Why land in Okeechobee?

We are all familiar with the “land rush” that I currently sweeping Florida.  First it was West Palm Beach and the Acreage (currently selling at $200,000+ /acre) and then the meteoric rise of prices of land and lots in Port St. Lucie.  That investment opportunity came and went o fat that many of us missed out on it.  Prices in the St. Lucie area are already out of reach.

In the North, little known areas like Clermont, Lakeland and Groveland put themselves on the map seemingly overnight.  In the West, Ft. Meyers. Lehigh Acres and Naples have a;; exploded in the last two years.  Lot in these places (1/4 acre) are selling for $60,000+/lot.

Closer to home, Martin County became highlighted as the place to buy acreage and to hold for investment purpose. Such development a Martin County Ranches and more recently Sun Creek Ranches, Bridle Wood and Sherman Wood Ranches at the border of Martin County in Okeechobee County sold at over $40,000/acre. Martin County has actually placed a significant moratorium on further sub-dividing of land and the potential of purchasing a 20 or 40 acre tract and to sub-divide it further in the future for resale is not looking too promising.  As such, the major thrust on land acquisition has been in Okeechobee, Highlands and Glades County.

Currently, land on the east side of Okeechobee City (5-15 miles east of town) is selling for $30,000-$50,000/acre.  It is also Clear that the market has not reached mid-stage yet as evidenced by the number of larger tracts of land that the owners are not willing to sell yet since they know the prices are continuing to rise.  With Scripps Bio-technology complex in Mecca Farms in Palm Beach County slated for start-up in December 2007, the entire land market in Okeechobee is going to be affected as Okeechobee City is only 30 min from Scripps on HWY 710 (the Beeline Highway). We see many hobby farmers wanting to escape the hassles of corporate life who will be purchasing land within an hour of their work to escape.  Land in the vicinity of Scripps is north of $200,000/acre.

Specific to Okeechobee, there is more than land speculation that makes it a great place for investment. Lake Okeechobee is world renown for its trophy bass fishing .  In addition, the lake offers water access to both the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lucie canal and to the Gulf of Mexico along the Caloosahatchee River.  It offers access to the North as well along the famed Kissimmee River.  It is a vacation haven in it own right in the south Central part of the state with its numerous mobile home parks on the North shore of Lake Okeechobee.  The Okeechobee livestock market is the largest in the Southeast U.S.A and Florida is one of the largest producers of beef cattle in the US.

The land and mild winters make it very good farming and Okeechobee offers the small rancher a number of advantages which is not available in other similar towns in the Southeast.  Okeechobee is still a place where a small scale rancher can actually make the farm profitable.  Watermelon and vegetable farming is also done and in fact , Okeechobee was the largest producer of vegetables back in the 1970s and 1980s before California took over this spot.  It I still a good place to do intensive farming, nurseries, and specialty growers are again looking seriously at Okeechobee as a variable location.

Okeechobee’s central location to both coasts and to the theme parks in Orlando area makes it very marketable also.  It is easily accessible from the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale area by using State Highway 27. From West Palm Beach one could get there taking HWY 80/98W around the east side of Lake Okeechobee or Hwy 710 west (the Beeline or Moroso Highway) which runs straight into Okeechobee. It is 36 miles for Ft. Pierce and the beaches, 75 miles from Ft. Meyers and less then 100 miles from the theme parks of Orlando and Kisimmee.

Come visit Cabbage Woods Ranches and see how you can enjoy all the benefits of Okeechobee while owning your still very affordable private ranch! Prices in this are rising rapidly and Cabbage Woods offers the best appreciation potential as the prices West of town have not yet climbed as high as the east side but in 5 year, it is not going to matter weather you are on the East or Wet Side of town and we know that the east side has already exceeded $40,000/acre. Compare this with Cabbage Woods Ranches where you can still get a 20 acre tract for less than $20,000/acre. Come participate in the growth of this area in a private, secluded and well designed community of only 85 parcels.