BABCOCK RANCH, (Jan. 9, 2023) – Babcock Ranch rang in the new year as 2022’s No. 5 best-selling community in the United States as reported by the country’s leading industry experts. America’s first solar-powered town jumped from a midyear No. 10 ranking to its first-ever top-five appearance on RCLCO Real Estate Consulting’s annual list of the nation’s top 50 fastest-selling communities. Babcock Ranch was also No. 5 on John Burns Real Estate Consulting’s top 50 master-planned communities for 2022.
“This is a significant achievement for Babcock Ranch, its residents and builders who faced many challenges in 2022,” said Syd Kitson, chairman and CEO of developer Kitson & Partners. “We had another record-breaking year despite, as RCLCO pointed out in its comments, the regional impacts of Hurricane Ian. This top ranking reflects the unwavering commitment of the entire Babcock Ranch team in creating a hometown unlike any other and their relentless dedication to exploring new ideas and innovations that continually elevate the value and appeal of our unique vision.”
Babcock Ranch’s 31% increase in annual home sales from 2021 to 2022 also set it apart from other communities throughout the country. RCLCO reported a 20% decline in sales activity nationally in 2022 compared to the pace set in 2021’s top communities.
Babcock Ranch realized additional milestones in 2022, surpassing more than 2,600 homes sold and over 2,000 homes closed. 2022 also marked the completion of Babcock High School, the Field House and the town’s second development phase with the introduction of Midtown, offering new neighborhoods, new amenities and a next-generation town center with a village green.
“This is an exciting time at Babcock Ranch,” said Kitson. “It’s sometimes difficult to believe we welcomed our first residents only four years ago.”
Home sales at Babcock Ranch began in 2017. The town reported two total closed sales and four residents as of January 2018, jumping to 142 closed sales and 355 residents a year later in January 2019.
Encompassing 18,000 acres, Babcock Ranch is planned for 19,500 residences and 6,000,000 square feet of commercial space.
Created by Kitson & Partners with the philosophy that smart growth and sustainability work hand in hand, half of the town’s footprint is set aside as greenways, parks and expansive lakes, providing recreation and scenic backdrops for Babcock Ranch’s homes and the Founder’s Square downtown district. Built to Florida Green Building Coalition standards, homes emphasize energy and water conservation, innovation and have a full gig of fiber-optic connectivity.
Babcock Ranch continues to explore higher environmental standards in homebuilding with the introduction of Innovation Way, a neighborhood with seven showcase homes serving as a testing ground and living laboratory. National homebuilders Lennar, Pulte Homes and D.R. Horton are evaluating the possibilities for a new wave of homebuilding solutions, implementing cutting-edge technology, new materials and construction practices to create the most energy-efficient, water-preserving and health-forward homes on the market. Florida Power & Light Company will analyze energy efficiency throughout the testing period.
Babcock Ranch was named Master Planned Community of the Year by the Lee Building Industry Association for a second consecutive year in 2021.
Babcock Ranch offers homes from national homebuilders D.R. Horton, Lennar, Meritage Homes, Pulte Homes and WCI and custom homes by AR Homes by Arthur Rutenberg, Divco Custom Homes and Florida Lifestyle Homes. Additional neighborhoods by Christopher Alan Homes, Toll Brothers and William Ryan Homes are coming soon.
Babcock Ranch homebuilders offer more than 50 home designs ranging from 1,120 to more than 4,000 square feet with pricing from the upper-$200,000s to over $4 million.
