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| Nestled on 115 shady acres in quiet
Flagler Beach, Florida (population 5,000),
Plantation Oaks is a newer active adult manufactured
home community. The land that is now home to
this gated (manned 24-hours) development was once known
as Bulowville, a grand, early 19th century sugar and
cotton plantation. After the mansion and
outbuilding were burned by Seminole Indians in 1836, the land
reverted to its natural state, covered with thick
oaks and magnolia trees. Today these lush
surroundings provide shade and seclusion for the
residents of Plantation Oaks. |
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Eventually, there will be 377 homes here. Today a
few homes are for sale for less than $100,000; these are smaller
(around 900 sq. ft. to 1,000 sq. ft.) but not necessarily older,
most having been built in the last 4 to 5 years. The average
selling price is around $120,000; this will fetch 3 bedrooms, 2
baths, roughly 1,600 sq. ft., all appliances, air conditioning,
ceramic tile floors, ceiling fans and lots of windows.
The most expensive home for sale at this writing is $180,000 and has
2,300 sq. ft., 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, a corner lot, kitchen upgrades,
all appliances, air conditioning, laminate wood floors, a wood deck
and custom window coverings.
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All of the homes here are quite nice. Lawns are
tidy and professionally landscaped; streets are
well-lit. All residences have concrete driveways and carports
(some are 2-car). Many homes have glass-enclosed lanais, which
add to the square footage of each home, and a good number of
dwellings come furnished. Homeowners here lease the land upon which
their dwellings sit; a dwelling's lot lease depends on the home's
location in the development. Homes that are back to back have
leases that are $439 per month; homes that back onto the woods have
leases that range from $474 to $497 per month. Lot leases
include lawn maintenance, cable TV, garbage pick-up, water and infrastructure upkeep.
1-800-844-5503
for more information.
Plantation Oaks has an expansive, million dollar
community center; this is the place where residents gather for a
variety of activities, including tennis, billiards, croquet and
bocce. There is also an oversized heated pool and whirlpool
spa, a kitchen, a gym and a library.
Perhaps, though, one of the best aspects of
retiring to Plantation Oaks is its location. Wonderful
St. Augustine, Florida, steeped in history, is just 30 miles
north, and pretty Ormond Beach is just 15 miles south. Flagler
Beach, a quiet stretch of white sand, is five miles to the
east. Orlando, a great place to take the grandkids and home to
Disney World, is 65 miles west. NASCAR racing is 20
minutes south in Daytona Beach.
Closer to home, in fact adjacent to Plantation Oaks itself, is
Bulow Plantation Ruins State Historic Site, which houses the
remnants of the thriving 4,600-acre plantation that once stood
here. Bulow Creek is a great fishing spot, and for golfers,
the Halifax Plantation Golf Club is two miles away; four other courses
are a short drive away, and the New International Golf Village is in
St. Augustine. The town of Flagler Beach, while small, is home
to Flagler Regional Plaza, a good-sized shopping venue.
The climate is what would be expected in Florida. Summer
temperatures reach into the 90s F. (low 70s F. at night); winter
temperatures are in the 50s and 60s F. The area receives 3 to
7 inches of rain per month. Morning humidity is around 90%,
but drops to an average of 65% by afternoon. The sun shines
60% to 70% of the time.
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