Living in Florida's Space Coast
Raintree by the Lake
Raintree by the Lake is a single circle of early 1980s houses wrapped around a private lake off Pioneer Road in central Merritt Island. Every address is on Raintree Lake Circle. There is no association and no dues, four of the homes front the lake, and the whole subdivision was built between 1982 and 1984. It is the fastest moving street on this side of Courtenay.
Raintree by the Lake In Merritt Island, Florida
Raintree by the Lake is one street and one lake. Raintree Lake Circle enters from Pioneer Road, loops the water and comes back out, and every house in the subdivision carries that address. House numbers climb from the 2300s to the 2800s around the circle. Nothing was built before 1982 and nothing after 1984, so the whole neighborhood shares one construction era and, mostly, one set of original systems.
There is no homeowners association here. No dues, no board, no covenants, no architectural review. That cuts both ways, and buyers should understand which side of it they are on. Nobody is going to bill you 800 dollars a year or tell you what color to paint the shutters. Nobody is going to make your neighbor move the boat trailer either. Property standards fall to Brevard County code enforcement, and that is the whole enforcement mechanism.
The lake is the reason this street exists. Four of the nine most recent transactions were lakefront, and a couple of those homes have a small dock on the water. It is a stormwater lake, not a boating lake, so think paddle craft, fishing off the bank and an open view rather than a run to the ocean. Three of the homes have a private in-ground pool, and the pool-plus-lake combination is the configuration that draws the strongest interest.
Houses run small by island standards: 1,371 to 1,798 square feet, three or four bedrooms and two baths, on lots just under a fifth of an acre. Construction is concrete block with stucco on most, a couple with wood siding, all with shingle roofs. Many have been renovated in the last few years, and the ones that trade highest are the ones with new kitchens, updated flooring, a newer roof and a working pool cage.
Turnover here is quick. A typical house goes under contract in about six days and settles near 99 percent of what it first asked, which is the fastest and tightest pattern of any neighborhood I cover in this corridor. Prices run from around 230,000 dollars for a house needing work to the low 500s for a fully renovated lakefront pool home, with the middle in the mid 300s and about 222 dollars a square foot.
Raintree by the Lake At A Glance
What Raintree by the Lake looks like on paper.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Detail | Value |
| Location | Central Merritt Island, off Pioneer Road east of North Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island FL 32953 |
| Built | 1982 to 1984, the entire subdivision |
| Home size | 1,371 to 1,798 square feet, about 1,572 square feet typical |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 4, with 2 bathrooms |
| Lot size | 0.18 to 0.23 acre |
| Construction | Concrete block and stucco, a few with wood siding, shingle roofs, single story |
| Association | None at all. No dues, no board, no covenants and no architectural review. Brevard County code enforcement governs property standards |
| Streets | Raintree Lake Circle, the only street in the subdivision |
| Water frontage | Four homes front the private lake. It is stormwater, not navigable |
| Pools | Three homes have a private in-ground pool |
| Garage | Two-car garages throughout |
| Utilities | Public water and public sewer |
| Time on market | About six days is typical |
| Price range | 230,000 to 525,000 dollars, with the middle around 359,000 dollars |
| Price per square foot | About 222 dollars |
Raintree by the Lake Details
No Dues, No Board
There is no association here at all. Your carrying cost is taxes, insurance and utilities, with nothing added on top. If you are coming from a covenanted community, the freedom is genuine and so is the absence of anyone enforcing standards next door.
A Lake, Not A Canal
The water in the middle of the circle is a stormwater lake. You can put a kayak or a paddleboard on it and two homes have a small dock, but there is no route to the river and no boat lift going in. Buy it for the view and the open back yard.
Priced To Enter
This is one of the more approachable price points in central Merritt Island, roughly 222 dollars a square foot against neighbors in the same corridor running well past 280. That gap is mostly a function of house size and age, not location.
Renovation Has Already Started
A good share of these houses have been taken down to studs in the kitchen and baths in the last few years, with luxury vinyl plank, quartz and new appliances. When you tour, ask which systems were touched and which were left alone. Roof and air handler ages tell the real story.
Fast, Competitive Turnover
Six days is the typical run from listing to contract, and sellers keep about 99 percent of their first asking price. If you want a house on this circle, be pre-approved, be able to see it the first weekend, and be ready to write.
Early 1980s Bones
Block walls, single story layouts, vaulted ceilings in the living rooms and the occasional step-down floor plan. Wood burning fireplaces show up in some of the family rooms. These are solid, simple houses that respond well to a cosmetic budget.
Homes For Sale In Raintree by the Lake
Anything active on Raintree Lake Circle is shown below. With nine houses trading in a typical cycle, an alert serves you better than a weekly check.
Raintree by the Lake Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Raintree by the Lake?
It is in central Merritt Island, FL 32953. From State Road 528, take Exit 49 to North Courtenay Parkway (State Road 3), head south, turn east on Pioneer Road, then left onto Raintree Lake Circle. The subdivision is a single loop road with a lake in the middle.
Is there an HOA at Raintree by the Lake?
No. There is no homeowners association, no dues, no board and no covenants. Property standards fall under Brevard County code, since Merritt Island is unincorporated and there is no city government layered on top.
Is the lake navigable?
No. It is a stormwater lake inside the subdivision with no connection to Sykes Creek, the barge canal or the rivers. Paddle craft and bank fishing work. A powerboat and a lift do not.
How many homes front the lake?
Four of the nine most active addresses have lake frontage, and two of those have a small dock at the water. Lakefront lots command a premium over interior ones, particularly when a pool is part of the package.
What do homes cost on Raintree Lake Circle?
The working range runs from around 230,000 dollars for a house that needs work to the low 500s for a renovated lakefront pool home. The middle sits near 359,000 dollars, and about 222 dollars a square foot is a reasonable figure to carry.
How fast do homes sell here?
Fast. Six days from listing to contract is typical and sellers generally keep about 99 percent of their original asking price. Multiple offers are common on the renovated houses. Get your financing in order before you start touring.
When were these houses built?
Between 1982 and 1984. Every home in the subdivision dates to that window, so you are evaluating forty year old block houses. Roof age, electrical panel, plumbing and air handler are the four items to confirm on every one.
Is Raintree by the Lake in a flood zone?
That is determined parcel by parcel, not by subdivision. Brevard County Public Works Floodplain Administration at (321) 617-7340 is the county's official repository for the FEMA flood map panels and will issue a written determination and an elevation certificate copy.
Raintree Lake Circle, Merritt Island 32953
Raintree Lake Circle opens off Pioneer Road on the east side of North Courtenay Parkway, in the stretch of central Merritt Island between State Road 520 and State Road 528. Pioneer Road is a short connector serving several 1980s subdivisions, and Raintree is the one built around its own lake. Sykes Creek is a few blocks east, though this neighborhood has no frontage on it and no water access to it.
The location is the practical argument for the street. State Road 528 is a couple of miles north, which means Port Canaveral in about twenty minutes and Orlando in under an hour. State Road 520 is a few minutes south and carries you east to Cocoa Beach in fifteen minutes or west across the Indian River to Cocoa and the mainland. Groceries, hardware and restaurants are all on the Courtenay corridor within a five minute drive.
Near Raintree by the Lake In Merritt Island
Considering Raintree by the Lake?
On a street where houses go under contract in about a week, preparation beats luck every time. My partner Nichole and I track Raintree Lake Circle continuously, we know which houses have been renovated and which have only been painted, and we can have you positioned to write the day something comes up. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and we will get your search set and your financing lined up ahead of the next listing.
