Rate buydowns and special financing
Fixed below-market rates, temporary buydowns and intro-rate ARMs. We note which kind each one is, because they behave very differently after the first year.
New construction
New homes in Sarasota and Manatee, and the builder deals worth knowing about
Builders here change their offers often, many of them monthly. Rate buydowns, closing cost help, price cuts on finished homes, free upgrades. We track them across Sarasota and Manatee and send the list out once a month. It's free.
One email a month. Unsubscribe anytime.
The monthly list
What's on the monthly list
It's a plain list, builder by builder, with what each one is offering that month and the fine print that goes with it. We update it every month because the offers change that often.
Closing cost credits
Cash from the builder toward your closing costs, and whether you have to use the builder's lender to get it.
Price cuts, flex dollars and upgrades
Reductions on specific homes, design credits, and free upgrades like kitchen packages or impact windows when a builder runs them.
Quick move-in homes
Finished or nearly finished homes you can close on in weeks instead of waiting on a build. These often carry the biggest incentives.
New communities and price ranges
Communities opening or adding phases, with each builder's starting price range so you can see what fits before you drive out.
Deadlines
Contract-by and close-by dates. A lot of offers expire at the end of the month, so the dates matter as much as the dollars.
Free. One email a month. Unsubscribe anytime. Offers are set by each builder and change often, so we confirm current terms with you before you visit or sign.
Where to look
Where new homes are going up
Most new construction here is east of I-75 and in the growing areas north of the Manatee River and south toward Venice. Home types vary by community: single-family homes, villas, townhomes and some condos.
Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch is a 35,000-acre master-planned community east of I-75 that crosses the Manatee and Sarasota county line. The developer says 21 of its 40-plus villages are selling new construction right now, from townhomes and attached villas to single-family and custom homes. Each village has its own builders, HOA and amenities, so the details change a lot from one gate to the next.
Neighborhoods: Cresswind Lakewood Ranch, Del Webb Catalina, Palm Grove, Star Farms, Waterside
Palmer Ranch
Palmer Ranch is an established master-planned area in Sarasota, and most of it is already built. The main place still selling new homes is Talon Preserve on Palmer Ranch, a gated DiVosta community planned for about 926 homesites. Taylor Morrison's Esplanade on Palmer Ranch and Cobblestone on Palmer Ranch are listed as sold out.
Neighborhoods: Talon Preserve on Palmer Ranch
Parrish and North Manatee
Parrish, north of the Manatee River, is where many of Manatee County's newer master-planned communities are going up. Most new homes here are single-family homes, with villas and townhomes in some neighborhoods, from national builders and the local builder Neal Communities. Shopping, schools and roads are still being built around many of these communities.
Neighborhoods: Creekside at Rutland Ranch, North River Ranch, Oakfield Trails
Skye Ranch
Skye Ranch is a master-planned community in east Sarasota. Taylor Morrison is building new homes in three neighborhoods there: Cassia at Skye Ranch and Esplanade at Skye Ranch with single-family homes, and The Towns at Skye Ranch with townhomes. Taylor Morrison says a new phase with new model homes and more amenities is underway.
Neighborhoods: Cassia at Skye Ranch, Esplanade at Skye Ranch
Venice and Nokomis
Outside Wellen Park, most new construction around Venice is in North Venice and Nokomis. The main communities are Vistera of Venice, a gated community with three builders, Vicenza by Neal Communities, and Cassata Lakes by M/I Homes. Home types are mostly single-family homes and villas.
Neighborhoods: Vistera of Venice
Wellen Park
Wellen Park is an 11,000-acre master-planned community near Venice, planned for 22,000 homes at full buildout. More than a dozen neighborhoods are listed, with single-family homes, villas, townhomes, condos and custom homes from national and local builders. One neighborhood, Brightmore, is age-restricted.
Neighborhoods: Oakbend, Palmera, Wellen Park Golf and Country Club
West Bradenton
West Bradenton is mostly built out, so new construction close to the water is rare. The exception is SeaFlower, a new walkable community on a former flower farm south of Cortez Road, about three miles from Anna Maria Island. Five builders are building single-family homes there.
Neighborhoods: SeaFlower
Builders
Who is building here
Where each builder has communities in Sarasota and Manatee, and what to check before you visit a model.
Your own agent
Why bring your own agent to a new build
The sales team in the model home is friendly and helpful, but they work for the builder. Their job is to sell that builder's homes on that builder's terms. Your own agent is there to look out for you.
- We read the builder's purchase contract with you, which is usually the builder's own form and not the standard Florida contract, including the deposit terms and what happens to your deposit if things change. On a large deposit, we suggest a real estate attorney review it too.
- We compare incentives across builders, and check what the same deal is worth with your own lender versus the builder's lender.
- We look at lot premiums, HOA dues and CDD fees, so the real monthly cost is clear before you pick a homesite.
- We help you line up an independent inspector for a pre-drywall inspection and a final inspection before closing.
- We do the final walk-through with you and keep track of the punch list until it's done.
Call us before your first visit
Many builders ask that your agent be registered with them, or be with you, on your first visit to the community. If you walk into a model or fill out a builder's web form on your own first, some builders won't let your own agent work with you later. Call or text us the community name and we'll register you before you go.
Richard 941-800-8891 · Patrice 941-993-0823
How your agent is paid
Buyer agent compensation is spelled out in your written buyer agreement, signed before we tour any homes together. It's negotiable. Some builders contribute toward it, and we'll tell you up front whether the builder you're looking at does.
New or resale
Buying new vs. resale
Neither is better across the board. It depends on your timing, budget and what you want nearby.
New construction
- Builder warranty, and new roof, systems and appliances
- Built to the current Florida Building Code
- Builder incentives on rates, closing costs or upgrades
- You pick finishes on a to-be-built home
- Build times can run many months, and many newer communities carry CDD fees on top of HOA dues
- Landscaping is young and some amenities may still be under construction
Resale
- Move in on a normal closing timeline
- Established neighborhoods, mature trees and more locations closer to the water and downtown
- Room to negotiate on price and repairs
- You can see the finished street and the actual home
- Older roofs, AC systems and windows can affect insurance and upkeep
- Updates and repairs are on you after closing
Questions about new construction
Before you visit a model
Do I need my own agent to buy a new home?
No, but it helps. The builder's sales team works for the builder. Your own agent reviews the builder's contract and deposit terms, compares incentives across builders, checks HOA and CDD fees and helps set up independent inspections.
Why should I call before touring a model home?
Many builders ask that your agent be registered, or be with you, on your first visit. If you register on your own first, some builders won't let your own agent work with you later. Call or text us the community name and we'll register you before you go.
What kinds of incentives do builders offer?
Most often rate buydowns or special financing, closing cost credits, price cuts on finished homes, design or flex credits and free upgrades. Many of the financing offers require the builder's lender. Offers change often, which is why we send the list monthly.
What is a CDD fee?
A Community Development District is a special district that pays for roads, utilities and other infrastructure in many newer Florida communities. Owners repay it through a yearly assessment, usually on the property tax bill, separate from HOA dues. We check the amount before you choose a home.
Should I get an inspection on a brand-new home?
Yes. New homes can have issues too, and county code inspections are not the same as an inspection done for you. We recommend an independent inspector at the pre-drywall stage, when wiring, plumbing and framing are still visible, and again before closing. Check your builder contract for when inspectors are allowed on site.
How often is the monthly list updated, and what does it cost?
We update it once a month, and it's free. You can unsubscribe anytime. Because builders change offers often, we confirm current terms with you before you visit or sign.
Is a builder's rate offer better than using my own lender?
Sometimes. A temporary buydown or an intro-rate ARM can look great in year one and cost more later. We help you compare loan estimates from the builder's lender and your own lender side by side.
Thinking about a new home?
Get the monthly list, or call us before your first model visit so we can register you.
Free monthly list
Get the new construction deals list
Once a month we send a list of builder incentives, quick move-in homes and new communities across Sarasota and Manatee. It's free, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer to talk? Call Richard at 941-800-8891 or Patrice at 941-993-0823.