Guides to buying new in Orlando
What to know before you buy a new home in greater Orlando, with a source for every fact. New to buying in Florida? Start with the first guide below.
Figures checked October 2026.
Costs and fees
What a new home really costs, up front and every month.
What it costs to buy a homeDown payment minimums by loan type, Florida’s closing taxes, the homestead exemption, insurance averages and a worked example.
Start here · Worked example · 13 sources
What is a CDD?What a Florida community development district pays for, how the yearly fee is billed, and what to ask before you buy.
CDD fees by community · 7 Florida laws cited
Compare communities
The communities we cover, side by side on the numbers that matter.
Most affordable, by monthly costEstimated monthly cost of each community’s lowest-priced plan: mortgage at today’s rate, HOA, CDD and 2026 property taxes.
Monthly cost table · rate, tax and community sources
Best new-construction communitiesHow the communities selling new homes compare on price, HOA and CDD fees, school grades and choice of builders.
Side-by-side table · sources on each community page
New home prices by communityBuilder starting prices and price per square foot for each community, by area, next to the Orlando-area median sale price.
Price per square foot table · REALTOR® market data
Schools, commute and walkabilityZoned school grades, drive times to downtown, the airport and Disney, and everyday places within a mile, for every community.
3 comparison tables · state and OpenStreetMap data
Check before you buy
What to look up for a specific home before you sign.
- How to check safety before you buy
Where to look up crime data for any address, how to find a home’s FEMA flood zone, and what to ask about storm readiness.
Flood risk table · 5 sources
Stuck on a word? The glossary defines HOA, CDD, millage, lot premiums and the other terms builders use.