Florida real estate: buy or sell with a local AXEN agent
Florida has no state income tax and a big homestead break, but the costs newcomers miss are the ones that bite: doc stamps, flood and wind insurance, CDD fees and condo paperwork. Here is what is the same everywhere in Florida, and where to search homes.
Florida cities we cover
Each guide covers the local neighborhoods, costs and rules for that city.
What every Florida buyer and seller should know
Two taxes hit at closing
Florida Statutes chapter 201 sets the deed tax at $0.70 per $100 of the price statewide. Miami-Dade is different: $0.60 per $100 plus a $0.45 surtax that does not apply to single-family homes. A new loan adds note stamps of $0.35 per $100 and intangible tax of $2.00 per $1,000.
Title companies close here, and the rate is fixed
Licensed title agents run closings and hold the escrow money in Florida. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation sets the title risk premium, not the company: $5.75 per thousand on the first $100,000 and $5.00 per thousand after that, with a $100 minimum. Who pays for the owner's policy is local custom and is written into the contract.
The seller has to tell you what they know
Under Johnson v. Davis, a Florida seller has to disclose known problems that materially affect value and that you could not easily see. The seller also has to hand you a property tax warning summary before you sign (Florida Statutes 689.261), because the seller's tax bill is not going to be your tax bill.
Flood comes up early now
Since October 1, 2024 a seller has to disclose flood damage during their ownership, any flood insurance claims filed, and any federal flood aid received, at or before the contract is signed (Florida Statutes 689.302). Note what that does not cover: the seller is not required to tell you the flood zone. Look that up yourself.
Condo packets carry two cancel clocks
On a condo resale the seller gives you, at their cost, the declaration, articles, bylaws and rules, the latest budget and financials, the FAQ, the milestone inspection summary, the turnover inspection report, and the most recent structural integrity reserve study or a written statement that none exists. Two windows run, both in business days: 7 days off the governing documents, budget and FAQ, and 15 days off the milestone summary, turnover report and reserve study. A new condo from a developer is 15 calendar days.
An HOA house is not the same as a condo
In a mandatory HOA, the seller has to give you the disclosure summary before you sign. If it comes late, you can cancel within 3 calendar days of finally getting it or before closing, whichever comes first. But Florida does not make an HOA hand over its budget, reserves or minutes the way it does for a condo. If you want those, make it a term of your contract.
The estoppel letter, and old unpaid dues
The association has 10 business days to deliver the estoppel certificate, and if it misses that it cannot charge you at all. The fee is capped and adjusted for inflation. As of this writing DBPR publishes $299 when nothing is past due, plus $119 for a 3-business-day rush and $179 when there is a delinquency. This matters because a new owner is jointly liable with the old owner for dues that came due before closing.
Your tax bill is not the seller's tax bill
Homestead property is reassessed at full value on January 1 after a sale. After that the Save Our Homes cap limits yearly increases to 3% or the change in CPI, whichever is lower. File for homestead with your county property appraiser by March 1. For 2026 that is $25,000 off all taxes plus $26,411 off non-school taxes on value above $50,000, and that second number is now adjusted for inflation each January 1. In newer communities a CDD assessment usually rides on the same bill.
Closing costs in Florida: who pays what
Who pays what in Florida. The title premium and the estoppel cap are set by the state. Who pays the doc stamps and the owner's policy is county custom, and the contract decides it.
| Buyer pays | How it works |
|---|---|
| Note doc stamps | $0.35 per $100 of the loan amount. |
| Intangible tax | $2.00 per $1,000 of the loan amount. |
| Recording the deed and mortgage | About $10.00 for the first page and $8.50 for each page after, plus $1.00 per name over four. |
| Lender's title policy | The state-set rate, discounted when issued with an owner's policy. |
| Owner's title policy in some counties | The same state rate. Who pays is local custom set in the contract. |
| Settlement or closing fee | A flat fee set by the title company. Not set by the state. |
| Survey | Quoted by the surveyor. No state-set price. |
| Inspections | Home inspection plus wind mitigation and, on older homes, a 4-point. Those two are insurer-driven, not required by law. |
| Prorated taxes, HOA and CDD from closing forward | Split by day, as your contract sets it. |
| Seller pays | How it works |
|---|---|
| Deed doc stamps | $0.70 per $100 statewide. Miami-Dade is $0.60 plus a $0.45 surtax that does not apply to single-family homes. |
| Owner's title policy in most counties | The state-set rate. Custom varies and the contract controls. |
| Estoppel fee | Capped by law. DBPR's adjusted amounts as of September 2026 are $299, plus $179 if the account is delinquent and $119 for a rush, and they are reset on a five-year cycle. Free if the association delivers late. |
| Unpaid association dues through closing | From the association's ledger. If it is not cleared, the buyer is on the hook for it. |
| Prorated property taxes for your days | Split by day. The real bill is not final until fall. |
| Mortgage payoff and lien releases | Your lender's payoff letter. |
| Recording to clear title | Satisfactions and corrective deeds at the same per-page rate. |
| Municipal lien or permit search | A title company or vendor fee. Custom. |
Who pays the deed doc stamps and the owner's title policy is county custom, not state law, and it differs across Florida. Dollar caps that adjust for inflation, like the estoppel fee and the homestead amounts, are current as of September 2026. Ask your AXEN agent for the numbers in your county before you sign.
How a Florida home purchase runs
From effective date to recording, most Florida sales run 30 to 45 days. Here is the order, and which parts are law rather than contract.
Get pre-approved →-
Effective date. The last person signs and delivers. Every deadline counts from that day in calendar days, and a deadline on a weekend or holiday moves to the next business day.
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Escrow deposit. You send the deposit by the date in the contract. If a real estate broker is holding it, it has to be in the escrow account by the end of the third business day after they get it. That part is state law.
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Inspections. You hire your inspectors inside the inspection period. Order the wind mitigation and the 4-point here so the insurance quote comes back in time to matter.
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Association documents. The seller or the association delivers the condo packet or the HOA disclosure summary. On a condo resale a 7-business-day cancel window runs off the governing documents and budget, and a separate 15-business-day window runs off the milestone summary, turnover report and reserve study. A new condo from a developer is 15 calendar days.
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Loan application and approval. Apply fast and clear your conditions by the loan approval date in the contract.
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Title search and commitment. The title agent orders the search and issues the commitment. Usually one to two weeks. Florida law requires the policy to be based on a reasonable search.
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Estoppel and payoffs. Title orders the estoppel letter and the mortgage payoffs. The association has 10 business days, and the certificate is good for 30 days, or 35 if it was mailed.
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Final walkthrough. You check the home right before closing.
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Closing and recording. Everyone signs, the money moves, and the title agent records the deed and mortgage with the county clerk. Doc stamps and intangible tax are paid at recording.
Florida by region
Florida is six or seven markets wearing one state's name. Tap a city for homes for sale there.
Greater Orlando
Central Florida's job and theme park core. A wide mix of older in-town homes and newer master-planned neighborhoods, many of which sit inside a CDD.
Tampa Bay and the I-4 corridor
A big-city job market on the Gulf side plus a lower-cost inland option an hour east. Flood zone and wind coverage questions come up often near the bay.
Southwest Florida Gulf coast
Gulf beaches, golf and boating communities, and a lot of condo and HOA living. Expect association packets, estoppel letters and milestone reports on most deals.
Northeast and North Central Florida
Jacksonville is a large coastal city with room to grow. Ocala is horse country with more land per dollar.
Emerald Coast and the Panhandle
White-sand Gulf beaches, military bases and a heavy short-term rental market. Read the rental rules and the insurance terms closely.
South Florida
Dense, international and condo-driven. Miami-Dade has its own deed tax rate, and condo building-safety documents matter more here than almost anywhere else.
AXEN Realty in Florida
Every AXEN agent in Florida works under a licensed managing broker: Jojo Quiroz (AXEN Realty, LLC, firm license CQ1072954); Luisa Garcia (AXEN Realty Partners, LLC, firm license CQ1073815). See every state on the state brokers page.
Buying? Start with the home buying guide and get pre-approved.
Selling? Read the home selling guide and get your home value.
Moving here? Read buying in a new state.
Real estate agent? Changing brokerages in Florida: your new broker, or you on paper; state fee: no fee. See how to transfer a Florida license, the switching checklist, advice for new agents and how keeping 100% works.
Florida real estate questions
Do I need a lawyer to close on a Florida home?
No. Florida lets licensed title agents handle the closing and hold the escrow money, and that is how most sales close here. Lawyers are common in complex deals, estates or disputes. You can always hire one. Ask your agent who is handling closing before you sign.
Can I shop around for cheaper title insurance?
Not on the policy itself. Florida sets the title rate by rule, so the risk premium is the same everywhere for the same coverage. What does change is the closing fee, the search fee and the add-ons. Ask for a written fee sheet and compare those lines.
Why did my property tax bill jump the year after I bought?
The value resets to full market value on January 1 after a sale. The seller's old Save Our Homes savings do not come with the house. State law even requires a written warning about this before you sign. Use the county property appraiser's estimator, not the seller's old bill.
How do I get the homestead exemption?
File with your county property appraiser by March 1 for the home you live in as your permanent residence. Once you have it, the Save Our Homes cap limits how much the assessed value can climb each year. If you already had a Florida homestead, portability can move up to $500,000 of savings to the new one.
I am moving to Florida from another state. Does the November vote change my taxes?
It might, and the date that matters is December 31, 2026. On November 3, 2026 Florida votes on Amendment 3, which would raise the homestead exemption on non-school taxes. It needs 60% to pass. If it passes, people who already had a Florida permanent residence on December 31, 2026 get the full raised exemption. People who move here after that start at $50,000 and take five years to work up to the full amount. So two neighbors in the same kind of house could owe very different amounts. Nothing changes unless it passes, and none of it starts before January 1, 2027. If you are planning a move, ask your AXEN agent and a tax professional how the timing affects you.
What is an estoppel letter and who pays for it?
It is the association's written statement of what is owed on the unit at closing. The association has 10 business days to deliver it, and if it is late it cannot charge for it. The fee is capped by state law. It matters because unpaid dues can follow the property to you.
Does an HOA have to show me its budget and reserves before I buy?
No. Florida requires a condo seller to hand over the budget, financials and reserve study. The HOA chapter does not require any of that for a house. Only the disclosure summary. If you want the budget, reserves or minutes, make it a term of your contract. That is the biggest condo-versus-HOA gap in Florida.
What is a CDD and how do I know if a home has one?
A Community Development District charges assessments to pay for roads, water lines and amenities in newer communities. It usually shows up on the county tax bill on top of regular property taxes and any HOA dues. Check the tax bill and the county property appraiser record before you write the offer.
What are the 4-point and wind mitigation inspections?
Neither is required by law. Insurers ask for them. A 4-point looks at roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, usually on older homes. A wind mitigation report documents roof and opening features. Florida law makes insurers give discounts for wind-resistant features, so that report often pays for itself.