Taylor Morrison's flagship 55+ golf community in Lakewood Ranch. 18-hole golf included, resort amenities, and the premium address in the LWR active adult market. Here's what the $1,100–$1,400/month HOA actually covers and what buyers need to know before making an offer.
Esplanade at Lakewood Ranch is Taylor Morrison's premier 55+ resort community within the Lakewood Ranch master-planned development in Manatee County. At approximately 1,250 homes across single-family homes and attached villas, it is the largest and most amenity-rich of the three major 55+ communities in the LWR cluster. The community is fully built out — all available homes are resale.
The 18-hole Esplanade Golf Course is the community's defining amenity and the primary reason buyers pay the premium HOA. The course is included in membership — residents play with no additional greens fee, though cart fees apply. This is a meaningful distinction from nearby communities where residents drive to external courses. For daily or near-daily golfers, the included course is the core value proposition of buying at Esplanade versus Del Webb or Cresswind.
The Amenity Campus is the social heart of the community. It features a full-service spa (Bella Spa), culinary center with cooking demonstrations, resort-style pool, resistance pool, pickleball courts, tennis courts, bocce, dog parks, fitness center, movement studio, and a calendar of daily programming managed by a full-time lifestyle team. The scale of this amenity campus is what justifies the premium HOA — it's genuinely more comprehensive than what you get at any other 55+ community in the Sarasota metro.
Esplanade's HOA is the highest of any major 55+ community in the Sarasota market and it consistently surprises buyers who see the number before understanding what's inside it. Here's the breakdown:
| Golf Membership | Included — unlimited resident golf, no greens fee (cart fees ~$25/round) |
| Amenity Campus Access | Included — spa, fitness, pools, courts, culinary center, all programming |
| Grounds & Landscaping | Included — exterior maintenance and lawn care for your lot |
| Common Area Maintenance | Included |
| Cable & Internet | Included — basic cable and high-speed internet bundled |
| Irrigation Water | Included — irrigation for your lot |
| Gated Entry | Included — staffed gate |
| What HOA Does NOT Cover | Homeowners insurance, property tax, electric, home interior maintenance |
When you strip out bundled items, the effective premium over a non-golf community is narrower than the sticker price suggests. Golf membership alone at a private club in the Sarasota market runs $10,000–$25,000/year in initiation fees plus $500–$800/month in dues. Esplanade's golf is included in the HOA. Cable and internet bundle adds ~$150/month of value. Lawn care adds ~$150/month. The true premium over Del Webb's $350–$450/month HOA for a buyer who golfs regularly is approximately $400–$600/month — not $700–$1,000. Still significant, but the right frame for the comparison.
Esplanade at Lakewood Ranch sits within a Community Development District. CDD fees are assessed annually and appear in your property tax bill — not your HOA statement. Esplanade's CDD fees run approximately $1,500–$3,500/year depending on the phase and lot type. On a monthly basis, that's an additional $125–$290/month that must be added to your HOA when comparing total carrying costs to non-CDD communities.
| Cost Item | Monthly Estimate |
|---|---|
| HOA Fee (mid-range) | ~$1,250 |
| CDD Fee (annualized) | ~$208 |
| Property Tax (Manatee Co. ~0.90%) | ~$450 |
| Homeowners Insurance (CBS construction) | ~$400 |
| Golf Cart Fees (3x/week) | ~$300 |
| Electric | ~$175 |
| Total Non-Mortgage Monthly | ~$2,783/month |
Non-golfers subtract ~$300/month. Insurance varies significantly by flood zone and coverage level. Verify all fees directly before purchase.
The HOA has increased significantly in recent years and increases are likely to continue. Esplanade's HOA has risen as operational costs — particularly insurance for the amenity campus and golf course maintenance — have increased. Buyers purchasing at the current HOA rate should budget for continued annual increases of 3–7%. A 5% annual increase on a $1,250/month HOA compounds to roughly $1,600/month within 5 years and $2,050/month within 10 years. Model this trajectory, not today's static fee.
The golf course is the community's greatest asset and its most significant operational cost. Maintaining an 18-hole course in Florida's climate is expensive — irrigation, turf management, and equipment costs run $800,000–$1,500,000/year for a community course. This cost is spread across ~1,250 homes in the HOA. When golf course maintenance costs increase, the HOA increases. Non-golfers at Esplanade are subsidizing a course they don't use — this is worth explicitly factoring into your decision if you don't golf regularly.
Resale at Esplanade is active but the market has softened from its 2021-2022 peak. Lakewood Ranch saw significant price appreciation through 2022 and has moderated since. Buyers entering at current prices should understand they are buying into a market that has already experienced its sharpest appreciation cycle. Esplanade resale is healthy but homes are taking longer to sell than at the peak. Sellers are more negotiable than they were two years ago.
Florida insurance is the variable that most dramatically affects your actual carrying cost. Esplanade's CBS construction and impact windows qualify for meaningful insurance discounts compared to older frame homes. A new CBS home at Esplanade insures for approximately $4,500–$6,500/year for comprehensive coverage. This is manageable but must be in your budget. Request actual insurance quotes for any specific property — not estimates — before making a purchase decision.
| Sarasota Memorial Hospital | ~20 minutes southwest — Sarasota's primary medical center |
| Lakewood Ranch Medical Center | ~10 minutes — on-campus urgent care and hospital |
| Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) | ~25 minutes — direct flights to major hubs |
| Siesta Key Beach | ~30 minutes — consistently ranked best beach in the US |
| UTC Shopping & Dining District | ~15 minutes |
| Downtown Sarasota | ~25 minutes — arts, theater, restaurants |
| Venice Beach | ~40 minutes south |
| Tampa International Airport (TPA) | ~60 minutes north — more flight options |
Connect with a specialist who knows the Esplanade resale market and can run the complete cost model for your situation.