Foreigners Flocking to Orlando Vacation Homes

The Encore Club at Reunion, a master-planned vacation rental community in Orlando, has completed its first 77 homes.

ORLANDO—More house for the money. That’s music to many buyers’ ears, especially in core Southeast markets like Orlando, Miami and Atlanta. That’s what Encore Capital Management is promising in Walt Disney’s back yard. The Encore Club at Reunion is a master-planned vacation rental community in Orlando. Just opened, the community offers travelers luxury accommodations and five-star amenities without the hefty price of a luxury hotel . Home prices range from the mid-$300,000s to mid-$700,000s, which is less expensive than competing markets like South Florida. So far, 240 of the development’s 742 homes have been sold to investors from around the world, including Brazil, the United Kingdom, Dubai and China. That’s no surprise since Orlando welcomed a record-setting 62 million visitors in 2014, according to Visit Orlando, with more than 30 million room nights sold. “Luxury vacation rental homes at the Encore Club at Reunion, now open for guests to enjoy its full service clubhouse and aqua park, offer investors a chance to tap into one of the world’s strongest tourism markets, at a fraction of the price of investing in other major destination cities,” Art Falcone , founding partner of Encore, tells GlobeSt.com. “Orlando’s tourism market is on fire and we expect demand to increase with time, driving interest among investors from all corners of the globe who are looking to own a piece of that growth.” Encore has 742 vacation homes offering between five and 13 bedrooms. All homes feature in-ground pools, two-car garages and fiber optic technology. All guests have access to the resort’s clubhouse and aqua park and pool complex, with its 50-foot aqua drop, double mat racer, water slides, splash pool, and private cabanas. The size and configuration of the resort’s homes set the stage for large groups and multigenerational families, which make up the fastest-growing segment of the tourism sector. A recent AAA study found that 36% of American families planned to take travel with their children, parents or grandparents this year, a 4% increase over last year. Vacation rental homes are significantly more affordable than comparable hotels: the cost of a 4-star, 5-bedroom home at The Encore Club begins at $60 per couple, per room, per night, versus upwards of $300 per-room, per night at nearby 4-star hotels. Located in Osceola County off Interstate 4, Encore Resort Homes at Reunion is five minutes from Walt Disney World and other Orlando area theme parks. In addition to the clubhouse and aqua park, the resort includes a fitness center, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts and access to many of Reunion’s recreational facilities. Guests can access 24-hour front desk service, onsite ticketing for parks and attractions, digital concierge service, kids club with programing and activities, complimentary theme park shuttle service and grocery delivery. Reunion Resort is also a golfer’s paradise, the only destination in the world offering three signature courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson with a Reunion golf club membership.