Southeast Florida · Jupiter to Melbourne
One coast. Seven cities. Room to build.
Why Build a New Home in Southeast Florida, from Jupiter to Melbourne
Thinking about building a house in Florida? The stretch of coast from Jupiter to Melbourne keeps adding residents, still has lots for single-story homes and sits on I-95, along the Indian River Lagoon. Here are the facts, the reasons and the trade-offs to plan for, so you can decide with real information. Then we manage your build at real cost plus one fixed fee, and you follow it from anywhere.
- 650K+people in our 7 cities
- 741K+on the Treasure Coast
- +22.2%St. Lucie County since 2020
- 0%state income tax
Where we build
Seven cities on Florida's Atlantic coast, north to south.
- Space Coast · Brevard County
- Melbourne 87,097 residents
- Palm Bay 148,092 residents
- Treasure Coast
- Vero Beach Indian River County
- Fort Pierce St. Lucie County
- Port St. Lucie 268,062 residents
- Stuart Martin County
- Palm Beach County
- Jupiter 62,350 residents
↑ NorthU.S. Census Bureau, 2025
Reviewed by Mauricio Salas, Certified General Contractor (FL license CGC1509510)· Updated
The region, in numbers
Southeast Florida keeps growing, and so does the need for homes
Locals split this coast into three areas: the Space Coast in south Brevard County, the Treasure Coast in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties, and the northern Palm Beaches around Jupiter. We call the whole stretch, from Jupiter to Melbourne, Florida's Southeast coast. It's where we build, and the latest Census estimates show every one of its counties still adding residents.
- Fastest in the region: St. Lucie County grew 22.2% from 2020 to 2025, far above Florida's 8.9%. Port St. Lucie alone is home to 268,062 people.
- Steady around it: Brevard, Indian River and Martin counties kept growing too, at their own pace.
- More people, more homes: every new resident needs a place to rent, buy or live in. That's the demand a new single-story home is built for.
| County | Residents | Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| St. LuciePort St. Lucie, Fort Pierce | 402,449 | +22.2% |
| BrevardPalm Bay, Melbourne | 663,982 | +9.5% |
| Indian RiverVero Beach | 172,799 | +8.1% |
| MartinStuart | 166,272 | +4.9% |
| FloridaFor comparison | 23.5M | +8.9% |
County and state figures: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Vintage 2025 population estimates (April 2020 to July 2025). Jupiter is in Palm Beach County, which isn't shown because we only build in Jupiter there. Past growth doesn't guarantee future results, and this isn't investment advice.
Where is it?
Where is the Treasure Coast, and where exactly do we build?
Florida's Atlantic coast north of the Palm Beaches goes by a few names. Here's how they fit together, from south to north, and which of our seven cities sits in each one.
Northern Palm Beach County
Jupiter sits at the north end of Palm Beach County, where the Loxahatchee River reaches the ocean, right on the edge of the Treasure Coast.
The Treasure Coast
Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties, home to 741,520 people in 2025. The name comes from a Spanish treasure fleet lost off this coast in a 1715 hurricane.
The Space Coast
Brevard County, named for its launch history at Cape Canaveral. We build in its south end, in its two largest cities.
One thread ties it together: the Indian River Lagoon, a 156-mile estuary that runs along this coast and reaches the ocean at Jupiter Inlet. Most of our cities sit right on it.
Why here
Why build in Southeast Florida: 6 reasons, with the facts
Lists of the best places to live in Southeast Florida are easy to find. What matters to you as an investor is whether a new home here makes sense for your goal. These are the reasons we see, and they come from public data, not from a sales pitch.
People keep moving in
Every county on our stretch of coast added residents from 2020 to 2025, led by St. Lucie County at +22.2%. More residents means more people looking for a home to rent, buy or live in.
Room for a single-story home
Platted lots in Palm Bay's Port Malabar, infill lots in Melbourne's established neighborhoods, newer communities in west Port St. Lucie, and larger county lots in places like Jupiter Farms and Lakewood Park.
Easy to reach
I-95 runs the whole coast, and Florida's Turnpike runs through the Treasure Coast. Melbourne Orlando International Airport is inside Melbourne, and Palm Beach International is south of Jupiter.
No state income tax
Florida's constitution doesn't allow a state tax on personal income. Property taxes and insurance still apply to your home, so ask your tax advisor how this fits your situation.
A life on the water
The Indian River Lagoon, the St. Lucie and Loxahatchee rivers and miles of Atlantic beaches are a big part of why people choose to live on this coast, close to home.
New, built to today's code
New construction in Southeast Florida follows today's Florida Building Code, with block walls and a roof designed for hurricane winds, and the finishes you choose, instead of an older home's surprises.
The honest part
Building a house in Florida: what to plan for here
No place is perfect. These are the points every build on this coast has to handle. None of them is a reason not to build, but each one belongs in your budget and your schedule from the start.
Hurricane season
It runs from June 1 to November 30. Your home is built to the Florida Building Code for hurricane winds, and windows and doors must be impact-rated or protected, as the code requires for your area.
Flood zones
Some lots are in a FEMA flood zone. There, the lowest floor must be built above the required flood elevation, and an elevation certificate is part of the process. Check the zone before you buy the lot.
Insurance
Insurance is part of what a home costs to own here, and it depends on the lot, the flood zone and how the home is built. Get quotes early, before you commit to a lot or a plan.
HOA approval
In an HOA community, the HOA's design approval comes on top of the building permit, and both come before construction starts. Know the rules before you draw the plan.
Permits, city by city
Each city and county has its own building department and its own review time. Building inside city limits or in the county can change the rules and the timeline.
Well and septic
Many larger lots in county areas have no city water or sewer, so the home needs a private well and a septic system, with their own permits and costs.
We go over each of these with you for your lot and your city, so your budget starts from real information.
See all our answers →How we build here
Build in Southeast Florida at real cost, not at a builder's price
Real cost plus one fixed fee
You pay what materials and labor really cost, with no builder's margin on top, plus our fixed fee. The fee is the one number set from day one.
Known, vetted local trades
We work only with subcontractors we know on this coast, each one quoting its trade before it starts.
Follow it from anywhere
A 100% digital process, site cameras by phase and a 360° tour of the finished home. You're always welcome to visit in person too.
About 7 months after permits
That's our target to build a single-story home. It's a goal, not a promise, and our fixed fee means finishing on time is how we win.
Estimated savings compared with buying the same new home from a traditional builder, even after our fixed fee.
An estimated range that depends on the market and your finishes, not a promise. Build costs move with both; our fee doesn't.Who runs your build
The team that builds on this coast
You'll know who's in charge from day one: one point of contact for you as the owner, and two general contractors running the site, from Jupiter to Melbourne. Together, 30+ years of experience, and all three speak English and Spanish.
Jorge (George) Rojas
Construction Manager
Your point of contact. 16 years managing projects; in Florida he has worked as an estimator and scheduler for a new-home builder, a construction manager and an inspector.
Mauricio Salas
General Contractor · QC & QA
Certified General Contractor, Florida license CGC1509510. Building homes since 2005, with 300+ homes in New York and Florida.
Alexander Salas
General Contractor · Field Operations
30+ projects since 2022. Handles permits, subcontractors and the selection and purchase of materials.
Region questions
Building in Southeast Florida: your questions
Straight answers about the Treasure Coast, the Space Coast, hurricanes and single-story homes.
Costs, timing or building from abroad? See all questions →Where is the Treasure Coast of Florida? +
The Treasure Coast is on Florida's Atlantic coast, between the Palm Beaches to the south and the Space Coast to the north. It's made up of Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties, with cities like Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie and Stuart. Its name comes from a Spanish treasure fleet lost off this coast in a 1715 hurricane.
What's the difference between the Treasure Coast and the Space Coast? +
They're neighbors. The Space Coast is Brevard County, named for the launches at Cape Canaveral, and it sits just north of the Treasure Coast. We build in the south end of the Space Coast, in Palm Bay and Melbourne, and in four Treasure Coast cities, plus Jupiter in northern Palm Beach County.
Is Southeast Florida a good place to build a house? +
For many investors it can be, but it depends on your goal, your lot and your numbers. The facts on our side: every county on this coast added residents from 2020 to 2025, there are still lots for single-story homes and Florida has no state income tax. On the other side, plan for flood zones, insurance and hurricane-ready construction. Your realtor can tell you what rents or sells in each area, and this isn't investment advice.
Is it safe to build a home here with hurricanes? +
Hurricanes are part of life on this coast, so homes here are built for them. Every home we build follows the Florida Building Code, with block walls and a roof designed for hurricane winds, and windows and doors that are impact-rated or protected, as the code requires for your area. On a lot in a flood zone, the lowest floor is built above the required flood elevation.
Why build a single-story home in Southeast Florida? +
A single-story home is simple to build and to budget: one floor, block walls and one roof, with no stairs inside. It also fits the lots this coast still has, from platted lots in Palm Bay to infill lots in Melbourne and larger county lots. That's the only kind of home we build, so it's where all our experience goes.
Not ready to talk yet? Start with the free guide
Before you pick a city or a lot, check your project with The Formula That Never Fails: the 10 strategic moves we use to decide if a build is ready to start.
Free Investor Strategy Guide, in English and Spanish.
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Pick your city
Choose your city in Southeast Florida
Same process and same team in all seven. Each city page covers its permits, flood zones, utilities and the kinds of lots you'll find there.
How a build works with us, in any city →Your build in Southeast Florida starts with a 30-minute call.
Book a free virtual Strategy Session. In a 30-minute video call we'll get to know your goal (rent, sell or live in), your capital, the city you have in mind and whether you already have a lot, and walk you through how your build would work on this coast. It's a first approach with estimates: the real work on your project starts once the contract is signed.
In your free 30-minute virtual Strategy Session
- Your goal: rent, sell or live in
- The city you have in mind, and your lot if you have one
- Our fixed fee: the one number that's set from day one
- A first look at estimated build costs vs. a builder price
- 100% virtual: join by Zoom from anywhere