Tax Bill-a Collina [Central Florida]
When developer Bobby Ginn first shared plans for a new ultra-upscale community on the southwest shore of Lake Apopka, buyers flocked from around the world to pay a small fortune for a slice of his ambitious vision.
Bella Collina has quickly become one of Central Florida’s priciest developments, with neatly divided parcels fetching up to $2 million. But along with lofty dreams comes a bitter reality. Many investors who sought to profit from the skyrocketing land values are now facing hefty property-tax bills.
Taxes on nearly a quarter of the more than 800 properties in Bella Collina have gone unpaid this year. That amounts to almost $2.5 million — about 15 percent of all the unpaid property taxes in Lake County. The lots will be part of an Internet tax-certificate sale Friday to ensure the county gets all the money it is owed.
“This is an example of the fact that people were just paying too much — now they’re stuck,” Lake County Property Appraiser Ed Havill said.