Canopy Oaks luxury homes come to Winter Garden

WINTER GARDEN  Winter Garden homebuyers looking to move up without moving away now have the option to stay local while living in a custom-designed home.

Canopy Oaks, a new high-end neighborhood located off Roper Road, held its grand-opening event Saturday, March 12 and is officially open for sales. 

The community caters to buyers looking for luxury homes in the high-$500,000s to $900,000 price range and allows them to customize their new space.

“We really custom designed this architecture specifically for this neighborhood, and we had fallen in love with the area’s location first and foremost, (including) the schools and how great they are,” said Tom Garver, Canopy Oaks’ builder and president of AR Bailey Homes. “We had a little focus group with Realtors a year and a half ago or so and found there was a niche in the market that the $500,000 to $900,000 price range was an underserved market. There’s a lot of affluent buyers here that are ready to move up but still want to be in this area.” 

Canopy Oaks developer Mason Simpson said the architecture was designed with large, open-floor plans in mind. They also focused specifically on creating large kitchens with upgraded countertops and cabinetry, master suites with upgraded bathrooms and large closets, and sliding glass doors that lead to high-end outdoor living areas.

The project has been three years in the works and original plans called for smaller homes in the $400,000 price range.

“As we researched the market and figured things out and determined there was this price niche that was not being tended to, we looked at our plans and they didn’t fit that program,” Garver said. “They were smaller, the ceilings were lower, and we didn’t have as many open spaces. So we said if we were going to step higher, we’re going to step up.”

Each of the total 58 homes will sit on a 75-foot-wide lot and measure between 3,665 to 4,200 square feet of living space. Buyers can choose from three floor plans — the Sanibel, Delray or Lockhart — and then from three architectural styles, which include Mediterranean, Italian or French Country.

“We call it the new look of the dream home,” Simpson said.

Garver said during the process, keeping Roper Road’s signature canopy of oak trees was an important consideration, and they worked to make sure they saved the grandfather oaks and kept the scenic view of the way the neighborhood presented itself. But they also wanted a stylish neighborhood off the beaten path.

“We wanted the feeling that when people drove through this neighborhood, they almost had the sense that there were multiple custom builders in this neighborhood, with so many unique styles tied together with some common elements, like stained doors and tile roofs,” Garver said.

The homes start at the base price of $599,000 and can cost up to the high $800,000 range, depending on the upgrades and special features a buyer would like to add on.

Potential buyers can visit the on-site sales center seven days a week, where they can view the different plans and architectural styles and see the different lots. They can also customize elements such as fixtures, carpet color and wood style. 

“We have nestled ourselves in here,” Garver said. “We’re bringing a flagship neighborhood to Winter Garden.”

Contact Danielle Hendrix at [email protected].