The biggest mistake buyers make is asking “Which community is best?”
After nearly twenty years helping buyers in this market, I’ve learned that’s the wrong question. There isn’t one best community. There’s the community that fits how you plan to own it. That’s a different answer for almost every buyer I talk to.
Talk Through Your GoalsSome buyers want maximum rental income. Some want a second home they’ll actually use. Some want appreciation. Some just want the place to offset the cost of their own vacations. Figuring out which of those you are is the real first decision, before you ever look at a single house.
That’s how I’ve organized what follows. Not a list of thirty-some communities. A way to think about which ones fit your goals.
Flagship Communities
These are the names everyone already knows, and there’s a reason for that. But “known” doesn’t mean “right for you.” Buying into a Flagship community works best when the property matches the community around it. Chasing the lowest-priced home simply because of the address isn’t always the smartest long-term strategy.
Reunion in particular rewards buyers who understand what guests are paying for. They’re not paying for another vacation home. They’re paying for an experience they’ll remember.
They compete on experience.
Read the full guide to Reunion Resort →
Read the full guide to Encore →
Value Builders
For a lot of buyers, this is the sweet spot. You still get the resort lifestyle, but without paying Flagship prices. The tradeoff is rental history: these communities haven’t been around long enough to hand you a proven track record, so the numbers lean more on corridor averages than actual performance. That’s not a red flag. It’s just something to know going in.
Read the full guide to Solterra →
Read the full guide to Solara →
Read the full guide to Storey Lake →
Proven Performers
Some buyers sleep better knowing the community has already proven itself over time. If you’re not chasing the highest possible return, that’s not settling. That’s strategy. These are the communities where the surprises have mostly already happened to someone else, years ago.
No-Frills Performers
Some of my favorite investment conversations start here. No shared amenity package sounds like a downside until you realize what it means: the home becomes the destination. You stop depending on the neighborhood to do all the heavy lifting, and a well-done house here can outperform a flashier one twice its price.
Condo Communities
Lower buy-in, and a real, honest limitation: it’s genuinely harder to generate meaningful short-term rental income from a condo. Fine as an entry point, fine as a lifestyle choice. I just don’t point serious investors here first.
Independent Estates
This is where I personally believe the strongest returns live in this price range. This is where experience becomes an advantage. Luxury homes reward buyers who understand the difference between buying an impressive property and buying a high-performing one. Luxury properties demand a different level of planning, analysis, and strategy. That’s where experience matters most.
Emerging Opportunities
Sometimes these become tomorrow’s success stories. Sometimes they’re expensive lessons. My job is helping you tell the difference before you buy, not after.
Grandfathered Exceptions
Orange County communities that allow short-term rental because of a grandfather clause. Most buyers don’t even know this loophole exists until someone tells them.
Let’s talk about what you’re trying to accomplish.
The right community depends on your goals, not a list of amenities. Tell me what you’re trying to do, and I’ll tell you honestly which of these fits, and which don’t.
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