Real Estate News

According to FloridaRentals.com, Davenport is one of the top 10 vacation spots in the state for off season rental homes. The list is compiled based on the number of searches on the website.  Courtesy of Mike Ferguson - The Lakeland Ledger

DAVENPORT — The growth in Davenport has been well-documented, but it’s not just new residents accounting for it.

According to FloridaRentals.com, Davenport is one of the top 10 vacation spots in the state for offseason rental homes. The list is compiled based on the number of searches on the website.

Vacation Homes in Davenport FL

“What it means for those areas is that a rental property is a good investment because they can likely be rented 52 weeks a year, and further, businesses supporting tourism in the areas will also be busy through the offseason,” said Tom Gilmore, founder of FloridaRentals.com, in an email. “In the summer months, far less people travel to the southern areas where the tropical-like heat and humidity spike.”

Included in the criteria are not just the incorporated areas of Davenport, but the unincorporated areas as well. Davenport addresses run as far as Intercession City in Osceola County to the east and to the Lake County line to the north on U.S. 27. Even parts of Haines City’s limits, like Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, have Davenport addresses.

“I’m not sure anyone envisioned the magnitude of the growth or the scale of rental properties,” County Commissioner Todd Dantzler said. “Obviously, a lot of that has to do with the proximity to the ‘Mouse.’ There hasn’t been as much commercial growth as I had hoped. It’s added to our bed tax, but it’s really shown us the importance of addressing our roadways and infrastructure as well.”

Gilmore said Walt Disney World was a big factor, but noted that hurricane season tends to deter visitors to the area. The only other Florida city listed in the top 10 in close proximity to Polk County is Kissimmee. Parts of Poinciana are located inside Polk County and have a Kissimmee address.

 “It’s safe to say that the Disney area doesn’t really have an ‘off’ season,” Gilmore said.
Within the city limits, there are currently 22 developments in the works, which will bring 3,950 new single-family houses to the city. City Manager Kelly Callihan said he isn’t sure whether that will lead to an uptick in rental properties. Dantzler noted that many vacation properties are owned by foreign investors, which has pros and cons.

“It’s a way for them to feel good about owning property in the United States,” the county commissioner said. “There are other issues that come up with that. It’s a good place to buy real estate right now and people are taking advantage of that.”