Nocatee CDD Fees: What Buyers Should Know

Shopping for a home in Nocatee and seeing “CDD” pop up on the tax bill? You are not alone. Community Development District fees are common in Florida master-planned communities like Nocatee and they directly affect your carrying costs. You want a clear, quick way to understand what they cover and how to verify the exact amount for any home you are considering.

This guide breaks down how CDDs work in Florida, how assessments are structured in Nocatee, where to find the precise numbers for a specific property, and what to ask before you write an offer. Let’s dive in.

What is a CDD in Florida?

A Community Development District is a local, special-purpose government created under Florida Statute Chapter 190. A CDD plans, finances, builds, and maintains community infrastructure within a defined area. It can issue bonds to fund upfront projects and then levy assessments on properties to repay those bonds and to cover ongoing operations.

Typical CDD-funded items include roads, drainage and stormwater systems, water and sewer improvements, lighting, sidewalks, landscaping, lakes, and community amenities such as pools, parks, trails, and recreation centers. The exact responsibilities vary by district.

How Nocatee uses CDD financing

Nocatee is a large master-planned community in St. Johns County with a Town Center and multiple residential villages. CDD financing helped build the backbone infrastructure and the major shared amenities that make Nocatee attractive, like parks, pools, and greenways. Each village and lot type can have different assessment amounts based on when bonds were issued, how costs were allocated, and which amenities or improvements fall under the district’s operations.

How CDD assessments are structured and billed

CDD assessments generally include two parts:

Debt service

This is the annual amount that repays principal and interest on the bonds used to build the initial infrastructure. Debt service typically continues until the bonds are retired.

Operations and maintenance

This is the yearly budget for ongoing services such as common-area upkeep, landscaping, amenity operations, lake and stormwater management, insurance, and professional administration. The CDD board adopts this budget each year.

Where you see the charge

CDD assessments in St. Johns County are billed as non-ad valorem assessments on your county property tax bill. They appear on a separate line from ad valorem property taxes and are collected by the county tax collector. Because the assessment is a lien on the property, nonpayment can lead to collection actions similar to unpaid taxes.

What you’ll see at closing

Your title company will show the current year’s tax bill and how assessments are paid or prorated. If there is a special assessment or prepayment due at sale, it will appear on your settlement statement. After closing, you will receive your annual tax bill from the county with the CDD assessment itemized by district name.

CDD fees vs HOA dues

Many Nocatee properties have both CDD assessments and HOA dues. They serve different purposes:

• CDD: A governmental entity that funds public-style infrastructure, long-term bond debt, and certain shared operations. The assessment is mandatory and collected on the tax bill.
• HOA: A private association that manages deed restrictions, HOA-owned property, and related services. Dues are set under the community’s covenants and collected by the HOA.

Both costs matter for your budget, and both can apply to the same home.

What do Nocatee buyers typically pay?

There is meaningful variation across Nocatee villages and lot types. Annual combined CDD assessments for single-family homes in large Florida master-planned communities often fall in the low to mid thousands per year, but actual amounts in Nocatee vary widely by village, bond series, and parcel class. Some property types may be lower, while certain lots with larger debt shares may be higher.

Use these figures as context only. Always verify the current, per-parcel amount on the county tax bill and the district’s adopted assessment schedule.

Example only, for illustration

If a bond series requires $10,000,000 in annual debt service and is allocated across 4,000 residential equivalent units, the debt portion would be $2,500 per unit per year. If the O and M portion is $500 per year, the combined assessment would be $3,000 per year. Actual Nocatee amounts will differ. Confirm per-parcel numbers before making decisions.

How to find the exact CDD amount for any Nocatee property

Use these steps to get the precise annual figure for a specific home:

1. Identify the parcel. Use the St. Johns County Property Appraiser parcel search to confirm the parcel ID and legal description.
2. Pull the current tax bill. Look up the property on the St. Johns County Tax Collector tax bill lookup and review the non-ad valorem section. You will see CDD assessment line(s) by district name and amount.
3. Review district budgets and assessment schedules. Ask the CDD office or district manager for the latest adopted budget and assessment roll for your parcel class. These documents show how O and M and debt service are allocated.
4. Confirm with your title company. Ask whether any special assessments or prepayments apply at closing and how the current year’s assessments will be prorated.
5. Verify with the listing agent or developer sales office. Request the current annual CDD amount for the specific lot or model and ask whether any changes are scheduled.

Tip: Keep copies of the tax bill, the CDD’s adopted budget and assessment roll, and HOA documents so you have a complete picture of all carrying costs.

Key questions to ask before you write an offer

• What is the current annual CDD assessment for this parcel, broken out by debt service and O and M?
• Through which district(s) is it billed, and where does it appear on the county tax bill?
• Has the amount changed recently? Are any supplemental assessments or new bonds planned?
• What are the current HOA dues, and what do they cover compared with the CDD?

What to confirm during contract and before closing

• A copy of the most recent tax bill showing the exact non-ad valorem lines.
• The CDD’s adopted budget and assessment roll for the closing year.
• For new construction, whether any capital contribution or capitalized assessment is due at closing.
• Whether your lender will escrow the CDD assessment with taxes and insurance.

Mortgage, taxes, and budgeting

Lenders commonly treat recurring CDD assessments as part of your housing expenses. Expect them to convert the annual amount to a monthly figure for qualification. Ask your lender whether they will escrow the CDD along with taxes.

On taxes, deductibility can be complex and depends on the nature of the assessment. Consult your tax advisor for guidance on what may be deductible in your situation.

When comparing homes, include the CDD and HOA alongside principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. This will help you compare apples to apples across villages and lot types.

Red flags to watch

• Recently increased O and M budgets or signs of supplemental assessments in district documents.
• Multiple CDDs applying to one parcel. Confirm every district assessment line on the tax bill.
• Mismatches between a reported assessment and the county bill. Use the official tax bill as your source of truth.

Quick buyer checklist

• Verify parcel ID and pull the current county tax bill.
• Confirm the CDD district name(s) and exact non-ad valorem amounts.
• Get the CDD’s adopted budget and assessment roll for your parcel class.
• Review current HOA dues and coverage.
• Ask your lender how they treat CDD in qualification and escrow.
• Confirm any assessments due or prorations with the title company before closing.

The bottom line for Nocatee buyers

CDD fees are a standard part of life in many Florida master-planned communities, including Nocatee. They fund the infrastructure and shared amenities that support the lifestyle many buyers seek. Because amounts vary by village, lot type, and bond series, always rely on the county tax bill and the district’s adopted schedules to confirm the exact number for the home you want.

If you want a confident, no-surprises process, we can help you verify all CDD and HOA costs early, coordinate with your lender and title company, and make a smart, apples-to-apples comparison across Nocatee villages. Connect with The Morrow Group for local guidance tailored to your goals.

FAQs

What is a CDD in Florida and how is it created?

• A CDD is a special-purpose local government formed under Florida Statute Chapter 190 to finance and manage infrastructure and amenities for a defined area.

How do Nocatee CDD fees show on my St. Johns County tax bill?

• They appear as non-ad valorem assessments in a separate section of the bill, typically listing the CDD by name and the annual amount due.

Can I prepay or remove the CDD fee on a Nocatee home?

• Some districts allow prepayment of the debt-service portion, which can reduce future bills, but O and M usually continues. Contact the district or title company to confirm options for your parcel.

Do CDD fees affect my mortgage qualification in Nocatee?

• Yes. Lenders often include the annual CDD amount as a monthly obligation in debt-to-income calculations and may escrow it with taxes.

Will my CDD fee go away when bonds are paid off?

• The debt-service portion may decrease or end when bonds retire, but the O and M portion typically continues to fund ongoing maintenance and operations.