Community Comparison
Sweetwater vs. Windward
Lakewood Ranch · Last reviewed August 2026
M/I Homes against Neal Communities at a similar amenity level. Sweetwater is single-family only with the lower HOA floor; Windward adds villas and starts higher. The annual carrying cost is the honest tiebreaker.
Everything below is drawn from the same fee and community data I keep for every community I track. Fee figures are estimates and vary by lot size and sub-association, so verify the exact numbers for a specific address before you write an offer.
What actually separates them
- On the published estimates, Sweetwater starts lower on annual carrying cost: roughly $2,680 a year in HOA plus CDD at the low end, against roughly $4,486 for Windward. Both are estimates and vary by lot and sub-association.
- Home types are not the same: Sweetwater offers single family, Windward offers single family & villas.
Side by side
| Sweetwater | Windward | |
|---|---|---|
| Price Range | $400s, $1M+ | $500s, $1M+ |
| Home Types | Single Family | Single Family & Villas |
| Builder | M/I Homes | Neal Communities |
| Amenity Level | Medium | Medium |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 5 | 3 to 5 |
| Bathrooms | 2 to 4 | 2 to 4 |
| Garage | 2 to 3-Car | 2 to 3-Car |
Fees & flood zone
| Sweetwater | Windward | |
|---|---|---|
| HOA | $1,320 - $3,920 / year | $2,952 - $4,300 / year |
| CDD (annual) | $1,360 - $1,784 | $1,534 - $2,129 |
| Est. HOA + CDD per year | $2,680 to $5,704 | $4,486 to $6,429 |
| FEMA Flood Zone | X | X |
HOA and CDD figures are annualized estimates compiled from county property records, published district budgets, and active listing data. The combined line adds the two at their low ends and their high ends, so it is a bracket rather than a quote. Flood zone is the mapped zone for the community, always verify the zone for the specific address. Last reviewed August 2026. Why Florida HOA fees run high and what a CDD actually is.
Amenities
Sweetwater only
- Gated community
- Quality M/I new construction
- Central LWR location
- Near Main Street & schools
Windward only
- Resort pool & clubhouse
- Fitness center
- Pickleball & tennis courts
- Connected to LWR trail network
- Gated entry
About each one
Lakewood Ranch
Sweetwater
M/I Homes’ Sweetwater is a well-rounded, gated village in the heart of the Ranch, quality single-family new construction from the $400s, with easy access to Main Street, top schools, and everything LWR.
Sweetwater detailsLakewood Ranch
Windward
Neal Communities’ Windward, gated single-family homes and villas from the $500s, built around a resort pool, clubhouse, fitness center, pickleball, and tennis, all connected to the broader LWR trail network.
Windward detailsQuick answers
Which has lower fees, Sweetwater or Windward?+
Sweetwater starts lower. Estimated HOA plus CDD runs $2,680 to $5,704 a year in Sweetwater and $4,486 to $6,429 a year in Windward. These are estimates and vary by lot size and sub-association, so confirm the figure for a specific address before you rely on it.
Does Sweetwater or Windward have a CDD?+
Both do. Sweetwater is estimated at $1,360 - $1,784 a year and Windward at $1,534 - $2,129 a year, collected on the property tax bill alongside your taxes.
What is the price difference between Sweetwater and Windward?+
Sweetwater is listed at $400s, $1M+ and Windward at $500s, $1M+. Those are starting and range estimates that move with the market, homesite, floor plan, and current incentives, so treat them as a bracket rather than a quote.
Are Sweetwater and Windward in the same area?+
Yes, both are in Lakewood Ranch. That means the same general commute, the same county, and the same broad tax base, so the comparison really is community against community.
Still torn between the two?
Fee tables get you most of the way. The rest is which homesites are actually left, what the current incentives are, and how each community has been holding value, and none of that is published anywhere. Tell me your budget and your must-haves and I will send you the honest read on both, including the one I would steer you away from and why.