PulteGroup unveils its first Florida Del Webb Explore community

PulteGroup, ranked as the third-largest homebuilder by sales volume in HousingWire’s Homebuilder Rankings, held a grand opening for its first Florida Del Webb Explore community on May 30.

PulteGroup announced the Del Webb Explore brand, a twist on PulteGroup’s popular age-restricted Del Webb communities, in March 2025. Del Webb Explore has similar resort-style amenities, such as sports courts, gyms and large clubhouses with arts and crafts space, game rooms and lounge areas, but without the age restriction.

The brand’s first community began sales last year in Palm Desert, California, while Del Webb Explore at North River Ranch marks its debut in Florida and on the East Coast.

The community will be located between Tampa and Sarasota, in what was one of the fastest-growing markets in the country in the years following the pandemic. However, moderating population growth and a damaging hurricane season in 2024 pushed home prices in the Sarasota market down by 6.0% last year, one of the steepest price corrections in the country. 

Despite these trends, many builders and developers say the Florida Gulf Coast market has returned to equilibrium. PulteGroup’s decision to launch its first East Coast Del Webb Explore in the greater Sarasota area further suggests that Pulte sees strong structural potential in the submarket.

A Florida first

PulteGroup is pulling out all the stops for Del Webb Explore North River Ranch. In addition to baseline amenities, it will be gated and will feature a lazy river, covered pickleball courts, massage rooms, infrared saunas and a cold plunge. The community is also designed for multigenerational living, with certain floor plans featuring private suites with kitchenettes and bathrooms. 

Sean Strickler, PulteGroup’s West Florida Division President, told HousingWire’s The Builder’s Daily that the grand opening for Del Webb Explore at North River Ranch, held on May 30 in Parrish, FL, attracted more than 200 prospective buyers. 

“The feedback has been overwhelming, with excitement centered on how fresh, elevated and differentiated the offering feels in our market,” Strickler said.

No state has more Del Webb communities than Florida, making the Sunshine State a prime candidate for the new Del Webb Explore brand. Strickler argued that the brand will expand PulteGroup’s addressable market to buyers who want to live in a resort-style community, but without the age restrictions. 

“Our research highlighted an opportunity to expand our reach and appeal to an underserved market segment that desired high-level amenities, the convenience of lawn maintenance and the prestige of being behind a gate, all without the requirement of being 55 or older,” Strickler said. 

PulteGroup leadership, in prior announcements, indicated that Gen X buyers, those born between 1965 and 1980, are among the prime targets for the Del Webb Explore brand. Homes are expected to range from 1,405 to 3,970 square feet, with sale prices from the mid-$300s up to the $700s.

North River Ranch: a rapidly growing submarket

North River Ranch, which is approved for 6,000 units with 1,350 homes already occupied, is a master-planned community located in a rapidly growing submarket positioned on Florida’s Gulf Coast, south of Tampa and north of Sarasota. 

Strickler called the area a “natural fit” for the Explore brand, with “strong in-migration, particularly from buyers seeking proximity to Sarasota, Tampa, St Pete and the region’s beaches.” 

Manatee County grew a remarkable 17.1% between 2020 and 2025, as in-migration from out of state and from nearby expensive cities like St. Petersburg drew in new residents. 

“I would say there is a general understanding among everyone, even people not in our industry, that we have grown a lot, sort of like a hockey stick,” John Neal, President of Neal Land & Neighborhoods, the master developer behind North River Ranch, said in an interview.

Neal has seen the price corrections in North River Ranch firsthand. While prices in the master-planned community now range from the upper $300s up to the $800s, some homes were selling for over $1 million not long ago. 

Population growth, while still strong, isn’t climbing as fast as it did in the immediate years following the pandemic. Florida is no longer attracting remote workers like it once was, and, as the state’s population skyrocketed, so did its housing prices. The state, while still attracting new residents, is only growing as fast as the national average. 

In a way, the state’s pandemic-era boom wasn’t sustainable in the long run, a reality many builders and developers in Florida were aware of.

“That’s the kind of stuff they say at the water cooler in building firms in Florida,” Neal said. “We’ve had housing cycles in Florida historically since the 60s, and it’s expected, particularly for professional developers such as ourselves. We know, and we plan for it.”

However, the long-term fundamentals in Florida’s Gulf Coast region are still strong. The area is still growing, and the warm weather and pristine beaches will likely continue to attract new residents. 

Additionally, many local builders and developers say that home prices in the region have begun to stabilize, potentially halting the recent price declines.

PulteGroup’s decision to kickstart its Del Webb Explore brand in Manatee County signals that they may agree.