New Construction vs Resale for an Orlando Vacation Home: Which Is the Better Buy?

A new home comes with a blank calendar – an opportunity or a risk, depending on who fills it

By David Myers, Broker Associate · MyOrlandoVacationHome.com · Last updated October 2026

Orlando vacation home buyers can buy new from a builder in a short-term rental (STR) resort or buy a resale home that may already be furnished and renting. New construction lets you choose the plan, finishes and theming, but you wait for the build, furnish the home yourself and start with no rental history. Resale homes can rent soon after closing and come with records you can check, but age, wear and the seller's numbers need inspecting. Florida warns buyers not to rely on the seller's current property taxes, and a new home's first tax bill may not include the finished house. Use your own agent with a builder, read the builder's contract and deposit terms, and check for a community development district (CDD).

A new vacation home comes with a blank calendar. No reviews, no booking history, no scuffed baseboards... and no proof of what it will earn.

A resale home comes with a past – some of it useful, some of it worn. Neither is the better buy on its own. It depends on how fast you need income, how much you want to choose, and how much you trust a calendar nobody has filled yet.

How Do New Construction and Resale Vacation Homes Compare?

Time to first booking, furniture and rental history are the big differences.

General comparison. Every builder's contract and every resale is different.

See the resorts building now on our new construction page, and resale homes on our vacation homes page.

Why Buy a New Vacation Home?

You choose everything, and nothing is worn yet.

Buying new lets you pick the floor plan, finishes and theming, and you start with new systems, appliances and furniture. The builder's contract sets what warranty you get, so read it closely rather than assuming.

The builder's sales team represents the builder. Having your own agent costs you nothing in most new-home sales, and that agent can compare the builder's terms with resale options in the same resort.

What Are the Risks of Buying New?

Waiting, deposits, no rental history – and tax and CDD surprises.

Pre-construction and to-be-built homes can take many months to finish, so plan for carrying costs before rental income starts. Builders usually take deposits at contract and sometimes during construction; read how they are protected. After closing, the home still needs furniture, linens, photos, a Florida license and tax accounts before its first guest. With no rental history, judge income by similar homes already renting in the resort.

A new resort may also sit inside a community development district. On a builder's first sale, Florida requires a bold contract notice that the district may levy taxes or assessments on top of county taxes – see our guide to HOA and CDD fees.

How Do Property Taxes Change on a New Home?

The first bill can be low – and the next one won't be.

Florida values property as of January 1, and a house that isn't substantially complete on that date isn't valued at all, so a new home's first tax bill may reflect mostly the land. Once the home is finished it's assessed at full value. Vacation homes don't get a homestead exemption, but non-homestead residential property has its own cap of 10% a year on assessment increases for every tax except school taxes – and it resets to full value when the home changes hands.

That's why Florida requires residential sales contracts to carry a property tax disclosure warning buyers not to rely on the seller's current taxes. Budget from the full value, not the last bill. See our taxes guide.

Why Buy a Resale Vacation Home?

You can rent sooner, and the home has a track record.

Resale homes can start renting soon after closing, once your license and tax accounts are in place, and they often come furnished with booking history. The resort is established, the amenities are finished, and local managers already know the homes. You can inspect what you're buying and negotiate on what you find. Our guide to buying a vacation rental that's already renting covers checking the seller's numbers and what transfers at closing.

The trade-off is age. Check the roof, air conditioning, water heater, pool equipment and furniture, and read the association's budget and reserves.

What If Something Is Wrong With a New Home?

Florida has a notice process before any construction-defect lawsuit.

Walk the home before closing and give the builder a written punch list. For defects found later, Florida requires an owner to serve the builder with written notice describing each defect at least 60 days before filing a lawsuit; the builder can inspect within 30 days and must respond in writing within 45. Florida law also bars implied-warranty claims against the builder for offsite improvements such as streets, sidewalks and drainage outside your lot, though contract and other claims remain. Keep every warranty document and report problems in writing.

Pros, Cons and Our Take

Pros

• New homes let you choose the plan, finishes and theming.
• Resale homes can earn sooner and come with records to check.
• New construction starts with new systems, appliances and furniture.

Cons

• New homes start with no rental history and a wait before income.
• A new home's property taxes can jump once it's fully assessed.
• Resale homes bring age, wear and the seller's claims to verify.

Our Take

Buy new if you want to choose everything and can wait for income; buy resale if you want a home that rents soon with a history you can check. Either way, budget property tax at full value, find out about any CDD and read the contract – especially the builder's. A blank calendar fills fastest with a local manager who already knows the resort.

What Owners Should Know

• Register warranty items and keep the builder's contact details with the home's records.
• Check your first full property tax bill against your budget.
• Schedule an inspection before any builder warranty ends.

Contact us to confirm current HOA and Management Company fees before you buy.

Official Sources

• Florida Statute 689.261: property tax disclosure
• Florida Statute 192.042: date of assessment
• Florida Statute 193.1554: nonhomestead residential property
• Florida Statute 190.048: CDD sales contract disclosure
• Florida Statute 558.004: construction defect notice and opportunity to repair
• Florida Statute 553.835: implied warranties

David Myers is a licensed Florida real estate broker, working as a broker associate with Ziro Realty, and is not an attorney or tax professional. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Laws and local rules change; confirm current requirements with the county, the DBPR and a Florida attorney or tax professional.