By Cynthia “Syndi” Askew, REALTOR®
You’ve narrowed your search to two homes. One has the outdoor living space you’ve pictured. The other is in a community where you can see yourself spending your weekends. The asking prices are close, and both seem to fit.
Before you choose, I’d put their ownership costs side by side.
If you’re moving to St. Augustine from out of state or comparing homes across the Jacksonville area, that extra step can make the decision much clearer. Property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues, CDD assessments and maintenance can change how two similarly priced homes fit your plans.
My St. Johns County homeownership-cost guide explains those expenses individually. Here, let’s use them to compare the two homes on your shortlist.
Start with the same assumptions
Give each home its own column, then use the same intended closing date, down-payment approach and loan term. Ask your lender to prepare both estimates together so you can see which differences come from the property and which come from financing.
For new construction in St. Augustine or Jacksonville, use the price of the home you would actually buy, including your selected homesite and options. A model-home visit and a starting price are useful early in the search. Your final comparison needs the written purchase details.
If one builder is offering a temporary rate buydown, ask for the payment during the incentive period and after it ends. Keep any closing-cost credit in the upfront-cash comparison. My guide to builder incentives walks through that decision in more detail.
Also tell your lender, insurance professional and property appraiser how you plan to use the home. A permanent residence and a second home need their own appropriate estimates.
Use the neighborhood names, then check the exact home
Community names help narrow a search. The specific address, neighborhood and property type tell us which documents to request. An HOA or POA and a Community Development District (CDD) are separate entities, so ask about both sets of obligations where applicable. CDD and POA differences
SilverLeaf: The developer advertises no CDD fees, and its builder roster includes Riverside Homes and David Weekley Homes. That makes SilverLeaf a useful comparison for buyers considering a CDD community, but “no CDD” alone does not establish the lower total cost. Request the association dues, services and any additional charges for the particular home. SilverLeaf community information · SilverLeaf builders
Nocatee: Be specific about the neighborhood. Nocatee’s official Seabrook Village builder page lists Toll Brothers and ICI Homes, among others. If you’re considering a home there, request its association and district information rather than using one fee estimate for all of Nocatee. Some offerings are limited to remaining inventory, so reconfirm builder availability when you’re ready to tour. Seabrook Village builders
Shearwater: The community currently lists Lennar and Dream Finders among its builders. Whether you’re considering a new home or a resale, ask for the charges and maintenance responsibilities attached to that property type. Those are the details to place beside your other finalist. Shearwater builders
Palencia: This is a good reminder to check the district name, too. Palencia’s official explainer identifies Marshall Creek CDD in the south and Sweetwater Creek CDD in the north, alongside separate property owners associations. Confirm the parcel’s district, assessment breakdown and association obligations. Palencia’s CDD and POA guide
The goal is to understand what you would pay, what those payments cover and how much you would use what the community offers.
Make the property-tax estimates comparable
The seller’s tax bill belongs in your research file, but it should not automatically become your projected bill. A change of ownership generally removes the prior owner’s Save Our Homes assessment benefit, with reassessment at just value the following January 1. Confirm your own exemptions and timing with the property appraiser. Florida Department of Revenue guidance
There is an important difference when comparing St. Johns County property taxes with a home in Duval County:
St. Johns County’s estimator includes applicable non-ad valorem assessments, including CDD and solid-waste charges. Those assessments use the latest amounts recorded for the parcel and can change. Check that breakdown before adding those charges anywhere else. St. Johns County tax estimator
Duval County’s estimator calculates ad valorem taxes only. Non-ad valorem assessments must be checked separately. It also lists limitations for new construction, so confirm how to estimate taxes on a completed new home rather than relying on a preconstruction contract price. Duval County tax estimator
A timing note for buyers planning a 2027 move: As of November 11, 2026, the St. Johns County Property Appraiser says its estimator still uses 2026 exemption amounts and has not yet incorporated Amendment 3 changes effective January 1, 2027. Ask the appraiser to confirm the applicable year and your eligibility before relying on a savings estimate. Current estimator notice · Amendment 3 guidance
Compare insurance coverage as carefully as premiums
Request homeowners insurance quotes for both addresses and the same intended use. Ask the insurance professional to explain differences in rebuilding coverage, roof coverage, exclusions and deductibles.
Discuss flood coverage explicitly. Standard homeowners insurance generally excludes flood damage, so an attractive homeowners premium does not answer the whole coverage question. Florida homeowners insurance guidance
Then write down the hurricane deductible in dollars. A percentage hurricane deductible is based on the insured dwelling or structure limit, not the purchase price. That potential out-of-pocket amount belongs beside the premium when you compare coverage. Florida hurricane-deductible guidance
Keep insurance deductibles in your cash-reserve planning rather than treating them as bills you will necessarily pay every year.
Give every expense one place in the comparison
For each home, complete the same seven lines:
Financing: Monthly principal and interest, plus mortgage insurance if applicable. Show later payments separately if a temporary incentive changes them.
Property taxes and assessments: A buyer-specific annual estimate divided by 12, with the tax year and included assessments identified.
Insurance: Annual homeowners and any separate flood or other property coverage divided by 12.
Association and separately billed community charges: HOA or POA dues, any master-association dues and required charges not already included elsewhere. Convert quarterly and annual bills to monthly amounts.
Utilities and regular services: Electricity, water, sewer, internet, lawn care, pool care and pest control, as applicable. Check which services an association already provides.
Maintenance savings: An amount informed by the home’s condition, inspections and likely work, with known near-term repairs listed separately.
Estimated monthly total: Add each expense once, and mark anything still awaiting a quote or document.
Use either the lender’s itemized components or the combined payment as your starting point. If the payment already includes taxes and insurance through escrow, do not add those same amounts again. Likewise, a CDD assessment already included in the tax estimate needs no second line in the total. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Loan Estimate guide helps identify escrowed and separately paid costs.
Beside each figure, note its source and date: lender estimate, insurance quote, association statement, district assessment or service quote. If an amount is unknown, leave it marked “awaiting confirmation” rather than entering zero.
Keep cash needed at closing, immediate projects and emergency reserves below the monthly comparison. They matter, but they answer a different question: how much cash should be ready when you take ownership?
Look at what the difference means for your life
Once the numbers are complete, bring the homes back into the conversation.
Would included lawn care give you time back? Would you use the community amenities regularly? Does one home need work before you can enjoy it? If you’re relocating to Northeast Florida, which location works better for your ordinary weekday?
A higher monthly total may be worthwhile when you understand what it provides. A lower total may give you more room for travel, improvements or other priorities. The comparison should help you choose with confidence, without losing sight of why you liked each home in the first place.
Have two homes on your shortlist? Send them to me.
Send me the two listing links, tell me whether the home will be your primary residence or a second home, and share your approximate moving timeline. We can work through the ownership-cost questions and identify the estimates and documents needed for a useful side-by-side comparison.
Whether you’re considering SilverLeaf, Nocatee, Shearwater, Palencia or another part of the St. Augustine and Jacksonville area, I’d love to help you look closely at the details before you decide.
Compare your two homes with Syndi
Cynthia “Syndi” Askew, REALTOR®
O.N.E. Florida Group | REAL Broker, LLC
syndi@syndiaskew.com | 904-778-5530
General information, checked November 11, 2026. Confirm property-specific taxes and exemptions with the property appraiser, insurance with a licensed insurance professional, financing with your lender, and community charges with the appropriate association or district. Estimates, builder offerings and requirements can change.
