There are many GREAT neighborhoods here on the outskirts of Orlando, but in this blog, I’ll be helping you to decide if you should move to Victoria Park in Deland, Florida or Debary Plantation in Debary. These two communities have much in common, but there ARE some distinct differences. These aren’t listed in any particular order, so be sure to read through to the end.

Similarities

So let’s jump right into the SIMILARITIES of these two communities. Victoria Park is in Deland about 15-20 minutes north of Debary Plantation. They’re both family-friendly communities located right close to I-4, so getting down to Orlando or the beaches is quite easy. They’re both nicer communities of mostly single-family residential homes with an average size of, say, 2,100 square feet that similar buyers may consider when moving here on the north side of Orlando. Each of these communities has several smaller communities contained inside them and Victoria Park has the Victoria Hills Golf Club, while Debary Plantation has the Debary Golf and Country Club.

HOA Communities

Someone that DOESN’T like a homeowner’s association, or someone that wants some land, or maybe a horse, ISN’T going to consider Debary Plantation or Victoria Park-they’re a completely different buyer. Some would say that both of these communities are “cookie cutter” communities, although Victoria Park may have a little more of that type of feel in some areas. They’ve both got golf courses, clubhouses and community pool options and, as of today, they’re both been the premier communities for their respective cities for the last decade or more.

BOTH of these communities have new construction competition

This could challenge this in the coming years. Rivington and The Reserve at Victoria are both up and coming competitors. Victoria Park, inside Victoria Oaks still has a good bit of new construction options. Debary Plantation, on the other hand, doesn’t have much, if anything at all, for new construction.

Debary Plantation and Victoria Park are both primarily comprised of homes with an average of between 2,100 and 2,200 square feet, and both communities are about 20-25 years old. So there are A LOT of similarities. But let’s take a look at what’s NOT so similar.

The first difference in these two communities is THE FEEL

Although Victoria Park is a bit newer than Debary Plantation, it seems like Victoria Park has more mature trees. Of course, it depends on which section of the community you’re in as there’s still new construction in Victoria Park. I’ve heard some Debary Plantation homeowners indicate that they wish they had the trees the Victoria Park does. It’s not that they trees don’t exist, Debary Plantation has some nice trees, but Victoria Park has some tree lined streets making the overall feel different. I’ve heard it said that Debary Plantation is a bit more sophisticated too. I don’t know if that’s really the case or not. I don’t even know if that’s quantifiable.

55-Plus Living

I believe Debary Plantation is a wonderful community for active adults, for the 55-plus crowd. However, it doesn’t begin compare with Cresswind at Victoria Gardens in Victoria Park. Cresswind is a gated section for only that 55-plus crowd, and they’ve got a full-time employee that manages the activities in there. It’s pricey, the HOA is quite a bit more than Debary Plantation, but they manage the lawns and landscaping. This section of Victoria Park is really more about a community lifestyle with a whole mess of activities for this 55 plus crowd.

DeBary vs. DeLand

Another contrast between these two communities is their respective towns. I LOVE Debary and I LOVE Deland, but there’s really nothing to do IN DEBARY. Debary is really just a bedroom community and aside from Gemini Springs and the St. Johns River, there isn’t much to do here. If you live in Debary Plantation, you’ll need to head up to Orange City or down to Sanford for shopping, restaurants, or entertainment.

Yes, Debary is planning a downtown district which could change things. Right now, that’s just a plan for the future. Deland, on the other hand, has just about everything you’ll need right in Deland. Right on the edge of Victoria commons there are a couple of great little restaurants. You can get ice cream, and there are some medical buildings literally RIGHT there. They’ve got an amazing downtown district about 10 minutes away with all sorts of restaurants and bars. Walmart, Lowes, and all that are right close by, too.

Price

Another difference in these two communities is the price. The median sale price in the Debary Plantation in the ast 6 months was right around $450,000, whereas the median price up in Victoria Park was right around $405,000. That’s quite a difference. Maybe it’s the 9 townhomes that sold in Victoria Park that tend to sell for a bit less, whereas there aren’t any townhomes in the Debary Plantation..

Lot Size

The lot size, on average, is bigger in Debary Plantation, being about a quarter acre versus.17 acre in Victoria Park. The homes in Victoria Park are a bit newer, too, but I believe the difference is generally inconsequential. The data here shows quite a difference overall, but we’re sending our buyers in the same price range to both communities. There ARE similarly priced homes in both communities.

Schools

The schools in each of these communities are in Volusia County. I’ve heard people say that they liked the schools in the Debary/Orange City area better than up in Deland, but I cannot speak to that as I don’t have any children in school these days. If you’d like to find out which school is better, go online to greatschools.org or any of another good website.

So…which is better?

Well, if you’re driving to Orlando on a daily basis, then Debary Plantation may have a slight edge. If you’re over 55 and you have the budget, then Victoria Park is the clear winner. Want a small, quiet town or a town with a nice, bustling, downtown area? Then the choice really depends on YOUR wants and needs.

I can come up with plenty of good AND bad about both Debary AND Deland. If you’re thinking about moving to the area, give me a call and I’d be happy to discuss them with you. If you have any real estate needs at all, we’re here to help.

Published on October 24. 2023 / Tags: #Deland, 55+ communities, debary, debary plantation, Victoria Park / no comments.