Verdana Village is a 2,138-acre master-planned community in Estero, built jointly by Lennar and Pulte Homes, with homes priced from the mid-$350s to the upper $600s. The development includes 2,400 planned residences across more than 1,200 acres of preserved natural land with 31 lakes — and Florida's only indoor pickleball and tennis complex open to residents. HOA fees range from $342–$393/month by home series, with annual CDD fees of roughly $1,872–$2,218. As of May 2026, the median sold price was $585,000, with just 2.7 months of supply.
Verdana Village has been on buyers' radars since it opened, and the questions we hear about it have only gotten more specific over the past year. It's one of the largest active master-planned communities in Southwest Florida, with two nationally known builders offering side-by-side product lines, an amenity package that genuinely stands out in this market, and pricing that covers a wide range — from attached villas around $355,000 to larger single-family homes around $650,000.
The community: location, scale, and what sets it apart
Verdana Village sits on Corkscrew Road east of I-75 in Estero — about 25 minutes from Bonita Beach and 30 minutes from Southwest Florida International Airport. The property spans 2,138 acres, with more than half (over 1,200 acres) preserved as natural land, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. That ratio shows in the community's feel: a lot of open space, 31 lakes, and a sense of room that's harder to find in denser developments closer to US-41.
The community is still actively building, with Lennar and Pulte working through phases simultaneously. When complete, Verdana Village will have approximately 2,400 homes across both builders' product lines.
Two details worth noting for buyers weighing this community against others: no flooding during Hurricane Ian. In September 2022, Verdana Village was not flooded — the community sits on natural high ground east of I-75, and its design incorporated significant water management infrastructure from the beginning. For buyers relocating from the north who are weighing storm risk, this matters (you'll still want to confirm your specific home's flood zone designation and required insurance with your lender and agent, since individual lot designations can vary). And natural gas utilities: Verdana Village runs on gas, which isn't universal in Southwest Florida communities — relevant from day one if you want a generator-ready home or prefer gas cooking.
Day-to-day convenience is handled by The Shoppes at Verdana Village, just outside the community gates — a retail center with a Publix, Publix Liquors, Dunkin', nail salon, dental office, UPS Store, and a pizza restaurant. Most errands don't require getting on I-75.
Two builders, one community: Lennar vs. Pulte
One of the things that makes Verdana Village unusual is that you're not just choosing a home — you're choosing a builder philosophy. Lennar and Pulte sit on opposite ends of the same community, and their approaches to new construction are genuinely different.
Lennar: Everything's Included
Lennar's model here is what they call "Everything's Included" — the upgrades you see in the model home are standard in every home, not optional add-ons priced separately. This makes pricing more transparent and eliminates the upgrade-room experience that some buyers find frustrating. Lennar offers three home series at Verdana Village: the Villa Series — attached two-story villas from $355,999, with two floor plans: the Magnolia (3 bed/2 bath, 1,417 sq. ft.) and the Orchid (2 bed/2 bath, 1,564 sq. ft.); the Executive Series — single-family homes from $494,999 to $601,999, with floor plans ranging from the Venice (3/3, 1,849 sq. ft.) up to the Monte Carlo (5/3, 3,231 sq. ft.); and the Manor Series — larger single-family homes from $545,499 to $648,999, with the Sorrento (5/4, 3,283 sq. ft.) at the top of the range.
Pulte: customization and flexibility
Pulte's approach is more design-driven. Buyers go through a design studio process to select finishes, layouts, and options — more decisions, but also more personalization. Pulte also has Quick Move-In (QMI) inventory homes already under construction or complete, which suits buyers on tighter timelines. Series include the Scenic Series from $412,990 (starting at 1,405+ sq. ft., 2/2 layouts), the Executive Series from $477,990 (1,670+ sq. ft.), and the Echelon Series from $601,990 (2,269+ sq. ft., 3/3 layouts). Current Pulte QMI homes are priced from $493,990 to $580,990, with incentives ranging from $50,000 to over $111,000 on select homes.
Neither builder is inherently better — it depends entirely on what you value. If you want clear-cut pricing with fewer decisions and everything already included, Lennar makes sense. If you want more design input and can work within Pulte's process, Pulte gives you more flexibility. We've walked buyers through both sides of this choice many times, and can walk you through current inventory, lot availability, and what each builder is offering right now.
Most new construction communities in Lee County offer a similar core amenity package: resort pool, fitness center, a few pickleball courts, maybe a restaurant or café. That's table stakes in this market. Verdana Village has all of that — and then the Indoor Sports Complex, which is the only facility of its kind for a residential community in Florida.
The amenity package — and why the indoor complex changes things
The Indoor Sports Complex includes four pickleball courts, two tennis courts, one basketball court, a full fitness center and movement studio, a pro shop, and an on-site café. All of it is climate-controlled, which in Southwest Florida means year-round usability through the heat and rain of June, July, August, and September. That's on top of the outdoor amenities: 12 outdoor pickleball courts, 6 outdoor tennis courts, 2 bocce courts, and a dedicated practice court with ball machines.
The social infrastructure is substantial too. The main clubhouse includes The Drift restaurant, The Craft Lounge bar, and the Paradise Patio outdoor bar. There's a resort pool with zero-depth beach entry and a 50-person hot tub, plus a dog park, playground, soccer field, and yoga lawn. Satellite clubhouses serve each building phase separately. For buyers who are serious pickleball players — and the number relocating to Southwest Florida specifically for this is not small — the indoor courts are a meaningful differentiator worth comparing directly against The Place at Corkscrew or other nearby communities when you're evaluating lifestyle fit.
What you'll actually pay beyond the purchase price
This is where a lot of buyers get surprised, and it's worth walking through the numbers before you fall in love with a floor plan.
| Home Series | HOA (Monthly) | CDD (Annual) | F&B Minimum (Annual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villa | $342 | $1,872 | $480 |
| Executive | $387 | $1,872 | $480 |
| Manor | $393 | $2,218 | $480 |
A few things to understand about these numbers: CDD fees are assessed annually on your Lee County property tax bill — they don't show up in the HOA payment. They cover infrastructure bonds for roads, utilities, and community development within the district, and they're permanent; they don't disappear after a set number of years the way some buyers assume. The food and beverage minimum of $480/year is a credit applied toward dining at The Drift and the community bars — you're not losing the money, but you're expected to spend it there, so budget for it as a lifestyle expense regardless. One-time closing costs specific to the Verdana Village community (transfer fees, estoppel, and similar) total approximately $7,625 at closing, separate from standard Florida doc stamps and title costs.
A quick example of total monthly carrying costs on an Executive home at $500,000: add your mortgage payment (PITI) to $387 HOA, plus approximately $156/month for CDD, plus the F&B equivalent of about $40/month. That's roughly $583/month in community-specific fees before property taxes and insurance hit your tax bill separately. Run these numbers through your budget before your first sales center visit — they change what you can realistically afford at any given purchase price.
Current builder incentives (as of August 2026): Lennar is offering up to 6 months of HOA fees covered (up to a $3,000 credit) on select homes, with a purchase deadline of September 30, 2026 and a close deadline of December 31, 2026. Pulte's Quick Move-In inventory carries incentives from $50,000 to over $111,000 on select homes. Incentives change frequently — confirm what's currently available with your agent before making any decisions based on specific numbers.
Before you visit the sales center
The most important step before you visit: get an independent buyer's agent registered on your behalf. It costs you nothing and makes a real difference in how you navigate the sales center, the contract, and closing — the builder's on-site team represents the builder, not you.
You can explore current inventory and pricing at communities.theborggroup.com/verdana-village, or call us directly at 239-350-4474 to schedule tours or talk through whether this community fits what you're looking for. We're happy to walk you through both builders before you set foot in the sales center.