Florida is not a “just pick a house and close” state anymore. The biggest mistakes I see buyers make are simple: they price the home, but they do not price the risk. In 2026, that risk usually shows up in insurance, flood exposure, condo financials, and taxes that reset after purchase.
Use this checklist to avoid the expensive surprises.
Know your real monthly payment, not the fantasy one
Before you tour seriously, build your real monthly number:
- Mortgage principal and interest
- Property taxes
- Homeowners insurance
- Flood insurance if relevant
- HOA or condo fees if applicable
Flood matters because homeowners insurance typically does not cover flooding, and flood insurance is often separate.
Get insurance quotes early, not after you fall in love with the home
In Florida, insurance can make a “great deal” turn into a bad purchase fast.
Do this before your inspection window ends:
- Get a homeowners quote using the property address
- Ask what inspections the carrier will require (common examples: roof condition, four point inspection on older homes)
- If you are near water or in a flood zone, price flood insurance too
Also know this: Florida’s seller flood disclosure rules have expanded and are now a real part of transactions.
Treat flood risk like a cost, not a label
Florida’s flood disclosure law (s. 689.302) requires disclosure language in residential transactions, and it has been updated and expanded over time. The important buyer takeaway is simple: you should ask flood questions early and document the answers.
What to do practically:
- Ask whether there have been flood claims or flood damage
- Ask what flood insurance would cost today
- Confirm the flood zone and whether a lender will require flood coverage
If you are buying a condo, assume extra due diligence is required
Condo buying in Florida is different post Surfside. You are not just buying your unit. You are buying into the building’s structural reality and the association’s funding plan.
Key 2026 reality:
- Florida condo buildings subject to milestone inspections and Structural Integrity Reserve Studies (SIRS) have deadlines that matter, and DBPR spells out the SIRS deadlines, including rules that allow some associations to align SIRS with milestone inspections, but no later than December 31, 2026 in those cases.
- Many unit owner controlled associations existing on or before July 1, 2022 must complete SIRS by December 31, 2025.
What you should request before you buy:
- Current budget, reserves, and reserve study status
- Any planned special assessments
- Recent meeting minutes
- Any milestone inspection reports if applicable
- Proof of current master insurance coverage
This is how you avoid buying into a building that is about to raise dues hard or issue assessments.
Understand Florida tax moves that show up at closing
Florida has closing related taxes many buyers do not think about until the closing disclosure lands.
Two big ones if you are financing:
- Documentary stamp tax applies to certain documents, and mortgage related doc stamps are a known Florida closing cost category.
- Nonrecurring intangible tax is calculated as loan amount × 0.002 (2 mills).
On the deed side, documentary stamp tax on deeds conveying real property is commonly described as $0.70 per $100 of consideration in Florida (with nuances like Miami-Dade variations).
Bottom line: ask your lender and title company for an early estimate of all closing costs, not just lender fees.
Plan for property taxes that can change after you buy
The prior owner’s tax bill is not always your future tax bill.
If you are buying a primary residence, homestead exemption is one of the biggest legal ways to reduce taxable value, but it has strict timing rules. County property appraisers repeatedly emphasize the March 1 deadline, and for 2026 it can shift slightly when March 1 lands on a weekend.
What to do:
- Confirm you will qualify as a primary residence owner
- File homestead as soon as you are eligible in your county
- If you are moving from one Florida homestead to another, ask about portability in your county
Do not skip the boring checks
These are boring until they save you thousands:
- Verify permits for major work (roof, electrical, additions)
- Confirm there are no obvious title issues or unreleased liens
- Budget for inspection plus any insurance required inspections
Make offers like an adult, not like a gambler
In Florida, people lose money by waiving protections without understanding what they are giving up.
At minimum, keep your ability to:
- Inspect the property
- Confirm insurability at a tolerable price
- Confirm financing terms
- Confirm condo docs if it is a condo or HOA
Quick buyer checklist you can paste into your notes
- My real monthly budget includes taxes, insurance, and HOA
- I got a homeowners quote before the inspection deadline
- I priced flood insurance if the property is anywhere near flood risk
- If condo: I reviewed reserves, SIRS status, and any milestone inspection info
- I know my estimated closing costs, including Florida intangible tax if financing
- I know the homestead filing deadline for my county for 2026
- I verified seller flood disclosures and asked direct flood claim questions
