$390,000
3 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,681 sqft
634 Cardinal Lane, Lexington, KY 40503
Courtesy of Keller Williams Bluegrass Realty
Listing data updated July 26, 2026
About the Neighborhood
Living in Southland
Southland is having a moment, and if you are paying attention to Lexington real estate, you already sense it. The Southland Drive corridor — once a quiet stretch of mid-century commercial buildings and neighborhood businesses — has become one of the most interesting streets in the city. Coffee shops and craft cocktail bars now sit alongside the barbershops and auto repair shops that have been there for forty years. New restaurants open next to the places your grandparents ate at. It is the kind of organic, unforced change that creates real neighborhood value, and it is the defining story of Southland right now.
But here is the part that matters for buyers: Southland's housing prices have not caught up to its momentum. Not yet. You can still buy a solid mid-century home on a tree-lined street, two to three miles from downtown, for a price that would not get you a teardown in Chevy Chase . That gap between what Southland is becoming and what it currently costs is the opportunity, and it will not last forever.
The neighborhood sits in south Lexington, centered on Southland Drive, roughly two to three miles from the heart of downtown. The University of Kentucky campus is a five-minute drive. The Nicholasville Road retail corridor is right there. And the daily rhythms of life — coffee, groceries, dinner, a drink — can happen on foot if you live on the right block. That walkability, combined with the price point, is what makes Southland one of the most compelling neighborhoods in Lexington for buyers who want location without the premium.
The neighborhood sits in south Lexington, centered on Southland Drive, roughly two to three miles from the heart of downtown. The University of Kentucky campus is a five-minute drive. The Nicholasville Road retail corridor is right there. And the daily rhythms of life — coffee, groceries, dinner, a drink — can happen on foot if you live on the right block. That walkability, combined with the price point, is what makes Southland one of the most compelling neighborhoods in Lexington for buyers who want location without the premium.
On the market now
Homes for Sale in Southland
$389,000
4 bd · 2 ba · 1,725 sqft
688 Sheridan Drive, Lexington, KY 40503
Courtesy of United Real Estate Bluegrass
$339,000
3 bd · 2 ba · 1,836 sqft
636 Stratford Drive, Lexington, KY 40503
Courtesy of Tru Life Real Estate
$329,900
3 bd · 1 ba · 1,276 sqft
386 Bradford Drive, Lexington, KY 40503
Courtesy of McCallie Real Estate
$269,900
2 bd · 1 ba · 1,035 sqft
613 Stratford Drive, Lexington, KY 40503
Courtesy of The Brokerage
$250,000
3 bd · 1 ba · 1,040 sqft
2321 Southview Drive, Lexington, KY 40503
Courtesy of Real Broker, LLC
Neighborhood guide
Inside Southland
- Southland's homes were built primarily in the 1940s through the 1960s, and they carry the hallmarks of that era — honest construction, real materials, and floor plans designed around how families actually live. The renovation activity happening in Southland today takes these mid-century bones and brings them into the current decade without erasing the character that makes the neighborhood worth living in.
- Architectural styles: Ranch homes, Cape Cods, and bungalows make up the majority of the housing stock. You will also find some Colonials and two-story traditional homes, particularly on streets closer to the Chevy Chase border. The mix of styles gives the neighborhood visual variety that uniform subdivisions cannot match
Construction era: 1940s through 1960s, with the strongest concentration of homes from the early to mid-1950s
Size range: 900 to 1,600 square feet in original configurations. Renovated homes often gain square footage through rear additions, finished basements, or converted attic spaces in Cape Cod layouts
Lot sizes: Typically 0.10 to 0.25 acres. These are urban lots — smaller than what you find in Meadowthorpe or the outer suburbs, but appropriate for the density and walkability that makes Southland work. Most lots have usable backyards with mature trees
Price range: $175,000 to $300,000 and above. The range is wide because the spectrum of condition is wide. Original-condition homes that need full renovation start at the lower end. Homes that have already been through a quality flip or owner renovation push toward and past $300K
Construction type: Brick, frame, and combinations of both. Brick ranches are the most common, and they have aged well - What sets Southland's housing market apart from other affordable Lexington neighborhoods is the volume of renovation activity. Flippers and owner-occupants are both active here, and the results are visible on nearly every block. You will see original-condition homes sitting next to properties that have been taken down to the studs and rebuilt from the inside out — open kitchens, new electrical, refinished hardwood floors, modern bathrooms, and curated finishes.
This matters for buyers in two ways:
1. If you want move-in ready: There are renovated options available, and the quality of the flips in Southland has generally been good. Buyers are paying $250K to $300K+ for homes that would cost $400K or more if they were in Chevy Chase or Kenwick
2. If you want to create your own equity: The original-condition homes at $175K to $220K represent some of the best renovation opportunities in Lexington. The location supports the investment, and the comps from nearby flips give you a clear picture of what a finished product is worth
New infill construction has also started appearing in Southland — new homes built on lots where older structures were removed. These infill projects tend to be modern in design and price above the renovated mid-century stock, but they add to the overall trajectory of the neighborhood. - Notable: Lansdowne serves portions of the Southland area and has a dedicated parent community. The school offers standard FCPS programs and has benefited from the increasing family presence in the revitalizing neighborhood
- Fayette County's magnet programs — Lexington Traditional Magnet, SCAPA, and the Math Science Technology Center at Paul Laurence Dunbar — are accessible through the county lottery regardless of home address.
Private school options are particularly convenient from Southland's central location:
Sayre School 10 minutes
Lexington Catholic 10 minutes via Nicholasville Road
Lexington Christian Academy 15 minutes
The proximity to the University of Kentucky also means UK's early college and dual enrollment programs are accessible for high school students, which is a less obvious but meaningful educational advantage of living in this part of town. - This is the part of the guide where Southland really separates itself from other neighborhoods in its price range. Southland Drive has become one of Lexington's most interesting commercial corridors, and the transformation over the past decade has been genuine — not developer-manufactured, but organic and community-driven.
The corridor today is a mix of long-standing businesses and new arrivals. The auto shops and laundromats that have been here for decades share the street with coffee roasters, craft cocktail bars, and restaurants that would hold their own in any Lexington dining conversation. This is not gentrification that erased what came before — it is new energy layered onto a foundation that was already there.
What you will find on and near Southland Drive:
McLeod's Coffee House (376 Southland Drive) — a mission-driven coffee shop that offers dignity and inclusion to those with special needs. Great coffee, strong community presence, and a morning gathering point for the neighborhood
Winchell's (348 Southland Drive) — a family-owned Lexington institution for over 25 years, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. This is the kind of place where regulars have a usual table and the staff knows your order
Marikka's Restaurant and Bier Stube a German restaurant, bar, brewery, and volleyball complex with Kentucky's largest beer selection. Part restaurant, part neighborhood hangout, part event venue
Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe indoor and patio dining with authentic Mediterranean flavors
Good Foods Co-Op a health food market and cafe that has been a Southland Drive anchor for years. Grab lunch, stock up on local produce, or hit the hot bar
South of Wrigley a newer addition to the corridor
Everyday services The corridor still handles the basics. You can get your car fixed, grab groceries, hit the dry cleaner, and run errands without leaving the neighborhood
The ability to walk to dinner, walk to a bar, walk to coffee — and to do it on a street that has genuine personality — is something buyers underestimate until they experience it. In most of Lexington, you drive everywhere. In Southland, you walk. That changes how you experience your neighborhood in a way that is hard to quantify but easy to feel. - Southland's park situation is adequate rather than exceptional. The neighborhood is not defined by its green space the way some Lexington neighborhoods are, but outdoor options are accessible.
Woodland Park is the closest major park and one of Lexington's most beloved urban green spaces. Located to the northeast of the neighborhood, Woodland offers:
Basketball and tennis courts
A skatepark
The Woodland Aquatic Center
Walking paths and open green space
Playgrounds and athletic fields
UK recreational areas are also accessible from Southland, given the proximity to the University of Kentucky campus. The campus grounds, Arboretum, and associated facilities provide additional outdoor space for walks, runs, and general recreation.
For buyers who need larger outdoor spaces — trails, fishing, dog parks — Masterson Station Park and Jacobson Park are both within a reasonable drive, though they are not walkable. Shillito Park is also accessible and offers trails, sports fields, and a dog park. - Southland's location gives you immediate access to the Nicholasville Road corridor — Lexington's primary retail spine. Fayette Mall, Target, Costco, Trader Joe's, Home Depot, and dozens of other retailers are a five-minute drive. This is the kind of commercial convenience that neighborhoods twice Southland's price point cannot match.
For daily groceries, Kroger locations are accessible from multiple directions. The Euclid Kroger, popular with the UK and Chevy Chase crowd, is nearby. Additional grocery options line Nicholasville Road. - Southland's central south-side location makes it one of the most commute-friendly neighborhoods in Lexington.
Downtown Lexington: 5 to 10 minutes. Some blocks in Southland are close enough that biking downtown is practical in good weather
University of Kentucky campus: 5 minutes. This makes Southland extremely popular with UK faculty, staff, and graduate students who want to live off campus in a real neighborhood
Baptist Health Lexington: 5 to 7 minutes via Nicholasville Road
Fayette Mall / Nicholasville Road employers: 5 minutes
New Circle Road: Quick access from several points in the neighborhood, which opens up cross-town commuting to the east or northwest sides
For anyone who works downtown, at UK, or in the medical corridor along Nicholasville Road, Southland's commute times are hard to beat. The proximity to the UK campus, in particular, makes this a natural neighborhood for university-affiliated buyers who want more space than a condo or apartment but do not want a suburban commute. - Southland's population reflects the neighborhood's transitional character. The mix is genuine — not curated, not homogeneous, and not predictable.
Young professionals are the fastest-growing demographic in Southland. Many are in their late twenties to mid-thirties, working downtown, at UK, or in the Nicholasville Road corridor. They are drawn to Southland because it offers homeownership at a price they can actually afford, in a location that does not require sitting in traffic, near a commercial corridor that aligns with how they want to spend their evenings and weekends. The Southland Drive bar and restaurant scene exists in large part because this demographic is here.
Creatives have found a home in Southland. Artists, musicians, small business owners, and people who work in non-traditional fields are attracted to the neighborhood's lack of pretension and its affordability. The presence of creative energy contributes to the corridor's commercial evolution and gives Southland a character that is distinct from more conventional residential areas.
Long-time residents are still a significant part of the community. People who have been in their Southland homes for decades provide stability and institutional memory. They have seen the neighborhood evolve and tend to welcome the improvements while maintaining the grounded, unpretentious culture that has always defined the area.
Investors and renovators are active here, and their presence is a leading indicator of appreciation. When experienced investors put money into a neighborhood, they are making a bet on its trajectory. The renovation activity in Southland represents hundreds of individual bets that this neighborhood's future is worth investing in.
Families are present, particularly on the quieter residential streets away from the commercial corridor. The price point allows families to buy homes with enough space — three bedrooms, a real yard — without stretching beyond their means. The walkability is a bonus for families with older kids who want some independence.
What connects these groups is a shared willingness to be in a neighborhood that is still becoming what it will be. Southland is not finished. It is in motion. And the people who choose it tend to be comfortable with that — they see the trajectory and want to be part of it rather than waiting until the transformation is complete and the prices reflect it. - Southland does not have a mandatory homeowners association. You will not pay monthly dues, submit exterior modification requests, or deal with enforcement letters about your landscaping. For buyers who have lived under strict HOA governance and found it restrictive, Southland offers freedom.
The flip side: without an HOA, property maintenance standards are self-governed. Most of the neighborhood takes pride in upkeep, but you will find variation from block to block. Drive the streets at different times of day before making an offer so you understand the block-level character of wherever you are considering. - If you are buying a home to renovate in Southland, here are the practical details:
Permitting: Fayette County requires permits for structural changes, electrical work, plumbing modifications, and HVAC replacement. Factor permit timelines and costs into your renovation budget
Contractor availability: The flip activity in Southland means local contractors are familiar with the housing stock. Find one who has done work in this specific neighborhood — they will know the common issues (knob-and-tube wiring in the oldest homes, clay sewer lines, galvanized plumbing)
Comps: Renovated homes in Southland are selling in the $250K to $300K+ range. This establishes a ceiling that you need to stay under with your purchase price plus renovation budget to build equity. The math currently works on most blocks, but run the numbers on a property-specific basis
Infill potential: If you find a lot with a tear-down structure, new infill construction is happening in the area and can command premium pricing. Zoning and setback requirements vary, so verify with the county before assuming a lot supports new construction - On a $235,000 home in Fayette County, property taxes run approximately $2,200 to $2,600 per year. Kentucky's homestead exemption applies for homeowners 65 and older. There are no additional HOA dues or special assessments in the vast majority of Southland.
- Standard homeowner's insurance rates apply. Most of Southland falls outside FEMA flood zones, but as with any urban area, buyers should verify flood zone status for specific properties, particularly those on lower-lying blocks.
Schools
Schools in Southland
School assignments in Southland should be verified through the FCPS SchoolSite Locator using a specific property address, as Southland's position on the border of multiple school zones means assignments can vary by block.
Middle School: Morton Middle School
Notable: Morton Middle serves the middle school years for students coming out of several elementary schools in south-central Lexington. Confirm specific zoning with FCPS, as boundary lines have shifted in recent years
High School: Lafayette High School or Henry Clay High School
Notable: Depending on exact location within Southland, students may be zoned for either Lafayette or Henry Clay High School — both strong Fayette County high schools with robust academic and athletic programs. Henry Clay consistently ranks among the top public high schools in the Lexington area. Lafayette offers a comprehensive program with strong STEM and arts options
Explore nearby
Neighborhoods Near Southland
Questions
Southland Home-Buying FAQ
Homes range from $175,000 to $300,000 and above. Original-condition homes start at the lower end, while fully renovated properties and new infill construction push past $300K. The median falls around $235K, making Southland one of the more accessible neighborhoods in central Lexington.
Southland Drive has experienced significant revitalization over the past decade. The commercial corridor now features a mix of new restaurants, coffee shops, and bars alongside long-standing local businesses. This organic transformation has increased foot traffic, walkability, and overall neighborhood desirability without displacing the existing character.
Southland is a residential neighborhood with an active and growing community. Like any urban neighborhood, crime statistics vary by block. I recommend checking current data through the Lexington Police Department's crime mapping tool and driving the specific streets you are considering at different times of day.
Southland's position near the border of multiple school zones means assignments vary by address. Generally, elementary students attend Lansdowne Elementary, middle school students go to Morton Middle, and high school students are zoned for Lafayette or Henry Clay High School. Always confirm using the FCPS SchoolSite Locator with a specific address.
Southland offers similar proximity to downtown and UK campus, comparable mid-century housing stock, and significantly lower prices. Chevy Chase commands a premium for its established reputation, commercial district, and historical cachet. Southland delivers much of the same lifestyle at a fraction of the price — which is exactly why savvy buyers are paying attention.
No. The vast majority of Southland has no mandatory homeowners association. This means no monthly dues, no architectural review, and no exterior modification restrictions beyond standard city building codes.
Yes. The combination of affordable purchase prices, strong rental demand (driven by proximity to UK and downtown employers), and active appreciation makes Southland one of the better investment neighborhoods in Lexington. Both buy-and-hold rental strategies and renovation-and-flip strategies are viable here.
Highly walkable for a Lexington neighborhood. The Southland Drive corridor provides restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and services within walking distance. Nicholasville Road retail is also close. The proximity to UK campus and downtown makes Southland one of the few Lexington neighborhoods where car-optional living is plausible for some residents.
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