Howey-in-the-Hills Real Estate: A Lake Harris Town in Central Lake County

Howey-in-the-Hills is a small town in central Lake County on the west shore of Little Lake Harris, about 8 miles south of Tavares on State Road 19. Citrus grower and developer William J. Howey began platting land here in 1921 and incorporated the Town of Howey on May 8, 1925, with himself as the first mayor. In 1927 the name became Howey-in-the-Hills, for the rolling hills Howey called the Florida Alps. The 2020 census counted 1,643 residents, up from 1,098 in 2010, and several large subdivisions have been approved since. ZIP code 34737 also covers a large unincorporated area around the town.

Single-family homes in ZIP code 34737 sold for a median of $393,750 over the 12 months ending April 2026, based on county records. The median home sold had about 2,130 square feet and was built in 2007.

Source: Lake County Property Appraiser sale records, qualified arm's-length sales (qualification codes 01 and 02) over $50,000 for single-family and condo land uses, May 2025 through April 2026, for ZIP code 34737. County records, not MLS data. Sales after April 2026 are left out because the county is still recording them. ZIP 34737 also includes unincorporated areas outside the town limits, and with 28 single-family sales in each half year the medians move with the mix of homes sold.

What Homes Sold For

Of the 73 recorded sales, including condos and townhomes, 12 were under $300,000, 28 sold between $300,000 and $399,999, 13 between $400,000 and $499,999, 12 between $500,000 and $749,999, and 8 for $750,000 or more. Sales range from townhomes and newer subdivision homes to older lakefront and acreage properties, so lake frontage, lot size and age move the price as much as square footage. I compare recorded sales of similar homes before setting a price or writing an offer.

William Howey and the Howey Test

Howey sold grove land to buyers around the country, paired with service contracts under which an affiliated company cultivated, harvested and marketed the fruit. In 1946 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in SEC v. W. J. Howey Co. that these sales were investment contracts under the Securities Act of 1933. The test from that case is still used to decide what counts as a security.

Howey's Mediterranean Revival home, the Howey Mansion at 1001 North Citrus Avenue, was built in 1925 and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. New owners bought and restored it starting in 2017, it hosts weddings and weekday tours, and it received a state historical marker in 2026.

Mission Resort + Club

Mission Resort + Club sits on the shore of Little Lake Harris and has two 18-hole golf courses, El Campeon and Las Colinas. The El Campeon course dates to 1917. Nick Beucher bought what was then the Floridan Country Club in 1964, and his family ran it as Mission Inn until selling to MMI Hospitality Group in 2022.

Lakes, Parks and New Communities

Little Lake Harris covers about 2,744 acres and is part of the Harris Chain of Lakes, whose largest lake, Lake Harris, covers more than 13,000 acres. Griffin Park on South Lakeshore Boulevard has the town boat ramp, which requires an annual town permit, along with small fishing piers, a pavilion and a playground. The town also maintains Central Park, Blevins Patriot's Park and the Sara Maude Mason Preserve.

The town's October 2025 development report lists The Reserve, also called Hillside Groves, with 638 homes and its first phase under construction; Watermark, about 290 homes at Revels Road and SR 19; Mission Rise, 410 homes between SR 19 and Number Two Road; and Lake Hills, near CR 48 and SR 19, with a preliminary plan for 571 homes as a 55-and-older community. Venezia Townhomes, with 113 units, and the second phase of Talichet are complete.

Schools

The town is zoned for Astatula Elementary, Tavares Middle and Tavares High. Western parts of ZIP 34737 are zoned for Leesburg Elementary, Oak Park Middle and Leesburg High, and small areas to the south are zoned to other schools. Confirm any address with Lake County Schools.

Getting Around

SR 19, called Palm Avenue in town, runs north about 8 miles to Tavares and south to Florida's Turnpike, the usual route toward Orlando. CR 48 runs west from SR 19. Without traffic, approximate drive times are about 15 minutes to Tavares, 20 to 25 minutes to Leesburg and Mount Dora, about 25 minutes to Clermont, 45 to 50 minutes to downtown Orlando, and about an hour to Orlando International Airport.

Before You Buy

Check whether the home is inside the town limits, since about half the addresses in ZIP 34737 are in unincorporated Lake County and a smaller number fall inside Leesburg or Groveland. The town supplies water from Floridan aquifer wells. Its comprehensive plan allows septic tanks on lots of at least 15,000 square feet, and wastewater from some newer communities is treated through the Central Lake Community Development District, so confirm sewer or septic for each address. Most land in town is mapped in FEMA Zone X, but the shoreline and low areas along Little Lake Harris fall in Zone AE or A, where federally backed lenders require flood insurance. Read the HOA documents in newer subdivisions. If you plan to build, the town adopted higher impact fees in October 2026 that take effect January 11, 2027.

Howey-in-the-Hills and Nearby Areas

The listings below cover Howey-in-the-Hills addresses, which include unincorporated land around the town. Tell me if you also want nearby Tavares, Leesburg or Mount Dora and I will widen the search.

Working With Me in Howey-in-the-Hills

I help buyers compare older lakefront homes, resort-area homes and new subdivisions using what homes actually recorded for, and I check town limits, septic or sewer, flood zones and HOA rules with you before you commit. If you own in Howey-in-the-Hills, I can run a pricing check or walk you through the recorded sales that matter for your home, so your price holds up when the appraiser looks at it.

Start with the Lake County Real Estate Overview or the Tavares Real Estate guide, request a free home valuation, or contact me directly to talk about Howey-in-the-Hills.

Common Questions

What do homes in Howey-in-the-Hills sell for?

County records show a median single-family sale price of $393,750 in ZIP code 34737 in the 12 months ending April 2026, with the middle half between $346,500 and $559,175. The median home sold was built in 2007.

Is the Howey test named after Howey-in-the-Hills?

Yes. The 1946 Supreme Court case SEC v. W. J. Howey Co. involved citrus grove land in Lake County sold with service contracts by companies tied to the town's founder, William J. Howey. The test from that case is still used to decide what counts as a security.

Does Howey-in-the-Hills have town water and sewer?

The town supplies water from wells in the Floridan aquifer. Its comprehensive plan allows septic tanks on lots of at least 15,000 square feet, and wastewater from some newer communities is treated through the Central Lake Community Development District. Confirm sewer or septic for each address.

What schools serve Howey-in-the-Hills?

The town is zoned for Astatula Elementary, Tavares Middle and Tavares High. Western parts of ZIP 34737 are zoned for Leesburg schools. Confirm any address with Lake County Schools.