Buyer's Guide
Buying a home in Northeast Florida, step by step.
Know what's coming, what to have ready, and what happens at each stage, from the first conversation to the keys in your hand.
By Dawn Spencer · Last updated
My Action Plan
How I Help You Buy
From first conversation to keys.
What my experience brings
- Twenty years in this market. Licensed since 2005 and a NEFAR member through every kind of market.
- An eye for what the photos don't show. Condition, layout, and the details that affect value and insurance.
- Navy discipline. Deadlines met, details tracked, and you always know what's next.
Strategy session
We talk through your goals, budget, timeline, must-haves, and the neighborhoods that fit, then sign a buyer agreement that spells out exactly what I'll do for you.
Financing lined up
I connect you with experienced lenders so you're pre-approved before we tour, and I make sure your budget includes Florida taxes, insurance, and HOA fees.
A focused search
I set up listing alerts for your criteria, preview homes when it helps, and tour with you in person or by video, pointing out what the photos don't show.
Pricing and offer strategy
Before every offer I pull recent sales and competing listings, then build terms (price, deposit, timelines, contingencies) designed to win without overpaying.
Inspections and insurance, handled early
I help schedule inspections inside your deadline, review reports with you, push for insurance quotes early, and negotiate repairs or credits.
Deadline management
Every contract date goes on a shared calendar, and I coordinate with your lender, title company, and the seller's agent until closing.
Closing and beyond
Final walkthrough, closing day, and a reminder to file your homestead exemption by March 1. I'm still your resource after you move in.
The Process
The typical order of events
Every purchase is a little different, but most follow this path. Deadlines in Florida contracts are strict, so knowing the order helps you stay ahead of them.
Timeline at a glance: pre-approval in days, the home search as long as it takes, and about 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to closing for most financed purchases.
Talk strategy
We discuss your goals, budget, timing, must-haves, and neighborhoods, and sign a written buyer agreement before touring.
Get pre-approved
A lender reviews your income, assets, and credit. A pre-approval letter makes your offer credible.
Tour homes
In person or by video. I'll point out what the listing photos don't show.
Make an offer
Price, escrow deposit, financing, inspection period, and closing date are all negotiable. We build the strongest offer for the situation.
Escrow deposit
Once your offer is accepted, your deposit goes to the title company or escrow agent, usually within a few days.
Inspections
General home inspection, wind mitigation, four-point (older homes), WDO/termite, and any specialty inspections, all within the inspection period.
Insurance quotes
Shop homeowners and flood insurance early. In Florida, insurance can affect your budget and your loan approval.
Appraisal & loan approval
Your lender orders the appraisal and works toward final approval. Respond quickly to any document requests.
Title & survey
The title company searches for liens and issues title insurance. A survey confirms boundaries.
Final walkthrough
Usually within a day of closing, to confirm the home's condition and agreed repairs.
Closing
Sign, fund, record, and get your keys. Then file for your homestead exemption.
Under Contract
Florida contract deadlines, explained
Wire fraud warning: criminals send fake wiring instructions by email, often days before closing. Always confirm wiring instructions by calling the title company at a phone number you find yourself, never one from an email, before sending any money.
Most Northeast Florida purchases use the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar "AS IS" contract. Every deadline counts from the Effective Date, the day the last party signs and the acceptance is delivered. Miss one and you can lose rights or your deposit, so we calendar them the day your offer is accepted.
| Deadline | Common timeframe | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Initial escrow deposit | Within 3 days | Your good-faith deposit goes to the title company or escrow agent. |
| Loan application | Within 5 days | You formally apply with your lender and pay for the appraisal when asked. |
| Inspection period | Often 10 to 15 days | Inspect anything you want. Before it ends you can cancel for any reason and get your deposit back, or negotiate repairs and credits. |
| Additional deposit | As negotiated | If your offer includes a second deposit, it's due on this date. |
| Loan approval period | Often 30 days | Your financing contingency. If you can't get approval, you can cancel by this date with proper notice. |
| Closing Disclosure | 3 business days before closing | Federal law requires you receive your final loan terms and costs in time to review them. |
| Closing | Typically 30 to 45 days | Funds, documents, recording, keys. |
Timeframes are typical, and some are defaults if left blank in the standard contract. The deadlines in your signed contract are the ones that apply.
Inspections
Which inspections to order in Florida
- General home inspection: structure, roof, systems, and visible defects. Always.
- Wind mitigation: documents hurricane-resistant features. Can lower your insurance premium.
- Four-point: roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Insurers often require it on older homes.
- WDO (termite): wood-destroying organisms. Required for VA loans and smart for every home here.
- Pool and spa: equipment, surfaces, and safety barriers.
- Sewer scope: a camera down the main line, especially for older homes with large trees.
- Septic and well: common outside city utility service areas.
- Mold, roof certification, or a structural engineer if the general inspector flags a concern.
Ask the Inspector
Questions worth asking
- How old are the roof, HVAC, and water heater, and how much life is left?
- Is anything here likely to cause a problem getting insurance?
- Which items are safety issues versus normal wear?
- Do you see signs of past water intrusion or flooding?
- Are there signs of unpermitted additions or electrical work?
- What would you fix first if this were your home?
Check permits for the roof, additions, and major systems on the county or city building department website. Unpermitted work can create insurance and resale problems.
Cash to Close
A sample buyer cost worksheet
Here's how Florida's fixed taxes and fees work out on an example $400,000 purchase with 10% down ($360,000 loan). Your lender's Loan Estimate will show your real numbers.
| Item | How it's calculated | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Down payment | 10% of price | $40,000 |
| Doc stamps on the note | $0.35 per $100 of the loan | $1,260 |
| Intangible tax | 0.2% of the loan | $720 |
| Lender fees, appraisal, credit report | Set by your lender | See your Loan Estimate |
| Lender's title policy & settlement fees | Reduced rate when issued with the owner's policy; settlement fees set by the title company | See your title quote |
| Prepaids and escrow | First year of homeowners insurance, a few months of taxes, prepaid interest | Depends on your policy and the home's taxes |
| Inspections | Paid during the inspection period | Quoted by your inspectors |
Your escrow deposit is credited toward your down payment and closing costs at closing. See Florida closing costs for who typically pays what.
Printable Checklist
Buyer checklist
Before you shop
- Check your credit reports at annualcreditreport.com
- Gather two years of W-2s or tax returns, recent pay stubs, and two months of bank statements
- Get pre-approved and ask the lender for a Loan Estimate
- Set a monthly budget that includes taxes, insurance, HOA/CDD fees, and utilities
- Sign a buyer agreement with your agent
- List your must-haves and nice-to-haves
While you tour
- Check the flood zone and ask about insurance costs
- Ask about the roof age, HVAC age, and water heater age
- Review HOA rules, fees, and any special assessments
- Test your commute at the times you'd really drive it
- Look up the home on the county property appraiser site
Under contract
- Deliver the escrow deposit by the contract deadline
- Schedule inspections immediately and review reports with your agent
- Request repairs or credits before the inspection period ends
- Bind homeowners (and flood) insurance and send it to your lender
- Don't open new credit, change jobs, or make large purchases
- Verify wiring instructions by phone with the title company, using a number you look up yourself
Closing week and after
- Review your Closing Disclosure (you'll get it at least 3 business days before closing)
- Schedule utilities, internet, and the move
- Complete the final walkthrough
- Bring a government-issued photo ID to closing
- File for homestead exemption by March 1 of the following year
- Change the locks and garage codes
Buyer Questions
Common buyer questions
How long does it take to buy a home in Florida?
Once your offer is accepted, a financed purchase commonly closes in about 30 to 45 days. Cash purchases can close faster. Finding the right home first can take anywhere from a few days to several months.
Do I have to sign an agreement with a buyer's agent?
Yes. Since August 2024, REALTORS® must have a written agreement with a buyer before touring homes. It spells out the services you receive and how your agent is paid, and it is negotiable.
What is the inspection period in a Florida contract?
The common Florida "AS IS" contract gives the buyer an inspection period, often 10 to 15 days, to inspect the home and cancel if they are not satisfied. The exact number of days is negotiated in the contract.
How much money do I need to buy a home?
Plan for a down payment (from 0% with VA or USDA loans to 3.5% with FHA and 3% or more with conventional loans), an escrow deposit when your offer is accepted, inspection and appraisal fees, and closing costs. Your lender will give you a Loan Estimate with the details.
Free Packet
Want this as a PDF? Email me the buyer packet.
Process, costs, loans, and inspections: 6 guides from this site in one branded PDF, sent personally with a short note. No drip campaign, no spam.
Let's talk about where you're headed.
Buying, selling, building, or just exploring your options, call or text me any time.
Dawn Spencer, REALTOR® · Hi Real Estate