Over the last few years, Lakewood Ranch has consistently earned the distinction of being listed as one of the best selling communities in the United States. In 2021, more than 2,500 new construction homes were sold in Lakewood Ranch; this represents an increase of 20% on an annual basis, which makes it the most active master-planned development in Southwest Florida.

House hunters looking for new construction opportunities in Manatee County should put Lakewood Ranch at the top of their list because this is where you can always find a new project under development. In the summer of 2022, Sweetwater at Lakewood Ranch was one of the most desirable LWR villages under construction, and this has a lot to do with the vision of developer M/I Homes.

As an award-winning national home builder with a solid track record, M/I Homes has already completed other gated community projects elsewhere in Southwest Florida. Sweetwater is already shaping up to be the most attractive neighborhood in the M/I Homes portfolio; this resort-style and maintenance-free community will feature 500 garden villas and single-family homes complete with amenities such as sports courts, a recreation center, lounge, playground, fitness facility, swimming pool, and nature trails.

Instead of sticking with a single architectural style, M/I Homes has rolled out various floor plans inspired by American Craftsman, Caribbean, and Tuscan home designs. With interiors ranging from 1,760 to 3,322 square feet of living space, you can find everything from three-bedroom villas to five-bedroom estates. All homes are arranged around nature preserves and lakes; this is for the purpose of providing residents with nice views adorned by nature.

As of July 2022, a new three-bedroom home in Sweetwater was listed for $543K, which is quite reasonable when considering the medium home prices around Bradenton. Each Sweetwater property is covered by a 10-year builder’s warranty, and you also get the quality construction plus attention to detail that M/I Homes is known for.

Sweetwater is located in the northeastern section of Lakewood Ranch, thus putting it closer to Bradenton than to Sarasota. You can drive to Downtown Bradenton in about 25 minutes and be at Holmes Beach in less than 45 minutes. This part of Lakewood Ranch has attracted quite a bit of commercial development; to this effect, The Green shopping plaza is a new town center near Sweetwater, and it has already opened a new Winn Dixie supermarket along with gourmet cafes such as Pacific Counter.