Starkey Ranch is a Tampa area master-planned community in Odessa, FL.
This new residential development has homes for purchase with prices from the $200k’s to over $900,000 and offers lots of amenities like a community pool, clubhouse and walking trails.
In 2020, Starkey Ranch sold 535 new homes, landing them at #35 on the list of best selling master-planned communities in the country.
This video provides a pretty good overview:
As you can maybe tell from that video, Starkey Ranch is a multi-generational community, but, there is a neighborhood geared towards retirees and active adults.
More on that down below.
Where is Starkey Ranch?
Starkey Ranch is located in Pasco County, which offers easy access to some of the world’s best beaches, year-round activities for fun and relaxation, and of course a warm, sunny climate.
Starkey Ranch is just 25 minutes from Tampa International Airport and an easy drive to downtown Tampa.
Starkey Ranch spans approximately 2,400 acres, half of which are devoted to lakes, ponds, wetlands and parks.
What Makes Starkey Ranch Unique?
Starkey Ranch places a big emphasis on blending in and preserving the local environment.
The 18,000-acre Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Preserve borders Starkey Ranch to the north and east, making the community feel more like a bird sanctuary than a residential development.
Reclaimed water is used for irrigation in parks, common areas and in individual yards and Starkey Ranch uses leading-edge stormwater management techniques to protect the quality of their ground water.
Starkey Ranch Amenities
Today there are more than 12 miles of wide paved trails, part of the planned 20-mile trail system within the community. Soon these trails will connect with the nature trails in the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Preserve as well as its 6.7-mile paved trail that connects to the 42-mile Suncoast Trail.
Starkey Ranch is home to several parks, including four dog parks.
The Starkey Ranch Town Square includes Publix, shops, restaurants and apartments. The Starkey Ranch Business Park has sites for Class A and medical offices, hotels and support retail.
Homes at Starkey Ranch
Like most master-planned communities here in Florida, Starkey Ranch is comprised of several different neighborhoods, and there are a few different builders building homes here, including Taylor Morrison, M/I Homes, and Homes by West Bay.
As mentioned above, homes start in the $200k’s and stretch into the $800-$900k range.
Most appealing to retiring baby boomers will probably be Esplanade at Starkey Ranch being developed by Taylor Morrison.
“Esplanade” is Taylor Morrison’s brand of active adult communities, and they’re developing them in many parts of the state.
Starkey Ranch Fees and Dues
Most communities here in Florida are pretty tight-lipped when it comes to divulging all of the fees and dues you’ll be required to pay, they want you to call and talk to a salesperson before they provide that information.
But that’s not the case at Starkey Ranch, where you’ll find HOA dues, master association fees, and CDD fees spelled out right on their website.
Everyone living in Starkey Ranch pays a $75 fee to the Master Association each year. This covers architectural control and deed restriction enforcement.
Next up, some neighborhoods within Starkey Ranch have monthly or quarterly association dues that range from $167/month to more than $1,000/quarter.
The scope of services those fees get you varies, but in the instance of Esplanade at Starkey Ranch where the fee is currently $1,050.50 per quarter, you get all of your lawn/landscape maintenance and common area maintenance covered.
Plus, Esplanade has private amenities solely for their residents and the use/upkeep of those are included in this fee.
Last but not least, Starkey Ranch is part of the TSR Community Development District (CDD), a special purpose form of local government created to serve the long-term specific needs of the community.
The CDD’s main powers are planning, financing (by issuing tax-exempt bonds), constructing, operating and maintaining various public improvements and community facilities within Starkey Ranch.
The CDD makes it possible for Starkey Ranch to offer the most desirable elements of a master-planned community. Residents enjoy high-quality facilities and services with the assurance that the standards of the community will be maintained even after the developer has finished the community.
The CDD fees you will pay range from about $2,300 to $3,400 per year, depending where in the community you end up.
Just so you know, these CDD fees are added to your tax bill.
Is Starkey Ranch Right for You?
It’s not hard to see why Starkey Ranch is growing in popularity.
But because of some of the fees, and the fact that it is not a 55+ community, it won’t be for all readers.
However, if those things don’t scare you away and you’d like more information, you can visit their website here.
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