Where new homes are being built in Bakersfield
Most new subdivisions in Bakersfield are on the city's southwest edge, in ZIP codes 93311 and 93313, with another east of central Bakersfield in 93306. All five communities we could verify on builder or listing pages on October 30, 2026 are single-family house developments, not condos or townhomes. Prices started at $369,500 and the largest plans topped $600,000.
New homes are a small share of the city's housing. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020 to 2024) shows only 1.5% of Bakersfield's housing units were built in 2020 or later and 11.8% in 2010 to 2019, against 21.5% built in 2000 to 2009, the city's busiest building decade. Most of what you will tour as "newer" resale in the southwest dates from that 2000s boom.
Three national builders account for the communities below: Lennar, K. Hovnanian and D.R. Horton. Local builders, including custom builders working on scattered lots, also sell new homes through the MLS rather than a sales office. Ask a local agent to set a search for homes listed as new construction so those show up too.
Bakersfield new home communities, one by one
Beneva Glen by Lennar (93311)
Beneva Glen is a master-planned Lennar community with its sales office at 8101 Healy Pass Ave., Bakersfield 93311. Lennar's page listed a price range of $384,999 to $608,000 on October 30, 2026, with 30 homes available. Several collections are selling at once: Treasures II from $384,999 (three- and four-bedroom plans of 1,341 to 1,755 sq ft), Calligraphy Series II from $434,999, Valencia Series II from $454,500, the Choral and Solana Series from $494,500, and Choral Series II from $525,500, which includes Lennar's NextGen plans with a separate suite. The largest plan listed, Orchestra, is 3,278 sq ft from $568,500. Lennar describes Choral Series II as having no HOA dues and places the community near Cal State Bakersfield. Lennar's page names nearby schools but tells buyers to confirm school assignment with the district, which you should do.
The Gardens at Encanto by Lennar (93311)
The Gardens at Encanto, at 5518 Camino Carreta, 93311, is the lowest-priced community we found: $369,500 to $435,500 on October 30, 2026, with 12 homes available. It has two collections. The Celestial Series runs from the 1,350 sq ft Cosmo (from $377,500 as a base plan) to the 2,116 sq ft Venus (from $435,500). The Wilde Series runs from the 1,865 sq ft Bronte (from $411,500) to the 2,180 sq ft Hemingway (from $435,500). Every plan listed has two and a half baths. Lennar describes the community as having low HOA dues; ask the sales office for the exact monthly amount and what it covers.
Aspire at Davis Ranch by K. Hovnanian (93306)
Aspire at Davis Ranch is the only community on this list away from the southwest, east of central Bakersfield at Rivani Drive and Brown Hills Drive, 93306. K. Hovnanian advertises homes from the mid $400s, with a lowest listed price of $468,990 on October 30, 2026. Four plans run from 1,585 to 2,267 sq ft with three or four bedrooms and three-car garages, and select plans include an Extra Suite with its own living space. The builder says the community has no HOA and oversized homesites, which matters if you want room for an RV or a pool. The builder's page lists Lake Ming and the Kern River among nearby recreation.
Aspire at Cypress Crossing by K. Hovnanian (93313)
Aspire at Cypress Crossing, with its sales address at 6406 Gorini Lane, 93313, is advertised from the upper $400s, with a lowest listed price of $482,990 on October 30, 2026 and a new phase now open. Its four one- and two-story plans go up to 2,537 sq ft and five bedrooms with two-car garages, and some include an Extra Suite or Extra Suite Plus that can serve as a legal accessory unit if it meets the rules. K. Hovnanian's payment estimator shows no HOA fee for this community.
Sterling Manor II by D.R. Horton (93313)
Sterling Manor II is a D.R. Horton Tradition Series community in southwest Bakersfield, with a community location of 7300 Brenner Pass Way, 93313. Its NewHomeSource listing showed base prices from $449,990 to $561,490 and 14 homes, 10 of them under construction. Four plans run from 1,509 to 2,814 sq ft with four or five bedrooms, two to three and a half baths and three-car garages: Lark, Oriole, Sparrow and Wren, with the Wren as the model. D.R. Horton says the site is less than 4 miles from Highway 99.
Bakersfield new home communities compared
| Community | Builder | ZIP | Price range (checked Oct 30, 2026) | Home sizes | HOA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Gardens at Encanto | Lennar | 93311 | $369,500 to $435,500 | 1,350 to 2,180 sq ft | Low HOA dues (builder) |
| Beneva Glen | Lennar | 93311 | $384,999 to $608,000 | 1,341 to 3,278 sq ft | None on Choral Series II (builder) |
| Sterling Manor II | D.R. Horton | 93313 | $449,990 to $561,490 | 1,509 to 2,814 sq ft | Ask the builder |
| Aspire at Davis Ranch | K. Hovnanian | 93306 | From $468,990 | 1,585 to 2,267 sq ft | No HOA (builder) |
| Aspire at Cypress Crossing | K. Hovnanian | 93313 | From $482,990 | Up to 2,537 sq ft | None shown (builder estimator) |
Builder prices change weekly and often exclude lot premiums, options and, in California, the solar system that state building rules require on new homes. K. Hovnanian's disclaimer says the solar panels are not included in its advertised price and can be leased or bought. Ask every builder for the full price of the home you would actually buy, with the lot, options and solar.
Mello-Roos, special taxes and HOA dues on new Bakersfield homes
The base property tax on a new Bakersfield home is 1% of the purchase price under Proposition 13, plus voter-approved debt for schools and other local agencies. Many new subdivisions add a special tax (Mello-Roos) or a benefit assessment for streets, landscaping, parks or lighting. These are on the county tax bill, not a separate HOA bill, and they can add hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.
What builder tax rates tell you
The builders' own payment estimators hint at how much this varies. Lennar's listing data uses a 1.12% tax rate for Beneva Glen and 1.17% for The Gardens at Encanto. K. Hovnanian's estimators use 1.4% for Aspire at Davis Ranch and 1.63% for Aspire at Cypress Crossing. Those are the builders' estimates, not the county's figures. A difference of half a percentage point on a $480,000 home is about $2,400 a year, so ask each sales office for the community's tax rate, the special tax amount and how long it lasts. Our Mello-Roos guide explains how these taxes work, and the Kern County property tax guide covers the county's base rates and how to look up a parcel.
HOA dues in new communities
Several Bakersfield builders market communities with no HOA at all, which is less common in newer California suburbs. Lennar describes Beneva Glen's Choral Series II as having no HOA dues and The Gardens at Encanto as having low dues, and K. Hovnanian says Aspire at Davis Ranch has no HOA. No HOA means no monthly fee, but also no shared pool or park maintained by the owners and fewer rules on parking, paint colors or RVs. Where there is no HOA, landscaping districts on the tax bill often maintain the parkways instead.
New vs resale homes in Bakersfield: what each costs
New homes cost more than the citywide average but not always more than nearby resale. Redfin's median sale price for all homes in ZIP 93311 was $513,599 in the three months to September 2026, at $249 per square foot. In 93313 it was $427,774 at $233 per square foot, and in 93306 it was $369,891 at $218 per square foot.
Compare that with base prices per square foot from the builders on October 30, 2026: about $280 for Encanto's 1,350 sq ft Cosmo, $306 for Beneva Glen's 1,341 sq ft Charm and $298 for Sterling Manor II's 1,509 sq ft Lark. Larger plans cost far less per square foot, about $200 for Encanto's Hemingway and Sterling Manor II's Wren and about $173 for Beneva Glen's 3,278 sq ft Orchestra. Small new homes carry a premium; large new homes can be priced close to or below nearby resale per foot.
What a new home saves you
- New roof, HVAC, water heater and appliances, with builder warranties.
- Energy code features, including the required solar system, that lower summer power bills in a city where July highs average 98.6 degrees at the airport station.
- Builder incentives, often toward closing costs or a lower rate, when you use the builder's lender.
What a resale home gives you
- Finished landscaping, fences and window coverings, which a new home may lack. Get quotes for those before you compare prices.
- Mature trees and shade, which matter in Bakersfield's heat.
- Room to negotiate. Resale sellers in the city accepted an average of 99.1% of list price, and about a quarter of metro listings had a price cut in September 2026.
- A known tax bill. Older neighborhoods are less likely to carry Mello-Roos.
Inspections and warranties on a new Bakersfield home
Hire your own inspector
The city's building inspectors check code compliance, not workmanship. Hire an independent home inspector for a pre-drywall inspection, while framing, plumbing and wiring are still visible, and again before the final walk-through. Builders generally allow this if you schedule it with the superintendent; ask about the policy before you sign.
Know the warranty and your legal rights
Builders typically offer a one-year workmanship warranty, shorter coverage on systems and longer structural coverage, but terms vary, so read the warranty booklet before you sign. California law also sets standards for construction defects in new homes and a claims process that usually runs through the builder first, so ask the builder for its written claims procedure. Keep a written list of every defect and submit it in the format the builder requires.
Check soils, drainage and heat
Ask for the soils report and grading plan for your lot, check where water will drain in a winter storm, and confirm the orientation of the back yard. In Bakersfield a west-facing yard can be unusable on summer afternoons without shade.
Buying a new Bakersfield home with a local agent
The builder's sales agent works for the builder. A buyer's agent works for you at no extra cost in most cases, because builders commonly pay a cooperating commission, but you must usually register your agent on your first visit to the sales office. Since the 2024 changes to commission rules, you will sign a written agreement with your agent first; our California real estate commission guide explains how payment works.
A local agent can compare a builder's price with recent resale in the same ZIP, find out which lots carry premiums, and tell you which incentives are negotiable. If you are weighing new against resale across the city, start with our Bakersfield housing market page and Bakersfield neighborhoods guide.