Lake Mary Jane offers seclusion from Central Florida development
Lake Mary Jane is a secluded body of water surrounded by parks and two residential developments: Isle of Pines and Live Oak Estates. These two neighborhoods form the Lake Mary Jane community, known for features that are increasingly tough to find in the Orlando area: spacious lots, thick tree canopies and, in some areas, no homeowners association. The two subdivisions border the lake’s north and east sides, while green space to the west and south ward off encroaching development.
Wooded lots and friendly neighbors along the lakefront
When Rick Smallish moved from Wisconsin to Orlando, he came to Isle of Pines looking for a chunk of land secluded from Central Florida’s constant growth. Pines and palms shade ranch homes and separate lots in Isle of Pines, where Smallish says he sees deer from his backyard and neighbors rambling by on four-wheelers and golf carts from his front yard. “If I had a complaint, it would be you can’t get any yard work done because neighbors come by on a golf cart with beers and want to have a beer with you,” says Smallish, president of the Isle of Pines Property Owner’s Association.
In Live Oak Estates, the landscape is slightly more manicured, but Mediterranean-style and New Traditional homes still enjoy privacy on 1-acre lots. You can snag a lakefront house with a dock in both Live Oak Estates and Isle of Pines. Flood zones cover much of the shore, so mortgage lenders may require homeowners there to have flood insurance.
Lake Mary Jane’s housing market
Isle of Pines has cheaper homes, with typical prices ranging from the upper $300,000s to the lower $600,000s. “Isle of Pines is not as exclusive as areas of Lake Nona or Lake Hart,” says Paul Giles, a broker associate at Compass who lives nearby. However, some lakefront homes in Isle of Pines have fetched more than $1 million. Meanwhile, recent home sales in Live Oak Estates vary from the lower to upper $700,000s. The housing market isn’t too competitive. Homes usually take longer to sell than the national average, and there’s plenty of inventory. Still, Smallish says the community is desirable to buyers seeking a natural, secluded feel. “You can’t find a lot of places like this left in Florida,” he says. “People are constantly getting other people knocking on their door, asking if they want to sell their house.”
HOA and POA dues pay for parks, playgrounds and kayak storage
Homebuyers don’t have to join the Isle of Pines Property Owner’s Association. If you choose to pay the annual membership, which usually costs $235, you get access to the community’s lakefront park. The park has a playground, basketball court and kayak storage. Property owner’s association dues also fund events. On Father’s Day, neighbors feast on fried fish that fathers and sons catch together. Live Oak Estates has a mandatory HOA with monthly dues of less than $100. Those fees help maintain the community park, which has a playground, baseball field and volleyball court.
There’s more recreation outside the neighborhoods. Head to Moss Park for a public boat ramp and fishing piers along the western shore of Lake Mary Jane. A short canal connects Lake Mary Jane to Lake Hart, giving boaters and paddlers two bodies of water to explore. To the south, hiking and equestrian trails wind through the marshes of Isle of Pines Preserve.
Utilizing the retail, restaurants and entertainment of Lake Nona
It’s a 10-mile drive to the heart of Lake Nona, a popular master-planned community. You don’t have to be a resident of the fast-growing development to enjoy some of its amenities, including:
- Lake Nona Town Center, restaurants and offices built around a walkable plaza
- Lake Nona Medical City, a cluster of research hospitals that employ thousands
- USTA National Campus, a tennis training center used by pros, college players and amateurs
- Narcoossee Road, a busy avenue lined with big-box stores and chain restaurants
- Nona Adventure Park, a lakeside attraction with obstacle courses and wakeboarding
A state-of-the-art campus at Innovation High School
Orange County Public Schools assigns students to specific schools, but they can transfer to any school in the district if there’s room. Teens in the neighborhood are zoned to Innovation High School, opened in 2024. The three-story campus was designed to be the prototype for future high schools the district builds. It’s equipped with a large auditorium, outdoor classrooms and facilities for career pathways, such as biomedical science and engineering.
Reaching Orlando International Airport, downtown and Disney World
There’s only one road in and out of Lake Mary Jane. That street, Moss Park Road, leads to Florida state Road 417, 5 miles away. Once you’re on the toll road, you can reach destinations such as:
- Orlando International Airport, 15 miles away
- Downtown Orlando, 25 miles away
- SeaWorld Orlando, 25 miles away
- Walt Disney World Resort, 30 miles away
- Universal Orlando Resort, 30 miles away
