiking trails, pavilions, playgrounds and multiuse trail that connects to the Spring-to-Spring Trail, which is just two miles away. Stanley Martin has homes that range in price from $370,990 to $422,490, with sizes that range from 1,589 to 2,856 square feet. The Linden model, priced starting at $412,990 with four bedrooms and 2.5 baths, measures 2,434 square feet and boasts a variety of customization possibilities.  

Those possibilities include a flex room that can be used as an optional fifth bedroom; a powder room that can easily be made into another full bath; and a patio that can be turned into a large lanai. Much of the second floor is dedicated to the owner’s suite, which includes a spacious walk-in closet.