"Land O Lakes Florida / Some said the local lake had been enchanted / Others said it must have been the weather / The neighbors were trying to keep it quiet / But I swear that I could hear the laughter / So they jokingly nicknamed it the porridge / Cause overnight that lake had turned as thick as butter / But the local kids would still go swimming, drinking / Saying that to them it doesn't matter / If you just hold in your breath til you come back up in full / Hold in your breath til you thought it through, you fool" - (Regina Spektor, "Genius Next Door")
The name alone will make you hungry, but Land O Lakes (LOL) doesn't really have much to do with butter, other than being named after it. It's a sweet place to live not far from the beach, Tampa, and Dupree Gardens, a famous roadside attraction and botanical garden. Do you love brand-new stuff and the smell of fresh paint? Pull up to lake land and pitch a tent, because the architecture is from the oughts and sooner, meaning no houses in disrepair and no cracked streets. If you want a rural setting with suburban amenities, you'll love it here. So pack your swimsuit; it's time to take a dip in the Land O Lakes.
Though theres some dispute over the origins of the towns name, the Land O Lakes butter and the multitude of water bodies certainly contributed to the title
"Land O Lakes Florida / Some said the local lake had been enchanted / Others said it must have been the weather / The neighbors were trying to keep it quiet / But I swear that I could hear the laughter / So they jokingly nicknamed it the porridge / Cause overnight that lake had turned as thick as butter / But the local kids would still go swimming, drinking / Saying that to them it doesn't matter / If you just hold in your breath til you come back up in full / Hold in your breath til you thought it through, you fool" - (Regina Spektor, "Genius Next Door")
The name alone will make you hungry, but Land O Lakes (LOL) doesn't really have much to do with butter, other than being named after it. It's a sweet place to live not far from the beach, Tampa, and Dupree Gardens, a famous roadside attraction and botanical garden. Do you love brand-new stuff and the smell of fresh paint? Pull up to lake land and pitch a tent, because the architecture is from the oughts and sooner, meaning no houses in disrepair and no cracked streets. If you want a rural setting with suburban amenities, you'll love it here. So pack your swimsuit; it's time to take a dip in the Land O Lakes.
The Goods and the Bad
Though theres some dispute over the origins of the towns name, the Land O Lakes butter and the multitude of water bodies certainly contributed to the title. Its those many lakes that help make this place unique and attractive. It has that sunny weather. Florida, and Land O Lakes especially, is gorgeous. Its just outside of Tampa, and none too far from the beach.
Moving In
There are a few walkable areas, but this is a rural-type place that's making its way steadily into suburbia. It's growing fast, so scooping up rental properties is a wise choice, but so is buying. Home appreciation is climbing, certainly far more than the country as a whole. One thing you don't need to fret about is vacancy rates. They're building properties, from high-rise apartment buildings to impressively sized homes. With rates as high as 20 percent in some areas, you shouldn't have much trouble sliding into something perfect.
Neighborhoods
There are some fancier neighborhoods that go by name, but really, you're probably searching in general areas. Heres an overview of some of those areas, and what each one offers. Its not a wide discrepancy, so if you find something lacking in one area, don't hesitate to pop over to another without fanfare. Its all good.
West LOL: These smaller single-family homes appeal to a wide range of folks, and theres a small herd of mobile homes to consider as well. Its much more rural here, with low traffic (obviously) but a longer commute.
Mid LOL: The middle zone of Land O Lakes has the highest vacancy rates, plus a more suburban feel. It also has larger homes.
East LOL: Smaller homes again.
Dupree Gardens: Besides an awesome roadside botanical garden of some fame, this area has more homes from a variety of periods, as opposed to just brand spanking new ones.
South LOL: The lowest vacancy rates and the highest rents mean this is the place thats growing the fastest. A few older homes and some townhomes.
Land O Lakes is picturesque, surrounded by lush nature and close enough to everything to feel sensibly located. So what if it was named after butter? It's a moist area, and its definitely baking up to into a sweet, layered neighborhood.
