By Jim Carchidi
April 27, 2026
A 5,000-square-foot home near downtown Ocala helped build generations of memories. After 19 years of welcoming family and friends, Dana and Jacques Ford are selling with the hope that its legacy can live on.
“We’re only the fourth family to own the home in 100 years,” said Dana. “We’d like it to go to another family who can appreciate it.”
Classic design, modern upgrades
The Victorian-style 5-bed, 4-bath home lists for $3.25 million and was built in 1926. Its 2.46 acres of gardens and curated grounds include oak trees that predate construction. “We had some people tell us they’re about 200 years old,” Dana said of one giant tree by the front of the property and another toward the back of the courtyard.
Terracotta tile, well-preserved plaster walls, and oak and heart-of-pine flooring are all part of the original build. Multiple living spaces include a formal dining room, a living room with fireplace and an adjoining sunroom, and a sitting room with its own fireplace.
An abundance of natural light flows through five sunrooms. A custom kitchen offers solid wood cabinetry, granite countertops, and professional-grade appliances. Storage space includes multiple walk-in closets, a cedar closet, and a basement accessible from the inside and outside. And a cedar-lined, 12x19 wine room offers elegance and temperature-controlled storage for more than 2,000 bottles.
A house and a home
The estate is within walking distance to Ocala’s historic district but just far enough to allow the architectural freedom to enhance or expand the exterior. A roof replacement, bathroom remodeling, and resurfacing the saltwater pool are among the refurbishments overseen by the Fords.
They say their favorite part of the house is the outdoor patio and deck, which has looked out toward multiple weddings, parties and events staged for family and friends in the back courtyard.
“We have eight grandchildren and we’d hold massive Easter egg hunts,” Dana said. “It was really something to be able to open our home and share all this space.”
Aside from carrying on the legacy of family ownership, the Fords have continued another tradition unique to the estate.
“Every owner has been a doctor,” said Dana. “The first was a family doctor, the next was a general surgeon, then a neurosurgeon, and Jacques was a horse veterinarian."
With their family now grown, the couple are no longer full-time residents and feel it’s time to allow new owners to build their own memories.
“We’re putting it on the market and hoping there’s another family who can make the most of it the way we have.”
The home is listed by Bree Tucker of The Pozek Group. For the complete listing and photo gallery, click here. To view a video tour click here.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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