Wellington’s real estate market stands apart from other Florida markets due to a powerful, recurring economic engine: an annual international equestrian event that brings thousands of wealthy competitors and their teams to the area for 13 weeks each year. Jim Corbin of Illustrated Properties, a Wellington real estate agent since 1978, says this influx has made the local market unusually resilient, with demand patterns that do not follow the typical boom-and-bust cycles seen elsewhere in the state.
“This is the largest hunter, jumper, and dressage horse show in the world,” Corbin says. “It goes for 13 weeks, and they have over 5,000, 6,000 horses here for those competitions. Every Olympic rider in the world is here, and people from all over the country. Last year, we had 27 countries represented here – people from Israel, Egypt, all over South America, Europe, Russia, and more.”
The event’s scale and international reach transform Wellington each winter, turning a community 15 miles from the ocean into a global hub. This annual convergence generates a steady stream of affluent visitors and buyers, creating a real estate market that is far less sensitive to national economic trends.
The Rental-to-Purchase Pipeline
A defining feature of Wellington’s equestrian-driven market is its rental-to-purchase pipeline. Many competitors and their families begin by renting homes or farms for the season before committing to a purchase. “Oftentimes they rent here first and then they end up buying later on, once they know they’re coming back and they know the area,” Corbin explains. “I was just working on some rentals for people coming for the horse shows.”
This pattern creates lasting demand from buyers who are not speculative investors or typical primary residence shoppers. Instead, they are serious equestrians making long-term commitments to participate in the world’s top competitions. As a result, Wellington’s high-end rental and sales markets remain active even when other luxury markets slow down.
Nowhere is this demand more visible than in the Polo Club, where Corbin lives. “A great, vast majority of the horse show people live and have condos and townhomes and homes” in the club, he says. Proximity to the show grounds commands a premium, and land values have reflected this for decades. “Many years ago, the vacant land, just sand, dirt, nothing built on it, was worth a million dollars an acre,” Corbin recalls.
The Latin American Shift
Wellington’s international buyer base has changed over time. Originally, many Latin American buyers—particularly Argentines, Venezuelans, and other South Americans—came for polo. As the popularity of polo declined among younger generations and land prices climbed, their focus shifted.
“We have a tremendous amount of Latin riders in the jumping and dressage segment as well,” Corbin says. “So it’s just shifted. They’re still here, but it’s a shifted group of people from polo to the horse show people instead.”
This shift has expanded Wellington’s buyer pool rather than reducing it. The hunter-jumper circuit, now a major draw for international competitors, has broadened demand well beyond the traditional polo demographic.
Broader Equestrian Infrastructure
Wellington’s equestrian economy is not limited to the winter festival. “You also have polo. You have the best polo in the United States right here as well,” Corbin notes. The United States Polo Association purchased the local polo facility recently, bringing an additional 3,000 to 5,000 horses and their teams to the area.
These events create a year-round equestrian economy, supporting property values across a range of price points. While the highest premiums are paid for properties nearest the show grounds, the entire market benefits from the international exposure and returning buyer base generated by these events.
The Insulation Effect
What truly sets Wellington apart is that its luxury real estate market is anchored by the recurring presence of international competitors and their entourages, rather than by speculative investment or local demand alone. This creates a structural floor under property values that most other Florida markets cannot match.
With nearly 50 years of experience in the area, Corbin sees this equestrian foundation as a key source of stability. “I think we’re never going to see anything terrible happen here, because so many people not only in this country, but in the world, want to be here. Want to call this home, or have a second home or third home here.”
While it remains uncertain whether other markets can replicate Wellington’s model, its experience shows that specialized, recurring international events can generate sustained real estate demand and market stability that surpasses traditional residential patterns.
