Winter Park: A 'magical' address

When it comes to selling residential real estate, there’s no better place to be than Central Florida, where homes with a Winter Park, Maitland, College Park or Baldwin Park address are some of the most sought after anywhere. But for me, there is something magical about Winter Park. If I sound biased, I am. I’ve lived here most of my life and it’s why my mother (Fannie) established her real estate business here 32 years ago. Our lives are woven into the very fabric of this community that offers a unique lifestyle second to none. That’s why so many find it such a desirable place to want to live and raise a family.

There’s a lot to like about Winter Park. Perhaps the city’s signature feature is Park Avenue, one of the most storied main streets in Florida. Among the many tree-lined, bricked streets in the city, and home to the annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Park Avenue features some of the finest retail shops and boutiques anywhere, along with an equally impressive list of upscale restaurants, sidewalk cafes and other fine dining establishments. And adding to its allure is the city’s neighboring park adorned with majestic oaks and colorful azaleas.

Winter Park is also home to museums, Winter Park Memorial Hospital, A-rated public schools and Rollins College, a private liberal arts college, which has been ranked the No. 1 regional university in the South for eight consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1885, Rollins occupies 70 acres overlooking Lake Virginia, one of six navigable lakes in the city’s famous chain of lakes whose shores are graced by stunning lakefront residences, some of which have historical importance or are owned by local celebrities.

Having the opportunity to live on the chain of lakes, or the many other lakes that grace the city’s landscape, is certainly an attractive draw for homebuyers. Some would consider it a homerun if they could own a tree-shaded property alongside a lake on a bricked street in close proximity to Park Avenue. While a lakefront home typically carries a higher price tag than a non-lakefront home, homeowners do not pay additional taxes for living on a lake. Everything in the city is taxed on market value. In fact, Winter Park’s millage rate (tax in mills per dollar evaluation) is lower than most incorporated cities in Orange County. Moreover, Winter Park’s lakefront homes, and many non-lakefront homes in established neighborhoods, hold their value better than homes in many other Central Florida municipalities.

So whether you live on or off the many lakes that punctuate the city’s landscape, you’re no more than a 30-minute drive to the University of Central Florida, the area’s world-famous attractions, Amway Center and some of Central Florida’s major business centers in downtown Orlando and neighboring Maitland Center.

Recognized as the “city of culture and heritage,” Winter Park is simply a magical place to live, work and enjoy all that Central Florida has to offer.

Scott Hillman is president of Fannie Hillman + Associates. He can be reached at 407-644-1234 or at [email protected]