Budget three layers, in this order: the published price of the house, the one-time Florida closing taxes, and the annual costs that do not show up in the sale price (property tax, insurance, and HOA if any). A tax-rate article from the internet is not a budget. The model page is.
Figures below are the prices published on M.J. Newell Homes model pages as of October 29, 2026. They change. The page controls.
The house
| Model | Sq ft | LaBelle price | LaBelle rent-to-own | Lehigh Acres price | Lehigh Acres rent-to-own |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langdon | 1,900 | $316,900 | $2,700/mo | $346,900 | $2,750/mo |
| Emelia | 2,060 | $345,000 | $2,750/mo | $374,900 | $2,850/mo |
| Aurora | 2,277 | $359,900 | $2,900/mo | Not offered | Not offered |
| Delanie | 2,610 | $369,900 | $2,900/mo | $410,000 | $3,150/mo |
| Viana | 2,978 | $449,900 | $3,400/mo | Not offered | Not offered |
| Louisiana | 3,277 | $469,900 | $3,400/mo | Not offered | Not offered |
| Duplex | 2,898 | Not offered | Not offered | $510,000 | Not offered |
LaBelle is Hendry County. Our LaBelle homes do not have an HOA fee. Lehigh Acres is Lee County, closer to Fort Myers, and any HOA depends on the neighborhood. Photos and plans: models.
Rent-to-own is $0 down and $0 closing costs to move in. That monthly figure is the occupancy budget. It is not a mortgage payment, and it does not include your utilities. The purchase price in the table is the locked price the program is built around. Read rent-to-own for out-of-state buyers.
One-time tax at closing: documentary stamps
On deeds, Florida charges documentary stamp tax of 70 cents per $100 of consideration in every county except Miami-Dade. Hendry and Lee are on the $0.70 rate. Source: Florida Department of Revenue and section 201.02, Florida Statutes.
| Purchase price | Deed stamps at $0.70 per $100 |
|---|---|
| $316,900 (Langdon, LaBelle) | $2,218.30 |
| $346,900 (Langdon, Lehigh Acres) | $2,428.30 |
| $369,900 (Delanie, LaBelle) | $2,589.30 |
| $469,900 (Louisiana, LaBelle) | $3,289.30 |
$316,900 ÷ 100 = 3,169, and 3,169 × $0.70 = $2,218.30. Fractional hundreds round up under the statute. These four prices divide evenly.
The contract decides who pays. A mortgage or note can trigger additional stamp tax. Your closing disclosure is the full number. Do not add these stamps on top of a rent-to-own move-in. They show up when the deed transfers.
Annual property tax, without pretending we know your bill
Florida's statewide effective property-tax rate is 0.94% of owner-occupied housing value in the Tax Foundation Facts & Figures 2025 table. Applied to $316,900, that average is about $2,979 a year, or about $248 a month. Applied to $346,900, it is about $3,261 a year.
Treat that as a placeholder, then replace it:
- Hendry County and Lee County set their own millage.
- Homestead in 2026 can remove $25,000 from the value for all authorities and up to $26,411 more for non-school taxes. You have to qualify. See 2026 homestead.
- Save Our Homes does not cap year one. See the 2026 cap of 2.7%.
- Paying the bill in November takes 4% off. On a $3,000 bill that is $120. Statute: 197.162.
For a household leaving New Jersey, the same Tax Foundation table puts the effective rate at 2.21%. On $316,900 that illustration is about $7,003, roughly $4,000 a year more than the Florida average before you adjust for homestead and insurance. The state-by-state piece is Florida vs New Jersey, Illinois, and New York.
The line that wrecks casual comparisons: insurance
Homeowners, wind, and flood insurance are not in the tax rate. Florida premiums surprise people who are moving from states where the hazard is snow. Get a quote on the model and the lot, from a licensed agent, before you decide the tax savings "covers the move." The state regulator is the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. A new roof and new construction are part of what you are buying. They are not a guarantee of a cheap premium.
Also budget:
- Electric and water, which you will not see in a northern gas-heat bill
- Lawn care if it is not in your agreement (rent-to-own at M.J. Newell includes complimentary lawn care twice a month)
- Travel to close or to visit before you commit
- The old state's part-year income tax in the year you move. Florida will not tax your wages as a Florida resident. Your old state might tax the months you still lived there.
A simple order of operations
- Choose LaBelle or Lehigh Acres based on commute and price, not on a Facebook comment about taxes.
- Pick the model. Write down price or monthly rent-to-own.
- Ask a title company or our team which closing costs sit with the buyer on a purchase.
- Call an insurance agent with the model and ZIP.
- If the down payment is the problem, underwrite rent-to-own instead of forcing a mortgage. If a lender already approved USDA or VA, compare that payment with buying now so homestead starts sooner. The comparison is USDA vs rent-to-own.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the same model cheaper in LaBelle than in Lehigh Acres?
The published price is different because the communities are different. LaBelle's Langdon is $316,900. Lehigh Acres' Langdon is $346,900. Land, location, and what the local market will pay are in that gap. The floor plan's square footage is the same 1,900.
Are property taxes included in the rent-to-own monthly price?
The monthly price on the model page is the rent-to-own rate we publish. Owner property taxes are a cost of ownership after you purchase. During rent-to-own you pay the agreed monthly amount. Ask us to walk through the agreement so you know what is inside it and what starts at closing.
Is $2,979 a year the tax I will pay on a $316,900 LaBelle home?
No. It is the statewide average effective rate times the price. Your bill comes from the Hendry County tax roll after exemptions. Use it to compare states. Use the county bill to compare houses.
Sources
- Prices: M.J. Newell Homes model pages, reviewed October 29, 2026
- Florida Department of Revenue, documentary stamp tax
- Tax Foundation Facts & Figures 2025, effective property-tax rates
- Florida Statute 197.162
Schedule a visit and bring this table. We would rather correct a number in person than have you budget the wrong county.
