ALACHUA COUNTY
Real Estate
|
2007 |
2008 |
4/2009 |
| Median Price* Single Family Home |
$210,400 |
$189,100 |
$1179,100 |
| Median Price* Condominium |
$154,900 |
$142,400 |
$116,700 |
* Median Price of 101 homes sold would be that price which is lower than 50 of the prices and also
higher than 50 of the prices. In other words, there are homes and condominiums available in every price
range in Alachua County. Median prices shown above are for the Gainesville MSA. The statistics are
meant to give you a feel for the area as compared to others you may be considering and to show the
direction of the market.
Taxes
Visit
Buy a Home in Florida for comprehensive property tax information.
Weather
Average High/Low in January 72/53, in July 91/72
Alachua County is situated on the I-75 corridor, 85 miles south of the Georgia border, 50 miles east of the Gulf of Mexico and 67 miles west of the Atlantic Ocean. Gainesville is the County Seat. The quaint small towns of Alachua, Cross Creek and Micanopy are representative of Florida's “Old South.” With average highs in the spring & fall between 76 and 82, between 89 & 91 in the summer and as high as 69 in the winter, the climate will warm your body while the Southern hospitality will warm your soul!
The diversity and affordability of housing options found in Alachua County area are unmatched as the options make it easy to find a home to match any lifestyle. From single family homes in contemporary, established or historic neighborhoods to condominiums and retirement communities, you can find a variety of spacious, well-maintained and affordable homes.
Gainesville bears the distinction of being the best place to live and work in 2007 according to Frommer's “Cities Ranked and Rated.” It was rated the #1 Place to “Retire during an Economic Downtown” by Smart Money in 2008 and is #22 on Forbes Magazines list of “The Smartest Cities in America.”
Gainesville is home to the
University of Florida, the largest public land grant institution in the state and a key player in education, medicine, cultural arts and sports for the area.
With almost 65 percent of the counties 965 square miles biding as wilderness dotted with scenic lakes, wetlands and trails, it is a delight for nature lovers of all ages. The area contains approximately 100 square miles of wetlands and scenic lakes plus nearly 520 miles of forests.
Events
Arts & Culture
Gainesville has a constant theatrical presence in the area, with a variety of productions scheduled year-round in these theaterss:
Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Hippodrome State Theatre
H. P. Constans Theatre
Dance Theatre of Santa Fe
Acrosstown Repertory Theatre
The
Gainesville Chamber Orchestra, the
Gainesville Civic Chorus, the
Gainesville Community Band, the
University Marching and Concert Bands and the
University Symphony Orchestra frequently perform concerts. Jazz concerts are sponsored by the
Gainesville Friends of Jazz and Blues. Professional performers of all musical styles are regular visitors to the University of Florida campus throughout the year.
Dance Alive! This professional ballet company performs at various theaters in Gainesville, statewide and across the country. Performances have included Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Don Quixote.
Gainesville Ballet Theatre This group performs classical ballet, childrens ballet, jazz and modern dance and was founded in 1973
Florida Museum of Natural History Florida's official natural history museum is home to more than 25 million specimens and artifacts. Located on the University of Florida campus, the museum is one of the 10 most comprehensive natural history museums in the nation.
The Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art Located on the UF campus, the Harn is one of the largest university art museums in the Southeast U.S. Its permanent collections feature American, African pre-Columbian, Asian and contemporary works of art. The Harn is also home to Champ davoine (Oat Field), an important 1890 work by French Impressionist painter Claude Monet.
Thomas Center and Galleries Considered Gainesville's cultural center, the Thomas Center is housed in a beautifully restored Mediterranean Revival-style hotel. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and features art galleries, 1920's period rooms, local history exhibits, performance space and meeting rooms.
Parks & Recreation
With almost 65 percent of Alachua counties 965 square miles comprised of wilderness dotted with scenic lakes, wetlands and trails, it is a delight for nature lovers of all ages. The area contains approximately 100 square miles of wetlands and scenic lakes plus nearly 520 miles of forests.
The Gainesville area boasts many lakes and rivers fed by naturally cool, clear springs. Pastimes on these waterways include swimming, snorkeling, canoeing and scuba diving into underwater caves. Many area springs have overnight camping facilities as well. Tubing down the beautiful, spring-fed Ichetucknee River and Santa Fe River are area favorites.
Cyclists can pedal almost anywhere in the county with 60 miles of roadways containing on-street bike lanes. Gainesville has been ranked among the top 10 bicycling communities in the US by Bicycling Magazine. Cyclists can also enjoy the Hawthorne Trail, a 17-mile paved trail that stretches from Gainesville to Hawthorne.
Gainesville was named Florida Tree City of the Year in 1997, one of the many reasons why outdoor enthusiasts regularly head for any of the 40 nature parks within 50 miles of Gainesville to picnic, boat, swim, hike, camp, bike, hunt or fish. The City of Gainesville Department of Parks and Recreation maintains a year-round schedule of events, recreational activities and competitive sports for residents of all ages.
The Old Florida Heritage Highway (OFHH) offers visitors an unusually well reserved section of Florida's natural, archaeological, recreational, historic and cultural heritage. With 48 miles of beautiful countryside, there are abundant opportunities for viewing wildlife, scenic woodlands and pastoral farmlands, as well as bird watching, hiking, biking, visiting museums, antiquing, and dining.
The Morningside Nature Center, a 280-acre wildlife sanctuary and farm within Gainesville, has activities ranging from seven miles of trails and boardwalks to craft workshops, folklore classes and special events.
Also popular is the Gainesville-to-Hawthorne Rails-to-Trails project. Once a railroad track, this smoothly paved walkway stretches over 17 miles from Boulware Springs Park through beautiful woodlands, past deep lakes and prairie vistas, to the town of Hawthorne.
At the Devil's Millhopper State Geological Site, visitors can descend 232 steps to the bottom of a 120-foot-deep, 500-foot-wide sinkhole containing a dozen small waterfalls and plant species rare to Florida.
Paynes Prairie State Preserve, a 20,000-acre wildlife sanctuary located 10 miles south of Gainesville, is known for its outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities, including bison, cracker house and cattle, alligators, sandhill cranes, and more than 270 bird species. The preserve offers more than 30 miles of trails through different ecosystems for equestrians, hikers and bicyclists.
Lake Wauburg provides freshwater fishing for bass, bream and speckled perch. A boat ramp provides access for canoes, kayaks and small boats. There are also picnic tables, grills and restrooms available. contains ponds, three lakes, an observation tower and a visitors' center with a museum.
Visit our Your Florida Lifestyle section for more information on fishing and our Guide to Establishing Florida Residency for Florida fishing license information.
Canoe the Santa Fe River in nearby High Springs or explore Florida wildlife at Leno State Park, where the river runs underground for three miles.
At the Alfred A. Ring Park, a 20-acre site off 16th Avenue in Gainesville, activities include bird watching, hiking along the trails and boardwalks, historical/archaeological interpretation and nature studies and picnicking.
Golf
The Gainesville area has nine golf courses and practice facilities to challenge the most avid golfer.
Golf courses in Gainesville and Alachua County include:
Gainesville Golf and Country Club, Gainesville Golf and Practice Center Turkey Creek Golf and Country Club, Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club, Ironwood Golf Course, Meadowbrook Golf Club, University Golf Course and West End Golf Course.
Visit the Your Florida Lifestyle section on our Home Page for additional golf information.
Sports
Sports fans flock to the athletic events at the University of Florida's Stephen C. O'Connell Center and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, the University's basketball arena and football stadium. Gator fans from around the country converge in the city for Florida football every fall at the 90,000-seat stadium.
Each March, more than 135,000 race fans are drawn to the NHRA Gatornationals. In addition to the four-day event on the NHRA circuit, the Gainesville Raceway hosts amateur car, motorcycle and Jr. Dragster drag races.
Through the efforts of formerly Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee, Gainesville Sports Commission, the areas full time sports commission, Alachua County has attracted many exciting events in recent years. A sampling of events hosted by the GSC includes USA Track & Field Junior Nationals, SE Regional Junior Olympic Wrestling for USA Wrestling, Baquacil Age Group Championships (the worlds largest synchronized swimming event), US Cycling Junior Road Nationals, Speedo Junior Nationals for USA Swimming, Florida Sunshine State Games, Florida Law Enforcement Games, National Womens Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, US Tennis $10K Womens Tournament, Florida Special Olympics Basketball and Golf Championships, Gainesville Senior Games and more.
Cyclists can pedal almost anywhere in the county with 60 miles of roadways containing on-street bike lanes. Gainesville has been ranked among the top 10 bicycling communities in the U.S. by Bicycling Magazine. Cyclists can also enjoy the Hawthorne Trail, a 17-mile paved trail that stretches from Gainesville to Hawthorne.
Visit the Your Florida Lifestyle section for additional spectator and participatory sports information.
Hospitals
Shands at the University of Florida
One of the Southeast's premier health systems, Shands includes eight hospitals: two academic medical centers, four community hospitals and two specialty hospitals.
North Florida Regional Medical Center
VA Hospital in Gainesville
Visit our
Florida Medical Resources section for comprehensive information including Florida hospital ratings.
Colleges
University of Florida
The University of Florida (UF) is the state's oldest, largest and most comprehensive university. It is recognized as one of the most academically diverse public universities in the nation. UF has 21 colleges and schools and more than 100 research, service and education centers, bureaus and institutes. The university is also among the nation s top research universities as categorized by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.
Santa Fe Community College
City College
Airports
Gainesville Regional Airport http://www.gra-gnv.com/
Shopping
The cities in Alachua County cherish the storefronts of bygone days. Providing a personal connection to the small town way of life, these shopping areas are in the heart of each community and offer everything from antiques to fine restaurants.
Gainesville also boasts a number of retail areas offering shop in the park environments where shoppers enjoy the scenery or an easy stroll through developments such as Thornebrook Village, Creekside Mall, Haile Village and the downtown Sun Center and Union Street Station.
There are more than 50 shopping centers that offer buyers a variety of purchasing opportunities. The area s largest enclosed center, the one-million-square-foot Oaks Mall and adjoining Oaks Mall Plaza, offer more than 160 unique shops, boutiques and eateries and is anchored by Macy's, Dillard s and Belk. There is no shortage of shopping opportunities at centers such as Butler Plaza, Gainesville Shopping Center, Newberry Crossing, Newberry Square, Tower Center Shopping Center and Tioga Town Center, all of which occupy more than 150,000 square feet.
Alachua County, Florida, Cities & Towns
Incorporated
Unincorporated
Additional Resources
Gainesville Visitor & Convention Bureau http://www.visitgainesville.com/
Alachua County Government http://www.co.alachua.fl.us/
If you would like to get a feel for home prices in Alachua County, visit www.zillow.com and search for recent homes sold.
If you would prefer to save precious time and would like personalized assistance, call or email us today to take advantage of our free Florida Relocation Services. We ll answer all of your questions and if the timing is right for you, we ll introduce you to one of the best real estate agents in Alachua County who can provide detailed information and professional assistance.
