Beautiful Longleaf Plantation in Deland, Florida

Are you wondering about the best neighborhoods in Central Florida? Well, I cannot guarantee that this one is THE BEST one, but it is a wonderful neighborhood for several reasons. I’m talking about Longleaf Plantation in Deland, Florida where I’ve sold several homes over the years and I’ll be giving you 5 reasons why I think you’ll love this little gem in Deland, Florida.

Longleaf Plantation was founded in 1978 by builder and developer Dave Robinson. He built homes of brick, stone, or earth tone colors with garages large enough to accommodate recreational vehicles and boats and worked to ensure there were plenty of trees to maintain the aesthetic integrity of his baby. His first homes sold for around $90,000 and today they run mostly in the $300’s, which I believe is a good value for the home that you get when compared to other nearby neighborhoods and cities.

1. The first reason I love Longleaf Plantation is the location. Deland is located about 45 minutes north of Orlando just a few minutes from I-4 and many local residents commute to Orlando on a daily basis. Speaking of I-4, Longleaf Plantation is only 35 minutes to Daytona or New Smyrna Beaches. The St. Johns River, Historic Downtown Deland and Stetson University are all about a 10-minute ride. You can literally walk to Publix, several restaurants and even do some shopping or banking as these are all less than a mile away.
2. The next reason I love Longleaf Plantation is the size of this community. There are only about 216 homes sitting on around 160 acres, which is very small when compared to other communities in the area like Victoria Park or Debary Plantation. There isn’t much drive through traffic and you regularly see walkers and bicycle riders. I think the size of this community is the primary reason it has a serene, quiet feel to it.
3. Most of the homes here in Longleaf Plantation are built on half acre lots. While this isn’t enough land to have a farm or ride your ATV’s on, it’s plenty of room to not have to hear your neighbor’s pillow talk, and the homes that I’ve sold here have had plenty of privacy. As far as our area goes, there just aren’t many neighborhoods with this size of lots, except maybe on the west side of Deland.
4. Longleaf Plantation is distinguished from other area neighborhoods by the trees. Yes, there are a bunch of beautiful Longleaf Pines here, but I believe it’s the Live Oaks that really set this neighborhood apart. I’ve heard people complain about them, or complain about not being able to cut them down, but this neighborhood is special BECAUSE OF the trees! The rolling hills and natural tones of Longleaf Plantation remind me of when I was a kid back in Michigan. These are ranch-style homes and, although most of them were built in the 80’s and can be a bit choppy, many of them have been beautifully updated with more open floor plans and modern upgrades.
5. The last feature of this neighborhood is the homeowner’s association. Wait, what? Homeowners associations aren’t features! Most people either LOVE them or HATE them and I can agree with both of those vantage points. Although I’ve never lived in Longleaf Plantation, I’ve heard mostly positive feedback from those who have lived here. This OPTIONAL (yes, optional) homeowners association costs its residents about $100 per YEAR. There are deed restrictions in Longleaf Plantation. Their primary focus is to maintain the integrity of the neighborhood by keeping everyone from cutting down these beautiful trees and from painting their homes pink or orange.

If you’d like to know more about DeLand or the Longleaf Plantation community, here are a couple links. If you’re looking to relocate in the DeLand area, or anywhere in Central Florida, contact us to help you find your dream home.

About Longleaf

Longleaf Plantation: A Northern Frame of Mind

Published on March 31. 2022 / no comments.