Who Builds in Bella Collina? A Local Guide to New Construction, Builders, and What Homes Really Cost in 2026
If you've started researching a move to Bella Collina in Montverde, Florida, one of the first questions that comes up — right after "what's the HOA fee" — is who's actually building here, and can I still buy new construction? It's a fair question. Bella Collina isn't a single-builder subdivision that sold out a decade ago. It's an active, still-growing luxury community, and understanding the builder landscape is one of the most important steps before you sign anything.
For the full picture on how the community fits together — HOA, lifestyle, and everything else — see my Complete Guide to Living in Bella Collina, FL.
I work with buyers relocating to Lake County all the time, and this is consistently one of the top five questions I get asked about Bella Collina — right alongside HOA costs, club membership, and school zoning. So let's walk through it properly: who's building, what it costs, what the homes look like, and what you should know about schools and market stats before you commit.
The Short Answer
Yes — you can still buy new construction in Bella Collina, primarily through Toll Brothers, which operates two active home collections inside the community, alongside a smaller pool of custom and spec builders working on individual home sites. This is a meaningful shift from the community's earlier years, when Bella Collina was known mostly for custom estate lots and a single original developer.
Toll Brothers at Bella Collina: The Major New-Construction Player
Toll Brothers, the nation's largest publicly traded luxury homebuilder (NYSE: TOL), entered Bella Collina in 2021 and has since built out two distinct collections on site:
Vista Collection
The first collection to open, Vista offers <cite index="17-1">one- and two-story, single-family estate homes surrounded by 1,900 acres of picturesque lakes and verdant hills, with home designs ranging from 4,296 to over 7,000 square feet in Coastal, Palm Beach, Mediterranean, and Transitional exteriors, with prices starting at $1.1 million</cite>. The flagship model, the Montech, is a <cite index="17-1">6,996-square-foot home with 6 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, and a 3-car garage, featuring a first-floor primary suite with dual walk-in closets, a two-story living room, and a gourmet kitchen</cite>.
Lago Collection
Toll Brothers followed up with a second, slightly more accessible collection. The Lago Collection <cite index="49-1">offers home buyers five home designs ranging in size from 3,635 to over 4,400 square feet</cite>, built around <cite index="48-1">50 single-family estate homes</cite> on lakefront and interior home sites. The Lago Collection's model home, also named Montech, is an <cite index="49-1">8,037-square-foot, 6-bedroom, 6.5-bath estate overlooking Lake Siena, with a large center island kitchen, ample counter and cabinet space, and a walk-in pantry</cite>.
Both collections give buyers access to Toll Brothers' Design Studio, which is standard across the builder's luxury communities — homeowners work with in-house design consultants to personalize finishes rather than buying a pre-set spec home. Buyers also get proximity perks: Toll Brothers markets the community's <cite index="49-1">location 30 minutes west of Orlando, with proximity to Disney Springs, Downtown Orlando, and area shopping and dining</cite> as a core selling point.
Custom and Spec Builders
Outside the Toll Brothers footprint, Bella Collina still has active custom home sites, particularly along interior streets like Pendio Drive and Vetta Drive, where price points and square footage vary widely — recent listings on those streets have ranged from under $600,000 for smaller resale lots up to $5 million-plus for large lakefront estates with over 12,000 square feet. If you're set on a fully custom build rather than a production floor plan, your builder options and lot availability should be confirmed directly with the Bella Collina sales office, since inventory turns over frequently.
If you're weighing a custom build against buying an existing Toll Brothers home or resale, I go deeper on that exact decision in Should I Build or Buy in Bella Collina? — and for a broader look at builder selection and what to vet before signing a contract, see my Complete Luxury Home Building Guide for Bella Collina.
What New Construction Actually Costs Right Now
Here's the honest cost picture, based on current market data:
- New Toll Brothers homes: starting around $1.1 million (Vista Collection), with the Lago Collection generally positioned in a similar or slightly lower range given its smaller footprint
- HOA dues: commonly around $879/month on Bella Collina properties, though this varies by section and product type
- Resale luxury homes: median listing price around $1.47 million across the broader luxury inventory
- Condos: median listing price around $442,000, offering a lower-cost entry point into the community
- Days on market: single-family homes in Bella Collina have recently averaged 138–143 days on market, notably slower than condos in the community, which have averaged closer to 230 days
That "days on market" gap matters if you're comparing new construction to resale — it tells you resale condos are moving much more slowly than single-family product, which can be useful leverage in negotiations.
Zoned Schools Near Bella Collina
Bella Collina falls under Lake County Schools, one of the largest districts in Central Florida. Based on current zoning for the community and surrounding Montverde/Minneola addresses, families are typically zoned into:
- Grassy Lake Elementary School
- East Ridge Middle School
- Lake Minneola High School
All three are public Lake County Schools campuses. If schools are a top priority in your decision, I always recommend confirming zoning directly with Lake County Schools before writing an offer, since attendance boundaries can shift as new construction adds households to the district — this is one of the fastest-growing corridors in the county.
Q&A: New Construction in Bella Collina
Q: Is Toll Brothers the only builder in Bella Collina? No. Toll Brothers is the primary production builder with two active collections (Vista and Lago), but custom and spec builders continue to build on individually purchased lots throughout the community.
Q: What's the cheapest way to buy new in Bella Collina? Right now, that's generally the Lago Collection by Toll Brothers, given its smaller footprint compared to the Vista Collection's larger estate homes. Condos are the lowest-cost entry point into the community overall, but those are resale, not new construction.
Q: Do I have to join the country club if I buy new construction here? Club membership structures are set by the Bella Collina Club and HOA, not by the builder, and they can change over time. Confirm current membership requirements directly with the sales office or HOA before you buy — don't assume it's optional.
Q: How big are the lots in the Toll Brothers collections? Lot sizes vary by collection and location within the community, particularly between lakefront and interior home sites. Ask for the specific site plan for any lot you're considering, since Toll Brothers builds across a range of lot widths.
Q: Is new construction a better investment than resale in Bella Collina? That depends on your timeline and goals — new construction usually costs more per square foot upfront but requires less near-term maintenance, while resale can offer more established landscaping and, in some cases, a lower entry price. Given how much longer condos are sitting on the market compared to single-family homes, single-family new construction currently appears to have stronger resale liquidity in this community.
Q: What schools will my kids attend if I buy in Bella Collina? Current zoning points to Grassy Lake Elementary, East Ridge Middle, and Lake Minneola High, all part of Lake County Schools — but always verify directly with the district before purchasing, since new development can shift boundaries.
Bottom Line
Bella Collina isn't a "sold out" community — it's actively building, with Toll Brothers as the dominant new-construction option and custom builders filling in individual lots. If new construction is part of your search, the real work is comparing the Vista and Lago Collections against resale inventory, factoring in HOA and club costs, and confirming school zoning before you fall in love with a floor plan.
For a closer look at what's currently worth buying in the community, check out What I'd Personally Buy in Bella Collina Right Now. And if you're weighing new construction against resale — or trying to figure out which collection fits your budget and timeline — reach out to Cassidy McWherter for current availability, pricing, and a walkthrough of what's actually for sale right now.
Sources: Toll Brothers/StockTitan community announcements, Redfin Bella Collina neighborhood data, Lake County Schools directory. Market statistics reflect recent MLS data and are subject to change — confirm current figures before making purchase decisions.
