Esplanade at Starkey Ranch

Esplanade at Starkey Ranch is a gated, 55+ resort-style community of 517 single-family homes and villas tucked inside the 2,400-acre master-planned Starkey Ranch development in Odessa, Florida — roughly 30 minutes northwest of downtown Tampa. Developed by Taylor Morrison between 2016 and 2022 on 225 acres of lakes, wetlands, and nature preserves, Esplanade sold out thanks to Taylor Morrison's well-known Esplanade lifestyle formula: California Tuscan-inspired architecture, an on-site lifestyle director, and a deep roster of wellness, social, and recreational programming designed specifically for active adults. Homes are offered across three distinct collections — the Corte Villa series of attached villas (roughly 1,689 to 1,926 square feet, two or three bedrooms, two-car garage), the La Palma Collection of mid-size single-family homes, and the larger Novelli Collection, with floor plans stretching to 3,006 square feet and up to four bedrooms. That range gives buyers options from low-maintenance villa living to spacious lakefront single-family homes. Most homesites offer scenic views of community lakes, ponds, or conservation areas, and elevations carry consistent Mediterranean styling with tile roofs, stucco exteriors, ornamental detailing, and paver drives. The heart of the community is a ~6,000-square-foot resort amenity center that includes a fitness center, aerobics/movement studio, catering kitchen, billiards room, arts and crafts studio, card room, and a common room for gatherings. Outside, residents enjoy a resort-style pool and spa, fire pit, formal events lawn, covered patios, and a tot lot for visiting grandkids. Sports facilities include two lighted Har-Tru tennis courts, four pickleball courts, and two bocce ball courts. Two separate dog parks — one for small dogs, one for larger dogs — give pets a space of their own. Social life is driven by a full-time, on-site lifestyle director who programs a steady rotation of clubs, classes, and events — arts and crafts, billiards, cards, tennis, pickleball, bocce, yoga, water aerobics, happy hours, holiday parties, and group trips. Because Esplanade sits inside the larger Starkey Ranch master plan, residents also have easy access to 20+ miles of paved walking and biking trails, multiple community parks, a community library, the Starkey Ranch District Park with K-8 school and community theater, and two Starkey Ranch town centers with restaurants, a Publix grocery store, and shops — all reachable without leaving the development. The adjacent Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Preserve and the 42-mile Suncoast Trail are just outside the gates for serious cyclists and nature lovers. Location is a major draw. Esplanade is roughly 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport, under an hour to the Gulf beaches at Clearwater and Honeymoon Island, and within easy reach of Pasco and Hillsborough county medical systems including Medical Center of Trinity, St. Joseph's Hospital-North, and Morton Plant. Downtown Tampa, professional sports, and cultural attractions are a direct shot down the Suncoast Parkway. Fees include a quarterly Esplanade HOA of about $1,050.50 (~$350/month) covering lawn and landscape care, common-area maintenance, and private amenity upkeep; a Starkey Ranch master association fee of approximately $75/year; and CDD fees generally running $2,300–$3,400 per year depending on homesite. Because Esplanade is sold out at the builder level, the market here is resale-driven — a range of villa and single-family inventory typically turns over each year, with recent listings averaging around $658K.