CDD fees are the single most misunderstood cost variable in Florida new construction. They appear on your property tax bill — not your HOA. They are mandatory. They range from $80 to $250+/month. And they are routinely omitted from listing descriptions and marketing materials. Here is everything you need to know.
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Talk to a Specialist →A Community Development District is a special-purpose local government created under Florida law (Chapter 190, Florida Statutes) to finance, construct, and maintain infrastructure within a defined geographic area. The developer creates the CDD to issue tax-exempt bonds that fund roads, utilities, drainage, parks, and amenity centers — then the cost of repaying those bonds is passed to property owners as a non-ad-valorem assessment on the annual property tax bill.
The key word is mandatory. A CDD assessment is not optional. It is not negotiable. It is a lien against the property. Buyers who purchase a home in a CDD community are obligated to pay the annual assessment until the bonds are retired — regardless of whether they were told about the CDD when they purchased, and regardless of whether they use the amenities the CDD funded.
CDDs do not appear in the HOA fee. They appear as a separate line item on the Osceola, Polk, Orange, or Lake County property tax bill, typically labeled something like “[Community Name] CDD” or “CDD Debt Service.” The only way to know the exact CDD amount for a specific parcel is to request the prior-year property tax bill from the seller and find that line item.
| Annual CDD Assessment | Monthly Cost | 10-Year Total | 20-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $960/year (low) | $80/month | $9,600 | $19,200 |
| $1,560/year (mid) | $130/month | $15,600 | $31,200 |
| $2,160/year (high) | $180/month | $21,600 | $43,200 |
| $3,000/year (new construction peak) | $250/month | $30,000 | $60,000 |
The comparison error that costs buyers tens of thousands of dollars. A buyer comparing Del Webb Sunbridge ($290 HOA + active CDD) against Kings Ridge ($310 HOA + no CDD) sees a $20/month HOA difference. But if the Sunbridge CDD is $150/month, the real monthly cost gap is $130/month in Kings Ridge’s favor — or $31,200 over 20 years. This comparison error is made constantly. Always add the CDD to the HOA before comparing total monthly costs.
The CDD transfers with the property. When you sell a home in a CDD community, the buyer inherits the remaining CDD obligation. This is not like a mortgage that gets paid off at closing — the CDD bond runs with the land. The buyer of your home will pay CDD assessments until the bonds mature, regardless of when they purchased.
CDD bonds have maturity dates. Most CDD bonds are issued for 20–30 year terms. As a community ages, the CDD assessment typically decreases as bonds are paid down. Older CDD communities like Del Webb Orlando in Davenport may have significantly lower or near-zero remaining CDD obligations compared to newer communities like Del Webb Sunbridge where bonds were recently issued.
Buyers can sometimes pay off the CDD early. Some CDD structures allow homeowners to prepay the remaining bond balance at closing, eliminating future annual assessments. This option, when available, is called a CDD “payoff” or “bond payoff.” The payoff amount appears on the closing disclosure. Whether prepaying makes financial sense depends on the interest rate of the bonds vs the after-tax return you would earn investing the same money elsewhere.
How to disclose a CDD correctly when you sell. Florida law requires disclosure of CDDs in real estate transactions. As a seller, you are required to disclose the existence and current annual amount of any CDD assessment. As a buyer, you should receive a CDD disclosure statement. If you do not receive one and the community has a CDD, that is a red flag requiring immediate follow-up with the title company.
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The following reflects typical CDD status for each community. CDD varies by phase and specific parcel — always verify the actual amount via the prior-year tax bill on any specific home.
| Community | CDD Status | Typical Annual Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Del Webb Sunbridge | Active | $1,400–$2,400/yr | New construction; bonds recently issued; highest burden in metro |
| Twin Lakes | Active | $1,200–$2,200/yr | Active construction phases; varies by section |
| Solivita | Active | $800–$1,800/yr | Large community; varies significantly by section and age of phase |
| Del Webb Oasis | Active | $1,200–$2,100/yr | Active construction; Orange County new development |
| Tohoqua Reserve | Active | $1,100–$1,800/yr | Part of Tohoqua master plan; verify per parcel |
| Lakes at Harmony | Active | $1,536–$2,316/yr | East Lake section $128–$193/mo documented |
| Del Webb Minneola | Verify | Unknown — verify | Lake County new construction; request disclosure |
| Del Webb Orlando | Verify | Older community; likely low/declining | Bonds may be substantially paid; verify actual bill |
| Kings Ridge | None est. | $0 | Established; no active CDD reported by residents |
| Summit Greens | Verify | Likely minimal | Established community; some phases may carry small remaining balance |
| Heritage Hills | Verify | Likely minimal | Newer phases verify; older phases likely paid or minimal |
| Esplanade at Highland Ranch | Minimal | Minimal | Taylor Morrison financing structure; typically avoids heavy CDD |
| VillageWalk Lake Nona | Verify | Likely minimal/retired | Mid-2000s community; many parcels have minimal remaining burden |
| Trilogy Orlando | Verify | Verify per phase | Lake County; request disclosure from Shea Homes or HOA |
| Four Seasons at Orlando | Verify | Verify per parcel | Osceola County; request prior-year tax bill from seller |
This table reflects typical status only. CDD varies by specific parcel, phase, and year. The only reliable source is the actual prior-year tax bill for the specific home. Request this document before making any offer.
Step 1: Request the prior-year property tax bill from the seller. This is the one document that definitively shows every assessment on a specific parcel. Look for a line item labeled with the community’s name or “CDD” under non-ad-valorem assessments. If the line exists and shows an amount, that is the annual CDD for that parcel.
Step 2: If the seller doesn’t provide it, pull it yourself. Florida county property appraiser websites publish tax bill history by parcel number. The Osceola County Property Appraiser, Orange County Property Appraiser, Lake County Property Appraiser, and Polk County Property Appraiser all have publicly searchable databases. Find the parcel, pull the tax detail, and locate the non-ad-valorem section.
Step 3: Contact the CDD office directly for payoff information. If you want to know the bond payoff amount (to potentially prepay at closing), the CDD district office — a separate government entity — can provide current bond balances and payoff schedules. Your title company can help identify the correct contact.
Step 4: Include the CDD in your all-in monthly budget before making any offer. The number you are looking for: CDD annual assessment ÷ 12 = monthly cost. Add this to HOA + tax + insurance to get your real all-in monthly number.
We can pull the exact CDD from the county tax records on any address and build your true all-in monthly cost before you make any offer.
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