Buying a home, without the panic.

From "I'm thinking about it" to keys in your hand. The realistic Florida buyer's playbook, every step, every cost, every Florida-specific gotcha.

1. Figure out what you can actually afford

Most affordability calculators lie to Florida buyers because they leave out three big numbers: property tax, hurricane insurance, and HOA. Real Florida math:

Aim for total housing cost (PITI + HOA) at or below 32% of gross monthly income. Lenders will let you go higher, don't.

2. Pre-approval, not pre-qualification

"Pre-qualified" is a soft estimate based on what you say. Pre-approval is the lender pulling your credit, verifying income with W2s/tax returns, and issuing a real letter you can attach to offers. In a competitive market, pre-qualification gets ignored. Get pre-approved before you book a single showing.

I work with 3 lenders I trust on the Treasure Coast. Local lenders close faster than internet lenders here, appraisers and title companies are tight-knit.

See lender comparison →

3. Reading an MLS listing, what to actually look for

• Year built & roof age, anything pre-2005 with original roof = insurance challenge. Ask for the wind mitigation report.
• Days on market, under 14 = hot, 30–60 = priced about right, 90+ = priced too high or has an issue. Ask which.
• Price per sqft, compare against the neighborhood median. 10%+ above median needs justification.
• HOA fees + what they include, $400/mo HOA that includes lawn + cable + insurance is different from $400/mo for nothing.
• Flood zone, listed in property details. X is best, AE/VE means flood insurance required.
• "Cash only" or "as-is", usually means roof or major system needs work. Not a dealbreaker, just budget for it.

4. The offer

Florida uses the FAR/BAR contract. Three things matter most:

5. Inspections, Florida edition

You'll want all of these on most homes:

• General home inspection ($400–500), roof to foundation, all systems.
• Wind mitigation ($75–125), documents roof straps, glass type, roof shape. Insurance discount alone pays for it many times over.
• Four-point ($75–125), required by most insurers on homes 25+ years old. Roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC.
• Termite/WDO ($75), required by VA loans, smart on every Florida home.
• Septic + well, if applicable. ~$300 each.
• Pool + spa ($100–150), if applicable. Pump, heater, screen enclosure, surface.

If anything material comes up, we negotiate: price reduction, seller credit at closing, or seller fixes pre-close. Choose credit over fixes when possible, sellers cut corners on rushed repairs.

6. Insurance shopping (start early)

Begin getting insurance quotes during inspection period. Florida's market is volatile and a single carrier "no" can take days. I have 3 brokers I send buyers to who quote across 15+ carriers.

Ask for: homeowners (HO-3) with wind included, flood if applicable, and an umbrella if you have assets to protect. Bind 7+ days before closing, lenders require proof at clear-to-close.

7. Closing day

• Title company sends final closing disclosure (CD) 3 days before closing, review wire amount, prorations, fees.
• Wire funds the morning of closing (never the day before, wire fraud is rampant). Confirm wire instructions by phone with title before sending.
• Bring driver's license + proof of insurance binder.
• Sign roughly 30 documents (most are formality). Read the deed, mortgage, and CD carefully.
• Walk-through the morning of, verify nothing's been damaged or removed since contract.
• Get keys. Smile. You own a house.

8. First 30 days

• File homestead exemption (county property appraiser, online, ~10 min)
• Set up utilities (FPL, water, internet, trash if not on tax bill)
• Change locks. Always.
• Update driver's license + register vehicles if you moved from out of state
• Get on the HOA distribution list (if applicable)
• Learn your hurricane plan: shutters, evacuation zone, generator if you want one