Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers is securing a prime location in the burgeoning Wellness Way area of Lake County. The Pennsylvania-based company has a deal with developer GT USA to build homes within Panther Run, the largest project in Wellness Way, which spans from U.S. Highway 27 to the Orange County line.
This move places Toll Brothers among a growing number of homebuilders drawn to the area. Last September, GT USA made a significant investment, purchasing 2,321 acres of former agricultural land for $165 million, nearly doubling the county’s previous land sale record. Their plans for Panther Run include 3,000 homes and up to one million square feet of commercial space.
While GT USA COO Doug Bruk confirmed Toll Brothers’ involvement, he refrained from providing specific details. However, it’s known that GT USA also has agreements with Ashton Woods and Dream Finders for the 3,000-home master-planned community. Dustin Bowersett, VP of Land Acquisition at Toll Brothers, initially disclosed the pending deal at the recent UCF Real Estate Conference.
With an average home selling price around $977,000 in 2024, Toll Brothers is recognized as one of the most expensive production builders in the U.S. Their presence in Central Florida includes neighborhoods at various price points in Lake Nona, Sunbridge, and The Brix in Orlando’s Packing District. Their expansion into Lake County began with a position in Bella Collina, a prestigious gated golf community in Monteverde favored by celebrities and athletes.
In Bella Collina, Toll Brothers constructs estate homes on expansive 100-foot lots, often selling for over $2 million. Notably, a recently completed lakefront estate on Lake Siena changed hands twice within a few months due to a job transfer of the initial owners. Earlier this year, Toll Brothers also contracted to develop Lake Hills, a 560-lot active adult community near Lake Harris and across from the renowned Mission Resort + Club. Lake Hills will be Toll Brothers’ largest community in the Orlando market and their first dedicated active adult offering.
The significant interest in Wellness Way extends beyond Toll Brothers. In the past year alone, developers invested over $440 million in land within the area, establishing it as the most sought-after acreage in Central Florida. This influx includes major national homebuilders like Lennar, which has over 2,500 homes in active development in Wellness Ridge, and Pulte, which has three ongoing projects, including the Parkside Trails community that opened for sales in late 2024. Pulte also made a substantial $90 million purchase last year for 518 residential acres in the nearby Schofield master-planned community.