Building + buying homes just got spendier

237%. That’s how much developers and home-buyers will see fees increase by the end of a proposed 4-year plan after a unanimous vote by the Polk County Commission. Prior to this plan, costs had been fixed since 2000. Following the plan’s implementation on Oct. 1, prices will be assessed every 5 years by outside consultants.

The fees cover plan reviews, site inspections, and traffic studies, and will gradually increase over the next 4 years in order to mitigate financial strain on developers and buyers.

Let's break it down by the numbers:

$3,767.25 + $25 per lot — a residential site plan review used to be $850 + $25 per lot.
$7,506.75, + $30 per lot — a residential subdivision site inspection was previously $1,250 + $30 per lot.
$2,189 — a final inspection for a 50-lot subdivision is increasing nearly 83% from $380.

In 2021, the median home price in Lakeland rose by 15% or an average of $30,000. The recent seller’s market caused a lower than average inventory of homes for sale. The result? People are looking to build, rather than buy.

Facebook communities like this Moving to Lakeland group have become a hotbed for homebuyers in the last 6 months, with many seeking advice as to how they can navigate a market saturated with offers. While building is popular, this may change in the near future as higher fees are rolled out by developers as a result of the recent vote.

So, what does this mean for future home-buyers? For a 50-home subdivision, developers will see their costs jump from $6,030 to $20,349 by 2023. These extra dollars will be factored into the price of homes, so you may see listing prices climbing in the coming years.

Share with a wannabe home owner who needs to start shopping, like, yesterday. 👇

#MUSTDO

TryThis

Bike Night | Fri., June 11 | 7-11 p.m. | Boondocks Bar, 8515 Hwy. 98 N. | Free | Bike night with food + drink specials, and live DJs for all your favorite music.

Show

Steeln' Peaches: An Allman Brothers Review | Fri., June 11 | Lkld Live | $20+ | The Steelin’ Peaches will be performing an Allman Brothers review at Lkld Live for an exciting evening of music.
Stadium Concert: The Music of Chicago | Fri., June 11 | 8 p.m. | Chain O’ Lakes Stadium, 588 Cletus Allen Dr. | $18+ | Bring your lawn chair, cooler and enjoy a great show under the stars to the music of Chicago.

Saturday

Central Florida Comic Con | Sat., June 12 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | RP Funding Center | $25+ | Come out to Central Florida Comic Con for a celebration of all things comics + nerdy.
Ciro’s Sweet Tooth and Dessert Tour | Sat., June 12 | 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | 220 Ave. A NW | $69.55 | #ProTip: Try the ice cream infused with olive oil for a unique + sophisticated flavor.
Disney’s Moana Jr. | Sat., June 12 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Lakeland Community Theatre, 121 S. Lake Ave. | $12+ | Come see the stage production of the thrilling and heartwarming coming-of-age story of Moana.
Stokes GSR Arena Bulls & Barrels | Sat., June 12 | 6 p.m. | Strokes Green Swamp Ranch, 16825 Taylor Rd. | $7+ | Come out to Strokes Green Swamp Ranch for a classic evening at the rodeo.

Sunday

Spanish Street Food Celebration w/ Smokin' Chanchos | Sun., June 13 | 12-6 p.m. | Swan Brewing | Free | Spanish street food celebration with a special menu by Smokin' Chanchos all day + live Spanish style guitar music by Samuel Ortiz.
Second Sunday Artisan Event | Sun., June 13 | 12-5 p.m. | Lakeside Village, 1479 Town Center Dr. | Free | Event hosting a variety of Florida-based businesses selling a variety of hand-made items.
Stadium Concert: The Music of Hootie and the Blowfish and Matchbox 20 | Sun., June 13 | 7 p.m. | Chain O’ Lakes Stadium, 588 Cletus Allen Dr. | $18+ | Bring your lawn chair, cooler, and enjoy a tribute to the music of Hootie and the Blowfish and Matchbox 20 under the stars.

MORE OF THIS WEEKEND'S EVENTS HERE

NEWS NOTES

Weather

92º | Scattered T-Storms | 40% chance of rain
The burn ban may be over, but Polk County is still in a drought. 2021 has been Polk’s driest year in the last 127 years despite this April being the wettest April in the last 127 years, according to The National Integrated Drought Information System.

Health

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a common virus with symptoms similar to COVID-19, is on the rise in Florida. At Lakeland Regional Health, there has been an increase in RSV diagnoses in recent weeks, with more children being diagnosed than have been in previous years during this season. 🏥

WaterCooler

Polk County Sports Hall of Fame honored + inducted 5 new members Wednesday night at the Polk County All-Sports Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet. Initially selected for the class of 2020, these members' celebrations had to be postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 🏆 (The Ledger)
Lakeland High School senior Carlisle "Champ" Johnson won a state title for boys weightlifting + was named The Ledger's boys weightlifter of the year. Carlisle, weighing in at 199 pounds, carried the season as the leading lifter at both county + state levels. 🥇 (The Ledger)

Number

$2 million. That’s how much this piece of land sold for off I-4 and SR 33 interchange, right next to Amazon’s new facility. At this time both the buyer + the plans for the land are unknown to the public.

Active

The Summer Sunrise Watermelon 5k is taking place tomorrow from 7-9 a.m. at Lake Hollingsworth (929 Lake Hollingsworth Dr.). Join the Lakeland Runners Club for $20+ to promote health and wellness during the summer months. 👟

Edu

Florida Polytechnic University alum Zachary “Zeus” Unson ‘20 is making strides in the world of clean energy with CED Greentech in Tampa. Zachary works to ensure the quality + efficiency of solar technology as it is installed in homes throughout the Tampa Bay area. (Florida Polytechnic University)

Ranked

4. That’s what Florida ranked on WalletHub’s list of “Safest States During COVID-19.” The ranking took into account factors such as vaccination rate, hospitalization rate, positive testing rate + more. (WalletHub)

Deal

Local Firehouse Subs franchisee Bob Sahgal + his son Abhay are running a Father's Day special at their Bartow (280 E. Van Fleet Dr.) and Winter Haven (1107 3rd St. SW. Ste. 6), locations. Get a free medium sub with the purchase of a medium or large sub, valid on June 20 for dine-in or take-out only. 🥪 (The Daily Ridge)

Outdoors

Bok Tower Gardens' Rare Plant Conservation Program is working to propagate + prevent the extinction of rare flower species. One flower in question, known as the Crotolaria avonensis, is a federally listed endangered species endemic to the Lake Wales Ridge. 🌼

Digs

Owning a rental property isn’t always easy — especially if a tenant wants to break a lease. The local experts at S&D Real Estate explain the ins and outs of how to break a lease — whether you’re a landlord or a tenant. 🏡 Ⓟ

Job

We’re hiring (again). 6AM City is looking for a Talent Acquisition Specialist / HR Generalist who is passionate about building teams that go on to accomplish incredible things. This position is remote (read: work from anywhere). Details + apply.

Drink

Stop feeling intimidated by long, confusing wine lists. Bright Cellars helps vino-lovers level up their wine game, using a 7-question taste quiz to deliver a box of customized wines based on consumers’ unique, individual palates. Plus, they teach you about each bottle you receive. 🍷 Ⓟ