Focus on: Lakeview Village Estates

Focus on: Lakeview Village Estates

Coming to Winter Garden Soon!

 

NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Just a short walk from the famous Winter Garden Plant Street Farmer’s Market, there’s a new development that you might not have noticed yet. And you’ll have ducks as neighbors!

Lakeview Village Estates by Davila Homes broke ground a month or two ago and the buildings are going up fast. This relatively modest project is in the side streets just off Story Road.

Now pre-selling: Call Marc Burke on +1 (407) 901-5161 for more information or to schedule a tour.

More news and photos to follow as project develops!

Just Listed! 644 Autumn Oaks

Just Listed! 644 Autumn Oaks

644 Autumn Oaks Loop Winter Garden

For Sale: 644 Autumn Oaks Loop, Winter Garden FL 34787

 

Listing #  MFRO6429028

 

Nestled in the sought-after golf cart district just minutes from Historic Downtown Winter Garden, this spacious 5-bedroom, 3-bath smart home in Winter Oaks offers the perfect blend of comfort, style, and convenience.

A rear-entry garage enhances the home’s exceptional curb appeal, while the thoughtfully designed floor plan is ideal for both everyday living and entertaining. The first floor features formal living and dining rooms, a bedroom that also makes an ideal home office, a full bath, a separate laundry room, and a beautifully appointed kitchen with 42-inch cabinetry, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a sunny breakfast area.

Upstairs, the private primary suite provides a peaceful retreat with tray ceilings, a private balcony, an oversized walk-in closet, dual vanities, a garden tub, and a separate walk-in shower. Three additional bedrooms complete the second floor. Step outside to enjoy the fenced backyard featuring an expansive screened outdoor living area and a private plunge pool/spa, creating your own backyard oasis.

Additional highlights include a new roof, tankless water heater, 16-camera security system, landscape lighting, and optional furnishings, including a baby grand piano.

Residents of Winter Oaks enjoy exceptional community amenities, including a resort-style pool, playground, scenic walking trail, tranquil ponds with fountains, and a charming entrance highlighted by a restored historic water tower. Just one mile from the award-winning Winter Garden Farmers Market, Plant Street’s popular shops and restaurants, the West Orange Trail, and convenient SR-429 access, this home offers an exceptional opportunity to enjoy one of Central Florida’s most desirable lifestyles.

Call for more information or to schedule a viewing!

You can also check out the full listing by entering the MLS number MFRO6429028 into the navigation bar on our home page.

Listed by:  Marc Burke, +1 (407)-901-5161 x10  

 

Focus on: Plant Street Commons

Focus on: Plant Street Commons

Introducing Plant Street Commons: A Vision for Downtown Winter Garden's Future

Plant Street Commons is the latest plan by a local developer, Atrium Capital Group, which promises to redefine the landscape of the vibrant Winter Garden downtown area.

With a dynamic blend of retail and residential spaces it could be the perfect mix, nestled along coveted Plant Street.

At the forefront of this proposed development is a three-story building that will include ground-floor retail above which there will be, ten modern apartments. Complementing the apartments are eight two-story townhomes. These townhomes are designed to integrate with the surrounding neighborhood while providing residents with all the comforts of a modern living.

The developer’s plans include ample parking provisions with total of 27 parking spaces are proposed, with dedicated allocations for retail customers, apartment residents, and townhome occupants.

While the project is still in its preliminary stages, Winter Garden’s reputation as a place for shopping, dining, and leisure activities bodes well for the success of Plant Street Commons.

This announcement comes amidst a wave of steady growth in Downtown Winter Garden, with several infill developments contributing to the area’s growth. 

 

Renderings courtesy of Atrium Capital Group.

 

Focus on: Winter Oaks

Focus on: Winter Oaks

What’s Not To Love?

The Winter Oaks community in Winter Garden falls within the much coveted “golf cart district” less than a mile from Plant Street and the historic downtown area. This makes it Winter Oaks not only the perfect retreat, but the perfect location for trips to the Farmer’s market or playing pickle ball at the Veteran’s Memorial Park next door. Right across the street is the Orange County bike and running trail. Everything is within a stone’s throw, which is what makes Winter Oaks such a gem.

winter oaks entrance

One of the first things you’ll notice when entering the community is the beautful water tower. Yes, it’s just for show, but it’s pretty cool all the same and it provides a certain gravitass when entering this non-gated community.

winter oaks water tower

The second thing you’ll surely notice is the lack of cars on the street. This is a breath of fresh air and it makes Winter Oaks feel clean and tidy. The open feel provides an immediate sense of relaxation. And yet there is ample room for parking. How do they do it? Simple. All the parking is around the back in sides streets that lead to each terrace of houses. Finally, some smart developers who were actually thinking about design and layout.

Oh, plus there’s the lake. It’s one of two ponds with fountains. And no cars, see?

Just past the water tower, you’ll find the community pool, nestled between palm trees, the perfect spot for relaxing in the shade.

winter oaks pool

All in all, Winter Oaks is the perfect location, which makes it very desirable, so it’s not cheap – but it’s also not that expensive. Nothing over a million. Yet. And there are a number of floor plans to choose, from 3- to 5-bedrooms, up to around 3,000 square feet, so it definitely doesn’t have that cookie cutter feel.

Ask me what’s available and I’ll give you the full tour — or, navigate back to our Winter Garden MLS search and see what’s cookin’!

Now Serving Oakland!

Now Serving Oakland!

Sure, and why not? it feels more like old Winter Garden in Oakland than Horizon’s West – which somehow has the same zip code as Winter Garden – yet it extends half way to Disney and really has nothing to do with the Winter Garden that most of us have come to think of.

The beautiful and much overlooked Oakland is as pretty as it gets.

Oakland Park for example, features a number of new townhomes and single family homes that are right off the Orange County bike trail, just a short jog from Plant Street.

And then there are the old time, single family homes in the backstreets that feel like they’ve been there forever, their sandy roads and driveways reminiscent of Windermere. Sshh! Don’t tell anyone.

So yes, we cover Oakland as well. Ask us about the Reserve at Oakland Park or Briley Farm! 

 

 

Crooked Can
Fed Finally Cuts Rates

Fed Finally Cuts Rates

The Fed Rate Cut

It’s September 2024 and the Federal Reserve has finally lowered its rate by .5% – a little more than we dared to hope for, with further rate cuts possible before the end of the year. This is great news because it suggets that inflation is finally trending downward and consumer confidence is gaining. However…

It doesn’t necessarily follow that mortgage rates immediately drop. The “Fed rate” is not tied directly to mortgage rates; instead it’s the fee U.S. banks pay each other to borrow or loan money overnight. The reduction does trickle down to products like credit cards, student loans and, yes, mortgages eventually we hope– but it may take a second. The good news is that homes are about to get more affordable.

New, Higher Conforming Loan Limits

You may have heard about ‘conforming loan’ limits rising. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) regulates Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac and set the limits, which are essentially a cap on the amount of a mortgage they are prepared to guarantee. The FHFA typically raises these limits every fall, according to home prices. As home prices increase or decrease, loan limits respond accordingly. 

Higher limits mean you can get a larger conventional loan while still benefiting from more flexible qualifying criteria and lower down payment options than with, say, a jumbo loan, which can be tougher to qualify for because they’re not backed by Fannie or Freddie.

However, jumbo loans etc. can still be great for the right clients. Their rates can be better than Fannie and Freddie because jumbo loans aren’t subject to loan level price adjustments (LLPAs). 

On the downside, with all the pent up demand and buyers rushing back to the marketplace together, well, home prices are likely to respond accordingly. Upward. Remember the days of multiple offers on Day 1 with each higher than the last? Yeah me too. Seems like you just can’t win – but either way, paying off your own home sure beats paying off your landlord’s home.