Is new construction more expensive than resale in Palm Beach County?

On sticker price, sometimes yes. But once you factor in the insurance code discount, up to 50% lower windstorm premiums on homes built to current Florida Building Code, the monthly carrying cost gap shrinks fast or disappears. Compare total monthly cost, not just the purchase price.

Do all new construction communities in Palm Beach County have CDD fees?

No. Avenir in Palm Beach Gardens uses CDD bonds to fund its recreation center and infrastructure, so you'll see that line item on your tax bill. Westlake is the opposite case, it was built without CDD debt and runs on a smaller HOA assessment instead. Always ask which structure a community uses before you fall in love with a model home.

Is Palm Beach County a buyer's or seller's market right now?

It depends on the property type. Single-family and townhomes are balanced but leaning seller (4.2 and 4.5 months of supply). Condos are a clear buyer's market at 7.8 months of supply and $279,000 median. If you're set on a single-family new build, you're not walking into a discount market, you're walking into a tight one.

Is New Construction Worth It in Palm Beach County in 2026?

The Short Answer

If you’re asking whether new construction makes sense in Palm Beach County right now, here’s what you really need to know: the math has shifted in favor of new builds over the last few years, and it’s not because of hype. It’s because of insurance.

Homes built under current Florida Building Code, poured-concrete tie beams, impact glass throughout, wind-engineered roofs, are seeing windstorm and homeowners insurance premiums come in up to 50% lower than comparable resale homes built before 2002. That’s not a marketing line, that’s underwriting math. When you’re comparing a new build to a 20-year-old resale down the street, you’re not just comparing square footage and finishes, you’re comparing two very different monthly carrying costs.

So the short answer is yes, for a lot of buyers, new construction is worth it in 2026. But that answer comes with conditions, and I’m going to walk through them honestly instead of just telling you what you want to hear.

What the Current Market Actually Looks Like

Palm Beach County is sitting in a balanced market overall, leaning slightly toward sellers depending on property type. Here’s the breakdown right now:

Single-family homes: $685,000 median, 4.2 months of supply (balanced, seller-leaning)
Townhomes: $407,000 median, 4.5 months of supply (balanced, seller-leaning)
Condos: $279,000 median, 7.8 months of supply (buyer’s market)

What that tells you: if you’re shopping single-family new construction, you’re not walking into a discount environment. Supply is tight enough that builders don’t need to give away incentives the way they did a year or two ago. Condos are a different story entirely, buyers have real leverage there. So the “is it worth it” answer actually depends on what you’re buying, not just where.

The CDD and HOA Math (This Is Where People Get Surprised)

Here’s the reality most agents won’t walk you through: not every new construction community in Palm Beach County carries the same long-term cost structure, and the difference is bigger than people expect.

Take Avenir in Palm Beach Gardens. It’s built on CDD bonds, Community Development District debt that funds the horizontal infrastructure and the amenity center. That CDD assessment shows up as a non-ad valorem line on your property tax bill every year, on top of your HOA dues. It’s not hidden, but a lot of buyers don’t clock it until they’re staring at their first tax bill.

Compare that to Westlake, which was built without any CDD debt at all. Instead, it runs on a smaller horizontal HOA assessment. Same county, same general price range, structurally different long-term cost profile.

Neither structure is wrong. But you need to ask which one you’re buying into before you fall for a model home, because that CDD or HOA line item is with you for the life of the bond or the community, not just year one.

Where New Construction Makes the Most Sense

New construction tends to be the stronger play when:

You’re comparing against an older resale with legacy insurance costs. The code discount does real work here, especially on homes built before 2002.
You want price certainty over a longer build timeline. You lock a price, resale doesn’t offer that.
You’re not in a rush and can absorb a build schedule. Horizontal infrastructure in newer master-planned communities takes time.
You’re comparing single-family, where supply is tight (4.2 months) and resale competition is real.

Where It Doesn’t Make As Much Sense

I’m not going to sell you new construction with no downsides, because that’s not true and you’d figure it out eventually anyway.

Condos are a buyer’s market right now (7.8 months of supply). You may have more leverage and better pricing in resale condo inventory than in new builds.
Distance from the coast. A lot of the new inventory pipeline sits west, along the developing corridor, not near the beach. If proximity to the water is the priority, that’s a real tradeoff.
CDD and HOA increases compound over time. These aren’t fixed forever. Boards and districts can raise assessments as maintenance and capital needs grow.
You’re paying for infrastructure that isn’t finished yet. In newer phases, amenities and roads may still be under construction when you close.

Bottom Line

New construction in Palm Beach County in 2026 is worth it for a specific kind of buyer: someone who values the insurance savings, wants price certainty, and is willing to do the homework on CDD versus HOA structure before they sign. It’s not worth it if you’re chasing the cheapest possible entry point or you need to be near the coast right now, condo resale inventory is deeper and gives you more leverage there.

The real work isn’t picking new versus resale in the abstract. It’s pulling the actual CDD disclosure, comparing it against a comparable resale’s insurance quote, and doing the math for your specific budget. If you want a hand running those numbers for a community you’re looking at, that’s exactly the kind of conversation worth having before you put down a deposit.

For more on how insurance is reshaping the relocation math statewide, see what relocating to Florida actually costs in 2026.