Do You Own the Land in a Del Webb Community? Lot Ownership Explained

Yes, you own the land. When you buy a home in a Del Webb community, you receive a warranty deed and own the lot outright. No landlord. No ground lease. Same ownership as any traditional single-family home.

This is one of the most common questions I get from buyers researching Del Webb Sunbridge. And it makes sense. When you see monthly HOA fees, district assessments on the tax bill, and strict architectural rules, it can feel like somebody else is in control. That leads many people to wonder whether there is some kind of lease arrangement underneath it all.

There is not. But understanding what you own, what the HOA controls, and how the fees work is the real question behind the question. That is what this guide covers, with specific details for Del Webb Sunbridge in Osceola County, a ~1,350-home 55+ community developed by Tavistock Development (the same company behind Lake Nona) with Del Webb (PulteGroup) as the builder.

Whether you are deciding if Del Webb communities are worth it or doing due diligence on a specific floor plan, the ownership structure matters. It affects your financing options, your resale value, your tax benefits, and what you can actually do with your property.

Sunbridge Homes FL, Why Del Webb Is Not a Land Lease

“Fee simple” means outright ownership of the land and the home, with no expiration date and no landlord. You can sell it, will it to your heirs, or refinance it. Your title is recorded with the county, and the lot boundaries are defined on a recorded plat map.

Del Webb is the 55+ active-adult brand of PulteGroup, the nation’s third-largest homebuilder, with over 200,000 residents across 13 states. These are stick-built, single-family homes on individually platted lots. Not mobile home parks. Not manufactured housing where you rent the ground.

If you are considering buying new construction in Sunbridge, you will sign a purchase agreement with Del Webb (PulteGroup), and at closing, title transfers to you via warranty deed, just like any other new-build home purchase in Florida.

Why Do People Think Del Webb Is a Land Lease?

This question comes up constantly, and not because people are confused. The concern is logical. Here are the five reasons buyers land on this question:

1. Confusing 55+ communities with mobile home parks. In Florida, many 55+ communities are manufactured-home parks where residents own the home but lease the lot. Monthly lot rent can be $800 or more, and it can increase. Del Webb is a completely different product. These are site-built single-family homes on deeded lots.

2. Equating HOA control with not owning. Del Webb HOAs have strict rules. When you cannot even pick your own landscaper, it is easy to wonder whether you truly own the property. You do. The restrictions are deed covenants that run with your title. They limit what you can do on your land, but they do not change the fact that you own it.

3. Mistaking district assessments for rent. Sunbridge has a Stewardship District that adds assessments to your property tax bill. These look like an extra recurring cost on top of your HOA dues. But they are infrastructure bond payments tied to your deeded property, not lease payments to a landlord.

4. Mixing up ownership models. Florida’s 55+ market includes deeded communities, condos (Chapter 718), and co-ops (Chapter 719). All three target the same buyer demographic with similar marketing. If you have toured a co-op or condo 55+ community, you may assume Del Webb works the same way. It does not.

5. Feeling like age restrictions erode ownership. The 55+ occupancy requirement and the 90-day limit on children under 19 are deed covenants. They apply to every owner equally. They are not evidence of a leasehold. They are restrictions on use, the same category as setback requirements or zoning rules that apply to any property.

How Does Del Webb Compare to Condos, Co-ops, and Land-Lease?

Whether you own land in a 55+ community in Florida depends entirely on the ownership model. Understanding fee simple vs condo vs land lease is essential, because 55+ community land ownership varies widely. Here is how the main models compare:

Ownership Model	Do You Own the Land?	FL Statute	Key Difference
Fee Simple (Del Webb)	Yes. Own lot + home via warranty deed.	Ch. 720 (HOA)	Full ownership. Can sell, will, or modify freely (with HOA approval).
Condominium	No. Own interior airspace only. Undivided share of common elements.	Ch. 718	Condo association controls exterior, roof, and grounds.
Co-op	No. Own shares in a corporation. Receive a proprietary lease.	Ch. 719	Board approval often required to sell. Harder to finance.
Land-Lease	No. Own the home, lease the ground (“lot rent”).	Ch. 723 (MH)	Monthly lot rent can increase. Limited financing. No land equity.
Fee-Simple Townhome	Yes. Same as single-family. Own the land under the townhome.	Ch. 720 (HOA)	Shared walls, but separate platted lot. Same ownership rights.

This distinction matters for more than pride of ownership. It directly affects three things:

• Financing: Deeded homes qualify for conventional, FHA, and VA loans. Co-ops and land-lease homes have significantly fewer lending options.
• Estate planning: You can will a deeded property to anyone. Co-op transfers often require board approval.
• Resale liquidity: Outright ownership means you sell on the open market with no landlord or board approval, and buyers have full access to standard mortgage products.

What Exactly Do You Own at Del Webb Sunbridge?

Now that the ownership model is clear, here is exactly what the Del Webb Sunbridge ownership structure looks like on the ground.

Your Lot

Del Webb lot ownership at Sunbridge breaks down into three home series, each on a different lot width:

Home Series	Lot Width	Type	Price Range
Scenic Series	40 ft	Attached villas	From the high $300s
Distinctive Series	50 ft	Single-family detached	From the mid $400s
Echelon Series	65 ft	Single-family detached (larger)	From the low $600s

Each lot is an individually platted parcel with defined boundaries recorded with Osceola County. When you close, the warranty deed references your specific lot and block number on the plat map. View premiums for water or conservation views vary by release and are quoted at the builder’s design center.

If you are evaluating lot options, see our guide on what to look for before buying a Del Webb Sunbridge home.

The Three Layers of Ownership

At Del Webb Sunbridge, ownership is layered. Understanding what you own versus what the HOA and the district own is important for knowing where your fees go.

For a full breakdown of what the Del Webb Sunbridge HOA covers and how much each layer costs, see our Del Webb Sunbridge HOA fees guide and the total cost of living at Del Webb Sunbridge.

The Sunbridge Stewardship District (Not a CDD)

This is where most sources get it wrong. The Sunbridge Stewardship District is often called a CDD, but it is a different legal structure.

A standard Community Development District (CDD) is created under Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes. The district was created by Chapter 2017-220, Laws of Florida, a special legislative act tailored specifically to Sunbridge. It covers approximately 19,560 acres across Osceola and Orange counties.

In practice, it functions similarly to a CDD: it finances and maintains roads, water, sewer, drainage, and other infrastructure. Two types of assessments appear on your Osceola County property tax bill as non-ad valorem line items:

1. Bond/debt-service assessment: Repaying the infrastructure bonds that funded Sunbridge’s roads, water, and utilities.
2. Operations and maintenance (O&M) assessment: Annual costs for maintaining that infrastructure. This amount can fluctuate year to year.

These assessments are tied to your deeded property. They are infrastructure costs, not rent. In some Florida CDDs, buyers can prepay the bond assessment in a lump sum at closing to eliminate the annual debt-service charge. Check with the district office (407-723-5900) whether Sunbridge offers a bond prepayment option. A 5-member Board of Supervisors governs the district and is transitioning from developer-appointed to resident-elected as the community matures.

For more context on how the district works in practice, our Weslyn Park HOA fees guide also explains the district’s assessment structure.

What Can You Change on Your Property?

You own the land. But you do not have unlimited freedom to do whatever you want with it.

The Del Webb Sunbridge HOA governs exterior modifications through its Architectural Review Committee (ARC). The ARC has exclusive jurisdiction over all changes to residential home exteriors and adjacent open space. Here are the Del Webb deed restrictions you should know about:

• Landscaping: Any change to landscaping or plant replacement requires ARC approval. All landscaping work must go through the HOA’s contracted vendor. You cannot hire your own landscaper. This is one of the strictest provisions.
• Fencing: Fence panels are not allowed. Only concrete block or wood-framed walls with proper foundation, maximum 48 inches in height, finished in Hardie Board that matches your home’s exterior color.
• Exterior paint: Governed by an approved color palette in the Architectural Criteria document.
• Solar panels: Allowed with ARC approval. Del Webb Sunbridge homes are pre-wired for solar, and some floor plans offer Tesla panels and Powerwall as builder options.
• Age and occupancy: At least one resident per household must be 55 or older. Children under 19 may not stay more than 90 consecutive days within a 12-month period.

These are Del Webb HOA rules and regulations that apply equally to every homeowner. They are deed covenants recorded against your title. They protect property values across the community, which is one of the reasons Del Webb resale values hold up well.

For the full fee breakdown, including ARC and landscaping costs, see our Del Webb Sunbridge HOA fees guide.

Can You Sell a Del Webb Home Freely?

Yes. You can sell a Del Webb home on the open market at any time, to any qualified buyer. There is no landlord approval and no park manager sign-off. The governing documents do not appear to include a standard right of first refusal, though you should confirm this with the HOA or your real estate attorney before listing. This is one of the clearest advantages of outright ownership over co-op or land-lease models.

Closing Costs Specific to Del Webb

Two HOA-related fees apply at closing when you sell:

• Resale contribution assessment: A Del Webb transfer fee at closing paid to the HOA’s operating reserves. This is a one-time fee, not a recurring cost. Certain transfers are typically exempt, including transfers to a spouse, into a personal trust, or via life estate. Confirm exemptions with the HOA management office before closing.
• Estoppel certificate fee: A standard Florida closing cost. The HOA issues a certified statement of the seller’s account status (dues owed, violations, pending assessments) so the buyer does not inherit the seller’s debt.
• Rental restrictions: If you plan to rent your home rather than sell, check the governing documents for any minimum lease term, annual rental caps, or tenant screening requirements. Del Webb 55+ communities often restrict short-term rentals.

Because Del Webb homes are deeded, buyers have full access to conventional, FHA, and VA mortgage products. Land-lease and co-op properties face significantly more limited financing options, which shrinks the buyer pool and can suppress resale prices.

Property Taxes and Homestead Benefits

Del Webb Sunbridge sits in Osceola County (total millage approximately 15.23 mills). Your property tax bill includes county ad valorem taxes, school taxes, and the district’s non-ad valorem assessments.

Because you own the land outright, you qualify for Florida’s homestead exemption at Del Webb Sunbridge:

• Homestead exemption: Up to $50,000 off your assessed value. You must establish Florida residency by January 1 and file with the county by March 1.
• Save Our Homes cap: Once homesteaded, annual increases in your assessed value are capped at the lesser of 3% or the change in CPI. This protects you from spikes in assessed value. Note: Save Our Homes applies only to homesteaded properties. If you buy at Del Webb Sunbridge as a second home or investment property, you do not receive this cap.
• Portability: If you are moving from another Florida property, you can transfer up to $500,000 of accumulated Save Our Homes tax savings to your new homestead within a 3-year window. This is a significant benefit for in-state movers.

The homestead exemption only applies to property you own. This is another practical reason why the ownership model matters. In a land-lease community, your homestead exemption applies only to the home, not the land, because you do not own the land.

Frequently Asked Questions