Here in Southwest Florida, master planned communities are plentiful and highly sought-after. While many of these communities are popular with retirees and second home owners, we’re seeing more and more catering to busy young families as well.

What exactly is life like in a master planned community, and is it worth the cost?

What is a Master Planned Community?

An MPC is more than a neighborhood of homes and a community pool. These communities are built to be all-encompassing, offering multiple recreation and activity options that foster a true sense of community. Offerings at MPCs are wide-ranging and developed around the target demographic and price point, and may include amenities such as:

• Pools
• Tennis Courts
• Playgrounds
• Walking Paths/Trails
• Golf Course
• Clubhouse
• Pro Shop
• Fitness Center
• Restaurants
• Spa
• Shopping Boutiques
• Activity Building & Resident Clubs
• Boating/Marina
• Lakes/Fishing
• Equestrian
• Community Garden
• Grocer
• Physicians

While you’re not going to find an MPC with everything on this list, many of the luxury master planned communities in Naples and throughout Southwest Florida do boast many of these amenities.

Having so many amenities within the gates of your very own community encourage residents to stay close to home. They see their neighbors on the golf course, at dinner and at the spa, and it nurtures relationships and the sense of community that many people look for in a “neighborhood” today.

Are MPCs Retirement Communities?

Some master planned communities are designated as active adult communities or 55+ communities. These MPCs have been specifically designed with seniors in mind, with homes using universal design to make aging in place easy, and amenities that active adults will enjoy such as swim, tennis, golf, walking and an activity building with daily clubs, classes and events.

However, master planned communities are not retirement communities in the traditional sense in that they usually do not offer assisted living services for those with health issues. While private in-home healthcare is an option in any community, MPCs do not have onsite facilities to transition residents to skilled nursing care.

The Cost of Master Planned Communities

MPCs always have CDD (Community Development District) fees that are rolled into your mortgage. These annual fees cover the maintenance of the amenities and common spaces that anyone may use. In addition to CDD fees, other memberships may be available that give you access to golf and clubhouse facilities, or even smaller monthly memberships for personal training and spa services.

Especially in golf course communities, you may also have the option of several different tiers of memberships that give you all-inclusive access, limited access during high-season, and even equity memberships that give you a stake in the community.

The various options allow you to pick a membership level that works with your budget and activity level. So while everyone in the community is required to pay the CDD fee, other amenities may be available through optional memberships only, allowing you to pay for what you use and enjoy.

The Link Team Specializes in Master Planned Communities in Southwest Florida

There’s a reason MPCs are highly sought-after here in Southwest Florida. Residents love the convenience, amenities, and tightknit community feel they get living in one! Because fees and memberships vary considerably between communities, it’s important to work with a real estate agent that knows the area and can match your budget and needs to the best master planned community for you.

Whether you’re buying or selling in sunny Southwest Florida, Nina Link knows our master planned communities inside and out. Contact us at (239) 357-5058 and let’s get connected!