St. Johns County
Planned communities, CDD assessments, builder incentives, future taxes and coastal insurance questions often belong in the same comparison.
Explore St. Johns CountyNew-construction financing
Plan the mortgage before the construction timeline controls it.
A new home can involve a builder contract, deposits, incentives, upgrades, estimated completion, rate-lock decisions, future taxes, insurance, HOA costs and district assessments. The financing plan should connect all of them.
Start here
Compare the whole transaction.
A builder incentive can be valuable, but it is one part of the decision. Use the same home, down payment, program and timeline assumptions to compare financing options. Then account for property costs and what happens if construction or qualification changes.
This hub provides general education. The builder contract, borrower, property and selected loan still require individual review.
Focused guides
Four decisions that deserve their own answer.
Should I use the builder’s preferred lender?
Compare the full financing package—not only the advertised credit or upgrade allowance.
Read the guideHow do construction-to-permanent loans work?
Understand when a construction-specific loan may be needed and how draws and conversion can work.
Read the guideWhat is a CDD assessment?
Learn how district assessments can affect taxes, escrow and the complete monthly cost.
Read the guideHow do rate locks work during construction?
Prepare for expiration, extensions and the possibility that completion dates change.
Read the guideBefore signing
Questions to resolve early.
01
Which deposits are required, when are they due and under what circumstances are they refundable?
02
Does an incentive require the builder’s preferred lender or title provider, and exactly which costs may it cover?
03
What is the realistic completion window, and who is responsible for rate-lock extension costs if the date moves?
04
How should future property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA charges and any CDD assessment be estimated?
05
When will the appraisal, completion documentation, insurance and final qualification be reviewed?
06
What happens under the contract if construction, appraisal or financing does not proceed as expected?
Local context
New construction looks different across Northeast Florida.
Clay County
Buyers may compare newer planned communities with established or larger-lot properties, each with different utility, assessment and property questions.
Explore Clay CountyNassau County
Growing mainland communities and coastal areas can create different flood, insurance, utility and occupancy considerations.
Explore Nassau CountyJacksonville & Duval County
Infill, master-planned development, townhomes and suburban construction may carry different association, tax and property structures.
Explore JacksonvillePrograms to compare
The home may be new. The program still needs to fit.
Conventional loans
A broad option for eligible new-home purchases and certain construction scenarios.
Explore conventionalFHA loans
Primary-residence financing with applicable borrower, property and builder requirements.
Explore FHAVA loans
A benefit for eligible military borrowers when the home, builder, timing and transaction satisfy current requirements.
Explore VANew-construction FAQs
Questions buyers often ask
Should I get preapproved before visiting a builder?+
Early review can help establish a borrower-specific budget and comparison point before an incentive or model-home payment becomes the plan.
Is a newly built home always financed with a construction loan?+
No. A builder-owned home sold to the buyer at completion may use a standard purchase mortgage. Construction financing is more common when the borrower finances the build itself.
Can the seller’s or model home’s tax bill estimate my future taxes?+
Not reliably by itself. New construction, assessed value, ownership changes, exemptions and district assessments can change the future tax picture.
What happens if the home is not finished by the planned closing date?+
The contract, builder, rate lock, lender requirements and circumstances determine the options. Ask about delay and extension terms before relying on the projected date.
Before the builder contract becomes the mortgage plan