Ocala Preserve
Resort living on Ocala's northwest side — golf, a lakefront clubhouse with spa and restaurant, and trails through the preserve.
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Ocala Preserve — What's Selling
Recent closed sales in and around Ocala Preserve, live from the Stellar MLS · about $175/sq ft · aggregates only, no addresses published.
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Background
A brief history
Ocala Preserve is a resort-style master-planned community on the northwest side of Ocala, set among groves of live oaks in Marion County's famed horse country. Shea Homes began developing the community in 2014, building it around a lakefront amenity campus and a then-novel compact golf course, and marketed its active-adult side under the Shea Trilogy lifestyle brand. The plan called for roughly 1,800 homes across about 623 acres.
What makes Ocala Preserve unusual among Ocala's resort communities is that it is not exclusively age-restricted. Shea Homes developed 55+ neighborhoods, while D.R. Horton later built additional sections — and reporting indicates D.R. Horton's phase does not carry the HUD age restriction, opening parts of the community to buyers of all ages and families. That dual structure is a defining feature: prospective buyers must confirm whether a specific home or section is age-restricted or all-ages.
The community's golf course, designed by PGA Tour winner Tom Lehman with architect Tripp Davis, was built on a compact footprint (around 50 acres versus the 100-plus of a conventional course) for flexible play. Today Ocala Preserve combines that golf, a lakefront clubhouse with restaurant and spa, and miles of trails, sitting minutes from US-27, downtown Ocala, and the World Equestrian Center that has reshaped this side of town.
The feel
What it's like to live here
Ocala Preserve markets itself as resort living: a gated community wrapped around a lakefront clubhouse with a full-service restaurant, day spa, fitness center, resort-style pool, and 10-plus miles of walking and biking trails through preserved oak groves. The compact, flexible golf course and the trail network give it a more wellness-and-amenity feel than a traditional golf community, and the location on Ocala's fast-growing northwest side puts it minutes from the World Equestrian Center. It appeals to active-adult buyers and, in the all-ages sections, to families and younger buyers who want the amenities without an age restriction.
The honest tradeoffs start with that mixed structure: because some neighborhoods are 55+ (Shea) and others are not (D.R. Horton's phase), buyers must verify the age status of any specific home before assuming, and the community's feel can differ between sections. The amenity package is funded by a notably robust HOA — fees here are higher than at many Ocala communities and the structure varies by home type, bundling services like lawn care, irrigation, and internet, so comparing dues to a lower-fee community without accounting for inclusions is misleading. Buyers who want minimal HOA overhead or a fully age-restricted-only setting should look elsewhere; buyers who want a turnkey, amenity-rich resort lifestyle near the WEC will find Ocala Preserve distinctive.
The details
What to expect
Age Status: 55+ and All-Ages Sections
Ocala Preserve is not uniformly age-restricted, which sets it apart from most Ocala resort communities. Shea Homes developed 55+ neighborhoods under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), while D.R. Horton's phase is reported to be all-ages with no HUD age restriction, allowing families and younger buyers. That means the age status depends entirely on the specific home and section, and buyers should never assume. Before making an offer, confirm in writing with the HOA whether the exact home is age-restricted or all-ages, since it affects who can live there and your future resale pool.
HOA Fee & Inclusions Reality
Ocala Preserve carries a comparatively robust HOA, and the fee structure varies meaningfully by home type, so any single number you see online can be misleading. The dues are reported to bundle a notable package — gated/guarded access, the clubhouse and resort pool, lawn maintenance, irrigation including the water, and high-speed fiber internet — which makes them higher than many lower-service Ocala communities but covers things you would otherwise pay separately. Some items, such as trash/recycling, may be billed apart from the base dues. Always get the exact current HOA fee, what it includes, and any pending special assessments for the specific home, and compare total monthly cost rather than headline price. Verify all figures with the HOA before purchase.
Golf, Clubhouse & Wellness Amenities
Amenities are the heart of Ocala Preserve: a lakefront clubhouse with a full-service restaurant and bar, day spa and salon, fitness center, and culinary studio, plus a zero-entry resort-style pool, bocce and tennis courts, and more than 10 miles of walking and biking trails through preserved oak groves. The golf course, designed by Tom Lehman with Tripp Davis on a compact roughly 50-acre footprint, is built for flexible, time-efficient play, with golf access and fees typically separate from base dues. This wellness-and-resort emphasis is a key differentiator from traditional golf communities. Tour the amenities and confirm golf access options before purchase.
Builders, Product Mix & Vintage
The community was built by two national builders — Shea Homes (which started in 2014 and markets its active-adult side under the Trilogy lifestyle brand) and D.R. Horton in later phases — across a mix of attached and single-family homes. That dual-builder history means floor plans, finishes, and even community feel can vary by section, and homes range from the mid-2010s to more recent construction. As earlier homes approach a decade, check roof, HVAC, and water-heater age; on newer construction, confirm any remaining builder or structural warranty. A thorough independent inspection is worthwhile regardless of builder reputation.
Location & The WEC Effect
Ocala Preserve sits on Ocala's northwest side near US-27, minutes from the World Equestrian Center (WEC), whose massive development has reshaped this side of town with new dining, retail, and events. Downtown Ocala, hospitals, and shopping are a short drive, and I-75 offers easy reach to Gainesville and the broader region. The WEC's growth is a tailwind for the area but also brings traffic and change, so test-drive your routine routes at peak times. It's a resort-oriented, car-dependent location rather than a walkable downtown.
Community
Amenities
- Lakefront clubhouse with full-service restaurant and bar, private dining, and grand living room
- Day spa and salon, plus a culinary studio and card/game room
- State-of-the-art fitness center and a zero-entry resort-style heated pool
- Golf course designed by Tom Lehman with Tripp Davis on a compact, flexible-play footprint
- Bocce and tennis courts plus a lakeside veranda
- More than 10 miles of walking and biking trails through preserved oak groves
- Gated/guarded access with HOA-bundled lawn care, irrigation, and high-speed fiber internet (varies by home type)
- Minutes from the World Equestrian Center, US-27, and downtown Ocala
Know Before You Buy
HOA rules worth knowing
- Mixed age structure — Shea-built 55+ neighborhoods (HOPA) plus a reported all-ages D.R. Horton phase; confirm the specific home's age status in writing with the HOA before purchase
- Comparatively robust HOA with a fee that varies by home type and is reported to bundle gated/guarded access, clubhouse, resort pool, lawn maintenance, irrigation (including water), and high-speed fiber internet — verify the exact current fee and inclusions before purchase
- Some services such as trash/recycling may be billed separately from base dues — confirm with the HOA
- Golf access and fees are typically separate from base HOA dues; deed restrictions and architectural standards apply community-wide — review governing documents and any pending special assessments before purchase
Education
School assignments
- Marion County Public Schools (note: Ocala Preserve includes both 55+ and all-ages sections — schools are relevant mainly to buyers in the non-age-restricted neighborhoods)
- For all-ages homes, verify the assigned elementary, middle, and high school zoning for the specific address directly with Marion County Public Schools
- For 55+ (HOPA) homes, the age restriction generally applies in place of school considerations — confirm a home's age status with the HOA
School zone assignments change. Verify with Orange County Public Schools before purchase.
Market Commentary
What the market is doing
Ocala Preserve is a steady, amenity-driven market on Ocala's northwest side — the last 12 months of MLS sales show 116 closings, healthy volume for a single master-planned community. The median came in at $300K, with the bottom tenth of sales under $235K and the top tenth above $406K. That spread reflects the community's mix of attached and single-family product, the Shea versus D.R. Horton sections, and lot premiums on water, golf, or preserve frontage. One thing I always flag here is the HOA: dues run higher than at many Ocala communities, but they bundle services like lawn care, irrigation, and internet, so the right comparison is total monthly cost including inclusions, not list price alone. I also confirm whether a given home is in a 55+ or an all-ages section before we write, since that shapes both fit and resale pool. Well-located homes with strong amenity access tend to move steadily. — Ryan Solberg
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Homes available in Ocala Preserve
12 homes currently listed in Ocala Preserve.
$279,000
5340 Nw 48th Pl
Ocala, FL 34482
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,565 sqft
Ocala Preserve
MLS ID #O6412756
Listing provided by Stellar MLS
$352,865
4555 Nw 39th Street Rd
Ocala, FL 34482
4 bd · 2 ba · 2,034 sqft
Ocala Preserve
MLS ID #OM726546
Listing provided by Stellar MLS
$327,990
4583 Nw 39th Street Rd
Ocala, FL 34482
4 bd · 2 ba · 2,034 sqft
Ocala Preserve
MLS ID #OM721787
Listing provided by Stellar MLS
$219,990
4766 Nw 39th Street Rd
Ocala, FL 34482
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,565 sqft
Ocala Preserve
MLS ID #OM694600
Listing provided by Stellar MLS
$224,990
4094 Nw 44th Cir
Ocala, FL 34482
3 bd · 2 ba · 1,504 sqft
Ocala Preserve
MLS ID #T3493786
Listing provided by Stellar MLS
$229,990
4090 Nw 44th Cir
Ocala, FL 34482
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,614 sqft
Ocala Preserve
MLS ID #T3490612
Listing provided by Stellar MLS
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Listings courtesy of Stellar MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.
Based on information submitted to the MLS GRID as of June 12, 2026. All data is obtained from various sources and may not have been verified by broker or MLS GRID. Supplied Open House Information is subject to change without notice. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.
Ryan Solberg, Broker · MaxLife Realty LLC · FL License #BK3354351 · Equal Housing Opportunity · Full disclaimer · DMCA