Howey in the Hills

Howey in the Hills is one of those rare finds in Central Florida — a historic lakefront town that offers a genuine resort lifestyle without the density or price premium of a planned resort community. The buyers I work with here fall into two groups: retirees and pre-retirees who want year-round access to golf, boating, and spa amenities steps from their front door, and equity-motivated relocators who recognize that waterfront acreage on the Harris Chain of Lakes trades at a fraction of comparable Gulf or Atlantic coast properties.

The employment anchor for most working residents is the Orlando metro, accessible via US-27 and the Turnpike in under an hour, alongside healthcare hubs in Leesburg and Clermont. Remote workers are increasingly prominent here — lake views, low density, and an acre or more is simply unavailable this close to Orlando at comparable value.

What makes the housing stock distinctive is its range: original 1920s-era character homes, mid-century lakefront estates on oversized lots, and brand-new communities like Venezia and Las Colinas — the latter offering golf-cart access to Mission Inn Resort's two championship courses, marina, and dining. Buyers shopping Howey often consider Tavares for its county-seat services or Clermont for suburban density, but once they experience the Mission Inn setting and Harris Chain access, those alternatives rarely hold up.