The Villages · Sumter / Lake / Marion Counties, FL

The Villages Real Estate — 55+ Active-Adult Relocation Hub in Central Florida

The Villages is a master-planned 55+ active-adult community — restricted under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA) to households with at least one occupant aged 55 or older — spanning three counties north of Orlando. Four product tiers cover the inventory: Patio Villas, Courtyard Villas, Designer Series, and Premier homes, with medians running $340K–$480K on the Villa-and-Designer side and $500K–$1M+ on the Designer-Premier custom side. Three town squares, 700+ holes of golf, and golf-cart-first community design.

Last verified May 2026 · Market data: tri-county MLS and The Villages new-construction price sheets

Villa / Designer median
$340K–$480K
Premier segment
$500K–$1M+
Days on market
40–70 days
Airport
MCO (~75 min)

Looking at The Villages from out of state?

Tell us your originating state, budget, and which tier you have in mind — Patio Villa, Courtyard Villa, Designer Series, or Premier. Beth or Griff will route you into the Villages referral network and stay in the loop on your search, district shortlist, and closing timeline. The Villages is outside our direct day-to-day service area, so referral partners do the on-the-ground showings; the relocation framework stays the same.

How The Villages is organized — town squares, districts, and home tiers

The Villages does not have neighborhoods in the traditional sense. It has Districts (each one a CDD with its own infrastructure), and it is anchored by three Town Squares — Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing, and Brownwood Paddock Square — that act as the social and retail hubs. Four home tiers cut across the districts, and a few adjacency factors (golf-cart access, golf-front lots, themed lifestyle Villages) drive resale premiums. Six clusters cover the decisions buyers actually make.

Spanish Springs Town Square (original)

Resale $300K–$550K (Designer); Villas $260K–$360K

The first of the three town squares, opened 1990s; established mature landscaping, nightly entertainment, and the most paid-down bonds in the community.

Lake Sumter Landing Town Square

Resale $350K–$700K (Designer); Premier $700K–$1M+

The middle town square (mid-2000s build-out), waterfront-themed downtown, central golf-cart access to most of the original districts.

Brownwood Paddock Square

Resale $400K–$800K (Designer); Premier $800K–$1.2M+

The third town square (2012+ build-out), Western-ranch theme, gateway to the newer southern districts and Brownwood Hotel.

Newer southern districts (Fenney, Soaring Eagle, DeLuna)

New build $375K–$700K+ (Designer/Premier)

Post-2020 expansion south of SR 44 into Sumter and Marion counties — newest construction, current-code builds, full builder warranty, highest bond balances.

Home tier price bands (community-wide)

Patio $250K–$350K · Courtyard $300K–$400K · Designer $400K–$650K · Premier $700K–$1M+

Tier dictates lot size, maintenance scope, and which districts have inventory. The tier conversation drives the district shortlist, not the other way around.

Golf-cart corridors & lifestyle Villages

Premium varies by adjacency

Golf-cart-accessible homes (paths to a town square, golf course, or rec center without crossing a major road) carry a resale premium. Themed lifestyle Villages (equestrian-adjacent, pickleball-heavy, executive-golf-front) command similar adjacency premiums.

Why The Villages over other Central Florida markets?

The Villages is the largest age-restricted master-planned community in the United States. As a property classification, it is regulated under HOPA — at least one occupant per household must be 55 or older, and no permanent residents under 19. That classification is the structural difference versus open-age Central Florida markets like Orlando suburbs or Ocala: the entire community is built, zoned, and amenity-funded around the active-adult lifestyle, with three town squares hosting nightly entertainment, 50+ recreation centers, 700+ holes of golf, and a connected golf-cart path network spanning the developed footprint.

Pricing sits below Orlando metro and below most South Florida markets. Designer Series homes routinely transact in the low-to-mid $400Ks, where comparable Orange or Seminole County inventory crosses $500K. Marion and Sumter county property taxes are typically lower-millage than Orange or Lake. And the relocation math from high-tax originating states (Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts) is materially favorable once Florida residency and Homestead are established.

The trade-off is location: you are 75 minutes north of MCO, an hour-plus from Atlantic and Gulf coast beaches, and the community is intentionally self-contained. If you want walkable downtown urbanism or oceanfront, see our Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach hubs instead.

Run your own numbers

Florida Tax Savings Calculator · 2026

What would you actually save moving to Florida?

Real bracket math against your origin state plus Florida county property tax with Homestead Exemption and the Save Our Homes 3% cap applied. Adjust the inputs to see your year-one, five-year, and ten-year delta.

Home of The Villages; one of the lower effective rates in Central FL

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$
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$50,000 Homestead Exemption applied to assessed value before millage.

Estimated annual savings

$24,700

Year one, post-homestead. Refreshes live as you change inputs.

Illinois (current)

  • State income tax: $12,375
  • Property tax (2.27%): $17,025
  • Total annual: $29,400

Florida (Sumter County)

  • State income tax: $0 (no state income tax)
  • Property tax (0.94%): $4,700
  • Total annual: $4,700

5-year savings

$122K

10-year savings

$240K

Projections apply Florida's Save Our Homes 3% cap to FL property tax growth. Current-state taxes held flat for comparison — most high-tax states have been raising rates, so the real delta runs higher.

What else changes with this move from Illinois?+
  • ✦IL has the #2 effective property tax rate in the United States after NJ
  • ✦IL flat 4.95% income tax applies regardless of income
  • ✦IL estate tax has a $4M threshold (no portability, unlike federal)

Want this personalized?

Drop your email and Beth or Griff will follow up within 24 hours with an origin-specific breakdown — your real bracket, closing-cost estimate, and homestead filing timing.

Estimate only. Final tax depends on filing status, deductions, residency timing, and which counties you actually buy in. Always confirm with a CPA licensed in both states.

Full standalone calculator at /tax-savings-calculator with FAQ, methodology, and additional cross-links. Also grab the free 7-phase relocation checklist (printable PDF available).

How does an out-of-state Villages purchase actually come together?

Forty-five to sixty days from accepted offer to keys is typical. Most out-of-state buyers make one in-person scouting trip — often renting a Villages home for the week through the community's short-term rental program — to feel the three town squares, drive the golf-cart paths, and shortlist districts. Florida authorizes remote online notarization, so inspection, financing, title, and closing happen without flying back. What matters most on a Villages contract is pulling the real bond balance, current CDD maintenance assessment, current amenity fee, and the correct county TRIM tax notice — the headline list price alone doesn't tell you the full monthly carry.

Read about Florida Homestead, Save Our Homes & portability →

Read next

Coming from a specific state?

Tax, homestead, and closing

Other Florida markets we cover

The Villages real estate questions

What is the median home price in The Villages, FL in 2026?+
Single-family and villa medians across The Villages run roughly $340,000 to $480,000 depending on home tier, district, and resale-versus-new. Designer Series homes — the larger detached single-family product — typically transact in the $400K to $650K range. Premier homes (the largest custom segment) routinely cross $700K and can reach $1M+ on golf-front or premium-lot resales. Courtyard Villas and Patio Villas, the attached lower-maintenance product, generally trade from the high $200Ks into the high $300Ks. Days on market are running roughly 40 to 70 days, with newer districts to the south selling faster than older inventory in the original Spanish Springs area.
What's the difference between Designer, Premier, Villa, and Patio home tiers in The Villages?+
Four product tiers cover almost everything that transacts in The Villages. Patio Villas are the entry tier — compact detached homes on small zero-lot-line parcels with shared maintenance, often in the $250K to $350K range. Courtyard Villas step up — still attached or zero-lot, but with private courtyard space and more square footage, typically $300K to $400K. Designer Series homes are the workhorse — detached single-family on standard lots with a wide range of floor plans, $400K to $650K. Premier homes are the custom top tier — larger lots, golf or water frontage, higher-end finishes, $700K to $1M+. The tier you target dictates which districts have inventory and which monthly amenity and bond figures apply.
Is The Villages a good fit for buyers relocating from the Northeast or Midwest?+
It is one of the highest-volume out-of-state relocation destinations in Florida, and the relocation playbook from Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts is well-worn. Orlando International (MCO) is about 75 minutes south by car with direct service to almost every major Northeast and Midwest hub on JetBlue, Spirit, Southwest, United, Delta, and American. Combined with Florida's zero state income tax, the Homestead Exemption, and Save Our Homes portability if you previously homesteaded in Florida, the relocation math is materially favorable versus Illinois, New York, and New Jersey property and income tax stacks. Beth and Griff route Villages buyers through their referral network — see the closing question below.
How do CDD, bond, and amenity fees actually work in The Villages?+
Three separate line items show up on a Villages closing statement and monthly budget. The bond is a one-time infrastructure assessment tied to the lot — it can be paid off at closing or amortized over 20 to 30 years on the annual tax bill, and the remaining balance is disclosed before contract. The CDD (Community Development District) maintenance assessment funds ongoing district-level infrastructure and is billed annually on the property tax bill. The amenity fee is a monthly charge (roughly $190 to $200 in 2026, contractually indexed to CPI) that funds the recreation centers, pools, and community programming — it is paid per household, not per resident, and it transfers with the property. We always pull the actual bond balance, CDD assessment, and current amenity fee on every property before contract; the listing sheet alone is not enough.
New construction vs resale in The Villages — which makes sense?+
New construction in The Villages is built by The Villages itself in newer districts to the south (Fenney, Soaring Eagle, DeLuna, and the latest expansion areas). You get the newest finishes, current-code construction, full builder warranty, and you choose the lot and plan — but you pay close to retail, the bond is at its highest, and you wait for build-out. Resale gives you negotiation leverage, a partially or fully paid-off bond on many older homes, mature landscaping, and immediate occupancy — but you inherit roof, HVAC, and appliance age. The deciding factor is usually whether you want a specific district (the three town squares have very different feels) and whether you can wait. We model both paths side-by-side on every Villages search.
How do property taxes work across Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties?+
The Villages spans three counties — Sumter (the original and largest portion), Lake (eastern districts), and Marion (newer northern districts). Each county has its own millage rate and its own property appraiser, so two nearly identical homes a mile apart can have meaningfully different annual tax bills. Sumter County has historically been the lowest-millage of the three for Villages addresses; Marion and Lake vary by district and school millage. The Homestead Exemption ($50,000 off assessed value) and the Save Our Homes 3% annual assessment cap apply uniformly across all three counties once you establish Florida residency. We pull the actual TRIM notice for any property we're seriously evaluating rather than rely on Zillow's tax estimate.
How long does a remote purchase typically take for an out-of-state Villages buyer?+
Forty-five to sixty days from accepted offer to keys is typical, and Florida authorizes remote online notarization so most out-of-state buyers make one in-person scouting trip (often two to four days, since the community is large and the three town squares feel very different) and then handle inspection, financing, title, and closing remotely. Many buyers rent a Villages home for a week first — short-term rentals through The Villages itself are common — and use that week to tour districts, drive the golf-cart paths, and shortlist before going under contract. The remote-buying mechanics are the same playbook documented for our Broward market — adapted for the bond / CDD / amenity disclosures specific to The Villages.
Does Beth & Griff actually work The Villages deals?+
Beth and Griff are licensed Florida Realtors at VantaSure Realty, primary day-to-day in Broward and Palm Beach. The Villages sits in North Central Florida — outside their direct service area — so Villages transactions are routed through their vetted referral network of agents who live and transact in The Villages and the surrounding tri-county area. You get the same intake conversation, the same out-of-state relocation framework, and Beth or Griff stay in the loop as your point of contact; the on-the-ground showings, district expertise, and contract work are handled by the referral partner.

Ready to look at The Villages?

Tell us your originating state, budget, and which tier you keep coming back to — Patio Villa, Courtyard Villa, Designer Series, or Premier. Beth or Griff will set the intake, hand you to a vetted Villages referral partner for showings and contract work, and stay in the loop until closing.

Last verified May 2026 · Direct: 954-300-1057