Orange County Real Estate: Orlando, Lake Nona, Winter Garden, and the Full Metro

Orange County is Central Florida’s economic core, home to the Orlando metro’s largest employers, its highest transaction volume, and its widest range of price points. From entry-level townhomes in MetroWest and Hunters Creek to lakefront estates in Windermere, this county covers a lot of ground. County property records put the resale single-family median at $440,000 for January to April 2026, down 1.1% from a year earlier. Demand comes from owner-occupants, investors, second-home buyers, and corporate relocations.

Home prices: see the latest Orange County home price report, built from county-recorded sales.

I am Morgan Sloan, licensed in Florida since 2000. Orange County is where I have spent the bulk of my career. I have watched Lake Nona go from empty cattle land to a city within a city. I have sold in Windermere when rates were 7% and when they were 3%. I know which neighborhoods hold value and why, which builder reputations are earned and which are manufactured, and what every buyer and seller in this county needs to understand before they sign anything.

Orange County at a Glance

Resale Single-Family Median (Jan to Apr 2026)	$440,000
Change From a Year Earlier	Down 1.1%
Median Price per Sq Ft	$242
County Seat	Orlando
Key Submarkets	Lake Nona, Winter Garden, Windermere, Dr. Phillips, Baldwin Park, College Park

Source: county property records, qualified sales. Full Orange County price report.

What Drives the Orange County Market

Tourism infrastructure creates a permanent economic base. Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, and the Orange County Convention Center are major employers and support an economy that runs from hospitality management to healthcare to professional services. That economy runs year-round and generates consistent housing demand across every price point in the county.

Medical and life sciences are the growth story. Lake Nona Medical City (anchored by Nemours Children’s Hospital, UCF College of Medicine, and the VA Medical Center) has created a genuine biomedical corridor in southeast Orange County. AdventHealth’s downtown Orlando campus and Orlando Health’s expanding network add further depth.

Technology and defense employers add demand. Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control division in East Orlando, Siemens Energy, Electronic Arts, and a growing cluster of tech firms along the I-4 corridor add steady housing demand along the corridor. UCF’s engineering and computer science programs feed this talent pipeline directly.

University and education sector anchors long-term stability. The University of Central Florida’s main campus is in East Orange County. Valencia College operates multiple campuses across Orange County. Rollins College in Winter Park adds a private institution presence. These institutions are major employers and add steady housing demand.

Steady in-migration supports demand. Construction remains active in Lake Nona, Horizon West, and Apopka, and people moving from other states continue to bring buyers into Orange County.

What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know Here

CDD fees in master-planned communities are the biggest cost surprise in Orange County. Community Development District fees are annual assessments charged to homeowners in district communities such as Lake Nona to pay for infrastructure (roads, utilities, amenities) built during development. In Lake Nona, district assessments vary by neighborhood, and some lots also carry a capital balance (the remaining infrastructure debt tied to the specific lot). Always ask for both the annual CDD assessment and the capital balance before making an offer. The annual assessment alone does not tell you the full story.

HOA prevalence is the norm, not the exception. The vast majority of planned communities in Orange County have homeowners associations. Fees, governance quality, and reserve fund health vary dramatically. In mature communities like MetroWest and Hunters Creek, check the reserve study, aging infrastructure with underfunded reserves means special assessments are a real risk. In newer communities, understand what the HOA covers and what it does not.

Flood zone awareness matters in specific corridors. Orange County is not universally flood-prone, but properties near the Conway chain of lakes, portions of East Orlando near wetlands, and some low-lying areas near the St. Johns River watershed sit in FEMA-designated flood zones. Flood insurance in these zones adds to your yearly carrying costs, so get a quote for the address. Verify flood zone status for any property near standing water before closing.

New construction activity creates both opportunity and complexity. Builders across Orange County are offering incentives (rate buydowns, closing cost credits, upgraded finishes) to move inventory. These incentives are real and valuable. They also come with builder-controlled contracts, longer timelines, CDD fees on new lots, and limited negotiation flexibility. Understand the tradeoff before you sign. Resale homes are priced by the market, not by the builder’s margin targets.

School zone variation within the county is significant. School assignment varies by address. A home one block away from your target address can feed a completely different school. Verify the specific campus assignment for every address you consider through the district’s online tool before making any offer. In Orange County, treat this as essential due diligence.

Neighborhoods in Orange County

Orange County contains more distinct real estate submarkets than any other county in Central Florida. Here is a quick overview of where buyers are looking. For the full community-by-community breakdown, read the Orange County neighborhoods guide.

• Lake Nona (32827): Medical city anchor, modern infrastructure, newer school campuses, significant CDD fees. $545K to $1.1M (median $765K).
• Winter Garden / Horizon West: Western Orange growth corridor, new construction dominant, strong community identity. $475K to $785K (median $585K).
• Windermere: Butler Chain of Lakes, lakefront luxury, established estates. $565K to $1.4M (median $845K).
• Dr. Phillips (32819): Established luxury, Restaurant Row, sought-after school zones, consistent demand. $470K to $875K (median $585K).
• Baldwin Park (32814): Urban infill, walkability, brick streets, resale only. $675K to $1.1M (median $785K).
• College Park (32804): Original Orlando, character homes, Edgewater Drive. $420K to $825K (median $580K).
• East Orlando (32817, 32825, 32828): Planned communities, UCF proximity, below-median prices. $355K to $530K (median $425K).
• MetroWest / Hunters Creek (32835, 32837): Value corridor, Disney proximity, established communities. $350K to $550K (median $420K).
• Apopka / Ocoee: Northwest Orange County growth, new construction, below-median prices. $350K to $510K (median $415K).

Figures show the middle half of single-family sales recorded by the county from January 2025 to April 2026, with the median. Areas without a city of their own use ZIP codes; city figures use the mailing city on county records.

Closing Costs in Orange County

Closing costs in Orange County follow the standard Florida framework, documentary stamp tax on the deed at $0.70 per $100 of sale price, documentary stamp tax on the mortgage at $0.35 per $100 of loan amount, and intangible tax on new mortgages at $0.20 per $100. On a $440,000 sale, the seller pays $3,080 in doc stamps on the deed alone, before title insurance, prorated taxes, and other fees. Orange County’s CDD fee landscape adds a layer of complexity that most closing cost guides do not address, and it is the single most significant unique cost factor in this market.

I put together a complete PDF that breaks down every fee, every tax, every CDD consideration, and every line item you will see on a closing disclosure in Orange County, for both buyers and sellers.

Read the full Orange County closing costs breakdown.

Buying vs. Selling in Orange County

For Buyers

Prices are holding close to last year’s level, so preparation matters more than timing. Before you write an offer in any CDD community, get both the annual assessment and the capital balance in writing. Before you buy in any school zone, verify the specific campus assignment for your address. And before you choose between new construction and resale, understand the full tradeoff, builder incentives vs. CDD capital balances, timeline flexibility vs. contract control. Read the complete guide to buying a home in Orange County.

For Sellers

Your submarket defines your strategy. In Lake Nona, your pricing must account for the CDD-adjusted cost comparison buyers will make. In Winter Garden and Horizon West, you compete directly with builders offering incentives, win by pricing accurately and presenting in move-in condition. In Baldwin Park and College Park, buyers are paying for walkability and genuine urban character, so market those features. In every submarket, pricing accuracy is the difference between a quick sale and a listing that sits. Read the complete guide to selling your home in Orange County.

How I Work in Orange County

I am Morgan Sloan, a real estate broker, licensed in Florida since 2000, covering Orange County and the broader Central Florida market. This is the county where I built my career. What I bring is direct market knowledge, which neighborhoods hold value and why, which builder reputations are real and which are marketing, what a CDD capital balance actually means for your monthly cost, and how to navigate a complex and competitive real estate market.

If you are buying or selling in Orange County, I will give you the same direct, data-backed guidance that I would give a family member. That is the standard. Reach me through sloanproperties.com or call my office to get started.

Orange County Real Estate Resources

• Buying a Home in Orange County
• Selling a Home in Orange County
• Orange County Closing Costs Guide
• Best Neighborhoods in Orange County