Where new homes are being built around St. Augustine
The historic city has little vacant land, so new homes cluster in three places: the Madeira development in ZIP 32095, the large SilverLeaf and TrailMark communities elsewhere in St. Johns County, and scattered infill and townhome sites closer to downtown. Builder websites checked in September 2026 list the communities below. Prices are the builders' advertised starting figures and change often.
Madeira (north St. Augustine, 32095)
Developed by Ponce Associates at 38 Maralinda Drive, Madeira has a residents club, woodland and marsh views, and five builders. AR Homes, Toll Brothers and ICI Homes are listed from $1 million, Dostie Homes from the $700,000s and Mastercraft Builder Group from the $500,000s. The whole 1,010-acre community is a CDD created in 2006 and lies within the City of St. Augustine, so city services and the city tax rate apply.
Toll Brothers: Estuary at Madeira
A gated section of Madeira with a clubhouse, pool and fitness center. Homes are listed from $894,995 with 2,905 to 4,711 square feet, and the builder showed four quick move-in homes.
Toll Brothers: Iron Branch
A gated community of 1.5-acre-plus homesites backing onto preserve, ponds and farmland, with a 14-acre lake and dock. Homes start at $1,224,995 with 3,749 to 5,659 square feet. The sales center is at 346 Richland Manor Road.
Toll Brothers: Newbrook at SilverLeaf
Townhomes from $404,000 and single-family homes across six collections, 1,871 to 4,710 square feet, inside the SilverLeaf master plan. Toll Brothers says there are no CDD fees, and it listed 36 quick move-in homes finishing between late 2026 and 2027. Amenities include pools with water slides, a fitness center and pickleball and tennis courts. See our SilverLeaf guide for the master HOA.
Toll Brothers: Sebastian Landing
A coming-soon community of townhomes and single-family homes with anticipated pricing from the mid $900,000s. Join the interest list for final prices and fees.
D.R. Horton: Cordera Townhomes
Two-story townhomes at 53 Ayamonte Road (32084), which D.R. Horton describes as minutes from historic downtown. Plans run 1,109 square feet (2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths) to 1,308 square feet (3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths) from $238,440, with lawn maintenance included. The builder showed 13 homes for sale.
Dream Finders Homes: Reverie at TrailMark (55+)
An entry-gated, age-restricted community with homes from $288,990 and 1,479 to 3,077 square feet.
Dream Finders Homes: Reverie at SilverLeaf (55+)
A gated, age-restricted section of SilverLeaf with homes from $331,990 and 1,475 to 3,129 square feet. For more age-restricted options, see 55+ communities in Florida.
Pulte Homes: The Preserve at Bannon Lakes
Pulte lists this community under St. Augustine. Its page did not show prices when we checked, so ask the sales office for base prices and fees. The tax collector's millage sheet lists a Bannon Lakes CDD, so ask for its assessment on your lot.
KB Home: Maplewood and Sabal Estates
These KB Home communities appear in local search results for new homes in St. Augustine, but we could not open the builder's pages to confirm prices. Check them directly with KB Home.
St. Augustine new home communities compared
| Community | Builder | Home type | Listed from | CDD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cordera Townhomes | D.R. Horton | Townhomes | $238,440 | Ask builder |
| Reverie at TrailMark (55+) | Dream Finders Homes | Single-family | $288,990 | Ask builder |
| Reverie at SilverLeaf (55+) | Dream Finders Homes | Single-family | $331,990 | Ask builder |
| Newbrook at SilverLeaf | Toll Brothers | Townhomes and single-family | $404,000 | None, per builder |
| Madeira | Mastercraft, Dostie, AR Homes, ICI, Toll Brothers | Single-family | $500,000s to $1 million+ | Yes, Madeira CDD |
| Estuary at Madeira | Toll Brothers | Single-family | $894,995 | Yes, Madeira CDD |
| Sebastian Landing | Toll Brothers | Townhomes and single-family | Mid $900,000s (anticipated) | Ask builder |
| Iron Branch | Toll Brothers | Single-family, 1.5+ acre lots | $1,224,995 | Ask builder |
| The Preserve at Bannon Lakes | Pulte Homes | Single-family | Not published | Bannon Lakes CDD listed |
Builder inventory and incentives change weekly. Confirm the price, lot premium and every recurring fee in writing before you sign. For how builders differ on warranties and standard features, see Florida home builders compared.
CDD and HOA fees on new St. Augustine homes
What the Madeira CDD charges
Madeira's district adopted its FY 2026-27 schedule in August 2026. Each lot pays an operations and maintenance charge set every year plus a fixed debt service charge that repays the bonds used to build roads and amenities:
- 50-foot lot, Assessment Area 1: $846.93 O&M plus $1,379.84 debt, $2,226.77 a year.
- 65-foot lot, Area 1: $1,101.01 plus $1,700.01, $2,801.02.
- 75-foot lot, Area 2: $1,270.40 plus $2,296.95, $3,567.35.
- 80-foot lot, Area 2: $1,355.09 plus $2,450.08, $3,805.17.
The district says its bonds typically mature 30 years after they are issued. The charges appear as non-ad valorem lines on the St. Johns County tax bill, so homestead does not reduce them.
Communities without a CDD
Toll Brothers markets Newbrook at SilverLeaf as having no CDD fees. That removes one line from the tax bill, but master and neighborhood HOA dues still apply, so ask for both in writing.
What Florida law makes the builder disclose
Section 190.048 of the Florida Statutes requires a bold notice, in larger type, immediately above the buyer's signature, stating that the district may levy taxes or assessments in addition to county and other local taxes. Read it, then ask the builder for the district's current schedule for your exact lot size.
Questions for the sales office
- Which CDD, and what are the O&M and debt charges for this lot?
- When do the bonds mature, and can the debt be paid off early?
- What are the master and neighborhood HOA dues, and what do they cover?
The Florida CDD fees guide explains how districts set these charges.
New or resale in St. Augustine: comparing the real cost
Price per square foot
Starting prices divided by the smallest plan give a rough guide: about $215 a square foot at Cordera Townhomes, $308 at Estuary at Madeira and $327 at Iron Branch. Zillow's typical St. Augustine value for all homes was $429,114 in August 2026, so many new single-family homes are priced above the typical resale.
Tax in the first two years
St. Johns County assesses property on its status on January 1. A home finished after that date may be billed mostly as land for its first year, and the full value arrives the following year. Budget for the full bill from day one, and file for homestead by March 1 after you move in. Inside Madeira, the City of St. Augustine rate of 19.5552 mills applies; see the St. Johns County property tax guide.
Builder incentives
Rate buydowns and closing-cost credits usually depend on using the builder's lender. Get a quote from an independent lender for the same loan and compare the total cost over the years you expect to stay.
Insurance on a new home
A new roof and current wind code usually help premiums. Ask the builder for the wind mitigation features in writing and get quotes before closing; the wind mitigation guide explains the credits.
Inspections and warranties on a new build
County building inspectors check code compliance for the county. An inspector you hire checks workmanship for you, and the two are not the same job.
Inspect before the drywall goes up
Agree in writing, before you sign the contract, that your inspector can see the framing, wiring, plumbing and roof attachment while they are still exposed. Some builders limit when outside inspectors can visit.
Walk-through and punch list
Schedule your inspector ahead of the builder's orientation walk and bring the findings with you, so every item is added to the builder's list before closing.
Warranty timing
Read the warranty booklet before signing. Note the claim process and the end date of the first-year coverage, and book a follow-up inspection a month or two before it runs out. The Florida home inspection checklist lists what to look at.
How much does it cost to build a house in St. Augustine?
We could not find an official local cost-per-square-foot figure. For a production home, the builder's listed price already includes the lot, and the September 2026 examples above work out to roughly $215 to $327 a square foot for the smallest plan in each community. For a custom home on your own lot, get fixed-price bids from at least two builders, and ask each for the permit, impact fee and utility connection costs for that parcel, which vary with its location and whether it is inside city limits.
Buying new with a local agent
The builder's sales team works for the builder. If you want your own representation, contact an agent before your first visit to a model, since some builders only accept an agent who registers you at that first visit. A local agent can compare CDD schedules, lot premiums and resale values across Madeira, SilverLeaf and the older neighborhoods. Start with our St. Augustine real estate guide and, farther north in the county, new construction in Ponte Vedra.
Common questions
Where are new construction homes in St. Augustine?+
Most are outside the historic center: Madeira in ZIP 32095, which has five builders, and SilverLeaf and TrailMark elsewhere in St. Johns County, where Toll Brothers and Dream Finders Homes are selling. D.R. Horton's Cordera Townhomes on Ayamonte Road are closer to downtown. Confirm availability with each builder, since inventory changes quickly.
How much do new homes cost in St. Augustine?+
Builder sites in September 2026 listed Cordera townhomes from $238,440, 55+ homes at Reverie at TrailMark from $288,990, Newbrook townhomes from $404,000, Madeira homes from the $500,000s to over $1 million, Estuary at Madeira from $894,995 and Iron Branch from $1,224,995. Prices and incentives change often.
Are there new construction homes near the beach and downtown St. Augustine?+
Few, because the historic city and the beaches have little vacant land. D.R. Horton describes its Cordera Townhomes, in ZIP 32084, as minutes from downtown, and Madeira, in ZIP 32095, lies within the City of St. Augustine. Near the beaches, most options are resales or infill homes on existing lots.
How much does it cost to build a house in St. Augustine, FL?+
There is no official local figure. Builder list prices in September 2026 worked out to roughly $215 to $327 a square foot for the smallest plans, including the lot. For a custom home, get fixed-price bids from at least two builders and ask about permit, impact fee and utility connection costs for the parcel.
Do new homes in St. Augustine have CDD fees?+
Many do. Madeira's CDD charges $2,226.77 a year on a 50-foot lot and up to $3,805.17 on an 80-foot lot for FY 2026-27, combining operations and bond debt. The tax collector also lists a Bannon Lakes CDD. Toll Brothers says Newbrook at SilverLeaf has no CDD fees, though HOA dues apply.
Is it better to buy new construction or resale in St. Augustine?+
Compare the yearly total, not the price. New homes often carry CDD charges and higher prices per square foot, but newer roofs and wind features can lower insurance. Resales in established areas may have no CDD but need more upkeep. Add tax, insurance, HOA and CDD for each option and compare the monthly cost.
Sources
- Madeira at St. Augustine: Community and builders
- Madeira CDD: About the community development district
- Madeira CDD: Finances
- Madeira CDD: FY 2026/2027 O&M and debt service assessment schedule
- Toll Brothers: New homes near Saint Augustine, FL
- Toll Brothers: Estuary at Madeira
- Toll Brothers: Iron Branch
- Toll Brothers: Newbrook
- D.R. Horton: Cordera Townhomes
- Dream Finders Homes: Active adult communities in St. Augustine
- Pulte Homes: The Preserve at Bannon Lakes
- Ahrefs: SERP overview for "new construction homes st augustine fl" (US, September 2026)
- St. Johns County Tax Collector: 2025 millages
- St. Johns County Property Appraiser: Important dates
- Florida Senate: Section 190.048, Florida Statutes (CDD disclosure)
- Zillow Research: ZHVI city data, August 2026