National homebuilder buys 130 lots in Lakeland

An Atlanta-based homebuilder known for building communities for the “move-up buyer” announced Friday it has acquired 130 homesites inside Lakeland’s Hawthorne Ranch master-planned community. 

PulteGroup Inc. purchased finished lots ready for construction to begin immediately on new homes, the company says in a release, marking Pulte Homes' first residential development in the city of Lakeland and, the company says, an important step in its long-term growth strategy across Polk County. The price PulteGroup paid for the 130 lots was not disclosed.

“As a lifelong Lakeland resident who is now raising a family here, this community is especially meaningful to me,” Kelli Bailey, vice president of sales and market manager for PulteGroup’s West Florida Division says in the release. “Lakeland continues to grow and evolve, yet it has preserved the close‑knit, welcoming atmosphere that makes it such a special place to call home.”

Hawthorne Ranch, at 4814 Foxglove Circle, is about 5 miles from Interstate 4 and less than 3 miles from Polk Parkway and Highway 60. 

The new neighborhood will feature a mix of 40-foot and 50-foot homesites and gives homebuyers the opportunity to purchase newly constructed homes in a predominantly built-out neighborhood. 

Prices for the new homes are expected to start in the mid-$300,000s, according to Pulte’s website, and the homes are expected to open to the public this spring. 

Pulte Homes has one other community in Polk County, according to its website: Silverlake in Lake Alfred. 

Hawthorne Ranch is less than 1 mile from a Publix and zoned for the highly rated George Jenkins High School, the Pulte website says. The single-home community offers an expansive amenity center with a resort-style pool, grill pavilion and indoor and outdoor fitness areas along with extensive nature trails and paved bike trails. 

PulteGroup delivered 29,572 homes in 2025, the company says, bringing in $16.7 billion in home sale revenues and reporting a net income of $2.2 billion. Fourth quarter home sale revenues of $4.5 billion, meanwhile, were 5% lower than the comparable prior year period, the company says.