Northwood Oaks is the kind of neighborhood that makes Realtors like Rocky Lyons of Pepine Realty gush about Gainesville's quality of life. For neighborhoods outside the city like Northwood Oaks, the benefits for residents are outdoor recreation, relatively affordable home prices and very good schools. "There's a lot of natural space out there," says Lyons. "And there's a lot of water recreation. People get the kayaks out. There are tons of parks and springs."
Northwood Oaks is just half a square mile, and it's dwarfed by the 715-acre Four Creeks Preserve on its northern border. Before 2018, developers might have been planning acres of subdivisions, but now, thanks to a joint venture between the City of Gainesville and Alachua County called the Alachua County Forever Program, residents of Northwood Oaks benefit from more green space. The creation of new mature preserves like Four Creeks is funded by Wild Spaces & Public Places, a small sales tax approved by county voters to fund land conservation projects in light of the region's rapid growth.
So, instead of pavement and new homes next door, residents of Northwood Oaks get 5 miles of wooded trails through forest wetlands and, as the name says, creeks. Connected to Four Creeks on the west is San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park, one of Florida's last original hardwood forests. San Felasco has 20 miles of mountain biking trails, 11 miles of hiking trails, 10 miles of equestrian trails, campsites and cabins. O'Leno State Park is the best kayaking in the area. It's 20 miles northwest, but Northwood Oaks residents can take US Route 441, which borders the neighborhood, straight there, and traffic is virtually nonexistent going away from Gainesville. "Everybody goes west to recreate," confirms Jonathan Mills, Team Leader of The Mills Group at Keller Williams Gainesville Realty Partners.
This is a postwar neighborhood filled with cool, midcentury ranch-style homes, some remodeled, some with 1970s-style amenities like shag carpet inside. This accounts for price differentials in similar builds. The neighborhood is laid out in a grid with wide streets, no sidewalks and tall old-growth trees shading most homes and streets on large lots. Newer subdivisions nearby may offer pools with homeowners' association fees, but the trees are saplings, and the lots are smaller. Homes list between $200,000 and $400,000.
William S. Talbot Elementary School received a B-plus on Niche and is within walking distance of most homes in Northwood Oaks. Fort Clarke Middle School and F.W. Buchholz High School are a bit farther away. Fort Clarke received an A-minus on Niche, and Buchholz High received an A. Over 75% of Buchholz High's faculty hold advanced graduate degrees.
A tiny strip mall on the southern tip of Northwood Oaks has the second branch of the beloved local El Indio Mexican Restaurant. Baby's Kitchen sandwich shop and Scooter's Coffee are popular next store. On the east side of Northwood Oaks, there's a Walmart Supercenter, and the Alachua County Farmers' Market is open every Saturday.
Northwood Oaks is under 5 miles away from anywhere in Gainesville. With US Route 441 running along the locale, drivers can commute anywhere fast.
Those looking to buy outside the city center will want to check out Northwood Oaks, especially if they have school-aged children or are into classic midcentury architecture and outdoor recreation.
Tiffany Moen
THURMOND REALTY LLC
(352) 559-5935
144 Total Sales
1 in Northwood Oaks
$309,000 Price
Victoria Carlisle
REAL ESTATE WITH VICTORIA LLC
(386) 518-7743
130 Total Sales
2 in Northwood Oaks
$205K - $260K Price Range
Bhishma Benedict
FLORIDA HOMES REALTY & MORTGAGE GVILLE
(352) 559-8471
48 Total Sales
1 in Northwood Oaks
$374,000 Price
Alexander Coleman
KELLER WILLIAMS GAINESVILLE REALTY PARTNERS
(352) 720-2650
48 Total Sales
1 in Northwood Oaks
$363,000 Price
Susan Hicks
RABELL REALTY GROUP LLC
(352) 655-2991
68 Total Sales
3 in Northwood Oaks
$218K - $314K Price Range
Marty Misner
MISNER REAL ESTATE SERVICES LLC
(352) 675-2538
39 Total Sales
1 in Northwood Oaks
$250,000 Price
On average, homes in Northwood Oaks, Gainesville sell after 32 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Northwood Oaks, Gainesville over the last 12 months is $274,000, up 3% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Renter-friendly neighborhood with centrally located shopping and recreation
Deed-restricted neighborhood with on-site amenities and diverse recreation
Quiet suburb with low HOA fees that's 7 miles from the University of Florida
A small, planned community in Gainesville with a homeowners association
A Gainesville community located between parks and busy roadways
A residential community 5 miles from UF, Sante Fe College and hospitals
