Buying a home in Orlando can be the perfect investment opportunity. But where is the best place to buy property in the area around Disney World, and which sort of location will give you the best financial returns? In this guide from Top Villas Realty, we’ll take a look at some of the different options to give you an idea of where to place your hard-earned money.
Buying an investment property near Orlando is an easy enough decision. After all, the whole area has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, and there are further plans afoot to help the region attract even more tourists in years to come.
However, it can be tricky to separate the best investment options from the rest – especially as new resorts and vacation rental communities continue to crop up all the time.
Where to invest in Orlando
If you’re thinking about buying an Orlando property to live in, there’s good news: you’ll be able to pick a home pretty much anywhere. If on the other hand you’re looking a to invest in a home that you can rent out to others for short-term lets and vacations, your options are much more limited.
Just two of the areas around Orlando – Osceola County and Polk County – allow investment properties to be used as short-term vacation rentals. Fortunately these two counties are perfectly positioned for holiday rentals, providing easy access to some of Orlando’s best and most appealing attractions (including Disney World, of course).
These two areas offer a unique opportunity to buy into and capitalize on this growing market. Countless shops and restaurants have been built here in recent years to help cater for the growing number of tourists, with all the associated infrastructure you’d expect.
Osceola County
Disney itself is built within Osceola County, so buying somewhere in this beautiful part of Central Florida is an obvious choice for anyone who wants to secure a steady stream of rental revenue from the passing tourist trade.
The county is home to some of the best high-end vacation communities such as Reunion Resort, where membership gives homeowners and their guests access to incredible facilities like championship golf courses and a tropical-themed water park. Beyond the vacation communities, Osceola County is home to scenic spots like the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, as well as Downtown Kissimmee itself.
Polk County
Just to the southwest of Osceola, Polk County is still within easy reach of major attractions like Universal Studios and Walt Disney World. This lake-speckled county is also home to some of the best vacation rental communities, including Solterra Resort and Solana Resort. Other Polk County resorts worth considering include Davenport and Bridgeford Crossing.
Away from the resorts, Polk County is home to around 40 parks and recreation areas, including the Bone Valley ATV Park.
Which are the best Orlando resorts to invest in?
When it comes to short-term rental properties in Orlando, there are some great resorts to consider investing in. Property values at many of the best resorts have been increasing steadily in recent years as demand for quality vacation homes continues to grow.
Choose wisely and you could soon be the owner of a rental property that generates significant revenue each year – and provides you and your family with the option to stay near Disney whenever it suits you.
Reunion Resort
Reunion Resort is one of the premier resorts near Orlando. It’s an obvious place to invest in if you’re looking to make the best possible financial returns, year after year. Located just 6 miles from Disney World, this resort is home to some of the biggest and most beautiful mansions in all of Florida.
Beyond the spectacular villas, many of which include themed bedrooms and movie theaters, Reunion Resort offers an upscale hotel, three championship golf courses and a beautifully landscaped water park, plus a selection of great dining options. You can see what’s sold recently at Reunion Resort on this page.
Solara Resort
Located around 7 miles from Disney World, Solara Resort offers a fantastic opportunity for those looking to capitalize on Orlando’s burgeoning rental market. This is one of the best small resorts for families in the Disney area, thanks to the array of amenities on offer.
Guests can make use of a FlowRider Surfing Simulator, splash around in the heated Grand Pool, or dine on the open-air terrace with family and friends. Solara is a gated community with units that run the gamut from 3-bedroom townhouses to spacious 9-bedroom villas.
Encore Resort at Reunion
Just north of Reunion Resort, Encore is a modern, vibrant resort packed with attractive investment properties. Centered around a tropical-style water park and splash pool, the vacation homes here come with their own private pools and offer between 4 and 15 bedrooms.
At Encore, the properties combine modern interiors with extremely high build quality, making them the ideal low-maintenance investments. Guests will love the resort’s tennis courts, gym and playgrounds, and the free shuttles that run to the theme parks throughout the day.
Champions Gate Resort
Champions Gate Resort is just a 15-minute drive from Walt Disney World, so it’s an obvious choice for families and groups looking to enjoy unforgettable vacations in the Sunshine State. As a homeowner here, you’ll be assured of high occupancy rates.
Not only that, but if you and your family decide to block out some dates for a private vacation, you’ll also be able to enjoy the resort’s amazing facilities at your leisure. Options include playing a few rounds at the Championsgate golf resort, or unwinding at the relaxed Mokara Spa.
Solterra Resort
The rental properties at Solterra Resort are perfect if you’re looking to take advantage of high occupancy rates and great ongoing returns. Just a short drive from Disney World, the 4–10-bedroom homes at Solterra Resort are built on over-sized lots.
The homes feature bright, spacious living areas and multiple en-suite bathrooms, along with calming views over the surrounding conservation areas. Another thing that makes Solterra Resort one of the best Orlando resorts to invest in is the wide range of on-site amenities. There’s a welcoming clubhouse and a new lazy river pool that families just love.
Spectrum at Reunion
Offering investors and vacationers a completely new concept, Spectrum at Reunion differentiates itself from other Orlando resorts by offering modern residences with large outside spaces and flexible rental rules – you can either live at the resort all year round, rent out the entire calendar, or split your time between living and renting.
This is a gated community offering access to the amazing amenities at Reunion Resort (see above), so you’ll have plenty of excuses to stay and play when your guests check out.
Keenes Pointe, Windermere
There are 14 separate communities to choose from at Keenes Pointe, each with their own distinct personality. The resort itself is a quiet, upscale place, edged by neatly tended gardens.
It’s an attractive option if you want to invest near Disney – either purchase an empty lot and begin planning a custom home like no other, or purchase an existing property with a track record of generating profitable bookings.
Margaritaville
Margaritaville is one of the newest and most exciting resorts in the Orlando area. Themed in line with the rest of Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville empire, this is a true slice of paradise where high-end vacation cottages sit alongside lagoon-style pools.
The resort is also home to manmade beaches, a waterpark, and a wide range of dining and entertainment options. As this resort is newly built, now is the perfect opportunity to get in on the ground and take advantage of the relatively high rental rates.
Isleworth, Windermere
The homes at Isleworth are some of the most exclusive and jaw-dropping in the entire Orlando area. This high-end resort is a real enclave, surrounded by cedar trees and the scenic Butler Chain of Lakes, so it’s no surprise that it’s grown to become a playground for some of the wealthiest people in the United States.
Properties here come with a range of extras to surprise and delight, including boat docks, multi-level terraces and private movie theaters.
Lake Butler Sound, Windermere
One of the most peaceful resorts in this part of Central Florida, Lake Butler Sound attracts a rich variety of birdlife, as well as a steady stream of tourists looking to experience a quieter and more sedate Orlando vacation. This is a great place to invest, with sprawling, upscale mansions attracting high rental and occupancy rates right through the year.
How to find the perfect Orlando investment property
Investing in Orlando can be a tricky and challenging process. To avoid common pitfalls and enjoy a stress-free buying experience, it’s always worth enlisting the help of an experienced realtor. The team at Top Villas Realty can help not just with finding a new investment property, but also with securing you a reliable stream of rental nights so that you can quickly begin to see a return on your investment.
I’m from the UK: what are the options for buying property in Orlando?
The buying process can be daunting at the best of times, but especially so if you’re not a US resident. Our team includes British realtors who know the intricacies of international property purchases and can advise you every step of the way to ensure that your purchase is completed without a hitch.
Interested in seeing the best opportunities currently on the market?
Call our team today on 1-866-341-8086 (USA) or 0800 4334567 (UK), or fill out the form below for a quick reply.
