About Highlands County
Highlands County describes its location as central Florida, with Sebring as the county seat and Avon Park and Lake Placid as the other municipalities. The county's own relocation page counts more than 100 lakes and points to Highlands Hammock State Park, the Archbold Biological Station, Sun 'n Lake Preserve, the Lake Placid murals and Sebring International Raceway. Homes range from lake neighborhoods to rural acreage. The USDA's 2022 farm census profile lists oranges, hay and sod among the leading crops, so groves and pasture are part of the landscape beyond town.
Part of the Avon Park Air Force Range lies in Highlands County, and the county's relocation page notes public recreation access there. Lake Istokpoga, which the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission places about five miles northeast of Lake Placid, is also in the county.
County housing help is run by the Housing Office in Sebring, which sees people by appointment, and its programs open only during announced application periods. The county also lists special districts, including the Spring Lake Improvement District and the Sun 'n Lake of Sebring Improvement District, that buyers in those areas may need to ask about.
Quick facts
- County seat
- Sebring
- Region
- South Central Florida
- 2026 conforming loan limit
- $832,750
- One-unit home · FHFA
- 2026 FHA loan limit
- $541,287
- One-unit home · HUD
- Geography
- More than 100 lakes, according to the county
- Highlands Hammock State Park
- Sun 'n Lake Preserve, a county-owned nature preserve
- Part of the Avon Park Air Force Range, shared with Polk County
- Lake Istokpoga, about five miles northeast of Lake Placid
- Housing types
- Lake neighborhoods in and around Sebring and Lake Placid
- Town homes in Avon Park, Sebring and Lake Placid
- Rural acreage
- Homes in areas served by improvement districts such as Sun 'n Lake
Figures show their source and year. Confirm details with the county offices.
Housing in Highlands County
Highlands County offers lake neighborhoods, town lots in Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid, and rural acreage with groves and pasture. Lake homes bring flood-zone and elevation questions that a view does not answer, and homes in some neighborhoods sit inside special districts that levy their own assessments.
The county's menu lists the Spring Lake Improvement District and the Sun 'n Lake of Sebring Improvement District, and its business services pages cover non-ad valorem assessments. A buyer in or near those communities should ask whether a property sits inside a special district and whether an assessment appears on the tax bill.
Financing in Highlands County
Conventional loans
For grove, pasture or sod land beyond town, ask how the parcel is zoned and used before choosing a loan program. An appraiser may separate the house from working land, and lenders vary on acreage and farm use. A loan officer can compare residential and rural routes for a specific parcel before an offer, with the Housing Office and Property Appraiser as local contacts.
VA loans
Highlands County's Avon Park Air Force Range, which spans parts of Highlands and Polk counties, does not change VA eligibility. VA loan eligibility depends on a borrower's service and discharge status, not on where the home sits. A veteran can ask a loan officer to request a Certificate of Eligibility and explain the property requirements for the specific home.
USDA loans
USDA's property eligibility map answers one address at a time, so check the specific Highlands County home rather than judging by how rural it looks. Household income limits and property standards apply. After checking the map, ask a loan officer how a well or septic system may be treated in the review.
Flood zones and flood insurance
Ask for the FEMA flood zone and any elevation certificate on a lake home. A lake view does not show the mapped zone, and a home on high ground near one lake may sit differently from a lakeshore lot on another. The county's Emergency Management page posts shelters, evacuation routes, a special needs shelter application and a citizen information line.
Homestead exemption
Homestead exemption requests go to the Highlands County Property Appraiser, with a March 1 deadline. To count for a given year, the owner must hold the home and live there as a permanent residence by January 1. The assessment is reset after a purchase, and the office can say whether a benefit from an earlier Florida homestead can be transferred to the new home.
Property taxes
The county lists special districts, including the Spring Lake Improvement District and the Sun 'n Lake of Sebring Improvement District, and a Non-Ad Valorem Assessment page among its business services. Ask the seller or the Tax Collector whether the parcel falls in a special district and what assessments appear on its tax bill, since those charges are separate from the homestead exemption.
Local homebuyer assistance
The county Housing Office in Sebring runs SHIP, and its page lists purchase assistance, rehabilitation and foreclosure prevention, with notices posted when applications open or close. Staff meet people by appointment. Because funds run out, a buyer should have loan officer and homebuyer paperwork ready before an opening is announced, and should check the page rather than assume a program is open.
Cities, towns and communities
- SebringCityCounty seatCounty seat; the Highlands County Housing Office and Sebring International Raceway are here.
- Avon ParkCityCity whose name the Avon Park Air Force Range shares; part of the range lies in Highlands County.
- Lake PlacidTownTown known for its Lake Placid murals, more than 40 of which the county's relocation page cites.
- Sun 'n Lake of SebringUnincorporated communityCommunity near Sebring served by the Sun 'n Lake of Sebring Improvement District, which the county lists as a special district; ask whether a parcel's tax bill includes district assessments.
- Spring LakeUnincorporated communityCommunity served by the Spring Lake Improvement District, which the county lists as a special district; ask whether a parcel's tax bill includes district assessments.
Official local resources
- Highlands County Property Appraiser
- Highlands County Tax Collector
- Highlands County Clerk of Courts (official records)
- Highlands County Emergency Management
- Highlands County Housing Office (SHIP)
Links go to government offices, not to Mortgage by Ruben.
Highlands County: common questions
5 questions
Does buying near the Avon Park Air Force Range change my VA loan eligibility?
No. VA eligibility depends on a borrower's service and discharge status, not on where the home sits. The range is a military training area in Highlands and Polk counties. Ask your loan officer to request your Certificate of Eligibility and to explain the property requirements for the home you choose.
How do I find out when Highlands County housing help is open?
The county Housing Office says its purchase assistance, rehabilitation and foreclosure prevention programs take applications only during announced periods, and it posts notices on the Housing page. Staff meet people by appointment. Because funds run out, have your loan officer and homebuyer paperwork ready before an opening is announced.
What is an improvement district, such as Sun 'n Lake of Sebring or Spring Lake, and why ask about it?
The county lists both as districts connected with the county, and its pages cover non-ad valorem assessments. A special district can levy assessments that show up on a tax bill, in addition to county property taxes. Ask the seller or the Tax Collector whether a parcel is inside one and what the district charges, before closing.
Does a Highlands County lake view mean the home is outside a flood zone?
No. A lake view does not show the mapped flood zone. Ask for the FEMA flood zone and any elevation certificate, and compare them with the elevation of the lot. A loan officer and an insurance agent can then explain how the zone affects the loan and the cost of coverage.
Where does Highlands County post shelters and evacuation routes?
The county's Emergency Management page posts shelters, evacuation routes, a special needs shelter application and a citizen information line. An inland location does not remove storm risk, so read the page before buying and ask the seller about the home's flood history, roof and any storm repairs.
Loan programs to explore
- VA LoansFor eligible veterans and service members. No monthly mortgage insurance.
- USDA LoansRural Development loans for eligible areas and incomes.
- Down Payment Assistance ProgramsGrants and second loans that help with funds to close.
- Construction-to-Permanent LoansFinance building a home with one closing.
Not sure which program fits? Try the program finder or run your own numbers in the calculators.
Browse all loan programsNeighboring counties
All 67 countiesLocal information on this page is general, comes from public sources and can change. Loan programs and eligibility do not depend on the county alone, and this page does not determine them. For current facts about a property, check official sources such as the county property appraiser or assessor and FEMA flood maps. This is not a commitment to lend, and program availability varies by lender.