CDD Fees: What They Are and How They Work

Tampa Bay New Home Finders

Do I have to pay CDD Fees?

house Florida New Home Construction

One question that is commonly asked is how much is the CDD and what exactly is it?

CDD fees are added by a developer and are typically used to cover the costs of building roads, utility lines (water, sewer, electric), streetlights, and other infrastructure elements including any amenities being built in a community. They are a bond (think loan) that the developer takes out to build a new community.

Is there any advantage to having a CDD?

There is a misconception (or perhaps a misunderstanding) that a CDD community is a bad thing. The advantage is that homeowners will have a beautiful community to live in with a variety of recreational amenities.

How it works

A developer takes out a bond to put in the infrastructure and amenities. When they are building, they don’t have to wait for a certain percentage of the homes to be sold to pay for the roads, pay for the utilities, or that beautiful pool – the bond is the money to develop the community. Your CDD is paid in the tax bill which protects the community developer.

There are two parts to a CDD. The first part is the bond portion – this is the balance of the loan. The second is the maintenance – this is to pay for the common areas – amenities. Note some communities will also have a HOA which is usually to enforcement of deed restrictions within a community.

Impact fees verse CDD

It is important to understand that if you were building a new home on a piece of property outside of a community, you as the home builder would be charged an impact fee. An impact fee is a one-time tax that is imposed on all new residential construction in order to defray from the cost of the growth the new residence will impose. Growth on services such as schools, parks, roads, fire services just to name a few. It is tax on new residences. 

These impact fees paid to the local government must be spent on what the fee is slated for – growth improvements.

Other fee’s

Building on your own land also has other costs that maybe associated with it: septic or sewer hookup, well or water hook up, road impact fee (think driveway fee), and school fee.

Summary of CDD's

So while many say NO CDD, the impact fee’s of building a home on your own land can equal or even be higher than that of a CDD with no amenities and it must be paid most often at the time of building the new home. The CDD may in fact be a higher cost but it may not be a bad thing.



Connect with East Pasco Living Agents today for more information  and the opportunities for existing homes and the numerous new construction opportunities.

If you are considering purchasing a new construction home and would like to ask questions, schedule a discovery call today with one of us or our designated New Home Specialists.


Carla Goddard | East Pasco Living Team Lead | Operations Director Builder Services


Graduate, REALTOR® Institute | Residential Specialist | BHHS-Certified New Home Specialist | Certified National Home Specialist – Residential Construction Certified (CNHS-RCC) | NHCB Certified New Homes Co-Broker |BHHS-Certified eCertified® Specialist | BHHS-Certified rCertifiedSM Referral and Relocation Specialist | Tampa Bay Builder Services Manager

📧email: carla@eastpascoliving.com

📲text/call 813.716.4498

By CARLA GODDARD October 28, 2024
We have all heard the great “renting vs buying” debate for years. Some people love renting because, if something in the home breaks, they’re not responsible for fixing it. And I get it. I own property and have had some particularly bad experiences when something went wrong (at the worst possible time). And it’s true, when you rent, you have fewer responsibilities. However, renting isn’t as hands off as many people think, and to be honest, you’ve probably already been paying for those costly repairs without even knowing it. In fact, you’ll probably pay more as a renter than you would as an owner. Let me explain… #1 Owning Will Yield A Return On Your Investment When you own a home, you get tax deductions, which is a big incentive. And unlike renting, your mortgage can’t go up due to inflation or deflation. You’re also building up tons of equity, which means that, when you sell, you’ll have more cash for retirement or more cash to put down on your next home. #2 Renting Makes Your Landlord Rich (Not You) People who own homes are essentially paying into a huge investment every month, so although they have a house payment, it’s going to their mortgage - not to their landlord’s pocket. Additionally, most landlords raise the rent every year, to adjust for the cost of appreciation, which means that the renter is actually the one who’s paying for the depreciation (and future repairs) on all of the appliances of the home. If you’re going to pay that cost anyway, it’s probably better for you to pay them on a home you actually own. #3 Rent Costs are Up Generally speaking, rent in sought-after areas can be massive. Right now, most rent costs are up 5% or more - But while interest rates are in flux. It still means that, for about the same price as renting, you can have more space, freedom, and peace of mind in a home you own. #4 Owning Has More Stability The tenant landlord relationship is notoriously tricky. Landlords write the contract, name their price, and control pretty much everything about the place you call home. They can enter your home, hire their own repairmen (however sketchy and DELAYED they may be), or even sell the home... and there’s very little you can do about it. When you own, you have greater control over all of these things. #5 You can’t make it your own One of the worst things about renting is that you can’t personalize, decorate, or improve the space. So renters are typically stuck with the paint, flooring, hardware, and appliances as the day they moved in… And sometimes, decades before they moved in! (Hello shag carpets!) The sad thing is, most renters rent because they don’t even know that they can comfortably afford a home. They just need a great team who can help calculate the math behind renting vs. owning. If that sounds like you (or someone you know), we can help. No pressure, no sales tactics, just helpful advice and the guidance you need! Our team includes no pressure mortgage brokers who will work with you to see what makes sense for YOU! And finally, if you’re not thinking about making a move just yet, feel free to save this blog for future reference, so you can come back to it! Have a great week!
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