Field notes · Market updates · New-build answers
New construction notes from Central Florida.
Short, useful articles from Tyler Gibson and the GPG Team on the Central Florida new-build market: community updates, financing and contract math, and the questions buyers actually ask. New posts are added regularly, so check back for fresh notes.
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10 posts · updated 2026-10-29
Buying October 28, 2026 · 10 min read
Can you negotiate with a new home builder in Central Florida?
Builders rarely cut the base price, but closing cost credits, upgrades, rate buydowns, lot premiums, and spec inventory are often negotiable. This guide explains what to ask for and when the builder has a reason to say yes.
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Buying September 30, 2026 · 10 min read
Do you need a buyer's agent to buy new construction in Central Florida?
You are not legally required to have an agent, and the builder's sales staff work for the builder, not you. Here is how representation, commissions, and the first-visit registration rule actually work.
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Communities October 1, 2026
Living in Ovation at Horizon West: amenities, schools, and daily life
Ovation is Horizon West's southernmost village, built around neighborhood amenity campuses, planned town centers, and new schools. Here is what daily life looks like today, what is still on the drawing board, and what to verify before you buy.
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Process October 7, 2026 · 10 min read
How long does it take to build a new home in Central Florida?
A to-be-built production home in Central Florida typically runs about 6 to 10 months from contract to closing, with the build itself taking 5 to 7 months of that window. Here is where the months actually go, what pushes a schedule out, and how to plan a move date that survives reality.
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Lifestyle October 8, 2026 · 10 min read
Living in Sunbridge: nature-first amenities, schools, and daily life
Sunbridge is Tavistock's conservation-first master plan near St. Cloud, built around parks, lakes, and trails rather than one central clubhouse. Here is what is open today, what is on the way, and what to verify before you buy.
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Buying October 14, 2026 · 9 min read
Property taxes on a new build in Central Florida: what buyers should know
A new construction home in Florida is assessed at full market value, which often means a property tax jump after the first year. Here is how the math works, what the homestead exemption is worth in 2026, and how to estimate your own bill.
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Lifestyle October 15, 2026 · 11 min read
Living in Lake Nona: wellness-first amenities, schools, and daily life
Lake Nona is Tavistock's roughly 17-square-mile master plan in southeast Orlando, built around health and wellness and anchored by Medical City, the USTA National Campus, and a growing lakeside town center. Here is what daily life looks like today and what to verify before you buy.
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Buying October 21, 2026 · 12 min read
Hidden costs of buying a new construction home in Central Florida
Closing costs, documentary stamp taxes, CDD and HOA fees, lot premiums, design center upgrades, and a property tax jump in year two. Here is every major cost a new-build buyer in Central Florida should budget for, with realistic ranges and the questions to ask before you sign.
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Lifestyle October 22, 2026 · 10 min read
Living in EverBe: amenities, schools, and daily life
EverBe is Pulte's master-planned East Orlando community near the airport, with the BeSocial Club open today and a waterfront amenity, Town Center, and city park still planned. Here is what daily life looks like and what to verify before you buy.
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Lifestyle October 29, 2026 · 10 min read
Living in ChampionsGate: resort amenities, schools, daily life
ChampionsGate is the resort-style I-4 and US 27 corridor near the Disney area: gated neighborhoods with pools and clubhouses, golf, the Omni Orlando Resort, and town-center dining. Here is what daily life is like and what to verify before you buy.
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