In an unforeseen turn of events, a rebound of demand from home buyers is hitting Florida as their total COVID-19 cases near half a million. According to Forbes, March and the beginning of April were the most difficult times for home builders in the Sunshine State, but weekly home sales have only increased since mid-April. Several master planned communities in Florida saw larger numbers in the first half of 2020 than the same period last year. Some of these communities are up 40% or more, Forbes says. How have these communities continued to flourish amid the pandemic? Read more to find out.
The top-selling master-planned community in the country is The Villages, the legendary active adult community in Central Florida that evolved over decades into its own city. It used to sell and build more than 5,000 homes a year, but now is down to a “mere” 2,000 or so per year, not for any reduction in demand, but simply because it is running out of land.
The #2 new-home community in the country is Lakewood Ranch, making it the #1 best-selling multi-generational community in the nation. The community sold 838 homes in the first half of 2020. The developer of this western-Florida MPC said that a “flight to quality” has supported sales paces there. Lakewood Ranch has been among the top-selling master-planned communities in the country for nine consecutive years.
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