Metro Development Group’s Mirada and Epperson master-planned communities led the Tampa metropolitan area in total new home sales through the first six months of 2023.

Mirada, located in the city of San Antonio, Florida, which recently opened the country’s largest human-made Lagoon, was listed at #33 with a 59 percent increase in year-over-year sales. Epperson, a master-planned community built in Wesley Chapel, Florida was #36 on the national list compiled by RCLCO.

 

Resort-style amenities are standard at Mirada

It’s always a great time to look at new homes and with the lack of existing homes for sale in west-central Florida, buying a new house is more popular than ever in the region. While new homes normally account for 10% of inventory nationally, right now they are about 30%. Besides, there are many clear benefits to a newly built home in a family-friendly neighborhood, which is why people are flocking to Mirada.

The 2,000-acre master-planned community in Pasco County features trails, dog parks, playgrounds, and ULTRAFi, the fastest internet connectivity available on site, today. Located about half an hour north of Tampa, Mirada residents have easy access to both coastal and central Florida attractions and activities.

But you don’t have to leave Mirada to find things to do as they have numerous must-have amenities. Go swimming in the crystal clear Lagoon. Take a walk, run, bike, or even EV cart on miles of nature trails, or kick off your day at one of the fitness stations. Bring your dog to a community dog park or your kids to a tot lot playground. The top-notch amenities, community activities, in-home amenities, and nearby attractions create one of the best locations to buy a new house in Pasco County.

Mirada has new construction homes from some of the nation’s top home builders, too, starting in the high $200s.

Mirada builders include:

• Biscayne Homes
• D.R. Horton
• Maronda
• Homes by WestBay
• Lennar

With Mirada Lagoon’s resort-style amenities, white sand beaches, and top-tier new home amenities and features, it’s easy to see why people are making moves to this corner of Pasco County.

 

A closer look at Epperson’s resort-style community

Epperson is home to the first human-made Lagoon in the country and is one of the best-selling neighborhoods in the state. It brings the best of Florida’s coast inland, providing a unique style of living for Pasco County residents.

Inside this master-planned community, which has new homes by some of the nation’s top homebuilders, you’ll find a wide range of features, from miles of trails for hiking and biking to dog parks for your furry friends and tot lots for the little ones in the natural beauty of Pasco County. On the Lagoon shore, you’ll find organized activities for residents and guests of any age. There’s plenty to keep family members of all ages entertained.

The lifestyle is rounded out by the main attraction, Epperson’s crystal-clear Lagoon surrounded by white sand beaches and is within walking distance from every home. This 7-acre human-made Lagoon brings resort living to all the Epperson homeowners and features access to a resident-exclusive space. Whether you’re interested in the swim-up bar, kayaks for rent, or an on-the-water obstacle course, the only thing you’ll need to pack for a mini-vacation is your swimsuit and sunscreen.

Your new home will be at the hub of everything happening in the thriving town of Wesley Chapel. With delicious restaurants just minutes away and local shopping at your fingertips, Epperson is at the center of a growing metropolitan area. With other features including world-class internet via ULTRAFi, living at Epperson is an easy decision. New homes built with you in mind, and with room for the whole family, start in the $300s.

 

Your dream home is a MetroPlaces home

As of June, new home sales were up nationally more than 23 percent year over year. “We continue to see strong interest in Metro’s new homes and the Lagoon lifestyle,” said Julie Kremner, Broker Liaison for MetroPlaces, Metro Development Group’s lifestyle brand.

“It’s more than the number of bedrooms and kitchen appliances that buyers are asking their real estate agent to find them,” she said. “Other factors such as location, quality homes, innovative technology, and a wide range of amenities frequently rank high among the reasons homebuyers select our communities.”

The exceptional amenities and luxury facilities at both Mirada and Epperson make them a perfect home for everyone. From new families buying their first single-family home and wanting space to grow to retirees looking for a relaxing place to settle down, homebuyers find plenty of waterfront fun right in their own backyards.

If you’re looking to learn more or have questions about living near the white sand beaches of a crystal clear Lagoon, check out the neighborhood web pages for all things Mirada and Epperson or reach out to our team for more info!

A MetroPlaces Lagoon community pulls the joys of beachfront living into your neighborhood. Just down the street, you’ll be able to enjoy the Lagoon’s crystal-clear water and white beaches, along with all the activities by the shore—from yoga classes to movie nights to resident happy hours.

MetroLagoons tickets can be purchased for one-day fun, but residents at Epperson, Southshore Bay and Mirada enjoy some exclusive benefits every day!  At each Lagoon, for the price of an in-season individual day pass, residents enjoy monthly access for the whole family.

Each Lagoon offers features that everyone in the family can enjoy, no matter how much or little you want to do. Some examples:

• Complimentary chaise loungers at Resident Beach areas: All residents enjoy complimentary chaise lounges on a first come, first serve basis. In addition, residents can use their rental discount to rent other beach items like cabanas and umbrellas.
• Kayaks and paddleboards: Do you love water sports but not the prep? At the Lagoons you can rent kayaks and paddleboards any day, getting all the fun with none of the hassle.
• Water obstacle course: Looking for a challenge? This offshore obstacle course tests your fitness and is one of the most engaging features we offer.
• Full access to the Lagoons every day: In addition to full family access, you can enjoy discounted tickets to all of Tampa Bay’s Lagoon locations as well as complimentary and discounted tickets for guests annually.

Year-round resident-only entertainment ensures that residents are never short on things to do:

• Movies on the turf: On Wednesday, a family-friendly movie is shown by the Lagoon. Whether you’re looking to rewatch your favorite movie or just connect with your family and neighbors, these nights are a consistent hit.
• Trivia night: Every Thursday, your Lagoon hosts Trivia Night. Compete against other MetroPlaces families or create a community team and test your trivia knowledge.
• Live music: Relaxing on the Lagoon shore under an umbrella listening to live music is a great way enjoy Tampa Bay’s amazing climate! The Lagoon offers live entertainment on select days throughout the week.

Lagoons are at the heart of a healthy lifestyle, and various classes and clubs are also available.

• Yoga* – Local studios join MetroLagoons to offer residents complimentary on-the-shore yoga classes. A great setting is provided – all you need to bring is a mat and a water bottle.
• Zumba – With upbeat dancing music, this one-hour class combines body weight, muscle conditioning, cardio, and plyometric training.
• Cornhole tournaments – Who doesn’t a love a friendly game of cornhole?  Or show off your skills at a MetroLagoons tournament!

MetroLagoons are a unique staple in MetroPlaces master-planned communities around the Tampa Bay, with locations at Epperson in Wesley Chapel and Southshore Bay in Wimauma. And soon, the largest Lagoon in the country will open at Mirada in San Antonio.

With so many options, the Lagoon lifestyle is a great option for people looking for a new home in Pasco County or Hillsborough County.

Are you ready for a new home at a MetroPlaces Lagoon community? Visit www.MetroPlaces.com/live-here to learn more about current Resident Lagoon Member pricing, or call MetroLagoons at 813-444-5221 for more information.

*Community-specific offering – each Lagoon community offers unique events. Make sure to check out metrolagoons.com for a full breakdown of each location and pricing.

As the largest private residential developer in Florida, MetroPlaces strives to create innovative communities with distinct personalities and unique amenities offering all the Elements of a great life^TM.

Here’s a handy guide to exploring everything MetroPlaces’ 10 communities have to offer.

Did you know that Tampa is one of the country’s  most popular destinations to live?  A new Redfin report ranks Tampa at number 5, behind Miami but above Cape Coral, Orlando, and North Port-Sarasota.  In all, 5 of the top 10 relocation destinations are in Florida.

Living in Florida is less expensive than many other states, partly from not having a state income tax. Plus, when you live in Florida you enjoy beautiful weather year-round, perfect for enjoying Lagoon living at MetroPlaces communities.

Redfin reports that the share of relocating homebuyers nationwide is up from 24.5% in the fourth quarter, 22.8% a year ago, and roughly 18% before the pandemic.  Most searches for moving to Tampa come from home shoppers in New York.

Three MetroPlaces communities ranked among the 50 top-selling in the nation.Metro Development Group posted solid growth in 2022 new home sales across its four Tampa Bay area master-planned communities – Epperson, Mirada, Southshore Bay and Angeline. New home sales for these communities – marketed under the MetroPlaces brand – increased 16 percent compared with 2021, despite higher mortgage interest rates.

New home sales in 2022 at the four Tampa Bay area communities totaled 1,625, compared to 1,400 the previous year. In 2022, sales were 766 at Epperson, 430 at Mirada, 373 at Southshore Bay, and 56 at Angeline, the developer’s newest community.

This performance meant three of the communities – Epperson, Mirada and Southshore Bay – ranked among the 50 top-selling master-planned communities in the country according to real estate consulting firms John Burns Real Estate Consulting and RCLCO.

Metro Community	JBREC Rank	RCLCO Rank
Epperson	10	12
Mirada	42	44
Southshore Bay	46	48

Metro’s builder partners have continued their positive momentum into the new year, reporting a 20 percent year-over-year increase in sales at the four area communities for January 2022 vs. January 2021. Homebuilders have seen continued interest from buyers: The Tampa Bay area continues to attract new residents from other cities and states, and people living in older homes, condos and apartments around west-central Florida are drawn to new homes in MetroPlaces communities in popular suburban areas in Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

“Our Realtor community has let us know that new home buyers are ready to take action,” said Julie Kremner, Broker Liaison for MetroPlaces. “After a year of rising mortgage rates, buyers have accepted that rates are not likely to drop significantly in the near-future. That is eliminating some of the hesitation around purchasing a home. It also helps that many builders are helping with incentives or mortgage rate buy-downs.”

Metro was proactive in attracting homebuyers in Fall 2022 through a “Waves N Wheels” promotion across the company’s four Tampa Bay master-planned communities. The promotion resulted in 100 homebuyers qualifying for a new ICON electric vehicle cart, and helping builders sell more than 130 homes during the promotion period.

“The Tampa Bay market is evolving as people from around the country are choosing to move and make their homes here,” said Vaike O’Grady, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for Metro Development Group. “Metro and our builder partners are cranking up our efforts to get the word out about the lifestyle and value of our communities, so we can maintain our strong sales momentum.”

Growth in 2022 for Metro also included the opening of Angeline in Pasco County, which will be the largest MetroPlaces community to date. Lennar began home sales there in mid-2022 and will soon be joined by D.R. Horton Homes. The sales pace is expected to increase with the addition of new home designs and the completion of new amenities in this 6,200-acre community.

MetroPlaces communities provide a lifestyle that’s extremely compelling for new home buyers. Recent resident satisfaction surveys rank top locations, the signature Lagoon amenity, and fun neighbors as top reasons for choosing MetroPlaces communities.

Some of the key drivers for success in 2023 for Metro will include continued growth at Angeline and the opening of several new builder models as well as the nation’s largest Lagoon in Mirada. Combined with Epperson and Southshore Bay, Metro will have abundant new home sales opportunities to meet consumer demand.

There are so many reasons veterans and active-duty military members call MetroPlaces home – from the Lagoon lifestyle to the proximity to MacDill Air Force Base. And these military residents get involved in their communities, whether it’s by attending community events or working at community-hosted farmers markets.

With this in mind, we’re proud to support veterans. This Veterans Day weekend, MetroPlaces invites our community members and their friends and family to participate in two area veteran-focused events.

November 12-13 – Justice for Veterans Benefit Concert

MetroPlaces is sponsoring this event at the OCC Road House Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 6:30 p.m. Artists such as Bobby Friss, The Fulcos and U.S. Stones (a Rolling Stones tribute band) will play the main stage over this two-day Veterans Day celebration.

The weekend of music, fun, and classic rock n’ roll is hosted by Bay Area Legal Services, a regional, nonprofit public interest law firm, and proceeds directly benefit veterans in the Tampa Bay area. Tickets are available and can be purchased online.

November 12 – 5k Honor Run Presented by Advent Health of Wesley Chapel

For the second year, MetroPlaces is proud to sponsor the 5K Honor Run.  It begins Saturday at 7:30 a.m. at the Pasco-Hernando State College (Porter) Campus in Wesley Chapel, FL. The event is hosted by the North Tampa Bay Chamber Foundation and Pasco-Hernando State College and all proceeds benefit the PHSC Veteran scholarship and the NTBC Foundation’s Mission.

Want to run to benefit veterans? Registration is open now. All participants will receive a free shirt and goodies from sponsors. In addition, awards will be given in multiple categories from “Top Veterans” to age group and male and female overall awards.

(By the way, are you a veteran living at a MetroPlaces community? Let us know by contacting us at hello@metroplaces.com.)