Places in this guide Monterey at Lakewood Ranch Lakewood Ranch Esplanade Lake Club
Monterey at Lakewood Ranch is Toll Brothers’ gated community of single-family homes east of downtown Sarasota. It’s still young. Homes are going up, new homesites were released this summer, and the first resales just hit the market.
That early stage is when a new community is easiest to misprice, in both directions. I’ll walk you through what the numbers showed this week, where I see the value, and the one step that decides whether the builder pays for your own agent.
One home size, four very different prices
The easiest way to see value at Monterey is to keep the house size the same and compare prices. On September 24, 2026, a home of 2,828 square feet came in four different forms:
| Option | Price | Price per sq ft | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selby design, builder starting price | $804,995 | $285 | Base home before homesite premium, structural options, and design studio selections |
| Quick move-in, 12455 Costa Brisa Path | $1,125,000 | $398 | Pond view, south-facing, designer-selected finishes; move-in February 2027 |
| Resale, built 2026 (another brokerage) | $1,199,000 | $424 | Finished home you can inspect today |
| Quick move-in, 12467 Costa Brisa Path | $1,362,000 | $482 | Pool with screen enclosure, pond view; move-in January 2027 |
That’s a gap of more than $550,000 for the same living space. Most of it is homesite premium, options, finishes, and a pool. Some of it is just timing.
None of those prices is wrong. But the buyers who get good value are the ones who know what they’re paying for above the base price. The ones who don’t often end up paying for upgrades they’d never have picked.
The same home can show two prices
On September 24, 2026, one of the builder’s quick move-in homes had one price on the Toll Brothers website and a lower one in the MLS:
| Home | Toll Brothers website | MLS list price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12459 Costa Brisa Path (Breeze, 3,958 sq ft) | $1,524,000 | $1,444,000 | $80,000 |
A gap like this usually comes from timing, or from an incentive that shows up in one place and not the other. Either way, $80,000 is real money. The only price that counts is the one in your written agreement, so I check every source before you sign.
Why I think Monterey looks undervalued right now
- Base prices are still early-phase prices. Starting prices ran from $738,995 for the Rossi (2,517 sq ft) to $1,243,995 for the Dexter (4,987 sq ft). That works out to roughly $249 to $294 per square foot of base home. Finished homes here, both builder quick move-ins and resales, list at about $348 to $482 per square foot. If you build, your choices decide where you land in that range.
- Homesites come out in phases. Toll Brothers announced a new release of homesites in June 2026. In every release, the best lots, like pond views and south-facing homes, go first.
- Amenities are still coming. The builder’s planned amenities include a resort-style pool, pickleball and tennis courts, walking trails, and a dog park, and several are marked as future. If you buy now, you’re buying before they’re finished.
- Location and schools. The builder lists Sarasota County as the school district. This week’s MLS listings assign Tatum Ridge Elementary, McIntosh Middle, and Booker High. Assignments can change, so confirm with Sarasota County Schools.
- A market where you can negotiate. In May 2026 both Sarasota and Manatee counties had 4.4 months of single-family inventory, close to a balanced market.
This is a look at today’s published prices, not a prediction of future values. My point is simpler: in a community this new, the choices you make in the first few weeks decide whether you get a good purchase or an average one.
For the month’s numbers, including the five Monterey homes in the MLS on September 24 and the 15 sales from January 1 to September 24, 2026, read my Monterey at Lakewood Ranch market update for September 2026.
Costs to ask about before you commit
- HOA dues. One Monterey listing this week showed HOA dues of $372.75 a month. Confirm the current amount for your homesite.
- CDD assessment. Many Lakewood Ranch communities have a Community Development District assessment. It’s billed on your property tax bill, not with the HOA dues. Ask whether your homesite has one and how much it is.
- Homesite premium and options. Get the premium for each lot you like, and a written list of included features, before you go to the design studio.
- Insurance and flood zone. Get a quote on the exact address before you sign.
The first step: call me before your first visit
This is the most important step, and it’s easy to miss. Toll Brothers’ own policy says an agent must complete an electronic registration at the time of their client’s first visit to a community. If you’ve already visited and a Toll Brothers sales rep registered you, it will void the possibility of a real estate agent earning a commission on the sale (Toll Brothers Real Estate Agent Center).
Toll Brothers also says it pays buyer’s agents in every one of its communities. So here’s what that means for you. If you walk into the sales center or register online on your own first, you may lose the chance to have your own agent paid by the builder. Contact me first, and I’ll register you before that first visit. Most builders in Sarasota and Manatee work the same way; my guide to registering your own agent before your first builder visit explains why.
Here’s what I do for you when you start with me:
- I register you before your first visit, so your representation is protected.
- I review homesites and pricing with you: which lots in the current release are worth their premium, and which quick move-in homes are priced well against the base price and the resales.
- I set up alerts that catch every listing. Monterey homes show up in the MLS under two spellings, “Monterey at Lakewood Ranch” and “Monterey/Lakewood Ranch”, so a search on one name misses the other. I cover both, so you see builder homes and resales as soon as they list.
- I help with the contract, design studio, and inspections all the way to closing. You can read how that works in Who Pays for the Realtor in New Construction.
I represent you, the buyer. I’m not affiliated with or employed by Toll Brothers. Their sales team represents the builder.
Call or text me at (813) 394-3313, send me a message, or see current homes on my Monterey at Lakewood Ranch page.
Frequently asked questions
Who builds Monterey at Lakewood Ranch?
Toll Brothers. There are three collections, Ardenna, Shearwater, and Egret, with 13 published home designs (Toll Brothers community page). The sales center is at 2637 Waterfront Circle, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240.
How much do homes cost at Monterey at Lakewood Ranch?
On September 24, 2026, starting prices for the Ardenna and Shearwater designs ran from $738,995 to $1,243,995. The Egret designs showed no price. Quick move-in homes were listed from $1,125,000 to $2,005,000.
Do I need to bring my agent on my first visit to Toll Brothers?
Yes, I’d plan on it. Toll Brothers asks buyers who work with an agent to bring that agent on the first visit, and its agent program requires registration at that visit. Call me before you go and I’ll take care of it.
Are there resales in Monterey already?
Yes. Homes built in 2025 and 2026 were listed for resale this week. If you’d rather not wait on a build, that gives you a finished option.
Sources: Toll Brothers, Monterey at Lakewood Ranch community page and Real Estate Agent Center (accessed September 24, 2026); Toll Brothers blog, new homesite release, June 2026; Stellar MLS via my IDX (listings as of September 24, 2026); REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee, May 2026 market report. Prices, availability, and amenities change, so verify with the builder.
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Tell me the price range and home size you’re watching at Monterey, and I’ll send you new and coming-soon homes the day they appear. Or call or text me at (813) 394-3313.
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Janelle Mertins is a licensed real estate agent with Compass.
