Homes along the beach on Anna Maria Island, Florida, seen from the air

New construction in Sarasota and Manatee

New construction homes from Parrish to North Port.

Single-family homes, villas, townhomes, condos and 55+ communities are going up across Manatee and Sarasota counties. Here's what's being built, what it really costs, and how to buy one without leaving money on the table.

Tell us what you're looking for How buying new works

In short

Where the new homes are, what they cost, and how to buy one well.

New homes made up 27% of all home sales here in the year to March 2025, almost double the average of the 2010s.³ Manatee and Sarasota counties are home to two of the country's top-selling master-planned communities, and builders are putting up single-family homes, villas, townhomes, condos and 55+ communities from Parrish in the north to North Port in the south, mostly inside master-planned communities with their own amenities, HOA dues and, often, a CDD.

The price on the sign is only the first number. This page covers the types of new homes being built, where they're going up, what they really cost to own, and the order that keeps the whole purchase calm.

Why we don't list communities here

Which community is right depends on your budget, your commute and what's ready now, and that changes every month. Tell us what you need and we'll send you the short list, with this month's incentives.

Start the one-minute questionnaire

$470,166

median listing price of a new-construction home in the Sarasota-Bradenton-North Port metro in Q2 2026.

Florida Realtors · source 4

of new homes sold here in the year to March 2025 went for less than $300,000. Most new and resale homes sold between $300,000 and $500,000.

HUD · source 3

11,297

single-family building permits in Manatee and Sarasota counties in 2025: 7,014 in Manatee and 4,283 in Sarasota, about 31 new homes started every day.

U.S. Census Bureau · source 5

6,938

of Manatee County's 7,014 single-family permits in 2025 were outside city limits, in places like Parrish and Lakewood Ranch. In Sarasota County, North Port pulled 1,910.

U.S. Census Bureau · source 6

No. 2 and No. 3

Lakewood Ranch was the No. 2 master-planned community in the country in 2025, with 2,085 sales. Wellen Park was No. 3 in the first half of 2026, with 727.

John Burns · source 7 · RCLCO · source 8

6.6 months

average time to build a single-family home in the South in 2025, start to completion. A move-in-ready home can close in 30 to 60 days.

U.S. Census Bureau · source 9

What's being built

Six kinds of new homes, and who each one suits.

Single-family homes

The backbone of the market.

Detached homes in master-planned communities, from first-home plans to estate homes. The lot, the elevation and the upgrades move the price more than the floor plan does.

Villas and paired homes

Two homes, one shared wall.

Often with lawn care handled by the HOA. A favorite with downsizers and second-home buyers who want to lock the door and leave.

Townhomes

More home for the money.

Two-story living with a smaller price and a smaller yard. Check whether the HOA covers the roof, the exterior and the insurance on them.

Condos

From towers to low-rise.

From downtown Sarasota towers to low-rise buildings near the water. Florida now requires condo associations to fund reserves from a structural integrity study¹⁰ and to complete milestone inspections on older buildings.¹¹

55+ communities

Built around the clubhouse.

Age-restricted communities with the calendar full of things to do. Some all-ages communities feel the same way without the age rule. We'll show you the difference.

55+ homes, explained

Ready now or built for you

Move-in ready vs to-be-built.

Move-in-ready homes can close in 30 to 60 days and carry the biggest incentives. A to-be-built home took 6.6 months on average in the South in 2025,9 and you pick every finish.

How move-in ready works

Where it's being built

Parrish to North Port, north to south.

Each area has its own price level, commute and feel. The Guide has the full picture for each one: who lives there, measured drive times, what season does to the roads and what's being built.

Parrish and Palmetto

Manatee County's fastest growing corridor, where farmland is turning into master-planned neighborhoods. The value play north of the river.

Explore Parrish

Bradenton

Old Florida on the Manatee River, with Anna Maria Island a bridge away. New homes and condos close to the beach without the Sarasota price tag.

Explore Bradenton

Lakewood Ranch

A master-planned community spanning Manatee and Sarasota counties, with dozens of builders and its own town centers.

Explore Lakewood Ranch

Sarasota

The arts, the keys and the address everyone knows. New construction runs from downtown condo towers to new neighborhoods east of I-75.

Explore Sarasota

Venice, Wellen Park and North Port

New-build country with a small-town downtown and the beach close by. Wellen Park is one of the fastest selling master plans in the country.

Explore Wellen Park and Venice

What it really costs

The price is only the first number.

HOA dues. Most new communities have an HOA. Ask what it covers: lawn care, the amenity center, cable and internet, gates, sometimes exterior insurance on villas and townhomes.

CDD assessments. Many newer communities are inside a Community Development District, a special district that paid for the roads, water and amenities up front and collects assessments to repay them.¹² They appear on your property tax bill, Florida requires a bold CDD disclosure right above your signature on the contract,¹³ and lenders count CDD and HOA costs in your debt-to-income ratio.¹⁴

Property taxes. The rate depends on exactly where the home sits: 13.31 mills in unincorporated Manatee County, 19.17 in the City of Palmetto and 11.47 in unincorporated Sarasota County in 2025, before any CDD.^15,16 If it's your primary residence, the homestead exemption is worth up to $51,411 off your assessed value for 2026,¹⁷ and Save Our Homes caps yearly increases at 3% or inflation, whichever is lower: 2.7% for 2026.^18,19

Already own a Florida homestead? Portability can move up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes savings to the new home if you had the exemption on January 1 of any of the three years before, and you apply by March 1.^18,19

Impact fees. Every new home pays one-time impact fees for schools, roads, parks and public safety before anyone can move in. In unincorporated Manatee County they total $34,641 for a single-family home of 1,701 square feet or more.²⁰

Insurance. Homes built to the 2001 Florida Building Code or later are eligible for a discount of at least 68% on the hurricane-wind portion of the premium.²¹ New flood policies usually wait 30 days to take effect unless your lender requires one at closing.²²

Get the monthly number first

We add up price, HOA, CDD, taxes and insurance for every home you're considering, so you compare real monthly costs, not brochures.

The relocation roadmap shows how HOA and CDD fees change what you qualify for. Buying a second home? Read the second-home roadmap.

How buying new works

Six steps, in the order that keeps it calm.

Step one

Get pre-approved first.

With a lender who understands HOA dues and CDD assessments, so the number you shop with is the number you can close with.

Step two

Area first, then community.

Commute, budget and lifestyle narrow the map. Then the communities, then the builders, then the lot.

Step three

Register your agent at the first visit.

Most builders won't recognize your agent after the fact. Bring your agent in before you walk into any sales center.

Why it matters

Step four

Weigh incentives against the price.

38% of builders cut prices in September 2026, by an average of 6%.¹ A rate buydown, a price cut and closing-cost money are not the same thing.

Step five

Read the contract.

Builder contracts are written for the builder. Know the deposit, the timeline and what happens if something changes, and have a real estate attorney read anything you don't understand.

Step six

Inspect it, twice.

New does not mean perfect. An independent inspection before drywall and another before closing catch what the builder's walk-through won't.²³

Quick answers

What buyers ask about new construction here.

How much do new construction homes cost in Sarasota and Manatee?

It depends on the area, the home type and the lot. The median listing price for a new-construction home in the Sarasota-Bradenton-North Port metro was $470,166 in Q2 2026,⁴ and in the year to March 2025 new homes here sold for an average of $575,700, with only 5% under $300,000.³ Tell us your budget and we'll show you what it buys in each area.

I already own a home in Florida. Can I keep my tax savings if I buy new?

Often, yes. Portability can move up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes savings to the new home if you had a Florida homestead exemption on January 1 of any of the three years before, and you apply by March 1.^18,19 Ask the property appraiser to estimate it before you buy.

What is a CDD fee?

A Community Development District is a special district that pays for a community's roads, water, sewer and amenities up front and repays them through assessments on each home.¹² The assessment shows up on your property tax bill, so ask for the exact amount before you sign.

What is the difference between a quick move-in home and a to-be-built home?

A quick move-in home is finished or nearly finished and can usually close in 30 to 60 days, which is where builders put their strongest incentives. A to-be-built home is built to your choices; single-family homes in the South took 6.6 months on average from start to completion in 2025.⁹

Are builders offering incentives right now?

Yes. 66% of builders nationally were offering sales incentives in September 2026, and 38% cut prices, by an average of 6%.¹ Regardless of your path, the best opportunities for deals, discounts, incentives, below-market rates and more are always on homes that are ready now and can close within 30 to 60 days.

Is a new home cheaper to insure in Florida?

Often, yes. Homes built to the 2001 Florida Building Code or later are eligible for a discount of at least 68% on the hurricane-wind portion of the premium.²¹ Get quotes before you sign a contract, not after.

Do I need a realtor to buy new construction?

You don't have to have one, but you should, and with us it costs you nothing. The builder's sales team works for the builder. Register your agent before your first visit to a sales center. Here's how we work.

Can I find new construction without an HOA or a CDD?

Yes, though it takes more looking. Most new homes here are in master-planned communities with an HOA, a CDD or both. Tell us it's a must-have and we'll show you the options.

Which area is best for new construction?

The one that fits your commute, budget and daily life. In our experience, Parrish and North Port are where many buyers find more home for the money, Lakewood Ranch and Wellen Park give you the full master-plan lifestyle, and Sarasota and Bradenton put you closer to the water and downtown. The Guide compares all five.

Ready when you are

We'll send you the short list.

Tell us your timeline, budget, areas and must-haves. It takes about a minute, and our first reply will be specific, including what's ready now and can close in 30 to 60 days.

Let's work together The relocation roadmap The second-home roadmap

Where the numbers come from

Every figure on this page links to its source. Nothing here is tax, legal, insurance or lending advice; your accountant, attorney, insurance agent and lender get the final word on your situation.