Del Webb Minneola, Esplanade at Highland Ranch, and Mount Olive Shores each made a case for the perfect Central Florida retirement home in one of our most fun video tours yet. Buyers Becca and Jim — relocating from a farm in Wisconsin — put all three communities to the test with a detailed wishlist and a $600,000–$800,000 budget. Here's what they found, and what it might mean for your own search.
What Becca and Jim Were Looking For
Before diving into the homes, it helps to understand the brief. Becca and Jim wanted to land within an hour of Disney World, with the Clermont, Minneola, and Mount Dora corridor at the top of their list. Their must-haves included:
- A garage longer than 22 feet to fit their Ford F-350 Super Duty truck
- Tile floors throughout
- A private pool
- A split floor plan for hosting guests
- Gas utilities
- Community amenities: fitness center, craft groups, and RV storage or an RV club for their Airstream trailer
Three agents — Claire, Tricia, and Mary — each championed a different community. Here's the rundown.
Del Webb Minneola: New Construction with Room to Customize
Claire presented the Stardom model at Del Webb Minneola, a new-construction community in Minneola, Florida. Base pricing starts at $470,000 — lot premiums and upgrades will push your final number higher, but for Becca and Jim's budget, there was meaningful room to personalize.
The Stardom's open-concept layout checked a lot of boxes: wood-look tile flooring, a flexible split floor plan, and a three-car garage that can be extended well past that 22-foot threshold. For buyers who want to put their own stamp on a home from the ground up, new construction is hard to beat.
Del Webb Minneola HOA and Amenities
The HOA fee at Del Webb Minneola runs $394 per month, covering lawn care, internet, and cable. There's also an $840 annual food and beverage minimum tied to the community restaurant. Amenities are still coming online as the community builds out, but the resort-style vision — fitness center, pools, social clubs — is well underway. For an RV-enthusiast couple, it's worth asking the sales team directly about RV storage options, as policies can vary by phase.
Mount Olive Shores: The RV Lover's Hidden Gem in Polk City
Tricia took Becca and Jim in a completely different direction: Mount Olive Shores in Polk City, Florida. This is one of the few communities in the country built specifically around the RV lifestyle — every single home comes with either an RV pad or an attached RV garage with full hookups. If your Airstream is as important to you as your living room, this place deserves a serious look.
The home Tricia showed was priced at $589,000 and sits on a stunning lakefront lot. The HOA fee is just $1,850 per year — among the lowest you'll find anywhere in Florida.
Where Mount Olive Shores Falls Short for This Couple
The tradeoff is size. At just over 1,200 square feet with one bedroom and a compact kitchen, the home simply didn't have the living space Becca and Jim needed for hosting family and settling into retirement. If you're a full-time RVer who wants a smaller home base with an unbeatable garage setup and lake views, Mount Olive Shores could be exactly right. For buyers who want more square footage, it's a tougher fit.
Esplanade at Highland Ranch: Resale Value in Clermont
Mary's pick was a resale Lazio model at Esplanade at Highland Ranch in Clermont — and she came prepared. Knowing the truck requirement, she brought a tape measure to the showing and confirmed the garage clears that 22-foot mark. That kind of agent detail matters.
Built in 2017, this 2,275-square-foot home is listed at $643,000 and delivers three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, an open den, and a tankless gas water heater. Step outside and you get a screened pool with an outdoor kitchen overlooking a peaceful dry retention area — exactly the kind of private backyard retreat that makes Florida living worthwhile.
Esplanade at Highland Ranch HOA and Community Life
The HOA fee is $1,200 per quarter ($400 per month), which covers complete lawn and shrub maintenance. Esplanade at Highland Ranch is a Taylor Morrison community with a full amenity campus — resort pool, fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, and a busy social calendar. Because it's an established community, you can see exactly what you're getting before you sign anything.
Quick Facts: Side-by-Side Comparison
- Del Webb Minneola (Stardom model): From $470,000 + lot/upgrades | HOA $394/mo + $840/yr restaurant minimum | New construction | Minneola, FL
- Mount Olive Shores: $589,000 | HOA $1,850/yr | 1,200 sq ft | RV garage with full hookups | Polk City, FL
- Esplanade at Highland Ranch (Lazio model): $643,000 | HOA $400/mo | 2,275 sq ft | 3 bed / 3 bath | Pool + outdoor kitchen | Clermont, FL
Which Community Did Becca and Jim Choose?
At the end of the tour, Becca and Jim chose Del Webb Minneola as their favorite. The ability to design a brand-new home to their exact specs — extended garage, tile floors, gas lines, their preferred layout — won them over. The community's potential also excited them; being part of something that's still taking shape has its own energy.
That said, Esplanade at Highland Ranch was a genuinely close second. If you want to move in sooner and love what a finished, established community offers, the Lazio resale is a compelling option. And if you live for your RV more than your square footage, Mount Olive Shores is truly one of a kind.
Ready to find out which Central Florida 55+ community fits your budget, lifestyle, and must-haves? Create your free Explore55Plus account and our AI will generate a personal match score across hundreds of communities nationwide. Save the ones you love to your shortlist, then compare them side by side in the Decision Matrix — so you can move forward with real confidence, not guesswork.
