{"id":2162,"date":"2020-08-11T10:35:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-11T14:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/?p=2162"},"modified":"2020-08-15T10:38:33","modified_gmt":"2020-08-15T14:38:33","slug":"should-you-invest-in-a-master-planned-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/should-you-invest-in-a-master-planned-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Invest in a Master-Planned Community?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When you hear \u201cmaster-planned communities,\u201d do you think of cookie-cutter homes located out in the boonies? Well, think again! Today\u2019s master-planned communities (MPCs) are anything but sterile, and builders of these communities are aware of the facilities that potential buyers are looking for within their gates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this Article:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/should-you-invest-in-a-master-planned-community\/#Whats_So_Great_About_Master-Planned_Communities_Anyway\" >What\u2019s So Great About Master-Planned Communities Anyway?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/should-you-invest-in-a-master-planned-community\/#Master-Planned_Communities_Are_Thriving_Throughout_Florida\" >Master-Planned Communities Are Thriving Throughout Florida<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/should-you-invest-in-a-master-planned-community\/#Act_Fast_MPC_Deals_Are_Snapped_Up_Quickly\" >Act Fast! MPC Deals Are Snapped Up Quickly<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_So_Great_About_Master-Planned_Communities_Anyway\"><\/span>What\u2019s So Great About Master-Planned Communities Anyway?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most MPCs provide security and safety. The majority are gated and have 24-hour guards stationed at the entrance gate and patrolling the neighborhood. Many MPCs are also located well away from commercial and industrial areas, allowing for some\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/micro-term-rentals-micro-pods-are-the-next-big-thing-heres-why\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"coveted peace and quiet (opens in a new tab)\">coveted peace and quiet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Master-planned communities used to offer traditional country club amenities, but both moving into the 21st century and an increase in millennials buying in these communities has brought about change.&nbsp;<strong>MPCs now offer stand-alone spas, mega gyms, dedicated business centers, swimming pools, and even cycling and hiking trails.&nbsp;<\/strong>Many still have beautiful golf courses, which cater to an older community. Honestly, what\u2019s not to love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re worried about how your home will look, there\u2019s good news \u2014 homes in MPCs can be customized. It&#8217;s a myth that they have to bought \u201cas seen,\u201d which can be off-putting for potential homeowners and investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Homebuilders offer potential owners a variety of ways to design their own landscaping and allow them to choose interior and exterior paint colors, roofing, and flooring. These choices set the home apart from the neighbors\u2019. Most communities have anti-monotony codes that builders comply with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Living in an MPC is similar to living in a small city,&nbsp;<strong>with many offering easily accessible shops, restaurants, and business centers<\/strong>. Some MPCs even offer nursing and clinical care. Everything is on your doorstep, so you can spend more time on your hobbies and less time on traffic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Master-Planned_Communities_Are_Thriving_Throughout_Florida\"><\/span>Master-Planned Communities Are Thriving Throughout Florida<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rclco.com\/publication\/the-top-selling-master-planned-communities-of-mid-year-2020\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Data from real estate advisory firm RCLCO (opens in a new tab)\">Data from real estate advisory firm RCLCO<\/a>\u00a0states that many Florida MPC sales improved in the first half of 2020. Community sales are up 40% or more, so purchasing a home to live in or as an investment is a good strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find an abundance of master-planned communities in Florida. One of the top MPCs in the area is\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"The Villages (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Marion-County-The-Villages-FL\" target=\"_blank\">The <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevillages.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Villages (opens in a new tab)\">Villages<\/a>, located in <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Marion-County\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Marion County (opens in a new tab)\">Marion County<\/a>, Central Florida. It used to sell 5,000 homes per year but is now down to 2,000. There\u2019s still a demand for more properties to be built there, but they are simply running out of land!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lakewood Ranch\u00a0is the number-one best-selling community in the nation and has been for the past nine years. It is located in <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Manatee-County\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Manatee (opens in a new tab)\">Manatee<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Sarasota-County\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Sarasota (opens in a new tab)\">Sarasota<\/a> Counties and consists of approximately 31,000 acres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third fastest-selling MPC in Florida is\u00a0Wellen Park, also in the <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/coverage\/florida\/Sarasota-county\/Sarasota\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Sarasota (opens in a new tab)\">Sarasota<\/a> area. It sold 683 homes in the first half of 2020 and has a very diverse range of buyer categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/St.-Lucie-County-Port-Saint-Lucie-FL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Port St. Lucie (opens in a new tab)\">Port St. Lucie<\/a>,\u00a0The Tradition\u00a0community has seen a 62% increase in sales compared with the first half of 2019. The demographic of this community consists of families, empty nesters, and retirees. Mattamy Homes, a homebuilder for The Tradition, still has 7,500 homes left to build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<strong>It\u2019s about value. You can get a lot more for your money here, and more space, than you can in <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Palm-Beach-County\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Palm Beach County (opens in a new tab)\">Palm Beach County<\/a><\/strong>,\u201d said Dan Grosswald, president of Mattamy\u2019s Southeast Florida division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GL Homes&nbsp;has been actively developing a 55+ master-planned community adjacent to The Tradition. It is planning to build an 11,000-home community called Riverland. GL Homes sold over 700 homes in the first 12 months of marketing this development, which is an unprecedented volume for this type of market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGL Homes is developing a lifestyle program for our residents that is out of the movies,\u201d said Ryan Courson, vice president of GL Homes\u2019 St. Lucie division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Babcock Ranch\u00a0in <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Charlotte-County-Punta-Gorda-FL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Punta Gorda (opens in a new tab)\">Punta Gorda<\/a> is an MPC with an emphasis on energy and water conservation. Thanks to its solar arrays, it is expected to generate more electricity than the community consumes. 230 homes were already reported sold in the first six months of 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lake Nona, called \u201cthe Future of Cities\u201d by\u00a0<em>Fortune\u00a0<\/em>magazine, ranks among the fastest-growing communities in America. Located near <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Orange-County-Orlando-FL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Orlando (opens in a new tab)\">Orlando<\/a> International Airport, this MPC is built on healthy living, sustainability, and integrated technology. Lake Nona is 17 square miles, with a projected ten million square feet of residential and commercial development over the next ten years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Juan Santos, senior vice president of Tavistock Development Company, says, \u201cLake Nona is a really unique environment. It\u2019s a master-designed community that is created with the idea of a frictionless environment where people can truly thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Act_Fast_MPC_Deals_Are_Snapped_Up_Quickly\"><\/span>Act Fast! MPC Deals Are Snapped Up Quickly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some homebuilders are now offering deals to lure in new buyers.\u00a0Neal Communities, based on Florida\u2019s west coast, will waive closing costs of up to $18,000 on 80 of its homes that are ready for sale or are currently under construction. Three builders in <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Palm-Beach-County-Wellington-FL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Wellington (opens in a new tab)\">Wellington<\/a> are offering discounts in an \u201cagrihood\u201d planned community called\u00a0Arden, which consists of a five-acre working farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a buyer\u2019s opportunity to get a great price,\u201d says Susan Moguel, Arden\u2019s marketing director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A note of caution: It\u2019s important to realize that homes in these communities could be a long- term hold;&nbsp;<strong>many MPCs take several decades to develop and unlock their full potential<\/strong>. They can be difficult to put a value on using traditional ROI methods. MPCs may be a good investment for rental income, but you would have to check with the community\u2019s HOA on rental rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even with these drawbacks, a master-planned community has some appealing advantages for long-term investors and is a unique real estate business model. If you choose to go the MPC route, make sure to conduct due diligence and save yourself from headaches down the road!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you hear \u201cmaster-planned communities,\u201d do you think of cookie-cutter homes located out in the boonies? Well, think again! Today\u2019s master-planned communities (MPCs) are anything but sterile, and builders of these communities are aware of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[130,58,69,144,192,25,213,67],"class_list":["post-2162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate-investing-articles","tag-construction","tag-due-diligence","tag-florida","tag-hoa","tag-investors","tag-land","tag-millennials","tag-real-estate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2162"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2166,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions\/2166"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}