After nearly $39M land deal, Parrish residential project begins selling homes

A more than 400-acre residential community will begin sales this week in north Manatee County. Explore by Del Webb at North River Ranch is starting sales May 20. The milestone will be followed by a May 30 grand opening, when six model homes will be available for tours.

National developer Del Webb — known for creating resort-style 55-plus communities — launched the Explore by Del Webb brand, which is designed for all ages, to appeal to a younger demographic. The developer decided to lift its age requirement following market research by its parent company, PulteGroup, revealing 40% of potential Del Webb buyers wanted the brand’s active lifestyle without the requirement of being 55 and older.

The community in Parrish is the second development in the country for the Explore by Del Webb brand; the other is in Palm Desert in Southern California.

Del Webb first announced plans for Explore by Del Webb at North River Ranch in March 2025, after the company closed on the more than 400-acre site for $38.7 million in February 2025, according to the property seller, Neal Land & Neighborhoods. 

The deal marked the largest land sale to date for Lakewood Ranch-based Neal Land & Neighborhoods, a master land planning and development company whose flagship master-planned community is North River Ranch, which has approvals for 6,000 residences.

Once built, Del Webb Explore North River Ranch will include 901 homes within a gated community. Homes will be 1,400 to 3,900 square feet. To allow for multigenerational living, some floor plans will feature private suites with their own kitchenettes and bathrooms, paired with connected indoor and outdoor living spaces.

The centerpiece for the community will be a private amenity campus featuring a zero-entry pool with lap lanes and lazy river; indoor and outdoor bar and grill; multimillion-dollar clubhouse with fitness center; covered pickleball courts; golf simulator and putting green; fire pit with gathering areas; and walking trails.

“From the start, we envisioned North River Ranch as a community that could serve a wide range of homebuyers,” Neal Land & Neighborhoods President John Neal says in a statement. ”Explore builds on that vision by introducing elevated home and lifestyle experiences that broaden the community’s appeal while complementing what’s already in place.”

Explore by Del Webb at North River Ranch homes will start in the mid $300,000s and go up to more than $600,000. The sales center is at 11435 Emberstone Circle in Parrish, and the sales team includes Leslie Busse, Nick Richardson, Britney Burns and Hannah Moore.