Room to roam: Jacksonville home for sale on 13-acre oasis in midst of suburbia

Prospective buyers in search of a place with some breathing room — a decently sized home that's not within shouting distance from the nearest neighbor — might think there aren't a lot of options in Jacksonville. Indeed, a quick search of Realtor.com shows less than 100 listings on lots between 1 and 2 acres. Those seeking more than that most likely need to look a little farther out, which might be affordable, but not so convenient.

This four-bedroom, 3.5-bath home at 5084 Losco Road in Mandarin offers something truly unique — a serene oasis on 12.79 acres within the Jacksonville metro area. Accessed from a gated, winding driveway, the property also includes a screened saltwater pool, barn, chicken coop, RV garage, stables, riding trails and two ponds. It's on the market for $3.5 million.

After all, as a recent guest columnist stated, prevailing development practices fall along the lines of, "If there is land, something must be built on it," seemingly down to the last square inch.

That's why this home comes as such a pleasant surprise. Built in 2001, it includes a 3,541-square-foot floor plan and fully equipped outdoor living area. The best part? The home is situated on a 12.79-acre T-shaped lot. Finding that much acreage anywhere within the confines of the I-295 Beltway is uncommon, to say the least.

The home is listed by Mary Alice Lundy of Alliance Realty & Financial Services. According to Lundy, there are roughly a dozen properties for sale in the Mandarin area that offer lots larger than 1 acre. Of those, about four are above 3 acres, and perhaps one other on 10 or more acres.

"It's so rare to find, especially in metro Jacksonville," Lundy said. "It's in the middle of town, but it really feels like an escape. The trees are so majestic; when you pull up to the gate, it just puts you in another place, mentally and emotionally."

Some history on Losco Road property

The seller is Eric Bumgarner, who works in commercial real estate at Colliers. He purchased the home in 2020 from Phyllis Arnold, a family friend and also a client. He'd gone to the house to get a contract signed and when she mentioned she was thinking of selling, he offered to buy it on the spot.

At the time, the lot was only about 7.25 acres. A smaller lot of about 5.5 acres at the back of the property (perpendicular to the original parcel) became available, and Bumgarner purchased it two years later.

Arnold's father purchased the property in 1985. At the time it included an old cinder block house where she lived before tearing it down and building the current home. The cinder blocks were used to build the barn that's now on the property.

Back then it was primarily populated by members of the Losco family — and horse farms. Being the owner of horses herself, that was the main reason for Arnold's move to the area.

"My daughter loves horses, and that's why we were looking for property there, so we could quit boarding," Arnold said. "We had four at one point, in addition to some cows and chickens."

Noting that it was a great place to raise her daughter, Arnold added that Losco Road was just two lanes, with no gutters — "We mowed grass right up to the street," she said. It dead-ended at what is now a roundabout leading to Losco Regional Park, just a large cow pasture at the time.

Some touch-ups and holiday reputation

When Bumgarner took ownership, he made a number of improvements and additions to the property. The entire interior was updated, including the main systems. The house was beautiful, he noted, but it needed a refresh.

The backyard of the property was where Arnold's horses once grazed, and Bumgarner spent an "endless" amount of time beautifying it.

"It was seriously overgrown, and there was a lot of poison ivy," he said. "You also couldn't see the water."

The water he's referring to is a .35-acre pond that is aerated and stocked with fish (catfish and bluegill). He also installed a smaller pond, with drainage pipes connected to the larger body of water. He got a backhoe and dug it all himself, work he described as satisfying in its ability to showcase the fruits of labor.

Bumgarner also cleared some trails at the very rear of the property, a largely wooded area.

Many in the community know the property for its July 4 celebrations and yearly holiday light displays, which Lundy declared "the best in the city."

"There's not a patch of grass that isn't covered in lights," Lundy said. "That big oak tree up close to the road, he must put something like 40 or 50 tiny little elves up there. Hundreds of people come every year, and some of them are in tears, it brings so much joy."

Like Arnold, Bumgarner has some farm animals, but just chickens and goats.

"My daughters wanted llamas, but I'm glad we didn't get them. I already have my hands full getting them to go feed the animals," Bumgarner said. "If the new owner wants the goats and chickens, I'll throw them in with the purchase. Otherwise I'll have to donate them to another client."

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For now, Bumgarner and his family have no specific relocation plans. Once the home sells, they may rent for a while as they search for a house on a larger piece of property — again, likely further out of the city — or something at the beach.

He will miss the place, however.

"Every evening when I come through the gates, it's just soothing; this immediate sense of serenity," he said. "It would be a great family compound; someone could build a couple more houses ... or just enjoy having all that space."

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Acreage, location make Jacksonville home for sale a rare find