What is the score on Babcock Ranch?
Does the first solar-powered town in the U.S. take an L or W?
What are the wins and losses for the #5 best-selling community in the United States?
Why the Interest in The Ranch?
Babcock is quickly gaining its reputation thanks to its technological advances and fast community growth as well as its resilience to catastrophic weather events like Hurricane Ian in 2022.
Previously, we made a video talking about the pros and cons of The Ranch. We’d like to update you with the latest insights from actual Babcock residents with boots on the ground.
In the video, we discuss Babcock Ws and Ls:
- Is the town growing to be a tech utopia like Wakanda? Or is it on a downward trajectory due to the rise of life-threatening hurricanes? ⚡
- With the cost-of-living skyrocketing in the Sunshine State, is the fully solar-powered town becoming a destination only for the super-rich? 🤑
- Is Babcock “too far away” or will rampant development in Southwest Florida catch up with the community and make it less isolated? 🏬
Watch the video and get answers!
If you have additional questions, hit us up!
- Let’s talk Babcock.
- Let’s tour Babcock.
- Ask questions in our free Moving to Babcock Ranch Facebook Group.
- Call/text Team John Garuti at (941) 216-6494.
Video Transcript
John Garuti:
Are you thinking about buying a home in Babcock Ranch? Well, if that’s the case, then I implore you to watch this video where we’re going to be reviewing the pros and cons of living in Babcock Ranch. And this is the updated version for 2023, so stay tuned. Welcome back to the channel, and for all of you that are new, welcome to Team John Garuti. I’ve got my partners here, Greg Healing and John McKee. And in this video, we’re going to be breaking down the pros and cons of living in Babcock Ranch in 2023. We’re going to start this video going back in time. I shot this video two years ago and a lot has changed. So, we’re going to go over all those changes, compare the pros and cons previously to today, and really get into all these new exciting things that are happening here in Babcock Ranch. So, you are not going to want to miss this video.
Now, just a quick note to all you viewers out there, if you are serious about buying here in Babcock Ranch, I highly encourage you to go right now to talkbabcockranch.com. Book a video call with me or one of my teammates. We want to go over what options are available to you, and your timeline. We want to understand your budget and your needs, so we can help you find the perfect home here in Babcock Ranch. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at two years ago, what was it like to live here in Babcock Ranch? And we’re going to start talking about what has changed.
Greg Healing:
So, in our last video, we touched on some pros, which were the community, the amenities, the events, the school, and the active lifestyle. And some of the cons that we touched on were the small lots, the proximity to other things outside the area, and the construction. So, in terms of amenities, we now have Cypress Lodge situated right on Lake Babcock. It has a great pool, community pool, a few grilling stations, nice place to watch some sunsets and enjoy time with family and friends. So, the school is now K through 12. There are more and more sports teams being added as time goes on and more to come in the future as well. Weekends are now jam-packed. On Fridays, we have food trucks and live music. Saturdays we have special events like BMX biking and car shows, and the farmer’s market on Sundays. And one event in town that continues to grow and all the resident’s love is the golf cart parades.
They go on Halloween, the 4th of July, and Labor Day, you name it. Every holiday there’s a golf cart parade and it keeps growing and growing and getting larger and larger. As far as active lifestyle is concerned, Babcock Ranch has already had a great trail system in place, but we’re incorporating a new three-and-a-half-mile stretch of green space that is going to integrate six different parks into our already amazing trail system. Let’s revisit the cons of the previous video. Construction. Constructions are ongoing. It’s going to be ongoing. We’re a new community, but there are now pockets of fully developed neighborhoods. So, if you’re looking for a resale and you hate construction, that’s one option for you there. Now, as far as the small lots go, that’s not going to change. The average distance between lots is 10 to 12 feet.
And the reason for that is that we’re looking to put 19,500 homes on 8,500 acres. Now, as far as the proximity con, that’s dissipated. Two years ago, there was one restaurant and Slater’s, our general store. Today, we now have Crescent B Commons, which has a Publix, a veterinary clinic, a dentist, a postal shop, and a couple of new other restaurants. And across the street coming soon we’re going to be having HomeGoods, Marshalls, Ace Hardware, and even more restaurant. And for all you, coffee lovers out there, Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts are on the way. And also on the menu, Chick-fil-A. And as far as the proximity con goes when it comes to beaches, we’re still at least 45 minutes away from the closest beach.
John Mckee:
So, now for the new pros of living in Babcock Ranch in 2023. New pro number one, is hurricane resilience. As you probably know, Hurricane Ian, a category four storm just flew right over Babcock Ranch in late September of 2022. Contrary to many other areas of Southwest Florida, Babcock Ranch did very well through the storm. We had minor damage including shingles, gutters, and busted pool screens. But there was no damage that warranted anyone to file an insurance claim. Residents of Babcock Ranch never even lost power during the entire storm, which is just a testament to the building codes and technology of the community. Residents proclaimed they never felt more safe and secure during a major hurricane. That we are optimistic moving forward, that if we can withstand the likes of Ian, we should be good during any storm.
New pro number two, builder diversity continues to grow. Up until 2022, Meritage, Lennar, and Pulte were the only options in town. This year, D.R. Horton entered the mix, and starting next year, Toll Brothers, William Ryan, and Christopher Alan will be opening new communities. So, we are super excited that more options will be available for further home buyers. New pro number three, Babcock Ranch is super accessible to anywhere in the world. We are only 35 minute’s drive to the Major airport in Southwest Florida International, at 35 minutes to Punta Gorda, which services smaller regional destinations throughout the US. It’s also a short drive to three major cities in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami. If you are interested in a day trip, we’re only two and a half hours to go see Mickey at Disney World, Universal Studio, or SeaWorld.
And last, they have one new wildcard. For many neighborhoods, the HOA manages the lawn care. Now, a lot of people do appreciate this because at the end of the day, they truly enjoy mowing the lawn, but some people who are particular about their lawns and gardening, are not too thrilled about the current service.
John Garuti:
Well, ladies and gentlemen, that’s it for the new improved version of the pros and cons of Living in Babcock Ranch for 2023. Now, I wanted to share a few more resources. So, number one, head over to Facebook, we’ve got this great group Moving to Babcock Ranch where you can not only talk to the team, but you can talk to other residents in town and ask questions. Get perspectives beyond our biased perspective because you know we love living here. But I’m sure you want to hear from other people that live here, why the town is so great. Now, if you are really considering buying here in the next few months, next year, then go to talkbabcockranch.com and set up a video conference. John, Greg and I will be there to meet you. We want to discuss your budget needs and timeline and help you understand what options are available.
If you are gung-ho and ready to come here into town, you can go to tourbabcockranch.com. One of us will meet you to give you the royal tour. You can also call, or text us at any time, at (941) 216-6494, or drop me an email, at [email protected]. And make sure to check out the playlist. We’ve got a ton of content on what it’s like to live in Babcock Ranch. So, thank you for your time once again. And the team and I look forward to meeting you in town. We look forward to helping you on your home ownership journey, and we look forward to calling your neighbor one day.
