Central Florida New Construction · Field Guide
New construction, decoded. Community by community.
Central Florida New Construction is the new-home guide from Tyler Gibson and the GPG Team, a local resource covering new-home communities, builders, incentives, and the buying process across Central Florida (Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, and Polk counties), written to help buyers compare verified builder information and make informed decisions.
- 8
- communities in depth
- 11
- buyer guides
- 150+
- transactions completed
Site plan · Edition 2026
Sunbridge · Horizon West · EverBe · Ovation communities
What this site is
The straight answer on buying new in Central Florida.
Central Florida New Construction is a plain-language guide to buying a newly built home in the Orlando metro. We cover the master-planned communities buyers ask about most, including Sunbridge, Horizon West, EverBe in East Orlando, and the Ovation master plan's newest communities, Accolades at Ovation, Harvest at Ovation, and Lake Star at Ovation, along with the step-by-step process, financing options, and inspections that trip up first-time new-build buyers. The site is written and curated by Tyler Gibson, a Florida-licensed Realtor and investor with the GPG Team, so the answers come from someone who negotiates new-home contracts regularly rather than a national database.
File facts
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Sunbridge spans more than 24,000 acres, with roughly 13,000 held for conservation, and earned the first Homegrown National Park designation in the U.S. in 2025.
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Horizon West is a master-planned west Orange County area of multiple villages, lakes, and town centers, about 7 miles from the Disney area.
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EverBe is Pulte's master-planned East Orlando community of roughly 3,300 lots, about 10 minutes from Orlando International Airport.
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Accolades at Ovation is Dream Finders' coming-soon community in Ovation, Horizon West, with rear-load single-family homes and townhomes planned near Hamlin Town Center.
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Harvest at Ovation is Taylor Morrison's final-opportunities single-family community in Ovation, Horizon West, with six two-story plans from about 1,992 to 3,400 sq ft starting from $503,999.
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Lake Star at Ovation is M/I Homes' actively building community in Ovation, Horizon West, with four collections from about 1,803 to 4,988 sq ft starting from $513,990 and lakefront lots on Lake Star.
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St. Cloud is Osceola County's lake-country new construction hub, with the Sunbridge and Crossprairie master plans building thousands of homes and most new homes priced roughly from $300,000 to $600,000.
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ChampionsGate is the resort-style I-4 and US 27 corridor near the Disney area, built around two championship golf courses and the Omni Orlando Resort, with builders from Lennar and Pulte to KB Home and Landsea.
Community files 01 · 02 · 03 · 04 · 05 · 06 · 07 · 08
The communities we cover
Eight community files, each answering the questions buyers actually ask: who is building, what is being built right now, and what to watch out for.
Osceola County · St. Cloud
Sunbridge
Tavistock's 24,000+ acre, conservation-first master plan with a full lineup of national builders.
Read the file
Osceola County · lake country
St. Cloud
Osceola County's lake-country new construction hub: Sunbridge, Crossprairie, and Canoe Creek with a long national builder lineup.
Read the file
West Orange County · Winter Garden
Horizon West
A master-planned west Orange County area made up of multiple villages, lakes, and town centers near the Disney corridor.
Read the file
East Orlando · near MCO
EverBe
Pulte's master-planned East Orlando community with a waterfront town center and 2-gigabit internet.
Read the file
West Orange County · Winter Garden
Accolades at Ovation
Dream Finders' coming-soon community in Ovation, Horizon West: rear-load townhomes and single-family homes expected from about 1,644 to over 2,083 sq ft.
Read the file
West Orange County · Winter Garden
Harvest at Ovation
Taylor Morrison's final-opportunities single-family community in Ovation, Horizon West: six 2-story plans from about 1,992 to 3,400 sq ft, from $503,999.
Read the file
West Orange County · Winter Garden
Lake Star at Ovation
M/I Homes' actively building community in Ovation, Horizon West: four collections from about 1,803 to 4,988 sq ft, from $513,990, with lakefront lots on Lake Star.
Read the file
Osceola / Polk · I-4 & US 27
ChampionsGate
The resort-style I-4 and US 27 corridor near Disney: golf, the Omni resort core, and builders from Lennar to KB Home and Landsea.
Read the file
New-construction areas, covered the same way Lake Nona, Clermont, Winter Garden, and Davenport: where they sit, who is building, and what the commute looks like.
Builder profiles · 12 builders · neutral reference
The builders behind the communities
Who builds the new homes in Central Florida? This site profiles 12 of the national builders active in the Orlando metro, from the ones selling inside the communities covered here to the ones building across Polk, Lake, and Osceola counties. Neutral reference only: where each builder works, the home types it is known for, and a couple of commonly associated features, with no rankings and no endorsements.
Dream Finders Homes
A Jacksonville-based, publicly traded builder with nearly 20 Orlando-area communities, including Accolades at Ovation, Serenade at Ovation, and Weslyn Park at Sunbridge.
Read the profile
Taylor Morrison
A national builder with an active Orlando division spanning Horizon West, Sunbridge, Lake Nona, Windermere, and Clermont, including its Esplanade 55+ brand.
Read the profile
M/I Homes
A publicly traded national builder with roughly 17 active Orlando-metro communities, from Ovation in Horizon West to St. Cloud, Lake Nona, and Clermont.
Read the profile
Toll Brothers
A national builder that markets itself as America's Luxury Home Builder, with Orlando-area communities spanning Ovation, Sunbridge, Lake Nona, and Bella Collina.
Read the profile
Pulte Group
The parent of Pulte Homes, Centex, and Del Webb, with Central Florida building from EverBe and Winter Garden to Davenport and the Sunbridge master plan.
Read the profile
Lennar
One of the largest U.S. builders by volume, selling across roughly 18 Orlando-area cities under its Everything's Included standard, from Horizon West to Davenport, Kissimmee, and Clermont.
Read the profile
Ask before you sign
Questions buyers ask us about new construction
Short, direct answers to the questions that come up on every new-build contract. Follow the links for the full guide.
Should I use the builder's lender?
Builder incentives often come with strings attached. Here is how to compare the offer against a real mortgage quote before you commit.
Read the guide
How long does a new build actually take?
From contract to closing, most Florida new builds follow a predictable sequence of phases. Knowing them keeps your timeline realistic.
Read the guide
When do I need a new construction inspection?
A pre-drywall walk, a final walk, and a third-party inspection catch different problems. Most new-home buyers skip at least one.
Read the guide
What are new construction incentives, really?
Rate buydowns, closing-cost credits, and upgrade allowances are all common in Central Florida. The value is in the details.
Read the guide
The buyer's guide
Read before you sign
Sixteen guides covering the process end to end: financing, rate locks and build timelines, selling your current home to buy new, inspections, final walkthroughs and closing, deposits and closing costs, warranties, schools, incentives, CDD fees, design center selections, and how new compares to resale.
Process 8 min read read
Buying new construction in Central Florida: the step-by-step
From choosing a community and a lot to negotiating the contract and closing, here is the sequence most Central Florida new-build buyers actually follow.
Compare 7 min read read
New construction vs. resale in Central Florida: which one fits your plan
New builds trade customization and years of low-maintenance living against resale's established neighborhoods and immediate closings. Here is how to weigh them.
Financing 6 min read read
Builder financing vs. a traditional mortgage
Builders can offer rate buydowns and closing cost credits, but an incentive is only worth something if the rate beats a real quote. Here is how to compare.
Timeline 6 min read read
From contract to closing: the Central Florida new build timeline
Permits, foundation, framing, drywall, finishes, and the punch list. The phases every new build goes through, and where delays usually sneak in.
Money 5 min read read
New construction incentives: rates, upgrades, and closing costs, explained
Rate buydowns, closing cost credits, upgrade allowances, and referral offers. What each one is worth and where the fine print hides.
Inspections 7 min read read
The new construction inspection checklist
A pre-drywall inspection, a third-party inspection before closing, and a careful final walk save buyers from costly surprises. Here is what to check at each stage.
Money 7 min read read
What is a CDD in Florida? Community Development Districts, explained
A Community Development District (CDD) is how many Central Florida master-planned communities pay for roads, water, sewer, and parks up front. Here is how the fees work, where they show up on your tax bill, and what to ask before you sign.
Design Center 9 min read read
The new home design center: what to expect, what it costs, and how to budget
The design center appointment is where you pick the finishes for your home. Here is what happens, when it happens, how options and upgrades are priced, and how to walk in with a budget instead of guessing.
Money 10 min read read
Deposits and closing costs on new construction in Central Florida
Earnest money deposits, lender and title fees, prepaids, and builder transaction costs: how they work on a new build, what is typical, and the questions that keep the total cash needed at closing from surprising you.
Warranty 9 min read read
New home builder warranties in Florida: what is covered, for how long
Workmanship, systems, and structural coverage: how typical new-home warranties are structured in Florida, what is usually excluded, how claims work, and the role of inspections before coverage ends.
Schools 8 min read read
Schools and new construction in Central Florida: how to research before you buy
School zones follow the address, not the community name, and they can change. Here is how to verify which schools serve a specific new home, how growing areas get new schools, and how to research on your own.
Financing 13 min read read
Rate locks and new build timelines: how mortgage rate locks really work
A rate lock holds your mortgage rate while your home is being built, but a new build stretches the lock in ways a resale does not. Here is how locks, extensions, float-downs, and builder lender incentives actually work.
Selling 14 min read read
Selling your home to buy new construction: timing, contingencies, and bridge financing
Coordinating the sale of your current home with a build completion date is one of the hardest puzzles in new construction. Here is how sale contingencies, bridge loans, and lease-backs actually work.
Closing 12 min read read
The final walkthrough and closing day on a new build
The walkthrough is your last structured chance to catch problems before you own the house. Here is when it happens, what to check, how punch lists work, and what closing day actually looks like.
Investing 15 min read read
New construction for investors: what to evaluate before buying a new build as a rental
New construction rentals trade lower early maintenance and strong tenant appeal against higher fees and financing complexity. Here is a neutral framework for running the numbers on a new build in Central Florida.
Money 11 min read read
Current builder incentives in Central Florida: the live list by community
Verified builder incentives, promotions, and quick move-in inventory across Sunbridge, EverBe, Horizon West, St. Cloud, and the ChampionsGate corridor, updated on October 29, 2026.
Author & curator
Who wrote this
Written by someone who also signs the checks.
Tyler Gibson is a Florida-licensed Realtor, team leader, and real estate investor. He has personally completed more than 150 transactions, owns long-term and short-term rentals plus light industrial property, and leads the GPG Team across Central Florida. He started investing in real estate in 2015 and has been licensed since 2019, ranking among the Orlando Regional Realtor Association's top 500 agents.
That mix matters for new construction buyers: Tyler reads a contract as both the agent and the owner, and this site exists to give you the same straight answers he gives his clients.
150+
personal transactions
2019
licensed Realtor
2015
investor since
Top 500
ORRA production
Client review
Tyler was awesome in helping me secure a house even though I lived very far away. The seller and their agent were awful and unresponsive, but Tyler made the most of the situation and fought for me every step of the way. He was extremely responsive and always willing to go the extra mile. I would highly recommend him and will do business with him when I buy again.
New-build intake
Tell us where you are looking.
Tell us which communities you are looking at and we will reply with phase availability, lot notes, and honest advice. No obligation, no pressure, no spam.
Tyler and the GPG Team serve Central Florida and the Greater Orlando area: Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Eatonville, Apopka, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Windermere, Oakland, and Lake Buena Vista. Orange County communities include Doctor Phillips, Hunters Creek, and Horizon West. In Seminole County: Sanford, Lake Mary, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Winter Springs, and Oviedo. In Osceola County: Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Celebration, Poinciana, and Harmony. In Lake County: Clermont, Minneola, Groveland, Montverde, Mascotte, Mount Dora, Tavares, Leesburg, Eustis, Howey-in-the-Hills, and Umatilla. In Polk County: Lakeland, Winter Haven, Auburndale, Lake Wales, Davenport, Haines City, Four Corners, ChampionsGate, and Polk City.
- Call or text
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1400 S International Pkwy #1020
Lake Mary, FL 32746 - Hours
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Get the new-build cheat sheet
Tell us which communities you are looking at and we will reply with phase availability, lot notes, and straight answers on financing and timelines.