Valencia Shores

Residents of the 55-plus South Florida community of Valencia Shores are greeted every morning by glittering lakes, waving palm trees and amenities galore. "The Valencia lifestyle is like none other," says Denise Klass, a Realtor and Klass Advantage Team Specialist with the Keyes Company and a proud Valencia Shores resident. "It's an active 55-and-older community that has so many amenities, it's like being at sleepaway camp, with everything from mah-jong to pickleball."

One of many luxury resort-style communities built by GL Homes, a company known for creating vacation-worthy neighborhoods shaped around South Florida's tropical climate, Valencia Shores is also known for its sense of community. Folks will wave as you drive through the neighborhood, and you'll definitely get a visit from the welcoming committee upon moving in. "We have events for all the newcomers," Klass says. "People are super, super friendly. It's just very happy here."

Valencia Shores is made up of 1,143 homes spread across 450 landscaped acres. Houses sit on large lots and range from 1,800 square feet to 3,200 square feet. While most are single-story homes in a Mediterranean style, two-story homes with unique architectural features are also found here, which distinguishes Valencia Shores from other area communities. "When I bring people to this community as a Realtor, they are quite surprised by the charm in these homes," Klass says. "We have things like arches and art nooks. The homes have a little more character, and no one model is more beautiful than the next." Homes are priced anywhere from around $500,000 to $995,000. A budget of just under $630,000 can land you a three-bedroom, three-bathroom, ranch-style home with 2,300 square feet set on a 5,225-square-foot lot. A $1,776 HOA fee is due quarterly and covers conveniences such as high-speed internet, telephone service, centrally monitored home security, and roof cleaning.

There are two main hubs of activity at Valencia Shores. The Valencia Shores Clubhouse functions as the neighborhood gathering spot with a resort-style pool and pickleball courts outside. Inside, there's a grand social hall, a billiards room, an arts and crafts room, a nail salon, a hair salon and the full-service Bistro Café with weekly specials, such as eggs benedict and cheesesteak hoagies. The Athletic Center is the other, with a pool, poolside hot tub and a resistance pool. It also has 10 lighted Har-Tru tennis courts, three bocce courts, two indoor racquetball courts, an aerobics studio, steam rooms and saunas in the locker rooms, as well as a state-of-the-art fitness center fully staffed with trainers.

And with all those activities comes exciting clubs and a packed social calendar. "We have entertainment nonstop. We have happy hours. We have organizations and every club you can imagine — art club, photography club, pickleball club, tennis club, golf club. The bigger question is: What don’t we have? I don't think there's anything," Klass says.

Still, you will need to pop out for groceries and everyday essentials, and Town Commons is a commercial strip nearby, on the main thoroughfare of Lyons Road, with a Publix, a Wells Fargo and an array of popular restaurants. Valencia Shores also is conveniently situated between two major highways: Florida's Turnpike and U.S. Highway 441. "You can go north to Jupiter and Palm Beach, and south to Delray Beach and to Miami," Klass says. "There's also the Mall at Wellington Green nearby." And while some people might consider Valencia Shores to be a bit too far west, "we are only about 10 miles from the beach; it's a straight shot there," Klass notes. "I've lived in Florida since 1984, and I got to tell you this is the best location where I am right now."

Written By

Micaela Willoughby

Photography Contributed By

Brian Sokolowski

Video By

Adam Barkley