Neighborhood
The Preserve at Lake Wales
Lake Wales, Florida US
The Preserve at Lake Wales, Lake Wales, Florida has a higher-yield, lower-price investment profile, with pricing about 30% below the Florida median, a gross yield of 7.6, and prices down 4.4% over the past year. The Red Flag score of 79 indicates elevated overall risk, while walkability is 59 and education is in the 32nd percentile. The main strength is the high yield and lower relative price; the main risk is the high Red Flag score.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
11.38 mi²
ZIP Code
33884
County
Polk County
State
Florida
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5EPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$298,401
YoY-4.4%
Gross Rental Yield
7.5%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
High
79 / 100
Walkability Score
59
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
32 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
56
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
The Preserve at Lake Wales Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for The Preserve at Lake Wales, Lake Wales.
Unlock the The Preserve at Lake Wales 12-month price trend
See the full Verified vs Listed price history — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $298,401 | -4.4% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $162/sqft | -5.8% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $1,878/mo | +0.3% |
| Gross Rental Yield | 7.5% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 51 / 100 | Moderate |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 252 | +9.1% |
Is The Preserve at Lake Wales Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Florida crime context.
Unlock the The Preserve at Lake Wales hazard breakdown
See all eight FEMA hazard scores — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Above-average gross rental yield at 7.5%
Liquid resale market — liquidity 51/100
Active transaction volume — 252 homes sold last period
Wildfire risk is Very High (100/100)
Hurricane risk is Very High (100/100)
Insights are generated from The Preserve at Lake Wales's live DistrictScore metrics.
The Preserve at Lake Wales Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Florida-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Air Quality — PM2.5
2015–20245.3 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline+27.7% since 2015
EPA 9WHO 5
20152024
Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the The Preserve at Lake Wales centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 28% of U.S. neighborhoods.
Florida Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16.9 | 2.7 | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 18.0 | 2.9 | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 19.0 | 2.9 | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 18.6 | 3.4 | -13.5% |
| 2020 | 21.5 | 3.8 | -13.7% |
| 2019 | 25.2 | 3.8 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; The Preserve at Lake Wales inherits the Florida figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 2
Zone 2 — Moderate potential · The Preserve at Lake Wales
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Environmental Hazards
EPA / BTSIndustrial odor1 nearbyVery High
Point-source screening near The Preserve at Lake Wales: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.
Walkability & Amenities in The Preserve at Lake Wales
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI59
Somewhat Walkable
Walkability Score
4
Grocery
13
Dining
1
Schools
0
Universities
15
Hospitals
3
Pharmacies
0
Parks
0
Rail Transit
0
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within The Preserve at Lake Wales's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
The Preserve at Lake Wales vs Lake Wales vs Florida
How The Preserve at Lake Wales benchmarks against its city and state medians.
Unlock the The Preserve at Lake Wales benchmark
Compare The Preserve at Lake Wales against Lake Wales and Florida medians — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Florida tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~0.76% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
No state income tax — rental income is not taxed at the state level.
State Capital Gains
No state capital gains tax.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: documentary stamp $0.70 per $100 ($0.60 in Miami-Dade).
Assessment Cap
Save Our Homes caps homestead assessment growth at 3%/CPI; reassessed to market value on sale.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.
US citizens & tax residents8
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead: up to $50,000 off taxable value, plus unlimited protection from most creditors.
Senior & Veteran Exemptions
Extra $50,000 senior exemption plus property-tax discounts for veterans.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)6
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Foreign Ownership Restrictions
SB 264 restricts buyers from 7 countries of concern (incl. China) from residential property near sensitive sites. Verify first.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Florida property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
The Preserve at Lake Wales Real Estate FAQ
The Preserve at Lake Wales, Lake Wales, Florida has a yield-oriented profile. Pricing is about 30% below the Florida median, gross yield is 7.6, and prices are down 4.4% over the past year. The Red Flag score is 79, so the return profile comes with elevated overall risk.
Unlock deeper insights on The Preserve at Lake Wales
Deeper data. Smarter decisions. Stronger returns.
Full Risk Reports
Tract-level hazards
Investment Score
AI-driven analysis
Export & Reports
PDF & Excel
Priority Support
Fast-track help
Get Pro Access7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.