Orlando Acreage: Where to Buy With Privacy, Room or a Homestead
Privacy, room for a shop or a real homestead: each one points to a different corner of the Orlando map. Here is where Jared Jones would look, what land costs in each area, and the rules that decide what you can actually do with it.
Room for a garden, animals or a shop is what separates an acreage purchase from a big suburban lot, and zoning decides what you can actually do with the land.
What to Know
Orlando acreage at a glance
Know your buyer type. Privacy, acreage and homestead buyers fit different areas, from gated one-acre lots to five-acre agricultural parcels.
Price follows location. Jared saw five-acre tracts around $875,000 and up on the west side, around $325,000 in South Lake County and near $400,000 in St. Cloud and Kissimmee.
Rules decide the use. Zoning, rural boundaries, deed restrictions, protection areas and flood risk matter as much as the acreage.
Orlando acreage is not one market. A one-acre lot behind a gate in Windermere, a five-acre tract in Groveland and a homestead parcel in Geneva are three different purchases, with different prices, rules and commutes. In his latest Orlando Living video, Jared Jones, who went through this search himself when he looked for a multi-acre property, tours seven areas around the metro and matches each one to the kind of buyer it fits.
The prices in this guide come from Jared’s own review of recent sales on his maps, often a roughly 90-day window, so treat them as a snapshot rather than a forecast. They were not pulled for this article from MLS, and individual parcels vary a lot. If you are new to the region, start with how to choose where to live beyond the theme parks, then come back here for the land-specific details.
What kind of acreage buyer are you?
Jared sorts land buyers into three types, and the right area depends on which one you are: the privacy buyer, the acreage buyer and the homestead buyer.
- The privacy buyer wants space between homes, mature trees, maybe a gate or a lake, and still wants a city commute. This buyer usually has high standards for the house itself and does not want five acres of yard work, so think about an acre or so.
- The acreage buyer wants room to park an RV or a boat, add a shop or run a small business from home, with animals optional. Think two and a half to four acres and up. The pitfall here is deed restrictions and HOAs, which many subdivisions have even when they look rural.
- The homestead buyer wants horses, chickens, a small orchard or a garden. Jared is clear that he does not mean the property tax exemption here (that is a separate topic, covered in our guide on how to file for homestead exemption in Orange County). For this buyer, zoning is everything. Buying acreage does not automatically mean you can keep animals or add a second home.
Every stop below is tagged with the buyer type Jared thinks it fits, plus his redirect if it does not fit you.
On the west side, lakes and location drive land value, so buyers pay for what an acre sits next to, not just the dirt.
Windermere, Dr. Phillips and west Winter Garden: privacy at a premium
Stop one is for the privacy buyer with a big budget. On the west side you are paying for water and location more than for dirt.
Across Windermere, Dr. Phillips and the west Winter Garden pockets on Jared’s map, the median sale was about $1.76 million, 42% of the properties sold above $2 million, and the average ran about $447 per square foot. Vacant tracts of two to five acres ran from about $875,000 into the low $1 million range for raw land. Waterfront estates of one to five acres on streets around Lake Butler, Keene’s Pointe and Isleworth can run $4 million to $5 million and up, with some sales reaching eight figures.
Jared’s point is that the density of lakes, country clubs and planned neighborhoods is what drives land value here, along with minutes-away access to Disney, Restaurant Row, shopping and entertainment. Dr. Phillips still has small rural pockets of an acre here and there, and both Dr. Phillips and Windermere have gated, planned HOA communities with lots around three-quarters of an acre. The Butler Chain of Lakes is a big part of the draw. Many land purchases here also mean buying an older home that came with the lot, some refurbished and some not.
Out of Horizon West, the change can be sudden. Jared describes driving out of suburbia near Hamlin and straight into one-home-per-five-acre country, which is the Lake Avalon Rural Settlement in Winter Garden. Rural settlements like it are, in his words, dirt with rules protecting a way of life: agreements with the public that hold density down around your property. He also notes that some of those protections are now under pressure, which comes up again at stop six. For the bigger west-side picture, see our Winter Garden and Horizon West real estate hub.
Jared’s redirect: if you want animals and acreage for under about $800,000, this is the wrong stop. Look at South Lake County (stop three) or the south side (stop seven). In Windermere, he says, you are not paying for an acre, you are paying for what that acre sits next to.
Montverde and Bella Collina: hills, golf and acreage-light
Stop two splits in two: Bella Collina for the privacy buyer who wants a country club, and Montverde for what Jared calls acreage-light.
This area sits on the southwest shores of Lake Apopka, a little farther out from the dining and theme-park convenience of Windermere and Dr. Phillips. That does not make it cheaper. Montverde has a lot of half-acre to acre-and-a-half lots and some equestrian-style planned development, while Bella Collina layers a high-end golf club over larger home sites. What both share is something rare in Florida: hills. Nearby Sugarloaf Mountain rises a little over 300 feet and is the highest point on the Florida peninsula.
In Jared’s numbers, Bella Collina’s median sale over the period he pulled was about $3.02 million, roughly 70% of the homes there were built since 2023, and the vacant lot median was about $768,000 across 28 lot sales. Outside the gates, Montverde’s median was about $1.11 million, often for around an acre and a 3,000-square-foot house. Bella Collina covers about 1,900 acres around Lake Siena, with a Nick Faldo-designed golf course and a 75,000-square-foot clubhouse. Since it is largely a build market, you compete with new custom homes and there is not much resale. Montverde itself is small, with a population of about 1,650 in the 2020 census, and it is home to Montverde Academy and part of the Green Mountain Scenic Byway.
Jared flags club costs: he puts Bella Collina memberships at roughly $40,000 to $80,000 the last time he checked, plus community fees. Confirm current figures directly with the club. Redirect: if you want true homestead use with livestock, or you need a lower budget, this may be a near miss. Stop three is the better fit.
Rolling ground and elevation are rare in Florida, and they are part of what buyers pay for in the hills west of Orlando.
South Lake County: the most usable land per dollar on the west side
Stop three, around Clermont, Groveland and Howey-in-the-Hills, is for the acreage and homestead buyer who still wants to live on the west side.
Jared calls this the most usable land per dollar in the west. There is a lot of agricultural zoning and reasonable price points, and it is still the Orlando metro, not the middle of nowhere. In his review, the area’s median home price was about $795,000, and 37% of sales on an acre or more were under $700,000. He saw vacant five-acre tracts around $325,000, compared with about $900,000 for five acres only 20 minutes east. Out in Groveland he has seen ten-acre tracts priced toward that same five-acre number, and the farther out you go, the closer per-acre costs drop toward about $30,000. He also says taxes here were the lowest of any stop so far.
Each town feels different. Clermont is likely to cost the most per acre, Groveland feels bolted on to Clermont (its north side feels rural without being far out), and Howey-in-the-Hills feels the most rural, about 15 to 20 minutes off the turnpike. Jared describes the whole area as a hilly lake region that feels more laid back and less buttoned up. Read more in our guide to living in Clermont in 2026.
What to check: Lake County agricultural zoning commonly allows one home per five acres, but confirm setbacks and permitted uses for barns and animals on each parcel. In Howey-in-the-Hills and other growing pockets you may be building rather than remodeling, so budget for impact fees, a well, septic, a driveway and clearing. Commute is the other big factor. Jared warns that a home ten minutes down a county road can add 30 minutes a day just getting to the 429 or the turnpike and back. Redirect: privacy buyers with a daily commute should look at stop five, and buyers who want growth farther away should look at stop six.
The North Arc: Apopka, Sorrento, Mount Dora, Tavares and Astatula
Stop four is for the acreage and homestead buyer who wants a small-town feel and gently rolling ground, with infrastructure that is already in place.
Jared calls this the North Arc. It is a mix of rural identity and newer communities, with rolling hills that are not as tall as Clermont’s, and what he calls newly connected country: roads like State Road 46, US 441 and the parkways arrived before much of the suburbia did, which is unusual for Orlando. His medians: about $778,000 in Mount Dora, $729,000 in Tavares, $670,000 for Apopka homes on an acre or more, $580,000 in Sorrento and $542,000 in Astatula. Expect toll costs if you use the parkways a lot.
The buyer here trades being close to everything for a simpler, more tranquil feel, with Rock Springs, Kelly Park and the state parks nearby and downtown Mount Dora’s walkable lakefront for weekends. Watch for limits in Lake County’s Wekiva River protection area, and, as with the Green Swamp near Groveland, some protection areas restrict density to as little as one home per 20 acres, so a big parcel may not be buildable the way you expect. Growth is real, too. Jared mentions seeing a chart of about 1,700 units on the way in Sorrento, so verify what is planned near any parcel. See our Apopka, Florida 2026 guide.
Older homes on larger lots along a lakeside road, a common pattern in the rural pockets around Orlando.
The Markham Woods corridor: Longwood, Lake Mary and Heathrow
Stop five is almost entirely for the privacy buyer who commutes on I-4. It is not homestead territory.
This stretch runs from Longwood in the south through Lake Mary to west Sanford, with one-off properties of three to five acres under big trees alongside planned, often gated communities. It suits people working in the Lake Mary corporate offices or the north-side hospital corridor. In Jared’s data it was one of the fastest-selling areas on the map, about 25 days to contract, and nearly 90% of the homes sold with a private pool. The median sale was about $903,000 across the corridor, about $916,000 in Longwood and about $1.52 million in Lake Mary. Neighborhood medians he cited include about $980,000 in Wingfield Reserve, $1.2 million in Sweetwater Club, $1.76 million in Lake Markham Preserve and $1.78 million in Heathrow Woods. Wekiva Springs State Park sits right behind it, and yes, there are bears.
The median year built was 1987, which Jared reads as remodel territory unless you pay top dollar for a finished home. Check the roof, plumbing, electrical panel, pool equipment and, in some cases, septic. Our guide to the four-point inspection in Florida covers the basics. Many neighborhoods here have HOAs, which limits homestead-style uses, and rush hour on I-4 is a real factor. Redirect: if you want animals, go to stop six. If you want new construction, look at stop seven or back at stop two.
Geneva, Black Hammock, Chuluota and Lake Pickett: real land use, with rules that protect it
Stop six, in east Seminole and east Orange County, is for the true land-use buyer: homestead, acreage, a nursery or livestock.
Black Hammock has an open prairie feel just outside Oviedo, Geneva feels like being out in the woods, and Chuluota and Lake Pickett each offer something a little different, including some planned multi-acre privacy pockets. It works especially well if you travel often to UCF, Research Park, the Space Coast or Orlando International Airport. Jared’s medians: about $875,000 across east Seminole, $750,000 in Geneva, $890,000 in Chuluota and $1.1 million around Lake Pickett.
The rules are the reason this area feels the way it does. Rural designations here hold density to one home per three, five or even ten acres. Jared estimates this covers around 75,000 acres, which is how a homestead buyer can be reasonably confident the pasture next door stays a pasture. Seminole County’s rural boundary has been in its charter since 2004, and in 2024, 82% of voters approved requiring a vote of four of five county commissioners to remove land from it.
There are two cautions. First, flooding on the north side near Lake Jesup and Lake Harney: after Hurricane Ian, the St. Johns River hit record levels, the river near Geneva crested above 12 feet, and homes in Geneva flooded. Jared says Black Hammock also saw flooding after Ian and again after Milton. Get an elevation certificate even if a parcel is outside a high-risk zone, because homes outside those zones do flood too (see our guide on whether homes in flood zone X need flood insurance). Second, pressure on the protections themselves. Under SB 180, a 2025 state law, a judge voided Orange County’s vote to remove the Sustanee property near Lake Pickett from a special study area, and agricultural enclave requests are adding to the pressure. Jared, who lives in one of these protected areas himself, says owners there have to stay engaged to protect them. Redirect: for higher ground, look at stop four. If someone in the household commutes west toward Disney, go back to stop one or three.
Wooded lots near the water offer privacy, but buyers near lakes and rivers should check elevation and flood history before they commit.
The south: Lake Mary Jane, St. Cloud, Kissimmee and Happy Trails
Stop seven is where Jared sends homestead and acreage buyers on a budget, and buyers who want privacy and room near Lake Nona.
Lake Mary Jane, in Orange County next to Lake Nona, is the pricier outlier, with lakefront multi-acre properties and a median of about $1.13 million across 15 sales. Drop into Osceola County and the numbers fall: Jared’s acreage median was about $650,000 in St. Cloud and about $595,000 in Kissimmee, 26% of sales were under $500,000, and nine vacant land sales of around five acres in the St. Cloud and Kissimmee area landed near $400,000 to $425,000. When people moving in from out of state ask him for livestock zoning and acreage on a budget, this is where he points them.
St. Cloud has a historic small downtown, a lakefront and parks, plus a lot of growth along the Narcoossee corridor, and Jared expects it to become one of the most populous parts of the metro over the next 20 years. The trade-off is traffic. Getting out to the 528 or 417 can be slow, and Jared points to about 27,000 homes planned around Sunbridge. He also notes the rural feel is shrinking, and the area is mixed: you might find a manufactured home next to an $800,000 custom house unless you buy in a planned neighborhood. Kissimmee’s housing stock is older, and some lakeside areas sit close to flood zones. Read more in what it is like to live in St. Cloud.
Jared’s hidden pick is Happy Trails, an enclave of roughly one home per five acres about 15 minutes southwest of Disney off the 429, near the ChampionsGate shopping district. It has light deed restrictions, gated sections and occasional lots from owners who never built. Jared sold a five-acre lot there in 2025 in the high $300,000s (see build-ready land in Happy Trails). Redirect: if you hate traffic, look at Wedgefield on the east side. If you want a privacy estate and have the budget, go north to Lake Mary, Heathrow or Longwood.
Open pasture sits next to new commercial development in parts of the metro, a reminder that the rural feel is shrinking as growth spreads.
What should you check before you buy land near Orlando?
Do the homework on rules, water and cost to build before you fall for the view.
- Zoning and permitted uses. Confirm animals, barns, shops and any second home with the county. Acreage alone does not guarantee any of them.
- Deed restrictions and HOAs. Many rural-looking subdivisions still have them.
- Protection areas. Wekiva, Green Swamp and similar areas can sharply limit density.
- Flood history and elevation. Get an elevation certificate, especially near lakes and the St. Johns River.
- True cost to build. Well, septic, driveway, clearing and impact fees add up fast on raw land.
- The commute. Drive it at rush hour to the nearest expressway on-ramp.
For a look at a real acreage listing, see this five-acre mini ranch near Lake Avalon in Winter Garden, or browse what is active now in Central Florida homes for sale.
The Takeaway
Buying acreage near Orlando starts with knowing which buyer you are. Privacy buyers pay a premium on the west side and along Markham Woods, acreage buyers get the most land per dollar in South Lake County, the North Arc and the south, and homestead buyers should lead with zoning, rural protections and flood risk. Every stop trades something, whether it is price, commute, rules or growth. If you want help narrowing the map to a few parcels that fit, the Jared Jones Team can walk the land with you.
FAQ
Where can you buy acreage near Orlando?
Jared Jones groups Orlando acreage into seven areas: Windermere, Dr. Phillips and west Winter Garden; Montverde and Bella Collina; South Lake County around Clermont, Groveland and Howey-in-the-Hills; the North Arc of Apopka, Sorrento, Mount Dora, Tavares and Astatula; the Markham Woods corridor of Longwood, Lake Mary and Heathrow; east Seminole and east Orange around Geneva, Black Hammock, Chuluota and Lake Pickett; and the south, from Lake Mary Jane to St. Cloud, Kissimmee and Happy Trails.
Where is the cheapest acreage near Orlando?
In Jared’s review, the lowest acreage prices were south and southeast in Osceola County. The median acreage sale was about 650,000 dollars in St. Cloud and about 595,000 dollars in Kissimmee, and vacant parcels of around five acres traded near 400,000 to 425,000 dollars. South Lake County also offers more usable land per dollar on the west side.
Can you keep horses or chickens on acreage near Orlando?
Sometimes, but zoning decides it, not acreage alone. Jared warns homestead buyers not to assume a big lot allows animals, barns or a second home. Agricultural zoning, rural settlement rules, deed restrictions and HOAs all vary by parcel, so confirm permitted uses with the county before you buy.
What is a rural boundary or rural settlement?
Rural boundaries and rural settlements are land-use protections that hold density down, often to one home per three, five or ten acres. Seminole County’s rural boundary has been in its charter since 2004, and since 2024 removing land from it takes a vote of four of five county commissioners. Jared notes state laws such as SB 180 are putting pressure on these protections.
What should you check before buying land near Orlando?
Jared’s checklist includes zoning and permitted uses, deed restrictions and HOAs, flood zone and an elevation certificate, environmental protection areas that can limit building, and the true cost to build, including well, septic, driveway, clearing and impact fees. He also tells buyers to test the commute to the nearest expressway at rush hour.
Links and Sources
The Jared Jones Team guides
- Winter Garden and Horizon West real estate hub
- What is the Lake Avalon Rural Settlement in Winter Garden?
- Featured property: a five-acre mini ranch near Lake Avalon
- Five acres of build-ready land in Happy Trails
- What is the Butler Chain of Lakes in Windermere?
- Living in Clermont in 2026
- Is Apopka a good place to live in 2026?
- What it is like to live in St. Cloud
- Do homes in flood zone X need flood insurance?
- Four-point inspection in Florida
- How to file for homestead exemption in Orange County
- The real Orlando: choosing where to live beyond the theme parks
- East Orlando neighborhoods compared
Video
Sources
- Seminole County, rural boundary charter amendments (2004 and 2024)
- News 6, 2024 Seminole County rural area supermajority results
- GrowthSpotter, Sustanee ruling and enclave request near Lake Pickett
- News 6, St. Johns River flooding after Hurricane Ian
- Bella Collina, the club and clubhouse
- Florida EDR, 2020 census population counts
Thinking about buying land or acreage near Orlando?
Get a straight read on zoning, rules, flood risk and price before you buy. Call or text 407-706-5000 or email info@jaredjones.com.