Both are Taylor Morrison communities. Both have resort-style pools, fitness centers, and active adult programming. But Solivita has 5,900 homes and two golf courses in Osceola County, while Esplanade has 475 homes with natural gas in Lake County. The cost difference is real. The lifestyle difference is enormous.
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Talk to a Specialist →| Variable | Solivita | Esplanade at Highland Ranch |
|---|---|---|
| Community Size | ~5,900 homes (still building) | 475 homes (complete) |
| HOA Fee | ~$385/month | ~$350/month |
| Golf | Two 18-hole courses — add-on membership | No golf |
| Natural Gas | No | Yes — standard |
| County Tax Rate | Osceola/Polk ~0.93–0.95% | Lake County 0.85% |
| Annual Tax Gap ($450K home) | Osceola ~$3,825/yr after hmstd | Lake ~$3,338/yr after hmstd |
| Amenity Scale | 150,000+ sf across 8 amenity complexes | ~15,000 sf resort amenity center |
| Home Prices | $280K–$600K+ (wide range) | $380K–$650K resale |
The tax gap is $487/year on a $450K home. Over 20 years that is $9,740 — before accounting for assessment growth. Esplanade at Highland Ranch's Lake County location saves nearly $10,000 in property taxes over a typical retirement holding period compared to a similar-priced Solivita home. This is a real financial difference that belongs in every honest cost comparison between these two communities.
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Solivita's scale produces an active adult city — 175+ clubs, a full social calendar, multiple dining options, two golf courses, and the kind of social density where you can make new friends continuously for years without repeating the same circles. For buyers who want to build a new social network from scratch in retirement, Solivita's scale is a genuine advantage that no smaller community can replicate.
Esplanade at Highland Ranch's 475 homes creates a community where you know your neighbors. HOA board elections involve people you recognize. The pool has familiar faces. The activity calendar is manageable and not overwhelming. For buyers who found large-community touring experiences (Solivita, The Villages, Sun City) to feel impersonal or anxiety-inducing, 475 homes is a deliberate choice, not a compromise.
Neither preference is wrong. They describe genuinely different retirement lifestyles that appeal to genuinely different people. The honest question is which kind of community culture you will thrive in — and that answer requires honest self-assessment, not further comparison of amenity specs.
Choose Solivita if: Social scale and activity density are your top retirement priorities. You will use two golf courses. The Kissimmee/Poinciana location works geographically. You want the broadest possible social ecosystem for building new friendships. Budget allows for the Osceola County tax rate.
Choose Esplanade at Highland Ranch if: A smaller, intimate community culture is what you actually want. Natural gas cooking matters. Lake County's tax advantage is meaningful to your retirement budget. You prefer Taylor Morrison's premium quality in a community where you can know everyone. Golf is not central to your retirement lifestyle.
We can run the full cost comparison at your specific budget, including the 20-year tax gap calculation, and help you identify which community scale fits your actual retirement vision.
Connect with a specialist who knows this market from the inside — real cost math, honest community comparisons, and what's actually happening right now. Every agent is personally vetted by the Nova55Living founder.
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