Hidden costs of buying a new construction home in Central Florida

The price on the builder's brochure and the number you write at closing are rarely the same, and the gap between them is one of the most common surprises in Central Florida new construction. Plan for closing costs of roughly 2% to 5% of the purchase price, a Florida documentary stamp tax that builder contracts routinely shift to the buyer, CDD and HOA fees that begin right after move-in, lot premiums and design center upgrades the base price never shows, and a property tax bill that usually jumps in year two. None of these are traps; every one is disclosed somewhere if you know where to look. This post walks through each cost, what it reasonably runs, and how to assemble a true all-in number before you sign.

The short answer: the sticker price is not the all-in price

As a planning figure, the buyer's side of a new-construction closing in Florida typically runs about 2% to 5% of the home's purchase price. National settlement research, the ClosingCorp closing-cost study widely cited in real estate guides, put the typical buyer total at about 2.3% of the home price, roughly $8,500 on a $375,000 purchase. The closing itself is only the beginning: on top of it, budget separately for the ongoing costs below, including a CDD assessment or HOA fee, a property tax increase in year two, and design center selections that almost always exceed the builder's allowance. A practical planning habit is to hold roughly 3% to 6% above the base price for closing costs, fees, and first-year extras, and to treat any builder incentive credit as an offset rather than a given.

Closing costs on a new build: who pays what

A buyer's closing costs on any Florida purchase include loan origination, appraisal, underwriting, and credit report fees; the lender's title policy; the settlement or closing fee; and prepaid items such as property taxes and homeowners insurance escrowed at closing. On a resale, the seller customarily covers the owner's title policy and the deed documentary stamp tax. On a new construction contract, the builder's paperwork frequently shifts both of those seller-side costs to the buyer, which is the single biggest line-item difference between buying new and buying resale. Two federal rules protect you regardless of what the contract says: under RESPA Section 9, no seller can require you to use a particular title company, and no builder can force you to use its preferred lender, even though the incentive package is usually contingent on you doing so.

Documentary stamp taxes are the Florida-specific surprise

Florida charges a documentary stamp tax whenever a deed or a mortgage note is recorded, and on a new build the buyer typically pays both sides. The deed tax is $0.70 per $100 of the purchase price, and the note tax is $0.35 per $100 of the loan amount, plus a separate intangible tax of $2 per $1,000 of the mortgage. To put the math on a $450,000 home with a $360,000 mortgage, that is about $3,150 in deed tax and about $1,260 in note tax before the intangible tax, roughly $5,100 in stamp taxes alone. On a resale the seller usually absorbs the deed tax; on a new build the builder's contract normally assigns it to you. That is a five-figure line item on many Central Florida purchases, which makes the first question in the sales office an easy one: who pays the documentary stamps?

CDD assessments and HOA fees

Many of the master plans this site covers, including Sunbridge's stewardship districts, most Horizon West villages, and EverBe, use Community Development Districts that borrow money to build roads, water and sewer lines, and amenities. The annual CDD assessment repays that debt and appears on your property tax bill as a non-ad valorem charge, which means the Florida homestead exemption does not reduce it. Assessments run for the bond term, often 20 to 30 years, and they do not appear on the builder's price sheet. HOA dues are billed separately and cover the neighborhood's shared maintenance. Ask for the full monthly picture as three separate numbers: property tax, CDD, and HOA, each written down for the specific homesite you are considering.

Lot premiums and the fine print under the base price

The advertised base price applies to one specific homesite, usually the most standard lot in the phase. Everything else carries a premium: lakefront and conservation lots, larger homesites, and corner or cul-de-sac positions can add thousands to tens of thousands of dollars to the price. Some communities also charge a one-time capital contribution to the HOA reserve at closing. Request the itemized price sheet for the exact lot so you see the base price, the lot premium, structural options, the design center allowance, and any community fees on one piece of paper.

The design center is where budgets grow

The model home you tour is decorated with upgraded finishes, and the base price does not include them. Buyers who work through a full selections list commonly add 10% to 25% to the base price in upgrades, according to new-home industry guides, and the builder's allowance rarely covers the flooring, countertops, and cabinets shown in the model. The design center appointment has its own timing, budgeting rules, and order windows; the planning move is to separate must-have upgrades from nice-to-haves before the appointment and to get every allowance in writing.

Impact fees are already built into the price

Counties assess impact fees when a building permit is issued, and the builder pays them as the permit applicant, so they are embedded in the home's price rather than appearing as a line on your closing statement. The amounts are substantial. Under the 2026 rate tables, Orange County's combined county impact fees total roughly $32,700 per new single-family home, and Osceola County's impact and mobility fees total roughly $47,660, with transportation and school fees making up the largest components in both counties. Cities add their own municipal fees on top. The practical point is not to shop the number but to know that county infrastructure is part of what you are paying for, and that fees are locked at permit submittal, so they can differ from the rates in place when you signed.

The property tax bill jumps in year two

A new build's first tax bill is usually based mostly on the land, because the finished home is not yet on the tax roll. On the first January 1 after the home is substantially complete, it is assessed at full market value, and the annual property tax jumps accordingly. The homestead exemption and the Save Our Homes cap reduce and limit future increases, but the realistic planning number is the second full bill, not the estimate the builder quotes at contract. The full math, the 2026 exemption amounts, and the portability rules are in our property tax post, which is worth reading before you set a monthly budget.

Insurance, utilities, and move-in extras

Florida homeowners insurance is a meaningful part of the monthly cost and varies by address: wind exposure, flood zone, and the age and construction of the home all move the premium, so quote the actual policy for the address before you set a budget. Utilities add deposits and connection fees, and some communities charge sewer and water capital charges on top of monthly service. Finally, plan for the things new construction does not include: window treatments, appliances that fall outside the price, fencing and landscaping beyond the builder's standard package, and the first-move-in purchases every new home requires.

Builder incentives can offset a large share

Builders in Central Florida routinely advertise credits of roughly $5,000 to $20,000 or more toward closing costs, rate buydowns, or upgrades, and current offers change by community and phase. Nearly all of them are contingent on using the builder's affiliated lender, and that lender's rate can run 0.25% to 0.75% higher than an independent quote, which can cost more than the credit over the life of the loan. The comparison that matters is the all-in package: the credit received against the rate paid, over the years you expect to keep the loan. Our incentives guide explains how the offers work, and the live incentives list tracks what builders are advertising right now in the communities this site covers.

How to build your true all-in number before you sign

• Get the itemized price sheet for the exact homesite: base price, lot premium, structural options, design center allowance, and any community fees.
• Ask, in writing, who pays the deed documentary stamp tax and the owner's title policy, and confirm it in the contract.
• Get the CDD assessment, HOA dues, and estimated property tax for the specific address, stated as three separate numbers.
• Compare the builder lender's Loan Estimate, with the incentive applied, against an independent lender's quote for the same loan.
• Quote homeowners insurance for the exact address before you lock a monthly budget.
• Ask what the contract says about price escalation and about impact fee changes between contract and permit.

The GPG Team runs this full all-in math with buyers before they visit a sales center, including the incentive-versus-rate comparison, and it is the single most useful thing to do before a first appointment. The figures in this post were compiled from Florida statutes, county rate tables, and new-home industry guides in October 2026, and they change, so confirm every number with the builder, your lender, or the GPG Team before you rely on it.