As rising housing costs continue to squeeze South Florida buyers, some are looking across the state for a more affordable path to homeownership.
Ave Maria, a master-planned community in Collier County, says more than 40% of its homebuyers come from Florida’s east coast, attracted by homes starting in the low $200,000s and a small-town lifestyle.
Carolina Pereira was among them. The Miami-raised elementary school teacher and her husband, Daniel, struggled to find an affordable home in South Florida while preparing for their first child. After family members moved to Ave Maria, the couple decided to follow…