Wildwood

The sound of nail guns popping and hammers pounding tells the story of Oxford, where new subdivisions are filling up all undeveloped land. “It is definitely up and coming,” says Kelsie Brennan, a local Realtor with Brennan & Bell Group. “It’s growing at a rapid pace.” This area is a draw for families, Brennan says, who can find a modern house while enjoying some of the commercial and social amenities of The Villages, a sprawling community next door that’s restricted to those 55 and over. While there’s plenty of new construction to go around, prices are still relatively affordable. The Lakeshore subdivision, for example, offers recently built cottage-style homes in the 1,000-square-foot range that sell for between $200,000 and $300,000. Those looking for something bigger can pick from new developments like Lakeside Landings and Oxford Oaks, where single-family homes often sell for $300,000 to $500,000. Lakeside Landings also has some condos with prices comparable to the single-family houses in Lakeshore, as well as sections designated for those aged 55-plus. Lakeside Landings is gated as well. “It’s very private, very secure,” says Brennan, whose team specializes in the Central Florida area. Developments like Lakeside Landings and Oxford Oaks come complete with community amenities like playgrounds and pools. Oxford’s Sumter Crossing development offers more luxury listings, with modern homes pushing over 3,000 and 4,000 square feet on multi-acre lots and priced around $1 million. There’s more construction bubbling in the area, too, including a neighborhood off the thoroughfare of U.S. Route 301 dubbed Whispering Oaks that Brennan estimates will bring another couple thousand homes. The Sumter County School District serves students in Oxford, a system with an A-minus overall grade on Niche. Kids can participate in the music program at B-rated Wildwood Elementary, one that could earn them the opportunity to take part in the All-County Music Showcase. Then they can choose from a range of elective course options at Wildwood Middle High, a B-minus-rated school that teaches Grades 6 to 12. The available classes include everything from IT and Web Design to Agricultural Science. The A-rated Villages Charter School is another no-cost option for some students in the area, open to those whose parents or guardians work for a Villages-affiliated company. Villages Charter includes kindergarten through 12th grade and its high school includes the Advanced Studies Academy, which offers the chance to earn credits toward an associate degree. Interstate 75 cuts through the neighborhood, giving locals easy access to the rest of the region. Route 301 carries commuters north and south, and is dotted with a commercial amenities. Sumter County Road 466, meanwhile, takes people straight into The Villages and is thick with restaurants and more. Besides neighborhood-specific amenities like the fitness room at Lakeside Landings and the tennis and basketball courts at Oxford Oaks, people in this area can enjoy Oxford Park, which has a ball diamond, a playground and pickleball courts. Those looking to stretch their legs a bit more can venture to the Half Moon Wildlife Management Area, a 9,554-acre green space with miles of trails. The park is open to hunting (depending on the season) and fishing. But some anglers prefer Lake Miona Park, which has a pier and boat dock. Oxford is largely residential, but it is home to award-winning Whispering Oaks Winery. “It’s kind of neat on weekends,” Brennan says. “They have events and they have Steak Night.” Steak Night is a popular draw on both Friday and Saturday nights, when the kitchen here pumps out ribeyes, filet medallions and more. Events at Whispering Oaks include live music, on Thursday evenings. Many in Oxford go to The Villages for dining, though. Sumter County Road 466 in The Villages offers a wide variety of chain restaurants, from Golden Corral to Bonefish Grill. There are also multiple grocery stores along 466, including Walmart, Publix and The Fresh Market. The Villages includes multiple community squares, which are known for their nightly programming that’s open to the public. People in Oxford can scoot over to spots like Spanish Springs Town Square, Lake Sumter Landing Market Square and Brownwood Paddock Square for regular free concerts, car shows and more. People in the area also enjoy Junk in the Trunk, a series of community yard sales on the first Saturday of each month at Brown & Brown Farms, a local institution that comes complete with a country store offering all sorts of fresh foods.

In Sumterville, U.S. Route 301 tells the story of an evolving community. What used to be a lonely stretch of highway in this rural pocket of Sumter County is now so heavy with traffic that it takes five minutes just to get on it. The area, long known for its wide-open acreage, is now attracting more people and new construction, in part because of the burgeoning selection of nearby jobs. “What actually drew people years ago is not the same thing that’s drawing people now,” says Leslie Strickland, a local realtor with Florida Realty Investments who grew up in this area. “What’s drawing people now is trying to get out of the bigger urban areas." There are still quite a few established homes around the Sumterville area, some of which date back to the mid-20th century and sit on several acres. But area growth, including the establishment of the 424-acre Governor Rick Scott Industrial Park, is drawing new residents. The park, open since 2020, is already home to several companies and is a key part of a larger economic corridor in the region that is expected to add a total of 20,000 jobs. One of the catalysts of the job growth is to support The Villages, a rapidly growing 55-and-up community nearby. “I think people are going to move there who work in The Villages,” says Robyn Cavallaro, a local Realtor with Florida Realty Investments. “The largest growing population are the over-55 communities. I know they’ve got a lot of things that they’re building over there.” In turn, Sumterville is now home to a spate of new construction, welcoming the newcomers. Many of the available options here were built in the last several years and come with smaller lots, along sidewalk-lined suburban-style streets. As this community expands, listings are still available at relatively accessible prices — numbers often range between $200,000 and $500,000, though some of the bigger options with more acreage can creep up toward $800,000. Sumter District Schools serves the area and earns an A-minus on Niche. The music program at the B-plus-rated Lake Panasoffkee Elementary gives students the opportunity to participate in the area’s all-county music concert and the all-state chorus. Agriculture is big here, so it is not surprising that South Sumter Middle and South Sumter High both offer elective courses on the subject. Both schools earn a B on Niche. Sumterville also includes one of four Lake-Sumter State College locations, on a 40-acre site where students can take classes toward associate degrees in things like business administration and computer science. This community is situated right at the heart of the state and, as rural as it still is, it’s close to the amenities of surrounding areas. Strickland says people here can reach cities like Bushnell in about 10 minutes, via Route 301. Route 301 is a connection to the amenities of The Villages as well. Also, Sumter County Road 470 links people here with Interstate 75 for trips through the rest of the region. Sumterville residents can make the quick drive down to Bushnell to enjoy popular restaurants like Odd Cuples Cafe, which is a hit for breakfast. The Villages has a lot to offer in terms of restaurants as well, says Cavallaro, who lives there. That list includes the Metro Diner, beloved for its chicken and waffles. Locals can also grab groceries and other essentials close by at spots like the Publix in The Village and the Walmart in Bushnell, both only about 8 miles away. Sumterville has its own park at the center of the community, complete with a community center that features meeting rooms and a kitchen area. The park offers a playground and covered picnic area as well. Bushnell offers more outdoor fun, including the 30-acre Kenny Dixon Sports Complex, full of multipurpose fields, baseball and softball diamonds, tennis courts and even a skate park. One of the stalwarts of the annual calendar in this area is the Sumter County Fair, which takes place over the course of more than a week in early March. The fair dates back to 1955. Strickland has fond memories of going to it as a kid, and it’s still a hit. The fair features everything from live music and comedy to a renowned livestock show.

Home to a popular recreation center and a pair of executive golf courses, the Village of Belvedere is an active neighborhood conveniently located in the heart of The Villages, Central Florida’s premier 55-plus destination. Whether by foot, bike or golf cart, residents enjoy quick and easy access to a core of recreational amenities for which the master-planned community is known. “One thing you have to remember is that when people come to Florida and target an area where they want to live, a lot of them want that younger lifestyle,” says Donna Hines, a Realtor with Re/MAX Premier Realty and Villages resident. “They don’t want to just grow old before their time.” The Pimlico Recreation Center, named after the racetrack that hosts the Preakness Stakes Triple Crown race, offers a quaint setting for neighbors to horse around or just enjoy a relaxing day by the pool. Billiards, card games and dance classes are popular indoor activities, while pickleball, shuffleboard and bocce can be contested on outdoor courts. While no one under 19 is allowed to reside in The Villages, children are welcome throughout the community and often can be found immersed in activity at the community’s recreation centers. The nearby Saddlebrook Recreation Center offers several Camp Villages programs designed around activities for residents and their grandchildren ages 3-16. Adjacent to the neighborhood’s rec center are the Pimlico and Churchill Greens 9-hole courses. The Pimlico course is known for its level of difficulty as water comes into play on most holes. New greens, tees and fairways were added to the Churchill Greens course during a renovation in the fall of 2023. More than 40 9-hole courses in the community are connected by the executive golf trail. More than 50 golf courses total are available to any resident who pays a $195 monthly amenities fee. That fee also includes access to more than 3,000 clubs and social activities. “One of the great things here is that if you can’t find a club that interests you, you can start your own club and The Villages will back you,” Hines says. The neighborhood also is conveniently located next to one of the community’s five softball complexes. The Buffalo Glen facility holds evaluations every Tuesday morning during the season for men and women interested in competing. The County Road 466 commercial corridor is just blocks away from the neighborhood. It provides access to grocery shopping options that include Publix and Fresh Market and big-name retailers such as Walmart, Home Goods and Bealls. Chains such as Bonefish Grill and Starbucks populate the corridor, but more diverse dining and shopping options can be found at Lake Sumter Landing, a buzzy waterfront destination that is the most popular of the community’s town squares. It is less than 5 miles away via County Road 466 and can be accessed via golf cart. Residents can shop and dine in the shadow of a lake that hums with the activity of guided tours, kayak floats and dragon boat races. The square’s several dozen stores include Barnes & Noble and many independent boutique shops. Dining options are anchored by several waterfront restaurants, including Lighthouse Point Bar & Grill. Residents can catch a movie at Epic Theaters Old Mill Playhouse and enjoy live music 365 nights a year. Belvedere offers a variety of single-family housing options. One- and two-bedroom patio villas start in the mid-$200,000s, while larger courtyard villas typically list for around $300,000. Ranch-style and contemporary model homes make up the bulk of traditional single-family housing. The typical dwelling offers three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with standard features that include an attached garage and a spacious front yard. Prices generally range from the mid-$300,000s to around $600,000. Homes on the higher end usually offer golf course views. There are no sidewalks, but a network of paved paths allows for travel by foot, bike and golf cart. A bond payment that goes toward funding the upkeep of infrastructure is typically required of homeowners, although many are paid off before or at the time of sale. One of the potential drawbacks to living in The Villages is traffic, as the community covers almost 60 square miles and has almost 150,000 residents. Residents can alleviate some of that by traveling in their golf carts. There’s even an app that helps guide them through the community. Hines says a trip from one end of The Villages to the other takes about two hours. “I’ll do that sometimes just to be adventurous and see what’s happening with new developments,” she adds. “I love the privilege of being able to travel by golf cart – when it’s not 900 degrees out.” For car travel, Belvedere Boulevard provides easy access in and out of the neighborhood and connects to County Road 466, which leads to U.S. Highway 441 and Interstate 75. The former connects to Orlando about 60 miles southeast, and the latter connects to Tampa and other Gulf Coast cities further southwest. Orlando Sanford International Airport is a 45-mile drive. Both coasts are roughly 90 minutes away.

With a round of golf, a dip in the pool or a game of tennis always down the street, those who enjoy an active lifestyle might just find the Village of Buttonwood a good fit. This section of The Villages, a massive Central Florida 55-and-over community, comes with multiple ways to enjoy fresh air. Plus, it's a quick trip away from a pair of the development’s town squares, both loaded with restaurants and shopping. “Buttonwood would be located almost equidistant between two of the most popular town squares, Lake Sumter Landing and Brownwood Paddock Square,” says Anthony Filone, a local Realtor with RE/MAX Premier Realty. “So, the convenience factor to get to the daily and nightly entertainment would be a major plus.” The houses here were built in the early 2010s, so they are a bit newer than most of the homes in the community. There are a variety of options, too, from villas and cottages under 1,200 square feet to Mediterranean-style homes pushing up to almost 2,500 square feet. The homes come with garages and sit on lots that range from just under one-tenth of an acre to just over one-fifth of an acre. Some properties sit along portions of the area’s golf courses. Homes under 1,400 square feet sell for between $255,000 and $355,000, while those over 1,400 square feet go for between $400,000 and $900,000, depending on their proximity to the golf course. At least one person in each of The Villages’ households must be at least 55 years old and no full-time residents can be under 19. The Village of Buttonwood includes access to three of The Villages’ nine-hole executive golf courses: Redfish Run, Tarpon Boil and Bonita Pass. Residents across The Villages enjoy free access to the development’s executive circuits when they walk the course and pay just a $4 fee per round to use a cart. Rick McKean, a local Realtor with Realty Executives in The Villages, says he believes the three courses in the Buttonwood area are quite challenging, too. “It’s a golfer's delight to live in that area,” says McKean, who has more than 25 years of real estate experience. Those not in the mood for golf can stop by the Fish Hawk Recreation Center, where there’s a sizable pool, tennis and pickleball courts, several pool tables and more. This neighborhood is only about 5 miles from Lake Sumter Landing Market Square and Brownwood Paddock Square, which aside from their commercial amenities are each known for hosting live music every day at 5 p.m. Both are packed with places to eat and shops to explore, organized in similar walkable, downtown-inspired layouts. People can head to Brownwood to peruse spots like The Spice & Tea Exchange and The Rustic Rose, a home goods store, before sitting down for a bite at Prima Italian Steakhouse or Harvest Restaurant & Bar, whose shrimp and grits are popular. Lake Sumter Landing, meanwhile, offers places like Arden's Fine Jewelers and GarVino's Cigars, Fine Wine & Gifts, where there’s both a wine bar and a cigar lounge. Eateries there include RJ Gator's Florida Sea Grill & Bar and Redsauce, an Italian restaurant whose brunch is well-liked. Also, the Buttonwood area comes complete with a Publix and Lake Sumter Landing has a Winn-Dixie. A lot of the Village of Buttonwood’s amenities, including the Fish Hawk Recreation Center and the three executive golf courses, are within walking distance for many. Golf carts are a preferred method of transportation for people, too, whether it’s to enjoy the neighborhood conveniences or to head to one of the town squares — cart lanes and paths on main roads make it easier. The Village of Buttonwood is also only about 10 miles from Interstate 75, a connection to the rest of the region, including Tampa, about 80 miles away.