Guides
Buyer & seller guides
Plain-English guides to buying and selling a home in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and South Florida — with links to official sources.
Buying
First-time home buyer guide for Florida
A step-by-step guide for first-time home buyers in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and South Florida: budgeting, pre-approval, assistance programs, inspections, insurance and closing.
Read the guide →Selling
How to sell your home in Miami
How to sell a house in Miami and Fort Lauderdale: pricing, preparing, marketing, disclosures, inspections, offers and closing costs for Florida sellers.
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Closing costs in Florida
What closing costs buyers and sellers pay in Florida, including documentary stamp tax rates for Miami-Dade and Broward, intangible tax, title insurance and more — with official sources.
Read the guide →Owning
Homestead exemption in Miami-Dade and Broward
How the Florida homestead exemption works in Miami-Dade and Broward counties: eligibility, the up-to-$50,000 exemption, Save Our Homes cap, portability and the March 1 deadline.
Read the guide →Owning
Flood zones and insurance basics for South Florida homes
How to check a South Florida home’s FEMA flood zone, when flood insurance is required, the NFIP waiting period, Florida’s seller flood disclosure and Citizens’ flood requirement.
Read the guide →Buying
Buying a new construction home in South Florida
How to buy a new construction townhome, duplex or single-family home in Miami and Fort Lauderdale: contracts, deposits, inspections, warranties and having your own agent.
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