Know every line before you’re at the closing table: itemized closing costs for buyers — including the Esplanade-specific line items most buyers don’t see until the settlement statement arrives.
Buyer closing costs at Esplanade by the Islands generally run 2–4% of purchase price, plus the $5,000 Working Fund Contribution on resales. That’s a meaningful range, so this page itemizes the components so you know what you’re looking at.
Florida convention note: in most Collier County transactions the seller customarily pays the Owner’s Title Insurance Policy and the documentary stamps on the deed. Buyer closing costs below assume that convention; everything is negotiable in the purchase contract.
This is the line I make every buyer slow down for, because the seller’s current tax bill is not a preview of yours. Florida calls the mechanism Save Our Homes: it caps how fast a homesteaded owner’s assessed value can rise — 2.7% for 2026 — and that protection ends, by law, when the home sells. In three steps:
As a reference point, county + school millage in Collier runs at roughly 8 mills — about $8 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value. Worked on Esplanade’s 12-month single-family median sold price:
From there, exemptions reduce the taxable value — and if you are arriving from another Florida homestead, you may carry protection with you:
| Lever | 2026 figure | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Homestead exemption, first tier | $25,000 | Off taxable value for a primary Florida residence, all taxing authorities |
| Homestead exemption, second tier | $26,411 | Off taxable value for non-school taxes; indexed to inflation each year |
| Save Our Homes cap | 2.7%/yr | Limits assessed-value growth once your homestead is established |
| Portability | Up to $500,000 | Carries Save Our Homes savings from a prior Florida homestead to this one |
| Early-payment discount | 4% → 1% | Pay the bill in November for 4% off, sliding to 1% by February |
One line none of those levers touch: the Currents CDD assessment. It arrives on the same Collier tax bill as a non-ad-valorem line — roughly $1,055–$3,015 per year by home type across 2025 Collier tax bills — and the homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap do not reduce it. It remains on the bill either way, so budget for it alongside the ad-valorem reset. The CDD page shows how to find the exact line for any parcel.
Millage also varies by taxing district, so confirm the projected taxes for the specific address before you write an offer — the Collier County Property Appraiser’s site has a tax estimator that takes two minutes, and I run this check as part of any offer I help prepare.
General education, not tax advice — caps, exemptions, and millage are set by the county and the legislature and change year to year. Confirm the projected bill for the specific address with the Property Appraiser’s estimator.
Cash buyers skip most of the lender-related line items, which can drop the total by 0.5–1% of purchase price. The Working Fund, HOA, title, and recording costs apply regardless. Cash buyers also often close faster — 14–21 days vs. 30–45 with financing.
On new construction directly from Taylor Morrison, the Working Fund Contribution doesn’t apply (it’s only collected on subsequent conveyances). On the other hand, builder transactions may have their own fee schedule — pre-paid HOA, application fees, builder administrative fees — that come through the builder’s contract.
If you’re comparing a new build to a resale, this difference matters for the total-cost comparison.
For a specific Esplanade home, I can prepare a closing-cost estimate worked up against your purchase price, financing scenario, and timeline. The numbers above are typical ranges — your exact figures depend on the title company you use, your lender, your insurance carrier, and the specific property. For a county-wide view of what buyers typically pay at closing in Naples, see my Naples buyer closing-costs guide.
Realty ONE Group MVP · The Nicholas Nolan Team
Nicholas Nolan LLC · Florida Real Estate License SL3504588 · 
Living in Naples, listing in Naples, helping people move to Naples. Resident-level local knowledge plus the buyer-side network you need to actually pull off an out-of-state relocation.
Brokerage. Nicholas Nolan (Florida Real Estate License SL3504588) is a licensed real estate sales associate of Realty ONE Group MVP, 1495 Pine Ridge Rd, Naples, FL 34109. The Nicholas Nolan Team is a team operating under the supervision of Realty ONE Group MVP. All real estate services are performed by Realty ONE Group MVP.
Equal Housing Opportunity. We do business in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law and equal opportunity housing standards.
Not tax, legal, or insurance advice. Information on this page is for general educational purposes and reflects publicly available sources as of the date noted. Florida tax, residency, homestead, insurance, and Medicare rules change. Consult a licensed Florida CPA, attorney, or insurance professional for advice specific to your situation. We are not a tax, legal, or insurance advisor.
Independent resource. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Esplanade by the Islands Community Association, Inc., or Taylor Morrison. “Esplanade” and “Esplanade by the Islands” are trademarks of Taylor Morrison; all third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
