DeBary Plantation, DeBary, Florida

Have you ever driven BY a neighborhood, but never been IN it and wondered what it was like in there? I get it…I do it all the time. I’ll be giving you just a taste, including the good AND the bad, of DeBary Plantation in Debary, Florida. This will give you an overview of what this little community just north of Orlando has to offer.

What is DeBary Plantation?

DeBary Plantation is a planned unit development of between 1,300 and 1,400 single-family homes and townhomes with deed restrictions in a golf and country club setting, according to their website. This community has a mix of retirees and younger families as well, many of which commute to the Orlando area. Most of the building in here was completed from the mid 90’s to the mid 2000’s and, at the time of this writing, homes are selling in the mid 300’s to the mid 700’s. Homes in DeBary tend to be moderately priced, being generally less than just south of here in Sanford, Lake Mary, or the Orlando area.

Where is DeBary Plantation?

DeBary Plantation is located off Highway 17-92 about 20 minutes south of Deland, just 5 miles north of I-4, about 40 minutes north of Orlando, about 40 minutes inland of New Smyrna and Daytona Beaches and about 50 minutes E/NE of Mount Dora. It’s inland far enough that we don’t have to deal with the salt or insurance issues of the beaches, but close enough to enjoy them in 45 minutes or so.

What does DeBary Plantation have to offer its residents?

DeBary Plantation is centered around the DeBary Golf and Country Club. The four star, award-winning 18-hole golf course is situated in the middle of this little community and they’re always hosting golf tournaments. I believe they’ve had all sorts of big-name golfers there too. They’ve got a driving range, a putting green and a pro shop for lousy golfers like me! There’s a 12,000 square-foot clubhouse with banquet facilities with a little restaurant that overlooks the golf course, a couple private dining rooms and a full bar. They’ve got some locker rooms in there too! They’ve got a full fitness center, a junior-Olympic sized community swimming pool, 6 tennis courts and 4 pickleball courts. When I’m there, I’m always seeing people walking or cycling or hanging out at a playground. They do all sorts of activities to encourage a sense of belonging. Things like golf clinics, Bridge, Bunco, Texas Hold-Em, etc. This is a very nice neighborhood. The homes are well-kept, and the common grounds are beautiful. There are plenty of activities and the facilities are quite nice. The people who live here appear to be generally happy to me. Yes, the homeowner’s association is a thing here. Currently, the annual master fee is around $625 and there are some areas that have additional fees of around $165/month for added amenities.

What’s not to like?

I’ve told you what DeBary Plantation has to offer, but what’s NOT so good about DeBary Plantation? I have to admit, I struggled with finding complaints about this place! I’ve heard some people fuss about the HOA, just stating that it’s too expensive. I get it, you could be easily spending over $215/month and that can add up. I guess all these amenities just aren’t worth it to some people. I’ve heard some grumbling with the drainage on the golf course and complaints of quality of food at the clubhouse, but that was a while back. There’s now new management in place and I’ve heard only good comments since then. They’ve purchased new golf carts and expanded the driving range, and I can attest to the improvement in the food! In DeBary Plantation and throughout DeBary, I hear complaints of the traffic, which has worsened quite a bit in the last couple years. I’m just glad we aren’t down in Seminole County, where it’s REALLY bad, but this quaint little town IS growing, and that growth comes with it’s own set of problems. I’ve lived down in Orlando and our traffic here is NOTHING like it is down in Seminole and Orange Counties. DeBary is still a small town with a small-town feel, perhaps growth will change all that, but I hope not.

Back after the hurricanes of 2004 there was quite a bit of flooding throughout DeBary, and the plantation wasn’t spared. As such some of those homes did flood. I believe we’ve come a long way since then and I don’t know that it’s an issue any longer, but it is something you should at least be aware of.

So I’ve addressed the good and some bad on this little community in DeBary. I don’t live in Debary Plantation, but if you do, feel free to contact me on your insight into your neighborhood so this entire community can benefit. If you’d like to know more about this community, you can reach out to me directly.

Published on April 22. 2022 / Tags: debary, debary plantation, golf, Real Estate, volusia county / no comments.