What to Know About Buying New Construction in Florida

It is Saturday morning on a brand-new street in St. Johns County. The sod is still in squares, a framing crew is working two lots down, and the model home smells like fresh paint. Inside, a friendly sales counselor slides a clipboard across the desk and asks for your name, your email and one quick question: are you working with an agent? How you answer that question, on that first visit, shapes the rest of the deal.

Where New Homes Are Selling in Northeast Florida Now

Builder inventory changes month to month, so we checked each community's official or builder website in October 2026:

Each of these has other builders and phases too. Prices, incentives and lot availability move quickly, so confirm details with the sales office the week you visit.

Register Your Agent First, Then Read the Builder's Contract

Your agent, on day one. The sales counselor at the model works for the builder. You can have your own agent, but many builders' broker policies require the agent to come with you, or register you, on your very first visit. Beazer Homes, for example, asks agents to "accompany and register" buyers on their first visit to a community. If you walk in alone and fill out the guest card first, the builder may decline to recognize an agent you bring later. Call your agent before you tour.

A different contract. Many resale homes in Florida sell on the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract forms. Under the "AS IS" version, the buyer has a strong right to cancel in their sole discretion during the inspection period. New construction uses the builder's own purchase agreement, drafted by the builder's side. Read it closely before you sign, ideally with your agent and a Florida real estate attorney, and look for:

• Deposits. Florida law (s. 501.1375) requires builder contracts for one- and two-family homes to state, in conspicuous type, that you have the right to have deposits of up to 10 percent of the price held in an escrow account, and that you can waive that right only in writing. Know what you are signing before you initial a waiver. The statute also lets a builder use escrowed funds for construction after notifying you and, if a surety bond is readily available, posting one.
• The CDD disclosure. If the home is in a community development district, Florida law (s. 190.048) requires a bold, all-capitals notice right above your signature line stating that the district may levy taxes or assessments on the property.
• Completion dates and delays. Look for an estimated completion date, how much flexibility the builder keeps to extend it, and what happens to your deposit if construction runs long.
• Change orders and selections. Deadlines for choosing finishes, and whether upgrades require extra deposits that are not refundable.

Our post on new construction contracts versus resale contracts goes deeper on this comparison.

Incentives, Preferred Lenders and CDD Fees

The lender tradeoff. Builders often tie their best incentives, such as closing cost credits or a lower rate, to using their affiliated or preferred lender. That can be a real benefit. It can also make an offer look better than it is. Ask for every incentive in writing, including whether it survives if you use a different lender. Then follow the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's advice: request Loan Estimates for the same kind of loan from different lenders and compare total costs, not just the rate. Check how long the rate lock lasts against the builder's completion date.

CDD fees. Many Northeast Florida master-planned communities are inside a community development district (CDD), a special district created under Chapter 190 of Florida law. Under s. 190.021, a CDD can levy benefit assessments that repay the bonds used to build district facilities and projects, plus maintenance assessments to keep them up. Those assessments are generally collected by the county tax collector at the same time as county taxes, so they appear on your annual property tax bill in the non-ad valorem assessments section, separate from the taxes based on your home's value. The homestead exemption does not reduce them.

Amounts differ by community, phase and lot size. Ask the builder or the district for the current assessment on your specific lot, and ask whether the debt portion can be paid off. Our guide on how CDD bonds work explains the payoff question.

Inspections, Warranty, Timelines and Lot Premiums

Hire your own inspector. A new home passes county code inspections, but code is a minimum and county inspectors are not working for you. Two independent inspections are worth the money:

1. Pre-drywall: while framing, wiring, plumbing and roof connections are still visible.
2. Final: before your closing walkthrough, so the builder's punch list includes everything that needs attention.

Confirm in the contract that your inspector is allowed on site and when. It is also smart to book another inspection before the shortest part of your builder warranty expires.

The builder warranty. Read what each part of the warranty covers, for how long, and how to file a claim. If a defect dispute ever escalates, Florida's Chapter 558 requires a homeowner to serve written notice on the builder at least 60 days before filing suit. The builder may inspect within 30 days and must respond within 45 days with an offer to repair, an offer to pay, or a dispute.

Timelines and lot premiums. A home not yet started can take many months, and the contract usually gives the builder room to adjust the date. Plan your sale and move with that cushion in mind. Lots backing to preserve or water, corners and cul-de-sacs often carry a lot premium. Weigh what that premium adds at resale, and look at drainage and which way the backyard faces.

Florida-Specific Checks: Windows, Roof and Flood

Impact windows or shutters. Whether a new home must have impact-rated openings depends on its location under the Florida Building Code's wind-borne debris rules, so requirements vary across Northeast Florida. Ask the builder in writing what opening protection is included. Opening protection is one of the features recorded on Florida's wind mitigation inspection form (OIR-B1-1802), which insurers use to price wind coverage, so ask for a completed form at closing.

A new roof helps with insurance. Under s. 627.7011, an insurer may not refuse to write or renew a homeowners policy solely because of roof age if the roof is less than 15 years old. A new home starts that clock at zero.

Flood zone still matters. New does not mean dry. Look up the lot on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and your county's flood tool, and ask the builder whether an elevation certificate is available for the lot. According to FEMA's FloodSmart, nearly one-third of NFIP claims from 2014 to 2024 came from outside high-risk flood areas. If your homeowners policy ends up with Citizens Property Insurance, most policies that include wind must carry flood coverage by January 1, 2027, regardless of zone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my own real estate agent to buy a new construction home?

Yes, in most cases, but register your agent on your first visit. Many builders' broker policies require the agent to accompany or register you at the start, and walking in alone first can cost you that representation.

Is my deposit on a new Florida home protected?

Florida's s. 501.1375 gives buyers of one- and two-family homes the right to have deposits of up to 10 percent of the price held in escrow, unless you waive that right in writing. Read any waiver carefully before signing.

Where do CDD fees show up?

On your annual property tax bill, in the non-ad valorem assessments section. They are separate from value-based property taxes and are not reduced by the homestead exemption.

Do I need a home inspection on a brand-new house?

Yes. A pre-drywall inspection and a final inspection before closing catch issues while the builder is still responsible for fixing them, and before walls and finishes hide them.

Search new and resale homes across Nocatee, St. Johns County and Northeast Florida:

What To Do Right Now

1. Choose two or three communities from the list above and check each builder's current quick move-in homes and incentives.
2. Look up those communities on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask each builder for CDD and HOA amounts on specific lots.
3. Request Loan Estimates for the same loan type from the builder's lender and at least one other lender.
4. Line up an independent inspector for pre-drywall and final inspections before you sign.
5. Call or text Joey Larsen at 904-863-6679 before your first model home visit so he can register with the builder.