Orange County community close to highways and Orlando amenities
Southchase is a primarily residential community in Orange County about 20 miles outside downtown Orlando. “It’s the heart of south Orlando, so to speak. Almost every highway is close,” says Realtor Melissa Lamenza of La Rosa Realty, who has over a decade of experience selling homes in the metro. Carmelo Nuccio, a Re/Max Realtor with almost two decades of experience, agrees. “The only thing is the traffic,” he says, observing Disney World and Universal Studios congestion as the only downside to Southchase’s otherwise convenient location near U.S. Route 441, Florida’s Turnpike and State Road 417. “There is traffic, but you can hop on a different highway easily from here and save some time, depending on where you’re going, whether you work in Lake Nona, at the airport, or in Downtown Orlando or even Kissimmee,” Lamenza says.
Orlando has grown from a citrus town to a city of 334,000 residents.
Lake Nona is a popular hub for locals in the greater Orlando area.
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Competitive home prices in suburban Orange County
“Southchase is for the families, the people with kids. It’s for all the people getting priced out of Orlando or moving away because Orlando doesn’t have a community feel,” Nuccio says. Neighborhoods like Whisper Lakes and Peppermill , where early 2000s-era single-family homes are neatly arranged in quiet cul-de-sacs, certainly have a suburban community vibe. So do subdivisions like Falcon Trace , where standalone New Traditionals and townhomes with tidy lawns are common. The median price for single-family homes is close to $435,000, while the townhome median is just under $300,000. Nuccio says these are “better prices” than in surrounding Orange County areas.
Lush green lawns add to the beauty of Falcon Trace.
Large arched entryways can be found on many traditional style homes in Southchase.
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Highly rated Orange County Public Schools
Orange County Public Schools earn an A-minus from Niche. The district serves over 200,000 students with an average student-teacher ratio of 21 to 1. Magnet programs are available at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Cypress Creek High, the assigned school for most of Southchase, has an International Baccalaureate program. Private options in the area include Raising Knowledge Academy and Montessori Way School. Neither have Niche ratings. Raising Knowledge Academy is a nondenominational Christian school for Kindergarten through 12th grades, while Montessori Way is a secular private school for pre-K through fourth.
Cypress Creek High School is an IB World School located in Southchase.
Montessori Way School is a highly sought after elementary school in Southchase.
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Bear Creek Recreation Complex and Big Hawk Lake Recreation Center nearby
Many neighborhoods in Southchase have small parks and playgrounds. The Big Hawk Recreation Center in Falcon Chase has an outdoor pool with a waterslide. Bear Creek Recreation Complex is a public rec center surrounded by Little League ball fields and a fishing area. Deputy Brandon Coates Community Park, another public greenspace, has a pavilion, playground and skate plaza.
Southchase residents love the skatepark at nearby Deputy Brandon Coates Park.
Cool off from the Florida heat at Big Hawk Recreation Center in Falcon Trace.
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Retailers, restaurants and entertainment in Lake Nona
The commercial corridor between Route 441 and Florida’s Turnpike is lined with national chain retailers and restaurants. Nearby Lake Nona Landing has more shopping and dining options. Lake Nona Town Center and Boxi Park host regular events, from open air concerts to art and film shows.
Head out to the Lake Nona Town Center and enjoy the variety of restaurants and retail.
The Lake Nona Home of the Brave event celebrates Veterans from all walks of life.
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Quick access to Route 441, Florida’s Turnpike and State Road 417
While LYNX bus stops are scattered throughout Southchase, the community is mainly car-dependent. Route 441 and Florida’s Turnpike are parallel highways connecting north into Orlando and south to Kissimmee. State Road 417, a bypass road around the City Beautiful, curves through southern Southchase. The Orlando International Airport is about 7 miles east, a 15-minute drive in light traffic. University of Central Florida’s Lake Nona Hospital and Nemours Children’s Hospital, big regional employers, are less than 7 miles east.
Weather and crime
The risk of hurricanes is lower in central Florida than on the coast. However, heavy rainfall can cause flooding, especially in the marshier parts of Southchase. Snow is rare here, and summers get hot and muggy.
Crime statistics for Southchase aren’t readily available.
Written By
Megan Quintin
Photography Contributed By
Rodrigo Betancor
Video By
Francisco de la Vera
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Falcon Trace, conveniently nestled between three major thoroughfares in the Orlando suburb of Kissimmee, is a cozy deed-restricted community populated by attractively priced contemporary housing in an exclusive waterfront setting. “The HOA here is really reasonable and there are community amenities like a tennis court, pool and walking trails,” says Daniel Araque, a local Realtor and broker with Keller Williams Legacy. “You also have proximity to the airport and lots of restaurants and shopping. It’s a great community all around.” Residents enjoy easy access to points of interest outside their exclusive community, including nearby Disney World and downtown Orlando less than 20 miles north.
An appealing collection of mid-sized single-story homes and larger multi-level builds populates the community’s subdivision-style streets. Private driveways and attached garages are standard features. Built primarily in the late 1990s and early 2000s, homes range from 1,700 to 3,200 square feet and are typically priced between $400,000 and $600,000-plus. “The appeal is the price point for the proximity,” says Rochelle Warriner of United Real Estate Preferred, who has been serving the Orlando-area market since 2019. The community takes pride in its residential aesthetic. Any architectural changes must be approved after a formal request is submitted. While lawns are small, they are well-kept, and trees provide additional curb appeal.
Young students can attend Endeavor Elementary, a B-plus-rated community school that offers both a gifted program and a dual language program. It has been honored for its contributions to community engagement with the Five-Star School and Golden School awards. Meadow Woods Middle is a B-minus-rated school with a strong sports program. Cypress Creek High is a B-rated school that offers the prestigious International Baccalaureate curriculum, Career and Technical Education program and Naval JROTC.
Recreational activity centers around the community pool at Big Hawk Recreation Center, which features a water slide. Located adjacent to the community’s largest body of water, it also includes a fishing pier, paved pathways, a tennis court and a basketball court. Residents also enjoy proximity to Bear Creek Recreation Complex, anchored by several ballfields. Additional activities include soccer and beach volleyball. The waterfront park is pet-friendly, provides a popular spot for picnics and hosts the annual Fish4Fun catch-and-release fishing tournament for kids 12 and under.
A Target in neighboring Hunters Creek provides a convenient shopping option, and a Walmart Supercenter anchors the Gateway Station Shopping Center along the Osceola Parkway commercial corridor south of the community’s residential pockets. Additional retail and a plethora of dining options are concentrated at the nearby Crosslands Shopping Center, including standout 4 Rivers Smokehouse.
Gatorland is a popular theme park located just blocks from the community. Visitors will find everything from babies to 14-foot adults to rare white alligators at the “Alligator Capital of the World.” There’s also a petting zoo for the gators, a free-flight aviary and animal shows. Add the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line and Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure and the park offers fun for all ages.
As attractions go, none are bigger than Disney World, and it’s just down the road. “You can hop on the 417 and be in Disney in minutes,” says Warriner of the theme park that is less than 10 miles west. The Central Business District and cultural attractions of downtown Orlando are about 20 miles north. The Orange Blossom Trail, the community’s western border, leads directly to Central Florida’s metropolitan center. For additional commutes into Orlando, residents can catch the train at Tupperware Station, located next to the Gateway Station Shopping Center. Orlando International Airport is not as easily accessible as Disney, but it’s only about 10 miles to the northeast. If that wasn’t enough, the Florida Turnpike, the community’s eastern border, leads to regional attractions such as Universal Orlando, Dr. Phillips’ Restaurant Row and Windermere, described by Warriner as “the Beverly Hills of Orlando.” Orlando International Airport is not as easily accessible as Disney, but it’s only about 10 miles to the northeast.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
