Buyer's guides / Buyer's checklist
Before you buy a house in Florida: a research checklist
A home inspection tells you about the house. Public records tell you about everything attached to it: who really owns it, what's recorded against it, what the next tax bill will be, and how close the water gets. Most of it is free to check, and the best time to check is before you sign.
1. Confirm who owns it, and how
Start with the county property appraiser's record. The owner of record should match the person or company selling to you. If it's an LLC, a trust or an estate, ask who has authority to sign. Look up an LLC on Sunbiz, the Florida Division of Corporations site, to see whether it's active and who its officers are.
Read the sale history too. Several sales in a short time, a sale for $100 between related names, or a recent foreclosure deed aren't problems on their own, but each is worth a question.
2. Read what's recorded against the property
The county clerk's official records hold deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments and releases. Search by the owner's name and by the parcel. You're looking for open mortgages, construction liens, judgments against the owner, a lis pendens (a notice of a pending lawsuit about the property) and any HOA or condo association lien. A title company will run a full search before closing, but finding something early gives you time to negotiate. Our article on liens, judgments and open permits covers what each one means.
3. Check permits, open and closed
New roof? New windows? An addition? Ask for the permits, then check the city or county building department yourself. An open or expired permit can become your problem after closing, and unpermitted work can complicate insurance. Roof permits also tell you the roof's real age, which matters a great deal for insurance in Florida.
4. Look at the flood zone, and past the flood zone
Find the FEMA flood zone and, if it's in a high-risk zone, the base flood elevation. Then compare it with the ground elevation at the house. Since October 2024, Florida sellers of residential property must also tell you, at or before contract, whether they've filed a flood insurance claim or received federal flood assistance for the home. Read how to read a Florida flood zone before you rely on a zone letter alone.
5. Estimate your property tax, not the seller's
The seller's tax bill is often far lower than yours will be. Florida's Save Our Homes cap limits how fast a homesteaded home's assessed value can rise, and the cap resets to market value after a sale. Budget from the just (market) value, not last year's bill. Here's how the reset, homestead and portability work.
6. Get insurance quotes before your inspection period ends
Insurance can decide whether a Florida purchase works. Roof age, roof shape, opening protection and year built (homes permitted under the 2002 Florida Building Code generally do better) all move the premium. Ask for a four-point and wind-mitigation inspection, and get real quotes, including flood, while you can still walk away. See hurricanes, roofs and insurance.
7. If it's a condo, read the building's paperwork
For condos, the building matters as much as the unit. Ask for the milestone inspection report, the structural integrity reserve study, the budget, the reserve balances, recent minutes and any special assessments, approved or under discussion. Our condo guide explains what to look for.
8. Know the storm and hazard history
How often have hurricanes passed nearby, and how strong were they? What's the storm surge risk for a Category 1 storm compared with a Category 3? Is it in a hurricane evacuation zone? Are there sinkhole reports or environmental cleanup sites nearby? This won't stop most purchases, but it should shape your insurance, your inspection and your offer.
9. Visit at different times
Records can't tell you everything. Drive by on a weekday morning, a weekend evening and after a heavy rain if you can. Look at the street drainage, traffic and noise for yourself.
A simple order of operations
- Before the offer: ownership, sale history, flood zone, estimated tax and storm history.
- Right after the offer: the clerk's records, permits, insurance quotes and, for a condo, the association documents.
- During the inspection period: the home inspection, a four-point and wind-mitigation inspection, and a survey if you're not getting one.
- Before closing: the title commitment and municipal lien search, and a final check that nothing new was recorded.