The lovely Arbors neighborhood has perhaps the lowest inventory of all of the neighborhoods in Ocala, with only one home on the market representing one month of inventory. As compared with the rest of Ocala and Marion County as a whole, which both maintain balanced markets with approximately six months of inventory, the Arbors is certainly a seller's market.
Get ready, Ocala, because holiday season is officially here. December brings plenty of entertainment options and holiday fun, and the first December weekend is full of festivities.
This Saturday, Ocala Symphony Orchestra's annual holiday subscription-series concerts begin at 7:30 PM and again at 3 PM on Sunday at the Reilly Arts Center. "The Snowman," an Oscar-nominated animated short film provides the inspiration for the first half of the show, which will feature its music as well as the movie itself projected on a large screen above the orchestra. Holiday pop tunes will be featured in the second half of the orchestra's performance.
If you are looking to live in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Ocala, you don't want to miss Bellechase. This stunning neighborhood is one of Ocala's only premier luxury communities of single-family homes that features a 24-hour guarded gate for ultimate security and exclusivity.
The entire country is expected to have a very strong holiday shopping season this year, and Marion County is no exception. The National Retail Federation is expecting a 3.6% increase over 2015's numbers, with approximately $655.8 billion in sales this November and December, and that doesn't even include cars, gas or restaurants.
Furthermore, the Florida Retail Federation is predicting a 4% increase in sales over 2015, and the boost could be attributed to Florida's record low 4.8% unemployment rate, the strong tourism market here and Florida's strong housing market.
Let's check in with Ocala Highlands, which is an established neighborhood in southeast Ocala featuring single family homes averaging approximately 1,400 square feet that are situated on lots featuring plenty of mature trees.
Conveniently located near Ocala Municipal Golf Course, as well as near great shopping, dining, and recreational options, this is a great neighborhood to consider for your new home. There are 13 homes on the market here representing 4.5 months of inventory. Even though the inventory level sways slightly towards a seller's market, the sheer number of homes available here is good news for buyers. Comparatively, Ocala as a whole has 6.5 months of inventory and Marion County overall has 7.2 months of inventory, and both of these numbers represent fairly balanced markets. Typically, more than six months of inventory would suggest a buyer's market and less than six months of inventory would suggest a seller's market.
Locally-trained Marion County horses recently gave Ocala yet another reason to be proud of it horse culture.
The Breeder's Cup Distaff that took place last week featured a photo finish between two horses, both of which were from Marion County. Beholder beat out Songbird by just inches, and the prize-winning horse was broken locally by Raul Reyes' Kings Equine for Spendthrift Farm.
Let's check in with Country Club of Ocala, where the big news here is that there is a whopping 31.2 months of inventory represented by 13 homes currently on the market. We have an undeniable buyer's market on our hands here, with quite a few homes to choose from and less than one home selling on average oer month. Ocala as a whole has 6.7 months of inventory and Marion County as a whole has 7.4 months of inventory. Both of these numbers indicate a fairly balanced market. There is nothing balanced, however, about the market in Country Club of Ocala.
With constant growth in Ocala, it should come as no surprise that there is more residential development on the horizon in Marion County and potentially a new equine services development, as well.
A new housing development was just approved by the Marion County commission and will be located southwest of the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club.
Let's check in with Rolling Hills, a beautiful community of single-family homes located in Southwest Ocala. This neighborhood features newer construction homes that were built in the early 2000’s. They are situated on generously sized lots averaging at least an acre. The neighborhood is conveniently located near State Road 200 and Southwest Corridor shopping, dining, entertainment and medical facilities. Rolling Hills is great for families, and just as the name suggests, offers plenty of green space.
Downtown Ocala is a thriving neighborhood, and it just continues to become home to new and hip business and restaurants. Downtown is proving so far to be a worthwhile investment for developers, as well as a desirable destination for locals. There is always something new to check out or a budding development on the horizon.
Let's check in with Oak Run, a private gated community for those 55 and over located in Ocala’s Highway 200 Corridor. This exclusive neighborhood is geared towards active adults and features a private community golf course, community center, tennis courts, an outdoor pool as well as an indoor heated pool and much, much more. Oak run is an ideal neighborhood for retirees who want spectacular resort style living in one of Central Florida's premier active adult communities.
If you think parking has been a problem in downtown Ocala, you are not alone, and now big changes are almost here. The city plans to add 148 new parking meters around the downtown area in conjunction with the completion of a huge new parking garage downtown that will have 400 parking spaces, where many of the parking spaces will be free.
On August 4, around 135 pigs were seized by the Polk County sheriff’s department after an investigation found widespread neglect and inhumane conditions. Savvy & Company will be sponsoring the effort to rescue & rehome these pigs.
Let's check in with Stone Creek, an active 55-and-up community that is chock full of amenities...and inventory!
The housing market in Ocala is fairly balanced, with seven months of inventory currently available, and 7.7 months inventory available in Marion County as a whole. However, the neighborhood of Stone Creek has a clear buyer’s market, with 12.6 months of inventory and a whopping 64 homes on the market.
Aldi Food Market, a national grocery chain known for having low-priced budget friendly items, is rapidly expanding, and Florida is benefiting from its growth.
Ocala recently approved a site for one new store, and Gainesville also approved sites for two new stores. Now, one location in Gainesville is getting ready to open and the other two locations are in the works.
The Ocala Downtown Market opened in its new location this weekend at the corner of Southeast 3rd Street and Southeast 3rd Avenue where it features a covered pavilion.
The newly covered market was a big deal, especially since opening day saw plenty of rain. Had it not been for the new location under the pavilion, the market would not have been open for business.
Ocala is about to get a visit from a famous Oscar winner. But not because he's filming a movie in Ocala. Kevin Costner, The super famous and acclaimed actor who has starred in countless Oscar award-winning films, has a country rock band called Modern West that will be performing a concert on Saturday at Ocala's Circle Square Cultural Center.
Good news for all of you Ocala horse fans. The Ocala Initiative has been officially funded, thanks to a variety of Florida-based organizations who raised $100,000 towards the effort. Founded by the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation, the Ocala Initiative was designed to garner support from horse farms and businesses, as well as from individual donors, in order to advance equine research to improve overall horse health and welfare.
Last week, there was a news of a brand new FedEx hub moving into Ocala. And now, Memphis-based AutoZone is looking to build a 444,000 square-foot facility near the new FedEx hub. This $49 million building taking over 60 acres is part of an economic incentive project that would require AutoZone to create at least 192 full-time jobs with an average annual salary of $38,000, and the county and city each would pay AutoZone $3.75 million over 30 years as well as offer electrical service at reduced rates for the first five years after the plant opens, and also$500,000 in construction–related fees.
Major business is moving in to Marion County and bringing plenty of jobs, as well as city pride.
Ocala is getting a new FedEx Ground hub and the entire community is quite excited about it. The company has partnered with the city and the move-in has created a sense of accomplishment for the city. It is a great project that will bring in over 300 new employees to work over the next couple of weeks. Bringing new jobs to the community is great news for the economy of Ocala and Marion County.
