No-CDD & Paid-Off-Bond Communities in Jacksonville & St. Johns County
Most newer communities in St. Johns, Clay, and Duval counties carry a CDD assessment that adds hundreds to thousands of dollars a year to your tax bill, on top of the HOA. A handful do not, and a few older communities have already paid the bond off. This guide explains what a CDD actually costs, lists the no-CDD and paid-off-bond communities we cover, and shows you how to compare the true cost of ownership before you buy.
What a CDD actually costs you
A CDD, or Community Development District, is a special-purpose unit of local government that a developer uses to finance a community's infrastructure: the roads, the drainage, the utilities, and the amenities. The district issues bonds to pay for that work up front, and homeowners repay the bonds through an annual CDD assessment that lands on the property-tax bill, separate from and on top of the HOA.
The amount varies widely. On a typical Northeast Florida home it might run anywhere from a few hundred dollars a year to well over two thousand, depending on the community, the lot, and how much was financed. Two things make it easy to underestimate. First, it is often quoted as part of the tax bill rather than as a separate line, so buyers miss it. Second, it is on top of the HOA, so a community with a "low HOA" can still carry a high total cost once the CDD is added.
That is why the right way to compare communities is the all-in carrying cost, principal and interest, plus property taxes, plus HOA, plus any CDD, rather than the list price or the HOA alone. A no-CDD home and a CDD home at the same price are simply not the same monthly cost.
No CDD at all. Some communities were built without a CDD, so there is never an assessment. These are relatively rare, especially in St. Johns County. A paid-off bond. In older communities the CDD bond may be fully repaid on a given home, leaving only the smaller operations-and-maintenance portion. That status varies home to home and has to be verified on each specific property.
No-CDD & paid-off-bond communities we cover
Here are the Northeast Florida communities with no CDD, a frequently paid-off bond, or a no-CDD section, each with a full buyer's guide. The colored tag shows the cost structure. Always confirm the exact status for a specific home, since it can vary by section and by property.
The math: what no CDD is actually worth
The savings are easy to ignore because they show up annually rather than at closing, but they compound. Take a CDD assessment of roughly two thousand dollars a year, a common figure on a newer single-family home. Held over a typical ownership period, that is real money you keep in a no-CDD community.
That $166 a month is the same as roughly thirty to thirty-five thousand dollars of additional mortgage at current rates. In other words, a no-CDD home priced a bit higher can still cost less per month than a cheaper CDD home once you add the assessment. This is exactly the comparison the listing agent will not run for you, because the listing agent works for the seller.
The honest way to settle it is to model the full monthly cost of every home you are weighing. Our rent vs. buy calculator lets you plug in the HOA and CDD so you can see the true number, and your own agent can pull the exact CDD status, including any remaining bond, for any specific property.
The catch most buyers miss
No CDD is a genuine advantage, but it is not a magic word, and chasing the label alone leads people astray. A few honest caveats:
- A no-CDD home still pays normal property taxes. Avoiding a CDD does not avoid taxes; it avoids the extra assessment on top of them.
- Some no-CDD communities carry a higher HOA. Cimarrone has no CDD but an HOA around fifteen hundred dollars a year because it funds a manned gate and country-club amenities. Compare the all-in number, not the CDD line alone.
- "Bond paid off" varies home to home. In a community like Eagle Harbor, one home may have the bond fully retired while the home next door still owes it. You have to verify the status on the specific property.
- "Parts no CDD" means parts. In a large master plan like SilverLeaf, some sections have a CDD and some do not, so the address determines the answer.
- Amenities, schools, and location still matter. A no-CDD home in the wrong location or school zone is not a win. The cost structure is one input, not the whole decision.
No CDD and paid-off bonds are real, often-overlooked ways to lower your true cost of ownership in Northeast Florida. The way to capture the advantage is to compare the all-in monthly cost across the homes you are considering and to verify the exact CDD and bond status for each specific property, not to buy on the label alone.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CDD fee?
A CDD, or Community Development District, is a special-purpose local government that finances a community's infrastructure by issuing bonds. Homeowners repay those bonds through an annual CDD assessment on the property-tax bill, separate from and in addition to the HOA. It can range from a few hundred to a couple of thousand dollars a year depending on the community and the home.
Which communities in St. Johns County have no CDD?
No-CDD communities are relatively rare in St. Johns County, but they exist. Examples include Las Calinas and Samara Lakes near St. Augustine, Cimarrone in northwest St. Johns, and parts of the large SilverLeaf master plan. Each still has an HOA, and the amenity depth and dues vary.
Does no CDD mean a home is cheaper?
Not automatically. A no-CDD home avoids the annual CDD assessment, which lowers the carrying cost versus a similar CDD home at the same price, but some no-CDD communities carry a higher HOA, and a no-CDD home still pays normal property taxes. Compare the all-in monthly cost, not the list price alone.
What does a paid-off CDD bond mean?
In an older community, the CDD bond that financed the original infrastructure may be fully repaid on a given home, leaving only the annual operations-and-maintenance portion. A home with the bond paid off carries a lower annual cost than a comparable home still repaying it. Bond status varies home to home, so verify it on each property. Eagle Harbor on Fleming Island is a good example.
Is it better to buy in a no-CDD community?
It depends on the total cost and what you value. A no-CDD or paid-off-bond home can save real money over time, but amenities, schools, location, and the HOA matter too. Compare the all-in carrying cost across the communities you are considering rather than chasing the label, and have your own agent run that comparison for you.
Tell us your budget, schools, and must-haves, and we will pull the exact CDD and bond status on the homes you are weighing, run the all-in carrying cost, and connect you with the right agent. Every inquiry comes straight to us. We represent you, not the seller, and it costs you nothing as a buyer. No obligation, no spam, no high-pressure follow-up.