Low-HOA & no-CDD homes
HOA fees and district assessments can add a lot to the monthly cost of a home. Here is where they come from, how to find them for a specific home, and how I search for homes without them.
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HOA, CDD and the Stewardship District
- HOA. If membership is mandatory, you must get a disclosure summary before you sign. It says assessments can change and that unpaid assessments can lead to a lien (Fla. Stat. 720.401).
- CDD. A Community Development District may levy taxes or assessments in addition to county taxes, and the first sale contract must say so in bold (Fla. Stat. 190.048).
- Lakewood Ranch Stewardship District. A special district that funds roads, parks, trails and stormwater. Its capital assessment is repaid over about 30 years and is fixed; its operations and maintenance assessment can change each year. Both appear on the property-tax bill, and amounts vary by neighborhood (Stewardship District guide (PDF)).
Sources: Fla. Stat. 720.401 · Fla. Stat. 190.048 · Stewardship District guide (PDF)
Read the tax bill
- Look up the parcel with the Manatee County Property Appraiser or Sarasota County Property Appraiser, then the bill with the Manatee County Tax Collector or Sarasota County Tax Collector. District assessments show up as non-ad valorem assessments.
- Ask for the HOA budget, the current fee and any special assessments, in writing.
- I can filter MLS searches by HOA fee and check each home's tax bill for district lines before you tour.
Sources: Manatee County Property Appraiser · Sarasota County Property Appraiser · Manatee County Tax Collector · Sarasota County Tax Collector
What to check first
- A low HOA fee can come with a CDD or Stewardship District assessment on the tax bill. Look at both.
- Assessments can change. Ask what is fixed (debt) and what can rise (maintenance).
- No HOA usually means no shared amenities and fewer rules. Decide which matters more to you.
- Flood zone (FEMA) and an insurance quote.
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Luis Odon, REALTOR® · Keller Williams Coastal Living II · 5391 Lakewood Ranch Blvd N, Suite 100, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 · (941) 993-8311 · Equal Housing Opportunity. Facts come from the sources linked on this page and can change; confirm them before you buy. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
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