New construction in Simi Valley is now concentrated in essentially one active master-planned community plus the remaining lots in built-out subdivisions. The headline active program in mid-2026 is Lennar's Sycamore Grove (townhomes, detached condos, and small-lot single-family) near the 118 freeway, now in its final collections. The older master-planned communities - Big Sky, Runkle Canyon / Arroyo Vista (the KB Home and Lennar joint venture), and Long Canyon - are built out, so opportunities there are resale rather than new. There's also scattered custom and semi-custom infill in Bridle Path and Strathearn. This page covers what's available in June 2026, how builder pricing and incentives actually work, the Mello-Roos and HOA structure on new inventory, and the negotiation and contract differences buyers should expect. Prices below are starting ranges; verify current pricing and availability directly with the builder.
What new construction looks like in Simi Valley today
Simi Valley has run out of large undeveloped tracts. The big master-planned communities of the past 20+ years - Wood Ranch, Big Sky, Runkle Canyon / Arroyo Vista, and parts of Long Canyon - are essentially built out, with only resale and scattered infill remaining. Sycamore Grove on the south side near the 118 freeway is the headline active new-construction community in June 2026, a Lennar masterplan of townhomes, detached condos, and small-lot single-family that's been delivering in phases for several years and is now in its final collections.
Beyond the master-planned activity, new construction in Simi is mostly lot-by-lot custom and semi-custom builds in Bridle Path (where acre-plus lots are occasionally available), Strathearn (where larger lots accommodate custom builds), and infill teardown-and-rebuild scattered across the city. Production builders other than Lennar have limited or no active new inventory inside the city in mid-2026 - Toll Brothers, for example, lists active communities in nearby Chatsworth and Porter Ranch but not in Simi Valley itself.
What this means for buyers: if you want true new construction in a master-planned community with amenities and matching homes, your practical choice in Simi in mid-2026 is Sycamore Grove. The older communities like Big Sky and Runkle Canyon / Arroyo Vista are resale plays now. Beyond Sycamore Grove, new construction is a custom-builder relationship and a longer build timeline. Plan 12-18 months from lot purchase to keys on a custom build, vs 30-90 days on standing builder inventory.
Sycamore Grove by Lennar - the active master-planned community
Sycamore Grove sits just off the 118 freeway, across from the Sycamore Village retail center (Trader Joe's, Target). Lennar has been delivering in phases for several years and, as of June 2026, the masterplan is in its final collections. It was built around three collections: Sorrell (two-story townhomes, roughly 1,362-1,819 sq ft, two to four bedrooms), Acacia (three-story detached homes/condos, roughly 1,652-1,823 sq ft), and Cypress (the largest plans - two-story single-family detached, roughly 1,830-2,271 sq ft, three to four bedrooms). Community amenities include a pool, BBQs, a community garden, bocce ball, fire pits, and a tot lot.
Current status (mid-2026, per Lennar and NewHomeSource): Acacia is sold out, while Cypress is marketed as a "final opportunity" and Sorrell townhomes remain among the available collections. Starting prices reported in mid-2026: Sorrell townhomes from the $600,000s and Cypress single-family from the $800,000s (one Cypress quick-move-in plan was listed around $892,990). These are starting points only - verify current pricing, available homesites, and which collections are still open directly with Lennar before relying on any number.
Mello-Roos applies and is embedded in property tax; HOA dues cover exterior/common-area maintenance, landscaping, pool, and amenities. Confirm the exact Mello-Roos special tax and HOA dues for the specific homesite and collection. Lennar's "Everything's Included" program bundles quartz counters, stainless appliances, smart-home pre-wire, and builder flooring into base price.
Builder incentives commonly offered: closing-cost credits, rate buy-downs through Lennar Mortgage (the in-house lender), and occasional design-center credits. Most incentives are tied to using the builder's preferred lender; using outside financing typically forfeits those incentives. Compare all-in cost both ways - sometimes the builder's lender wins on overall cost, sometimes an outside loan with a lower base rate wins. Run both quotes.
Big Sky - built out, now a resale market
Big Sky, the master-planned community on Simi's northeast hillside (developed by Toll Brothers and other production builders, largely built between roughly the mid-2000s and the mid-2010s), is now essentially built out. As of June 2026 there is no active Toll Brothers new-construction community inside Simi Valley - Toll's nearest active communities are in Chatsworth and Porter Ranch. In practice, "buying new" in Big Sky today means buying a resale home, not builder inventory.
Big Sky resale homes are typically larger single-family homes; Mello-Roos in the community is substantial and embedded in the annual property tax bill, and HOA dues cover common-area landscaping and slope maintenance. Confirm the specific Mello-Roos special tax and HOA dues for any home before writing. The build quality is high, and the community has a strong reputation for finishes and consistency.
Because Big Sky is a resale market now, the comparison is resale-vs-resale: a 2018-2022 home versus an early-build home in the same CFD will carry essentially the same Mello-Roos rate, since the bond doesn't change with ownership. Have me pull current Big Sky comps before you decide. (For a dedicated Big Sky deep dive, see the Big Sky neighborhood guide and homes-for-sale page linked below.)
Runkle Canyon / Arroyo Vista (KB Home + Lennar) - built out
Runkle Canyon, in southwest Simi Valley, was a KB Home and Lennar joint venture of roughly 461 attached and detached homes under the Runkle Canyon Specific Plan. KB Home's neighborhoods there - marketed as Arroyo Vista at the Woodlands and Arroyo Heights at the Woodlands - have sold out and are no longer listed as active by KB Home or on NewHomeSource as of mid-2026. Original pricing on the Arroyo Vista detached plans opened in the high $600,000s for two-story homes of roughly 2,102-3,481 sq ft; that pricing is historical, not current.
Bottom line: Runkle Canyon is built out, so today it is a resale opportunity rather than new construction. If you want to be in Runkle Canyon, watch for resale listings - have me set up a tailored search. For more detail, see the dedicated Runkle Canyon new-construction guide linked below.
Mello-Roos on new construction - what to know
Mello-Roos is a special tax that funds infrastructure (roads, schools, parks) through bonded debt, repaid by property owners via the annual property tax bill. It applies to most new construction in California, and to virtually all newer Simi Valley master-planned communities. The rate is fixed at bond issuance but the annual amount can vary within a defined range, typically increasing 2% per year subject to caps.
For a buyer, Mello-Roos is real money. On a Sycamore Grove townhome at $800K, Mello-Roos adds roughly $250-$350/month - call it $3,000-$4,200/year - on top of base property tax. On a Big Sky single-family at $1.6M, the Mello-Roos can be $500-$800/month - $6,000-$9,600/year. Bond maturity is typically 25-40 years from issuance. After maturity the special tax ends and the only tax is the standard 1% base plus voter-approved bonds.
When pricing new vs resale, the Mello-Roos comparison matters. A 10-year-old Big Sky home carries the same Mello-Roos rate as a brand-new Big Sky home in the same CFD - the bond doesn't change ownership. So the Mello-Roos itself isn't a reason to prefer new vs resale within the same community. But comparing Big Sky (with Mello-Roos) to a non-CFD older Simi tract (without) is a meaningful cost difference.
Builder incentives - what they actually are and what they cost you
Production builders offer incentives to move inventory at quarter-end and year-end, and to compete with resale at the price point. The standard incentives in Simi new construction in May 2026 are: closing-cost credits ($10K-$30K), interest rate buy-downs through the builder's preferred lender (1-2-1 buy-down structure or permanent rate reduction), design-center credits ($5K-$15K) for upgrade selection, and occasionally appliance package upgrades.
Almost all incentives require using the builder's preferred lender (Lennar Mortgage for Lennar, similar in-house lenders for others). The trade-off: the builder lender may have a slightly higher base rate but the incentives net out to a lower all-in cost. Sometimes they don't. Run a side-by-side quote: builder's lender with incentives vs your outside lender at their best rate. Compare APR and total interest plus closing costs over your expected hold period.
Quarter-end and year-end are when builders are most flexible. If you can be flexible on your close date, asking what's movable at the end of June, September, or December typically produces better incentives than asking in mid-quarter. Bring a buyer's agent to those negotiations - the incentives don't cost the builder more to offer to a represented buyer, but they're more carefully extracted by an agent who's negotiated against the same sales office before.
Builder contracts - how they differ from the standard California RPA
Production builders in California typically use their own purchase contract, not the California Association of Realtors Residential Purchase Agreement. The builder contract is drafted to favor the builder: limited buyer contingencies, arbitration clauses, restrictions on disclosing the contract to third parties in some cases, and broad rights for the builder to extend close dates and make design changes.
Things to read carefully in a Lennar or Toll Brothers contract: the warranty language (typically 1-2-10 structure - one year fit and finish, two years systems, ten years major structural), the arbitration clause and class action waivers, the close-of-escrow extension rights for the builder, and the design center selection deadlines and change-order policies.
Bring your buyer's agent to read the contract before you sign. I have a checklist of clauses I want flagged or initialed in a Lennar PSA - some items are negotiable, others aren't, but my client should know which is which before they sign. There is no contingency-removal date in the same form as a resale RPA; instead the buyer has very limited cancellation rights, typically tied to the loan approval process or specific contract breach by the builder.
Inspections on new construction - yes, you still do them
New construction is built by humans in a complex sequence with hundreds of subcontractors. Defects happen. Skipping the inspection because 'it's new' is the most common mistake I see new-construction buyers make. Schedule a pre-closing (blue-tape) walkthrough with a qualified third-party home inspector - cost is $400-$700 - and produce a punch list the builder will work through.
Common new-construction inspection findings: cosmetic items (paint touchups, minor drywall imperfections, scratched fixtures), plumbing leaks at fittings, HVAC balancing issues, grading and drainage at exterior walls, missing weather stripping at doors and windows, and electrical issues with outlets or fixtures. Most are minor; the inspection catches them while the builder is still on the hook.
Schedule a one-year warranty inspection before your 12-month builder warranty expires. Settling cracks, HVAC issues that didn't surface in the first 90 days, and many cosmetic items qualify for warranty repair if you document and report them before the warranty deadline. Don't miss this - the warranty is non-renewable.
- Pre-closing (blue tape) inspection: walk with the builder, mark issues with tape
- Third-party home inspection ($400-$700): independent review before close
- 30-day post-move-in walkthrough: catches what you find living in the home
- 11-month warranty inspection: BEFORE 12-month warranty expires
- 10-year structural warranty: requires major defect documentation; keep records
Custom and semi-custom builds in Simi Valley
Beyond the master-planned communities, Simi's custom-build market exists primarily in three places: Bridle Path (where acre-plus lots occasionally come available for build-to-suit), Strathearn (where larger custom homes are scattered through the tract), and infill teardown-and-rebuild on existing lots in central and west Simi.
Custom build timeline runs 12-18 months from lot purchase to occupancy: 3-6 months for design and permitting, 9-12 months for construction. Lot purchase is itself a negotiation, and lots in Bridle Path and Strathearn that accommodate custom builds are uncommon. Construction loans (typically 12-month interest-only construction loans that convert to permanent financing) require strong financials and 20-30% down on the total project cost.
Custom building in Simi Valley is a relationship-driven process. Pick the architect and the builder before you pick the lot - or at least concurrently. Confirm the builder's local references, walk completed projects, and verify license and insurance status. The City of Simi Valley Building Division has a permit history database that lets you see what a builder has actually completed locally.
The five-question new-construction checklist
Before signing a purchase contract on Simi Valley new construction, I want these five answers.
- 1. What is the Mello-Roos rate and bond maturity year on the specific lot and plan?
- 2. What does the HOA cover, and is there a master-vs-sub-association structure with separate dues?
- 3. What builder incentives are available, and what is the all-in cost using builder lender vs outside lender?
- 4. What are the warranty terms (1-2-10 typical) and the punch-list completion timeline?
- 5. What is the contract's close-of-escrow extension language - how long can the builder push?
What I tell new-construction buyers
New construction in Simi Valley is a legitimate option but it's not always the best value. The new-build premium runs 5-10% over a recent resale in the same community. Mello-Roos applies. The contract is the builder's contract. The punch list takes 6-12 months to clear. None of that is bad - but all of it is different from a resale transaction, and buyers should know what they're signing up for.
If you're set on new, run the side-by-side comparison: new Lennar home at Sycamore Grove vs a recent resale in the same community. The math often favors resale. Where new wins is when standing inventory has been on the market longer than the builder wants and incentives have grown to make the all-in cost competitive with resale, or when you genuinely value the warranty and zero deferred maintenance more than the price difference.
SourcesCommunity status and pricing verified June 2026 via builder and listing sites: Lennar (Sycamore Grove - Sorrell, Acacia, Cypress collections), NewHomeSource (Sycamore Grove, Arroyo Heights / Arroyo Vista at the Woodlands listings), KB Home (Simi Valley new-homes page), and Toll Brothers (Simi Valley / Ventura County community list). City of Simi Valley Planning Division (Runkle Canyon Specific Plan). Prices are builder-reported starting points and change frequently - confirm directly with the builder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What new construction is available in Simi Valley in 2026?
The main active master-planned new-construction community in mid-2026 is Sycamore Grove by Lennar, near the 118 freeway, now in its final collections: Sorrell (townhomes, from the $600,000s), Acacia (detached homes, sold out), and Cypress (single-family, marketed as a "final opportunity," from the $800,000s). The older master-planned communities - Big Sky, Runkle Canyon / Arroyo Vista (the KB Home and Lennar joint venture), and Long Canyon - are built out, so opportunities there are resale rather than new. Beyond Sycamore Grove, new construction in Simi is custom and semi-custom builds in Bridle Path, Strathearn, and scattered infill teardowns. Prices are starting points - verify current pricing and availability directly with the builder.
How much does new construction cost in Simi Valley?
At Sycamore Grove (Lennar), starting prices reported in mid-2026 are: Sorrell townhomes from the $600,000s and Cypress single-family from the $800,000s (verify current pricing with Lennar). Custom builds in Bridle Path or Strathearn typically run several hundred dollars per square foot of finished space, plus lot acquisition. Add Mello-Roos to most new construction (embedded in property tax), plus HOA dues (roughly $180-$450/month). Confirm the exact Mello-Roos special tax and HOA for the specific homesite.
Are builder incentives worth using the builder's lender?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Builder lenders typically offer closing-cost credits, rate buy-downs, and design-center credits worth $15K-$40K, but require slightly higher base rates than the best outside lenders. The all-in math depends on your loan amount, hold period, and current rate environment. Run a side-by-side quote: builder lender with full incentives vs your outside lender at their best rate, comparing APR plus total interest plus closing costs over expected hold. Sometimes builder wins by $5K-$15K; sometimes outside wins by $5K-$10K.
Do I need a buyer's agent for new construction?
Yes, and the builder pays the commission. Builder sales offices are professional and helpful but they represent the builder, not you. A buyer's agent reads the contract, negotiates incentives, walks the punch list, and provides leverage you don't have as a solo buyer. Important: register your agent at your first visit to the sales office. If you walk in alone and try to bring an agent later, most builders (including Lennar) will not recognize the agent and your representation evaporates.
What is the builder warranty on new homes in Simi Valley?
Most production builders in California offer a 1-2-10 warranty structure: one year on fit and finish (cosmetic, paint, drywall, fixtures), two years on systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical), and ten years on major structural defects. Toll Brothers has historically offered slightly broader coverage. Schedule an 11-month warranty inspection before the 12-month fit-and-finish window closes - many items qualify for warranty repair if reported in time, but the deadline is firm.
Should I buy new or a recent resale in the same community?
Run the math. A 3-5 year old resale in Big Sky or Sycamore Grove typically prices $50K-$150K below comparable new inventory in the same community. The original buyer absorbed the new-build premium and the punch-list cycle. You inherit the same Mello-Roos rate, the same HOA, the same builder warranty (if structural still in window), and a home that's been lived in and refined. Where new wins is on warranty, latest finishes, and zero deferred maintenance. Plan 7+ year hold to make new worth the premium.
How long does it take to close on new construction?
Standing inventory typically closes in 30-45 days, similar to a resale. Build-to-order custom homes through a production builder run 6-9 months from contract to close. Custom builds on private lots run 12-18 months from lot purchase to occupancy (3-6 months design and permitting, 9-12 months construction). Lennar contracts include broad builder rights to extend close-of-escrow if construction runs behind; factor this when coordinating with the sale of an existing home.
Does new construction in Simi Valley have Mello-Roos?
Almost always yes. Sycamore Grove, Big Sky, and most newer master-planned construction in Simi Valley sit in Community Facilities Districts that fund infrastructure through bonded debt. Mello-Roos rates currently add $250-$800/month to housing cost depending on community and plan, embedded in the annual property tax bill. Bonds typically mature 25-40 years from issuance; verify the maturity year and remaining balance for the specific lot before writing. Custom builds on private lots in older areas (Bridle Path, parts of Strathearn) often have no Mello-Roos.
