Epperson’s Sales Pace Among Top 50 For U.S. Communities

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — Year-to-date home sales at Epperson, which are up 174 percent from a year ago, rank the community among the nation’s top 50 master-planned communities in sales, according to a survey by the RCLCO real estate research firm.

Epperson is a master-planned community in Wesley Chapel, with the region’s first Crystal Lagoon, a 7.5-acre aquatic amenity, created by Tampa-based developer Metro Places.

From January to June 2021, new home sales at Epperson totaled 342, compared to 125 in the year-ago period. That total ranked the Pasco County new-home community at No. 27 in RCLCO’s mid-year survey of new home sales at U.S. master-planned communities.

“Homebuyer interest in Epperson only continues to grow, thanks to our convenient location, the quality homes in our neighborhoods, and an impressive array of amenities, starting with our 7.5-acre Metro Lagoon,” said John Ryan, CEO of Metro Development Group. “It all adds up to great value for homebuyers.”

Epperson’s hot 2021 sales reflect how Pasco County has become a go-to destination for new home buyers in the Tampa Bay area. With more people working remotely, and more challenges for homebuyers finding options within major cities, suburban areas like Wesley Chapel become more and more popular.

And on a broader level, Florida’s popularity for new-home buyers was also evident in the RCLCO survey, with Florida communities accounting for 17 of the top 50 communities (34 percent), including Lakewood Ranch and The Villages in the top two spots. The state continues to see a tremendous influx of new residents moving in from other states, attracted by Florida’s quality of life, balmy weather and cost of living.

“You can get so much house for your money at Epperson,” said John Afflebach, Metro Development Group’s marketing director. “We are getting tremendous buyer interest from first-time and move-up buyers from around west-central Florida, and from people moving here from states like New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Illinois.”

Every year since 1994, RCLCO has conducted a national survey identifying the top-selling master-planned communities through a rigorous search of high-performing communities in each state. This initiative exists not only as a way to commend the most successful communities in the country, but also as a tool for monitoring the overall health of the for-sale housing industry. A full list of the top-performing communities is available on the RCLCO website.

Epperson offers new homes from the $200s to $1 million. Residents enjoy a wide range of spectacular amenities, from the nation’s first Crystal Lagoon to super-fast ULTRAFi internet, dog parks, tot lots, play fields and miles of trails.

The current family of builders includes Lennar, DR Horton, Pulte Homes, M/I Homes, Maronda Homes and Biscayne Homes.