About Your New Florida

Highlands County, Florida checks a lot of boxes for the future. First and foremost is the location. If you’re looking for a beachfront condo, this surely isn’t the place for you. The County is located in Florida’s Heartland along the I-27 corridor also known as Florida's backbone. We are about mid-way between Pt. St. Lucie to the east and Sarasota to the west. We are located in South, Central Florida, less than two hours south of Orlando. The County has a controlled growth agenda and has learned from the mistakes of their big city neighbors. The area will remain pristine and country-like for many years to come. Along the I-27, you will see cities of the future. Today, the landscape is dotted with farms, orange groves, and even vineyards. Highlands county is a very special place and it’s so affordable. Many who come from areas such as Dade, Broward, Orange and Hillsborough counties, feel like they've stepped back in time.

Highlands County gets its name from its rolling terrain and unusually high elevation above sea level. Elevations in parts of the county exceed 200 feet. In comparison, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale average about 6 feet above sea level. Highlands County is also known for its over 100 fresh water lakes and an abundance of outdoor activities. Lake Istokpoga at 28,000 acres is the areas largest lake. This oblong-shaped waterway is approximately 5 miles wide and 10 miles long, making it one of the best fishing lakes in the state. Lake Jackson and Lake June in the town of Lake Placid, have two of the areas largest and most beautiful lakes.

Drawing Parallels-Hurricane Andrew in 1992 & Hurricane Ian 2022

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew devasted Homestead and surrounding areas in Dade County with catastrophic damage. The hurricane caused 27 billion in damages with 730,000 buildings and homes damaged or destroyed. More than 930,000 policy holders in South Florida lost coverage after 11 insurance companies went bankrupt. By 2001, 230,00 people moved from Dade to Broward County beginning a migration to the North and West. The construction of new homes, condiminiums and communities were built at a record pace. The City of Pembroke Pines in particular experienced exposive growth & in 1997 had the distinction of becoming the 3rd Fastest Growing City in the U.S.

Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms to menace the United States in decades, made landfall in Southwest Florida on September 28th,2022 as a category 4 storm. Along its path, it washed away roads, bridges, cars, boats and homes. People across southwest Florida have taken stock of the massive devastation left behind. The damage was so extensive that according to Governor Ron DeSantis, may take years to rebuild. Early estimates are over 100 Billion in damages with that amount likely to increase.

A Look Back/A Path Forward In regard to migaration, we know from Hurricane Andrew that there will be an explosion of new construction for the next decade & beyond. The playbook has already been written and tells us that growth will be inland, away from low elevations to higher ground. National builders have already begun bidding on land tracts in towns and cities inland. Some 2.4 million people and 1.3 million homes sit within 4 feet of the local high tide line.

Higlands County- In the Sweet Spot Your new Florida,Inc. is the exclusive broker and has the largest lot inventory for well located lots in Lake Placid and Sebring. The area is High & Dry with elevations approaching 200 feet above sea level. Hurricane Ian had little impact on Highlands County because of its location even though the storms center passed nearby. The area had only minor damage and lost power for just a short duration. Being inland with high elevation puts towns like Sebring and other neighboring towns smack in center of what many experts believe will be the beneficiaries of the next wave of exposive growth.