The Springs

The Springs (also marketed as The Springs Bath & Yacht Club) is one of Central Florida's best-kept secrets — a hidden gem tucked along the south shore of Big Lake Harris in Yalaha. This all-ages, non-deed-restricted community flies under the radar because nobody promotes it; buyers really do just have to stumble upon it. It's a relaxed, no-gate neighborhood with a true sense of place, where the biggest draws are things you simply won't find anywhere else in Florida. The community's most unique feature is its water. Every home is tapped into a natural spring system via a community well, which means residents drink crystal-clear spring water straight from the tap. Water usage is included in the HOA up to a generous allowance (around 45,000 gallons per quarter), so for most households water is effectively free. The same spring feeds a 64' x 40' sand-bottom swimming pool that sits at a steady 72 degrees year-round, continuously renews with fresh spring water, and requires no chemicals — one of only a handful of pools like it in the entire state. Swimming in it feels more like stepping into a natural spring than a neighborhood pool. Waterfront life is the other anchor of The Springs. The community sits just feet from Big Lake Harris, the largest lake in the Harris Chain of Lakes, giving residents true chain-of-lakes boating — you can cruise from Lake Harris through Little Lake Harris, Lake Eustis, Lake Dora, Lake Beauclair, and Lake Carlton from your own boat slip. The neighborhood maintains a community-owned lakefront clubhouse, fishing pier, boat ramp, and a limited number of private boat slips available to residents on a monthly basis. A canal system winds through the neighborhood (with its own canal aquarium feature), and there's also a small beach area. The vibe is intentionally laid-back. There's no guard gate, HOA fees are notably low for a waterfront community with this kind of amenity package, and while there is a clubhouse with some organized activities, nobody's over-programming the calendar. It's a community that attracts people who want waterfront access, quiet, and a little quirk — retirees, snowbirds, weekend boaters, and full-time residents all mix together without age restrictions or the formality of a master-planned community. Homes are mostly modest two- and three-bedroom single-family ranches ranging from roughly 1,100 to well over 3,000 square feet, with a scatter of larger lakefront and canal-front properties at the upper end. Golf-cart friendly, with the Yalaha Bakery and Mission Inn Resort & Club just minutes away, The Springs offers a slice of old-Florida lake living — free spring water, a one-of-a-kind pool, and chain-of-lakes boating — at a price point and HOA load that most Florida waterfront communities can't touch.