GL Homes, one of Florida's largest privately owned homebuilders, is planning its active-adult communities around resort-style living and social connection rather than homes alone, according to company President Misha Ezratti. The approach matters for a state where 55-plus buyers are increasingly weighing lifestyle and community over square footage, and it signals how builders may compete for that demographic in the years ahead.
Founded 50 years ago by Itzhak Ezratti, GL Homes has communities across Florida, from Miami-Dade County and Port St. Lucie on the east coast to Naples, Fort Myers and Tampa on the west. Active-adult living has been central to that business for decades. The company opened its first Valencia community in Palm Beach County about 30 years ago, and the Valencia brand has since become its signature line of 55+ communities in Florida, now found along both coasts.
For Misha Ezratti, planning a Valencia community starts with how residents want to live, not just the homes they occupy. Each community is designed to feel like a luxury resort from the first visit. Clubhouses sit at the heart of the experience, giving residents places to dine, work out, join clubs and take classes. Full-time lifestyle directors fill calendars with activities and events intended to help neighbors meet and turn introductions into lasting friendships.
Two Valencia communities illustrate those priorities in practice. At Valencia Del Mar in Boynton Beach, residents already gather in the Social Hub and Fitness Studio within the on-site Community Center. Construction continues on a 43,000-square-foot clubhouse planned to include a full-service restaurant, a grand social hall and a sports lounge with a multi-sport simulator. More than 100 clubs and activities are planned, from fitness classes and hobby groups to live entertainment.
On Florida's west coast, Valencia Harbor in Fort Myers is preparing to open its Al Fresco Sports & Racquet Club in November, with 12 pickleball courts, four tennis courts, four bocce courts, an event lawn and a food truck plaza, alongside a new resort-style pool area.
The strategy carries implications beyond GL Homes. As more buyers look to Florida for their next chapter, amenities and organized social programming are becoming a competitive front in the 55+ market. Builders that can deliver functioning clubhouses, lifestyle staff and packed event schedules may hold an edge in attracting buyers who are relocating, often leaving established social networks behind. Those same features can influence resale appeal and the long-term character of the communities.
Misha Ezratti and the GL Homes team say they plan to keep building on the resort-style living and social connection that define the company's Valencia communities. Buyers and industry observers can learn more about the company's Florida communities at glhomes.com.
