Two area communities named to U.S. top-sellers list

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Lakewood Ranch was recently named the second top-selling, master-planned community in the U.S., while West Villages was named the fifth top-selling community for the first half of 2018. 

Lakewood Ranch straddles Sarasota and Manatee counties, and West Villages is in south Sarasota County. 

A new study by real estate consulting firm RCLCO offers a mid-year update on its 2017 rankings. According to the ranking, Lakewood Ranch had 826 new home sales halfway through 2018. West Villages had 648 homes sold at the midway point. 

In 2017, Lakewood Ranch was ranked third. At this point in 2017, Lakewood Ranch had sold 622 homes. So far in 2018, home sales at West Villages represent a 23% increase from the first six months of 2017. 

In a press release, RCLCO attributes Lakewood Ranch's growth to success at targeting various age, income and household segments with appropriately priced and designed residential products.

According to a press release, part of the sales jump at West Villages can be attributed to the three new communities that have opened there since August 2017: Renaissance by Mattamy Homes, The Preserve by D.R. Horton and Oasis by M/I Homes. 

The Villages in Florida was named the No. 1 top-selling master-planned community with 1,115 new home sales.