Babcock Ranch tops 6K home sales, launches podcast

Babcock Ranch has surpassed 6,000 home sales as the master-planned community continues to expand its residential and commercial footprint in Southwest Florida. Meanwhile, its developer has launched a 26-episode podcast exploring the vision and decisions behind the community’s growth. 

The community, which spans 18,000 acres across Charlotte and Lee counties northeast of Fort Myers, recorded 748 home sales through July 2026, a 29% increase year over year, according to Babcock Ranch officials. 

“Commercial development almost always follows rooftops,” said Chase Mayhugh, president and CEO of Mayhugh Commercial Advisors. 

Jeremy Olsher, a Realtor with Mizner Residential Group at Compass, said the community’s sales growth reflects changing buyer priorities. 

“Babcock Ranch’s 29% sales jump isn’t happening in a vacuum — it reflects a broader Florida buyer shift toward master-planned communities that offer infrastructure resilience and long-term livability, two things that have become non-negotiable priorities since the 2022 hurricane season,” Olsher said. 

Buyers are increasingly willing to look beyond coastal ZIP codes when a community can demonstrate that kind of stability, he said. 

“For the Florida market overall, Babcock’s performance is a signal that demand remains robust when the product genuinely matches what today’s buyers are looking for,” Olsher said. 

Babcock Ranch is planned for approximately 20,000 homes and 60,000 residents, with up to 6 million square feet of commercial development envisioned at full buildout. 

Residential growth drives commercial opportunities 

Mayhugh recently authored How Babcock Ranch is Reshaping Commercial Real Estate in Southwest Florida, a commentary examining the broader economic activity emerging alongside the community’s residential expansion. 

He said the implications extend beyond Babcock Ranch itself, with population growth creating opportunities along State Road 31 and corridors connecting the community to Fort Myers, Punta Gorda and Interstate 75. 

For service businesses in particular, locations outside Babcock Ranch can provide access to its growing population while maintaining connections to customers throughout Southwest Florida, Mayhugh wrote. 

“Babcock Ranch is no longer simply adding rooftops,” Mayhugh said. “It is building an economic ecosystem around them, and that creates opportunities across multiple commercial real estate sectors.” 

As the community grows, so does demand for businesses beyond traditional retail. 

“As Babcock Ranch reaches greater scale, we’re seeing demand extend well beyond traditional retail,” Mayhugh said. “Healthcare, professional services, flex and industrial users, office occupiers and the businesses that support a growing population are all becoming part of the story.” 

Babcock Ranch podcast explores community’s development 

Syd Kitson, chair and CEO of Kitson & Partners, launched the Babcock Ranch podcast in September with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush as his first guest. 

The 26-episode series features conversations with friends, colleagues and leaders who helped shape the vision for the master-planned community. 

“Babcock Ranch began with a belief that we could create a thriving town while protecting the natural environment,” Kitson said. “This podcast gives us an opportunity to share the decisions, challenges and lessons that have shaped Babcock Ranch. We hope these conversations inspire others to rethink what’s possible for their own communities.” 

Kitson is joined throughout the season by his son and co-host, Tyler Kitson, senior vice president of communities for Kitson & Partners. 

“Our goal is to share the blueprints, breakthroughs and the tangible lessons we’ve learned so other communities can build smarter,” Tyler Kitson said. “These conversations offer an honest look at what works, what doesn’t and how we designed a town that withstands the tests of time and nature.” 

The podcast is available at BabcockRanch.com. Episodes also are available on demand through the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Hurricane resilience helps attract homebuyers 

From its inception, Babcock Ranch was designed as a community where residents could live, work, shop and enjoy recreational activities without having to travel far from home. 

But the community drew broader attention following Hurricane Ian in 2022, when its infrastructure and storm-resistant design helped it withstand the hurricane with relatively limited damage. 

Built inland at a higher elevation than many coastal communities, Babcock Ranch incorporates structures designed to withstand high winds, stormwater management systems and an electrical system supported by solar generation and backup power. 

While many Southwest Florida communities suffered extensive wind and flood damage during Ian, Babcock Ranch largely avoided the widespread destruction and prolonged power outages experienced elsewhere. 

That resilience has become part of its appeal to prospective buyers, according to Olsher, while continued residential growth is helping create new opportunities for commercial development throughout the surrounding region.