Lakewood Ranch seizes No. 1 spot in master-planned community sales

Lakewood Ranch took over the No. 1 spot as the nation's top master-planned selling community in a report released today by real estate consulting firm RCLCO.

With 1,535 sales through the first half of 2021, Lakewood Ranch is 83% higher than last year's pace of 838 homes sold. That percentage increase in sales was by far the most among the top 20 master-planned selling communities in the nation.

As a whole, the top 50 master-planned selling communities for the first half of 2021 are 20% higher than at this point a year ago. This increase, according to the report, is despite a tightening of home inventory and a reduced supply of building supplies and labor.

Of the top 50 selling master-planned communities for the first half of 2021, 75% were in Florida Texas or Nevada.

Lakewood Ranch finally overtook perennial No. 1 The Villages, which sold 1,226 homes in the first half., according to an RCLCO estimate. The Villages, which would not participate in the mid-year study, was No. 1 at this point last year with 1,000 sales.

Summerlin of Las Vegas was third at 962 sales, Cane Bay Plantation of Charleston, South Carolina was fourth with 574 and Wellen Park of North Port was fifth at 534.

RCLCO, which has conducted the survey since 1994, quotes Schroeder-Manatee Ranch CEO and President Rex Jensen as saying, "Lakewood Ranch has been a perennial pack leader by delivering the features which epitomize top-selling master-planned communities. The community's multi-generational offerings and access to open space delivered on two key criteria sought by buyers relocating from urban areass during the pandemic, often with extended family and friends. Managing buyer expectations in this highly competitive environment in a sensitive and productive manner has been central to our success."