Winter Park homes featured in MansionQuest's 2017 list

If you’re searching for luxury living in Orange County, look no further than Winter Park. MansionQuest, a website that ranks the most valuable homes in different parts of Florida, recently released the 2017 list for Orange County. Of the county’s top 100 most expensive homes, 42 have a Winter Park zip code, while four other homes on the list are nearby in Maitland.

That’s no surprise to Coldwell Banker real-estate agent Mick Night, who grew up in the Winter Park/Maitland area.

“After 30 years in working a three-mile radius from Park Avenue, Winter Park is a special place, and I hear it repeatedly from buyers that have lived all around the country,” Night said. “Winter Park is a place you want to call home as your primary residence and those that have other homes consider them secondary to Winter Park. Winter Park isn’t getting any larger and will always have a European village-type atmosphere that is unique ... with the famed Park Avenue, its beautiful brick streets, majestic oak and cypress trees and sought-after chain of lakes. Over my career, I have seen Winter Park draw more and more of not only national exposure, but worldwide as we are seeing more and more international buyers annually.”

Winter Park’s 42 top homes include 23 in the top 50 and eight in the top 25. A Winter Park home also took the No. 2 spot on the overall list — the 20,694-square-foot home at 656 N. Interlachen Ave. that sits on Lake Osceola.

According to MansionQuest, the just value of the home is $9.2 million and is second only to the 30,742-square-foot home in Windermere owned by Sacramento Kings shooting guard Vince Carter. That home boasts a just value of $10.26 million.

The Interlachen Avenue home was also the former site of the historic Casa Feliz house designed by James Gamble Rogers II. After the house came under threat of demolition in 2001, the community raised enough money to pick the home up and move it to its current location at 656 N. Park Ave., where it serves as a historical landmark and event venue.

There’s plenty of other noteworthy local homes on the list.

The oldest Winter Park home in the top 100 — and the oldest overall — is the 9,571-square-foot home at 1461 Via Tuscany, which was built in 1919 and is now owned by Harvey L. Massey, chairman and CEO of pest control company Massey Services.

Of the 42 homes, 24 were built in the the last 20 years, while 13 of them date back prior to 1950.

Sitting at slot 25 on the list, the home at 1020 Palmer Ave. enjoys the most acreage out of any Winter Park home in the top 100 with 10.83 acres, which is the eighth highest overall out of the 100 homes.

The highest-ranked home with a Maitland zip code is the residence at 1720 E. Adams Drive, which has a just value of $5.3 million and sits at No. 46.