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.

Royal is a slice of Wildwood whose roots have remained planted as the surrounding areas evolve. This area is entrenched with established homes and residents, all in a rustic setting where spacious lots are the norm. It feels a world away from the region’s rapidly growing retirement community, The Villages. Yet residents here have all of The Villages’ many commercial amenities at arm’s reach. Most of the houses in Royal were built in the late 20th century or early 21st century. The common denominator is land. Whether it’s a lot just under an acre or a farm stretching dozens of acres, residents here get at least a little space to themselves. This is very much a working-class community, says Ricky Harper, a local Realtor with ERA Grizzard Real Estate. “Probably second and third generations still living here,” says Harper, a central Florida native. “Not a lot of development. It’s pretty quiet.” Options here can sell for prices from $300,000 to $600,000, depending on factors like acreage. Kids in Royal attend public schools in the Sumter District, which carries an A-minus grade on Niche. They can participate in a music program at the B-rated Wildwood Elementary that can pave the way for them to participate in the All-County Music Showcase. Then they head down the road to Wildwood Middle High for grades 6 to 12, a B-minus-rated school with elective classes in topics like coding and agricultural science. People who live in Royal can use stretches like Sumter County Road 466 to reach The Villages, a 57-square mile, amenity-packed 55-and-over community, in a trip of just under 10 miles. Locals can also hop on Interstate 75 in a matter of just a couple of miles via Florida State Road 44 for commutes north and south through the rest of the region. State Road 44 is also a link to the nearby city of Leesburg, which draws people in part for its restaurants. Royal and other nearby communities like Sumterville and Adamsville sit on the outskirts of The Villages, which at 57 square miles and some 132,000 residents is the largest retirement community in the world. “They’re all basically suburbs for The Villages,” says Robyn Cavallaro, a local Realtor with Florida Realty Investments and a resident of The Villages. The Villages is packed with chain eateries and big box stores aplenty, from Olive Garden to Culver’s and from Publix to Marshalls, all within about 7 miles of Royal. And while Royal itself is primarily residential, there are multiple houses of worship right within the community, including Ebenezer AME Church, Second Bethel Baptist Church and New Life Center Ministry. Royal residents looking to get some fresh air have to look no further than Royal Park, a 5-acre space right in the middle of the community. This park comes with not just outdoor amenities like a playground, softball diamond and walking track, but also a community building that includes meeting rooms and a kitchen facility. The park is located on the site of a former school by the same name, which was active from 1874 until the early 1970s. A plaque in the park recognizes the history of the school and of the community, which was founded by former slaves in 1865 and is considered to be among the oldest Black communities across the state. With a spot in the city of Wildwood, those in Royal can take advantage of the assortment of events the city organizes. A Fourth of July celebration is among them, a jam-packed day at the Wildwood Community Center with food, games, a beer garden, music and fireworks. The community center also hosts a Back to School Bash in late July with a school supply giveaway and a Family Fun Day in August with water soakers, a water slide and more.

In Rutland, quiet is the best sound. This section of Sumter County is for people who prefer expansive lots and privacy over jam-packed suburban neighborhoods. It’s also a haven for those who enjoy nature, with both the Withlacoochee River and the 9,554-acre Half Moon Wildlife Management Area right in residents’ backyards. “People can go hiking there, hunting there and horseback riding,” says Patricia Mountain, a local Realtor with RE/MAX Foxfire Realty. The wide-open property in Rutland creates the setting for a mix of custom homes, many built after the turn of the 21st century. There are Colonial Revival-style options, manufactured homes, ranch-style houses and cottages, on at least 5 acres in many cases. Sometimes that property is utilized for horse ranches and there are some farms in the area as well. “It’s a big variety of people,” says Mountain, who has 13 years of experience. “I think it’s getting more popular. So people are buying there and taking down old [mobile homes] and building new homes.” Part of the reason the area has attracted more interest is because, as rustic as it is, it’s still less than 20 miles from the myriad commercial amenities of The Villages, an expansive retirement community in the region. Price tags in Rutland often fall between $200,000 and $400,000. Kids in Rutland are covered by the Sumter County School District, a system with an A-minus rating on Niche. Younger students can start at either the B-plus-rated Lake Panasoffkee Elementary or the B-rated Wildwood Elementary depending on where they live — both come with music programs that provide kids with the opportunity to perform in the All-County Music Showcase. Students can then take advantage of athletics programs ranging from golf to track & field at the B-plus-rated South Sumter Middle before exploring entrance to academies focused on topics like agriscience and business at B-rated South Sumter High. Or, depending on their address, they can progress to the B-minus-rated Wildwood Middle High, which includes grades 6 to 12 and electives ranging from digital design to agricultural science. Florida State Road 44 is the main thoroughfare running through Rutland, an artery residents can use to access the attractions of area communities like The Village and Inverness. State Road 44 also links locals with Interstate 75, convenient for commutes farther away — Tampa is an 80-mile trip on 75. Rutland residents are often inclined to head west to Inverness for dining. That city is loaded with well-liked and locally-owned restaurants. “That area’s definitely getting more popular,” Mountain says. She adds that Stumpknockers is one of the spots people really like, a seafood restaurant that stands out in part for its catfish and its gator. Those looking to stay closer to home can hop over to Fisherman’s Cove, located by a sliver of the Withlacoochee River and popular for its grouper. People here also go to The Villages, the largest 55-and-over community in the world and an area filled with chain restaurants, from IHOP to Bonefish Grill. The Villages has multiple grocery stores, too, including Walmart, Publix and The Fresh Market. Just beyond the residential sections of Rutland is Half Moon Wildlife Management Area, a sprawling space that can appease all sorts of outdoor enthusiasts. Half Moon has two dozen miles of trails for hiking, biking and more. “It’s pretty popular for horseback riders,” Mountain says. Other sections of this area are open to hunting at certain times and anglers can cast a line into one of the 15 ponds here to catch bass or catfish. Paddlers can toss a kayak into the water for a trip along the Withlacoochee River. The Withlacoochee River is also well-liked among pontoon and airboaters and even jet skiers, who can utilize the ramp at nearby Rutland Park. The river stretches 141 miles, offering hours and hours of boating opportunity. Inverness isn’t just an attraction for good eats, but also for community events. The city hosts a range of festivals and gatherings, including Patriotic Evening, a concert and fireworks show for the Fourth of July. There’s also an annual St. Patrick's Parade and Festival with food, costume contests and more. People can enjoy Third Fridays on a more regular basis, a car cruise and local business showcase that takes place on the third Friday of each month.

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.