Homes for sale · Clearwater, FloridaLakes
Affordable Clearwater living minutes from the Gulf
21
Homes for sale
$215,000
Median list price
$216
Avg price / sqft
80
Median days on market
The Lakes sits in the heart of Clearwater, a Pinellas County community where everyday life leans toward low-key and convenient — short drives to the Gulf beaches, easy access to shopping, and a mix of established neighborhoods that attract both year-round residents and seasonal owners. It's a part of Clearwater that puts you within reach of landmarks like Sand Key and the active-lifestyle enclave of On Top Of The World, while keeping entry prices well below the Gulf-front premium. For buyers scanning Clearwater homes for sale, this corner offers a practical foothold.
The market here is value-oriented and moving at a measured pace. With 19 active listings and a median list price of $199,000, there's room to negotiate — homes are taking a median of 80 days to sell, and sellers are landing about 96% of asking. Over the past year 50 homes closed at a median sold price of $286,500, so the gap between list and sold reflects a mix of smaller condos and larger single-family product trading in the same area.
Lakes is a community in Clearwater, Florida.
Quick facts
$2,292 – $700K price range
1,020 sqft median home
$489/mo median HOA
$1,725/mo median rent
50 sold in 12 months
Drive times
Living in the Lakes
The Lakes is a residential pocket of Clearwater, the Pinellas County city known for its Gulf beaches and its position across the bay from Tampa. Life here is practical and relaxed: you're close to everyday shopping and services, a short drive from the coast, and well-connected to the wider Tampa Bay region. It's the kind of place where the appeal is convenience and value rather than flash.
The community draws a broad mix of residents. Its affordable price point makes it a natural fit for first-time buyers, while the smaller home sizes and managed communities nearby appeal to downsizers and seasonal owners who want a low-maintenance Florida base. With the median home size around 1,020 square feet, the housing here skews toward right-sized, efficient living rather than sprawling estates.
What ties it together is location. You're minutes from established Clearwater communities, a reasonable drive from the Gulf, and inside easy commuting distance of Tampa. For buyers who care more about getting into the area at a sensible price than about waterfront bragging rights, the Lakes delivers a sound foundation.
Neighborhoods and communities in the Lakes
The area sits among several well-known Clearwater communities, each with its own character. On Top Of The World is a large active-lifestyle community that has long been a landmark for buyers seeking an amenity-rich, lower-maintenance setting. Nearby, Cove Cay offers a managed community environment that appeals to those who want structure and shared amenities.
Closer to the water, Sand Key represents the Gulf-front end of the spectrum, where prices rise with proximity to the beach. Imperial Cove is another established community in the vicinity, rounding out a set of options that range from waterfront to inland value. Each of these carries its own HOA structure and lifestyle, so it's worth comparing them side by side.
If you want to be closer to the city's core, Downtown Clearwater offers a more urban feel with walkable streets and civic amenities. Buyers often weigh the trade-off between the quieter residential pockets like the Lakes and the activity of downtown, and the good news is that both are within the same compact slice of Pinellas County.
Homes for sale in the Lakes: prices and housing
The numbers tell a value story. There are currently 19 active listings with a median list price of $199,000, and prices stretch up to $385,900 at the top of the range. The average price per square foot is about $207, and the median home measures roughly 1,020 square feet — a signal that condos and compact single-family homes make up much of the inventory.
Looking back over the last 12 months, 50 homes sold at a median price of $286,500, and sellers collected about 96% of their asking price on average. Homes are taking a median of 80 days to sell, so this is a market where buyers have time to evaluate and negotiate rather than rush. Among active listings, five include a pool and one is waterfront, while there's currently no gated, golf, 55+, new-construction or $1M-plus inventory on the market.
Carrying costs are an important part of the math here. The median HOA fee runs $489 per month — typical for the condo and managed-community product that defines much of this area — and median property taxes are around $2,500 per year. Factor those into your monthly budget alongside the purchase price, since the HOA in particular can meaningfully shape affordability.
Schools in the Lakes
Our current data does not list specific assigned schools for this community, so we won't name schools we can't confirm. Clearwater falls within Pinellas County Schools, one of the larger districts in Florida, which assigns schools by the home's address.
The reliable way to confirm zoning is to run the exact property address through the Pinellas County Schools locator tool, which returns the assigned elementary, middle and high schools. Attendance boundaries can change year to year, so always verify for the specific home rather than relying on a neighborhood's general reputation.
If schools are a priority in your search, make that verification part of your due diligence before you make an offer. Your agent can help you pull the current zoning and check for any magnet or choice options available in the district.
Getting around the Lakes
The Lakes is built for Tampa Bay mobility. Tampa International Airport is about 27 minutes away, and downtown Tampa is roughly 28 minutes — both very manageable for frequent travelers and cross-bay commuters. That proximity to the airport is a genuine advantage for anyone who flies regularly for work or travel.
Day to day, you'll rely on a car for most trips, as is typical across suburban Pinellas County. The area's position gives you reasonable access to the major corridors connecting Clearwater to the beaches, to St. Petersburg and across the bay to Tampa.
For beach days, the Gulf is a short drive via the causeways that link mainland Clearwater to the barrier islands. The balance of quick highway access and nearby coastline is a big part of why this location holds its appeal for buyers.
Is the Lakes a good place to live?
For the right buyer, the Lakes is a smart choice. The headline is affordability: a median list price of $199,000 and a $207 average price per square foot make this one of the more accessible entry points into Clearwater, a city where beachside prices climb quickly. Add quick access to Tampa and the Gulf, and you get location value that punches above its price.
The trade-offs are honest ones. Homes here are smaller on average — around 1,020 square feet — and HOA fees of roughly $489 per month are a real monthly line item to budget for. There's also no new-construction, gated, golf or 55+ inventory on the market right now, so buyers wanting those specific features will need to look at neighboring communities.
The market itself favors a patient, prepared buyer. With 80 days as the median time on market and sellers accepting about 96% of asking, there's room to negotiate. If you value convenience, affordability and proximity to both the beach and Tampa over square footage and newness, the Lakes is well worth a close look within the broader Clearwater homes for sale landscape.
On the market now
Homes for sale in Lakes
View all 21 →
$699,500
2301 CAMPBELL ROAD, CLEARWATER
3 bd · 2.5 ba · 2,114 sqft
$545,000
3700 105TH AVENUE N UNIT 179, CLEARWATER
4 bd · 2 ba · 1,889 sqft
$2,292
701 S MADISON AVENUE UNIT 515, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 2 ba · 870 sqft
$295,000$325,000
4535 GREAT LAKES DRIVE S, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,020 sqft
$248,500$249,900
4359 GREAT LAKES DRIVE N, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,271 sqft
$179,900$181,900
10853 43RD STREET N UNIT 1307, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,020 sqft
$259,000$263,000
4318 GREAT LAKES DRIVE N, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 1 ba · 822 sqft
$215,000$235,000
4476 LAKE BOULEVARD, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,230 sqft
$225,000$229,000
4563 GREAT LAKES DRIVE S, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 1 ba · 966 sqft
$165,000
4651 LAKE VILLA DRIVE, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 2 ba · 865 sqft
$339,900$348,900
4577 GREAT LAKES DRIVE S UNIT 1, CLEARWATER
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,420 sqft
$185,000$189,000
701 S MADISON AVENUE UNIT 316, CLEARWATER
3 bd · 2 ba · 1,200 sqft
Every active listing inside the Lakes boundary
Open full map search →Find your fit
Browse Lakes
By feature — on the live map
Where the market lives
The numbers that matter
The Lakes market
50
Sold, last 12 months
$286,500
Median sold price
96%
Sale-to-list ratio
What sellers actually get vs asking
32 days
Median time to sell
Lakes vs Clearwater
Median list price
Price per sqft
Days on market
Live Stellar MLS data — every listing and closed sale inside the Lakes boundary. Rolling medians smooth single-month swings in small communities.
What it really costs
Owning here
Owning the median Lakes home
≈ $2,041/mo
$215,000 median · 20% down · 30-yr fixed at 6.9% · taxes/HOA from live listing data · insurance is a Florida estimate.
$489/mo
Median HOA
From current listings inside the boundary
$1,725/mo
Median rent
Homes for rent inside the boundary
People who close here
Our Clearwater experts
Straight answers
Lakes FAQs
Is the Lakes a good place to live in Clearwater?+
It suits buyers who want affordable, convenient Clearwater living with quick access to the Gulf beaches and to Tampa. The area connects easily to established communities like Cove Cay and offers a mix of condos and single-family homes, so it works for first-time buyers, downsizers and seasonal owners alike.
Is the Lakes expensive?+
No — it's one of the more budget-friendly parts of Clearwater, with a median list price of $199,000 and active listings ranging up to $385,900. The average price per square foot sits around $207, which keeps it below the Gulf-front premium you'd pay closer to the beach.
What do homes cost in the Lakes?+
Active listings currently run from the low end up to $385,900, with a median list of $199,000 and a median home size near 1,020 square feet. Over the past 12 months, 50 homes sold at a median price of $286,500, reflecting a mix of smaller condos and larger single-family homes.
How is the market right now?+
It's a measured, buyer-friendly market with 19 active listings and a median of 80 days on market. Sellers are getting about 96% of their asking price, so there's room to negotiate if you're patient and prepared.
What are the HOA fees and property taxes like?+
The median HOA fee here is $489 per month, which is common for condo and managed communities in this part of Clearwater. Median property taxes come in around $2,500 per year, though your exact bill depends on the home's assessed value and homestead status.
What schools serve the Lakes?+
Specific school assignments aren't listed in our current data for this community. Clearwater is served by Pinellas County Schools, so the best step is to verify the exact zoned elementary, middle and high school by the property's address through the district's school locator before you buy.
What's the commute like from the Lakes?+
The location is convenient for Tampa Bay commuters — Tampa International Airport is about 27 minutes away and downtown Tampa roughly 28 minutes. That puts major employment centers, the airport and cross-bay destinations within a reasonable daily reach.
Is there new construction in the Lakes?+
There is no active new-construction inventory in this community right now, so buyers here are shopping existing homes and condos. If new construction is a priority, you'll want to broaden your search across the wider Clearwater homes for sale market.
Keep exploring
More Clearwater neighborhoods
Neighborhood boundary by edgeAI; listings matched to the polygon. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by Stellar MLS.
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