Area guide · Orange County, Florida
Dr. Phillips, FL homes for sale and real estate
Zoya Solovyeva, REALTOR®, works with buyers and sellers in Dr. Phillips and the rest of Central Florida, in English or Russian.
English and Russian · Olympus Executive Realty · Client reviews
01At a glance
Dr. Phillips in six facts
Dr. Phillips is an unincorporated community in Orange County, Central Florida, 18 minutes southwest of downtown Orlando without traffic but outside the City of Orlando. Homes here sold for a median of $552,237 in the three months to September 2026, 8.0% less than a year earlier, after a median 35 days on the market. The 2020 Census counted 12,328 residents.
Sources: Redfin, Doctor Phillips housing market, read November 7, 2026; U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census; OSRM routing, October 2026.
- County
- Orange CountyUnincorporated: no city government and no city property tax. The Census counts it as a census designated place, with 12,328 residents on April 1, 2020.Orange County, District 1
- ZIP codes
- 32819, 3283632819 covers about two thirds of Dr. Phillips. Each ZIP reaches far beyond it, with about 90% of its area outside, so check the parcel, not only the ZIP.Census 2020 ZIP code areas
- Public schools
- Orange County Public SchoolsThe assigned school follows the exact address.Look up an address (OCPS)
- Drive, without traffic
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- Downtown Orlando 18 min
- Airport (MCO) 33 min
- Magic Kingdom 28 min
- Median sale price
- $552,237Down 8.0% year over year. Homes sold at a median 96.1% of list price and $281 per square foot.Redfin, 3 months to September 2026
- Largest lake
- Big Sand Lake1,021 acres. The Census line crosses it, so about half lies inside Dr. Phillips; water covers about 28% of the area.Orange County Water Atlas, November 2026
02Client reviews
What clients say about working with Zoya
None of Zoya’s Google reviews names Dr. Phillips yet, so these three speak to how she works. Each is quoted as written, with “…” at every cut.
“…Zoya was professional, thorough and very knowledgeable about my real estate needs. Highly recommended!!!”
“Very energetic professional Very Honest she will explain everything in detail. Strongly recommend her without any hesitation!”
“…She took the time to thoroughly evaluate my home and its unique features, and they used that knowledge to create a targeted marketing plan that highlighted my home's strengths and attracted the right buyers. Thanks to their expertise, my home is under contract within a matter of weeks. …”
A seller’s review written while the home was under contract, before closing.
03The Orlando Atlas · Dr. Phillips
Sand lakes, I-4 and the places next door.
Dr. Phillips lies between the Butler Chain of Lakes and I-4, southwest of downtown Orlando. The dashed outline is the Census line, not a city limit, because Dr. Phillips has no city government. Pick a nearby area to read its guide.
Two Sand lakes, one line across the water
The Census line runs across Big Sand Lake, so roughly half of it counts as Dr. Phillips and half does not. Little Sand Lake and Lake Serene lie wholly inside, and so does most of Spring Lake. Pocket Lake, the nearest lake of the Butler Chain, is about 0.3 mile west of the line.
- Big Sand Lake 1,021 acres
- Little Sand Lake 151 acres
- Mean depth, each 23 feet
- Dr. Phillips Census line (no city limits)
- Interstate 4, with the I-4 Express lanes
Illustrative map. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, June 2026 copy. Drive times without traffic, OSRM, October 2026.
04Buying
Buying in Dr. Phillips
Buyers have some room to negotiate. In the three months to September 2026 the median sale price was $552,237 and homes sold at a median 96.1% of list price, about a point lower than a year earlier. In September, 42.8% of homes had a price drop.
Olympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
Half the homes here were built in 1997 or later. Detached houses make up 55.5% of homes, townhouses and other attached homes 15.5%, and buildings of two or more units 28.5%, with 960 homes in buildings of 50 units or more (Census estimates, 2020 to 2024). These are the checks Zoya goes through with a buyer before an offer.
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Dr. Phillips, or only the ZIP code?
ZIP codes 32819 and 32836 stretch well past Dr. Phillips: about 89% of 32819 and 90% of 32836 lie outside it, including parts of the City of Orlando, Bay Hill and Horizon West. The side of the line decides which levies and rules apply, so look the parcel up on the Orange County Property Appraiser site.
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Flood zone and insurance
Water covers about 28% of Dr. Phillips, yet flood zones are drawn for each address, not for the area. Enter the exact address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center and get flood and homeowners insurance quotes before your inspection period ends.
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A house from the 1990s
Half the homes were built in 1997 or earlier. Ask the inspector to date the roof, the air conditioning and the water heater, and ask the insurer how the age of the roof changes the premium.
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The Big Sand Lake levy
Parcels inside the county’s Big Sand Lake district pay an extra 0.1378 mills for aquatic weed control (October 2026 to September 2027). The parcel’s bill on the Orange County Tax Collector site lists every levy it pays.
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Association and district fees
Fees and rules are set by each subdivision or condo association, and any community development district (CDD) assessment shows on the tax bill. Get the association documents, the fee history and any lease limits before your review period ends.
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Rental plans
Unincorporated Orange County allows stays of 179 days or less only in some commercial and industrial zoning districts or a planned development that permits them, and stays under 30 days in a single family home only in R-3. Read the question on short term rentals before you count on rental income.
05Selling
Selling in Dr. Phillips
Homes are selling faster than a year ago, but for less. The median wait was 35 days in the three months to September 2026, against 57 a year earlier, while the median sale price fell 8.0%.
Redfin, Doctor Phillips housing market: days, sale to list and price for the 3 months to September 2026; price drops for September 2026, when 2.6% of homes sold above list price.
Price against the homes around you. The area median blends condos in large buildings, townhouses and lakefront houses. Zoya sets the price from recent comparable sales near your home, which counts for more when over four in ten homes had a price drop in September.
Lead with the water and the setting. If your home looks onto Big Sand Lake, Little Sand Lake or another lake, or sits a short drive from the community park or the restaurants on Sand Lake Road, say so in the listing with photos and distances.
Have the parcel answers ready. Buyers will ask whether the home is inside Dr. Phillips or only shares its ZIP code, which flood zone it is in, what the association allows and whether it pays the Big Sand Lake levy. Pull these from the county records before you list.
06Places
Places with official names
Orange County publishes no neighborhood map for Dr. Phillips and names only Bay Hill next door, so this list keeps to places that the county, the library system and the City of Orlando name themselves.
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Restaurant Row
Sand Lake Road · Orange County’s nicknameThe county’s name for the restaurants along West Sand Lake Road (SR 482), which crosses Dr. Phillips from east to west. The nickname has no fixed limits.
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Dr. P. Phillips Community Park
County park · 43 acresOn the shore of Big Sand Lake at 8249 Buenavista Woods Boulevard, just south of the Census line: ball fields, basketball courts, a dog park, a splash playground, trails, sand volleyball and pavilions to rent.
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Southwest Branch Library
Orange County Library SystemA county library branch at 7255 Della Drive, inside Dr. Phillips.
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Bay Hill
Separate Census place, next doorOn the west side of Dr. Phillips, built on former Phillips land according to Orange County. It is a Census place of its own (5,021 residents in 2020), so a Bay Hill address is not in Dr. Phillips.
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Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake
City of Orlando park · 183 acresAbout 3.8 miles north, beside Turkey Lake: nature trails, a fishing pier, disc golf, and cabins and campsites to reserve.
Subdivision names seen on listing sites are left out until a county record confirms them. Sources: Orange County District 1, the county’s park page, OCLS and the City of Orlando, read November 2026.
07Prices
Dr. Phillips home prices, with sources
Area figures only. Homes for sale change daily, so ask Zoya for the current ones that match your budget.
| Median sale price | $552,237down 8.0% in a year |
|---|---|
| Median price per square foot | $281down 1.2% in a year |
| Median days on market | 3557 a year earlier |
| Median sale to list price | 96.1%down 0.99 points in a year |
| Homes sold in September | 4049 a year earlier |
Source: Redfin, Doctor Phillips housing market, all home types, read November 7, 2026.
| Housing units | 6,2815,772 in the 2020 Census |
|---|---|
| Detached single family homes | 55.5%attached 15.5% |
| Homes in buildings of 2 or more units | 28.5%960 homes in buildings of 50 or more |
| Owner occupied | 67.1%about two thirds |
| Median year built | 1997 |
| Median value, as estimated by owners | $529,900 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024, tables B25001, B25003, B25024, B25035 and B25077, for the Doctor Phillips Census place.
Redfin counts what homes sold for; the Census figure is what owners think their home is worth, so the two medians measure different things. Redfin also does not say whether its Doctor Phillips page follows the Census line or the ZIP codes. For the cash you need at closing, see buyer closing costs.
Looking at Dr. Phillips homes for sale?
Send Zoya your budget, the bedrooms you need and whether you want a lake, and she will reply with current Dr. Phillips listings on WhatsApp.
08Getting around
Roads, drive times and rail
| To | Without traffic | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Orlando | 18 min | 10.7 mi |
| Orlando International Airport (MCO) | 33 min | 18.6 mi |
| Magic Kingdom | 28 min | 13.6 mi |
Without traffic: free flow car routing (OSRM) from the Dr. Phillips map point, October 7, 2026. Expect longer trips at rush hour.
- Roads. West Sand Lake Road (SR 482), Apopka Vineland Road, Turkey Lake Road and Dr. Phillips Boulevard run through Dr. Phillips, and I-4 runs along its east side. In a straight line the I-4 Express lanes are about 0.3 mile from the edge, the Beachline Expressway (SR 528) 0.8 mile and Florida’s Turnpike 1.7 miles.
- SunRail. No station here. The nearest is Sand Lake Road at 8030 South Orange Avenue, about 20 minutes and 9.7 miles by car without traffic. Trains run Monday to Friday only, and LYNX routes 11, 18, 42 and 311 stop at the station.
- Brightline. Trains to South Florida leave from Orlando International Airport, 33 minutes away without traffic.
Sources: SunRail station page, OSRM route to the station (November 2026) and OpenStreetMap road data, June 2026 copy.
09Schools
Public schools
Each address has its own assigned schools, and OCPS posts the next school year’s zones after July 31, so look up every address you are serious about.
Look up an address on the OCPS locator10Pros and cons
What to like and what to check
What works
- Theme parks and the airport28 minutes to Magic Kingdom and 33 to the airport, without traffic.
- Lakes inside the lineLittle Sand Lake, Spring Lake, Lake Serene and about half of Big Sand Lake, with the Butler Chain just to the west.
- A large county parkThe 43 acre Dr. P. Phillips Community Park on Big Sand Lake, plus the Southwest Branch Library on Della Drive.
- Restaurant RowOrange County’s own name for the restaurants along Sand Lake Road.
- Prices easingThe median sale price fell 8.0% in a year, and homes sold at 96.1% of list.
What to weigh
- CostA median sale price of $552,237 and $281 per square foot (Redfin, 3 months to September 2026).
- Traffic and transitDrive times above are without traffic, and the nearest SunRail station is a 20 minute drive.
- Address confusionAn Orlando mailing address in ZIP 32819 or 32836 does not prove a home is in Dr. Phillips.
- Flood and insuranceWater covers about 28% of the area. Check FEMA’s map for each address and price the insurance early.
- Rental limitsCounty zoning allows short stays only in a few districts, and association rules can be stricter.
Sources: figures as cited above; parks and places from Orange County Parks, OCLS and Orange County District 1; lakes from the Orange County Water Atlas and OpenStreetMap.
11Questions
Dr. Phillips questions
What buyers and sellers ask most about Dr. Phillips, answered from official and dated sources.
Is Dr. Phillips part of the City of Orlando?
No. Dr. Phillips is unincorporated Orange County: it has no city government and no city property tax, and the Census counts it as a census designated place, with 12,328 residents in 2020. Its mailing city is “Orlando, FL” and it borders the City of Orlando and Bay Hill, so check which side of the line a home is on with the Orange County Property Appraiser. One more name trap: the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is in downtown Orlando, not here.
How much do homes in Dr. Phillips cost?
Redfin puts the median sale price at $552,237 for the three months to September 2026, 8.0% lower than a year earlier, or $281 per square foot. Homes sold after a median of 35 days at 96.1% of their list price. That median mixes condos, townhouses and detached houses, so ask Zoya for recent sales on the streets you like (Redfin, Doctor Phillips housing market).
What are property taxes like in Dr. Phillips?
There is no city levy. For October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, Orange County’s countywide rate is 4.4347 mills, and parcels in unincorporated areas such as Dr. Phillips also pay 1.8043 mills for the Sheriff and 2.8437 mills for Fire and EMS; parcels in the Big Sand Lake district add 0.1378 mills. One mill is $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. School, library, water management and other levies come on top and vary by parcel, so check the bill on the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector sites (Orange County FY 2027 millage summary). If the home becomes your permanent residence, Florida’s homestead exemption can lower its taxable value; apply to the Property Appraiser by March 1 (Fla. Stat. 196.011, 2026 Florida Statutes).
Can I rent out a Dr. Phillips home short term?
Only in some zoning districts. Orange County’s Zoning Division says rentals of 179 days or less are allowed only in the C-1, C-2, C-3, I-1A, I-1/I-5, I-2/I-3 and I-4 districts or in a planned development that expressly allows them, and single family rentals of under 30 days only in R-3; all other districts prohibit both (Zoning Division). Check the parcel on the county zoning lookup and the association rules, and ask a Florida real estate attorney before you count on rental income.
Which public schools serve Dr. Phillips homes?
Homes in Dr. Phillips are in Orange County Public Schools. The assigned schools depend on the exact address, so enter each address in the OCPS Find My School locator. Zones for the next school year show there after July 31, and rezoning approved during the current year is not shown until then.
How far is Dr. Phillips from the airport and Disney?
Without traffic, about 33 minutes (18.6 miles) to Orlando International Airport, 28 minutes (13.6 miles) to Magic Kingdom and 18 minutes (10.7 miles) to downtown Orlando, by OSRM routing in October 2026. Rush hour adds time. There is no SunRail station in Dr. Phillips; Brightline trains to South Florida leave from the airport.
Talk to Zoya
Thinking about Dr. Phillips?
Tell Zoya whether you are buying or selling in Dr. Phillips or nearby, and she will reply within 24 hours, in English or Russian.
- Call(609) 408-7086Olympus Executive Realty
- TextSend a textOlympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
- WhatsAppMessage ZoyaOlympus Executive Realty
- Emailrealtor@zoyasells.comOlympus Executive Realty, 16903 Lakeside Drive, Montverde, FL 34756
Keep exploring
Nearby areas and guides
Next door
Looking outside Central Florida? Real estate elsewhere in Florida
Facts checked November 7, 2026. Each figure names its source beside it or under its section: Redfin, the U.S. Census Bureau, OSRM routing, OpenStreetMap, Orange County (District 1, Parks, Zoning Division and the FY 2027 budget), the Orange County Water Atlas, OCPS, OCLS, the City of Orlando and SunRail.