Windermere and Isleworth: homes on the Butler Chain of Lakes

Windermere sits in southwest Orange County among the Butler Chain of Lakes: 13 lakes joined by 32 navigable canals, according to the Orange County Water Atlas. Lake Butler is the largest, and the Water Atlas notes that the chain was the first lake system in Florida to receive the Outstanding Florida Water designation.

The Town, and the address

The Town of Windermere was incorporated in 1925. The square around Town Hall holds the Chase Memorial Library and the Cal Palmer Memorial Building, a small wood-frame building from 1911. Town Hall and the Cal Palmer Building are both on the National Register of Historic Places.

A Windermere mailing address doesn't always mean the Town, though. The Town says most "Windermere" addresses are in unincorporated Orange County. To check a home, search it on the Orange County Property Appraiser's site and read the Municipality field. It tells you whether the Town or the county handles that home's building permits and code enforcement.

Isleworth and the club communities

Isleworth is a private golf and country club community on the Butler Chain. For any club community, ask whether membership comes with the home, is optional or is required, and what it costs to join and to keep.

Living on the water

  • Public access. Orange County's R.D. Keene Park, on Lake Isleworth, has a public boat ramp to the Butler Chain.
  • Docks. For a new dock, Orange County requires an Environmental Protection Division permit before the building permit. The review covers side setbacks, roof height and platform size. Ask for the permit records of any existing dock.
  • Lake taxes. The Windermere Water and Navigation Control District is Orange County's largest lake taxing unit, covering 27 lakes. Lake-management taxing units are collected on property tax bills, so read the bill for any lakefront home.
  • Flood. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and request a flood zone determination from Orange County through its Fast Track portal if the map leaves questions. Florida also requires sellers to give a flood disclosure at or before the contract.

Our Windermere waterfront guide covers surveys, shoreline records and inspections in more depth.

Getting around

From Windermere Town Hall, it's about 5 miles to Restaurant Row on Sand Lake Road, 11 miles to Disney Springs, 13 miles to Lake Eola in downtown Orlando by Conroy-Windermere Road and I-4, and 19 miles to Orlando International Airport by SR 528. For longer trips north or south, SR 429 runs from Apopka to I-4 in Osceola County. We measured these on OpenStreetMap, so test the drive at the hour you'd make it.

Selling in Windermere

A lakefront or golf-course home needs a price you can defend. Start with a written price opinion from a local agent within one business day, not an automated estimate. If you live elsewhere, we run the sale with video walkthroughs, local prep you can see in photos, and a closing you can sign remotely. Request your price opinion.

Buying in Windermere and Isleworth

See Windermere homes for sale. When you're ready, start a buyer consultation. We'll look at every option with you, with due diligence on lakes, docks and club terms, and cover the written buyer agreement before your first tour, in person or by live video.

Ackley Platinum Group is a team at Coldwell Banker Realty, with our office on Park Avenue in Winter Park, and the Ackley family has been in Central Florida real estate since 1984. This page is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Rules and maps change, so check the current source for any property.