Esplanade at Azario is one of Lakewood Ranch’s premier gated golf and resort-style communities, combining newer homes with an 18-hole championship golf course and an extensive collection of lifestyle amenities.
Built by Taylor Morrison, the community includes both attached villas and single-family homes, with maintenance-included living and a mix of golf and non-golf options.
For buyers who want more than just a neighborhood — and like the idea of golf, dining, fitness, pickleball, pools and social activities being part of everyday life, Esplanade at Azario is one of the Lakewood Ranch communities worth putting near the top of the list.
Location: Lakewood Ranch, Florida
Builder: Taylor Morrison
Community Type: Gated, golf and resort-style
Home Types: Attached villas and single-family homes
Home Sizes: Approximately 1,500 to 3,100 square feet
Golf: 18-hole championship golf course
Amenities: Resort pool, Culinary Center, fitness and wellness facilities, spa, pickleball, tennis, bocce, dining and more
Maintenance: Lawn and common-area maintenance is included with HOA fees
Age Restricted: No — Esplanade at Azario is not a 55+ community
Esplanade at Azario is planned for approximately 1,474 homes, making it a substantial community while still offering distinct neighborhoods and home choices.
Esplanade at Azario offers two primary housing options: attached villas and single-family homes.
The villas can appeal to buyers looking for a lower-maintenance Florida home, seasonal residence or lock-and-leave lifestyle.
Single-family homes offer a wider range of floor plans and sizes, including larger homes with multiple bedrooms, flex spaces, outdoor living areas and options for pools.
Taylor Morrison is the builder throughout the community, which gives Azario a more consistent architectural character than some of the larger Lakewood Ranch villages with multiple builders.
Homes may be located on interior, water, preserve or golf-course homesites, depending on availability.
For buyers comparing homes within Azario, I recommend looking beyond the floor plan itself. Homesite location, view, golf designation, upgrades and proximity to amenities can all make a significant difference in both the purchase price and long-term desirability of the property.
Golf is one of the defining features of Esplanade at Azario.
The community features an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Chris Wilczynski of C.W. Golf Architecture. The course was designed around the community’s natural landscape and includes multiple tee locations to accommodate different skill levels.
Practice facilities include an aqua driving range, putting areas and a golf pro shop.
One important distinction for buyers is that not every home in Esplanade at Azario has the same golf arrangement.
There are golf-designated and non-golf homes within the community. That can affect both your golf privileges and your ongoing community costs.
If golf is important to you — or if you specifically do not want to pay for golf you won’t use — this is something you should understand before choosing a particular property.
This is where Esplanade at Azario really separates itself from a traditional Lakewood Ranch neighborhood.
The community was designed around a resort-style lifestyle, with amenities that go well beyond a neighborhood pool and clubhouse.
Amenities include:
The Culinary Center is particularly noteworthy because it adds an on-site dining and social component that isn’t available in many Lakewood Ranch communities.
For buyers who want their neighborhood to function almost like a resort or private club, the amenities are a major part of Azario’s appeal.
Esplanade at Azario is a maintenance-included community.
Lakewood Ranch currently lists HOA fees generally in the range of approximately $300 to $600 per month, but the actual amount depends on the home and its designation.
This is especially important at Azario because costs can vary depending on whether a property includes golf privileges.
Buyers should verify the current HOA, golf-related costs, CDD assessment and any other applicable fees for the specific property they’re considering rather than relying on a single community-wide number.
Although Azario’s fees are higher than those of some Lakewood Ranch neighborhoods, they also cover a much larger amenity package and maintenance component.
The better question isn’t simply, “Are the HOA fees high?”
It’s whether you’ll actually use and value what you’re paying for.
No.
Esplanade at Azario is not age restricted.
That sometimes causes confusion because the community’s resort-style amenities and maintenance-included homes are popular with retirees and seasonal Florida residents.
Buyers specifically looking for a 55+ community in Lakewood Ranch should also compare options such as Del Webb and Cresswind.
Buyers who want a similar active lifestyle without an age restriction may find Azario particularly appealing.
These two communities are likely to come up in the same home search because both offer gated, golf-oriented, resort-style living in Lakewood Ranch.
There are some important differences.
Esplanade at Azario offers newer Taylor Morrison villas and single-family homes with extensive resort amenities, dining, wellness facilities and both golf and non-golf home options.
Lakewood National is an established bundled-golf community centered around two championship golf courses and includes condos, coach homes and single-family homes.
For a buyer primarily focused on golf, Lakewood National’s two-course setup can be a major attraction.
For someone who wants newer construction or newer homes, a broader resort experience and the ability to consider both golf and non-golf properties, Azario may be the better fit.
Neither is automatically better — they appeal to slightly different priorities.
Lakewood Ranch Country Club offers a more traditional private country club experience in one of the more established areas of Lakewood Ranch.
Azario feels newer and places greater emphasis on the all-in-one resort lifestyle.
Another major difference is the housing stock. Lakewood Ranch Country Club contains homes built over many years by multiple builders, including custom and luxury properties, while Azario has a much more consistent Taylor Morrison product.
Buyers who prioritize an established location, traditional private-club environment and wider variety of architecture may prefer Country Club.
Buyers looking for newer homes, maintenance-included living and extensive resort amenities may lean toward Azario.
Esplanade at Azario is located in the northeastern portion of Lakewood Ranch, near Lorraine Road and the expanding communities along the area’s eastern side.
This puts residents close to many of Lakewood Ranch’s newer neighborhoods while still providing access to shopping, dining, schools, medical facilities and the larger Lakewood Ranch trail and road network.
One consideration for buyers relocating to the area is that Lakewood Ranch is geographically large.
If you expect to frequently travel to downtown Sarasota, the barrier islands or beaches, it’s worth comparing Azario’s location with communities farther south such as Waterside.
On the other hand, buyers who value newer development, golf and a quieter residential environment may prefer this part of Lakewood Ranch.
I think Azario is particularly worth considering if you’re looking for:
It may be less appealing if you’re primarily looking for very low HOA fees, minimal amenities or an older established neighborhood with mature landscaping.
Azario has a lot going for it, but there are several things I’d look at carefully before choosing a home.
Understand the designation of the specific property and what that means for your costs and golf access.
Don’t assume every Azario home has the same membership arrangement.
Look beyond the purchase price.
HOA fees, golf-related costs, CDD assessments, taxes and insurance should all be considered when comparing Azario with another Lakewood Ranch community.
A great floor plan on the wrong homesite isn’t always the best purchase.
Consider water, preserve and golf views, road exposure, neighboring homes, orientation and what’s planned around the property.
If Taylor Morrison still has new inventory available when you’re buying, compare builder incentives with resale homes already in the community.
A resale property may already include upgrades, window treatments, landscaping, a pool or other improvements that would cost considerably more to add to a new home.
Azario makes the most sense for someone who values the lifestyle.
If you plan to use the golf, pool, fitness center, restaurants, pickleball, spa and social activities, the amenity package can be a major benefit.
If you don’t expect to use those things, another Lakewood Ranch community with lower ongoing costs may make more sense.
Taylor Morrison continues to offer new homes in Esplanade at Azario, including available homes and floor plans.
If you’re considering buying directly from the builder, remember that the sales representative at the model center represents the builder.
You can have your own Realtor represent you in a new-construction purchase, and it’s best to have your agent involved before your first visit or registration with the builder.
Builder pricing and incentives can also change, so I recommend comparing:
A large advertised incentive doesn’t necessarily mean a particular home is the best deal. The total purchase price, homesite and included upgrades matter more.
For the right buyer, Azario offers one of the most complete resort-style lifestyles in Lakewood Ranch.
Its combination of golf, newer homes, maintenance-included living, dining, fitness, wellness and recreational amenities makes it particularly attractive to buyers who want their community to play a significant role in their everyday lifestyle.
But Lakewood Ranch has many very different communities.
Before choosing Azario, I would compare it with Lakewood National, Lakewood Ranch Country Club, Country Club East and other resort-style communities depending on your budget and priorities.
The goal isn’t simply to find the community with the longest amenity list.
It’s to find the one you’ll actually enjoy living in.
If you’re considering Esplanade at Azario, I can help you compare available new construction and resale homes, understand the golf and non-golf options, review HOA and CDD costs, and compare Azario with other Lakewood Ranch communities.
If you’re buying new construction, I can also help evaluate builder incentives, homesite premiums and available inventory before you make a decision.
I’m a Lakewood Ranch Realtor and work with buyers throughout the area’s communities. I can help you compare Lakewood National with other Lakewood Ranch neighborhoods, evaluate current resale opportunities and understand the costs that come with each property before you make a decision.
Work With a Local Lakewood Ranch Realtor
Michael Fyvie, Realtor
📞 (518) 878-6869
KW Coastal Living
5391 Lakewood Ranch Boulevard N, Suite 100
Sarasota, FL 34240
🌐 https://michaelmfyvie.kw.com/
🌐 https://movetolakewoodranchflorida.com/
A gated golf community by Taylor Morrison in Lakewood Ranch
Thinking about new construction or resale in Esplanade at Azario or elsewhere in Lakewood Ranch? I can help you compare golf and non-golf options, floor plans and builder incentives, and represent your interests at no cost to you.
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