🗺️ For buyers
The First-TimeBuyer Guide
Buying your first home in Florida takes ten steps: set a real budget, get pre-approved, check state programs like Hometown Heroes, choose your town, tour with a coastal checklist, make a calibrated offer, inspect thoroughly, shop insurance the week you go under contract, clear underwriting, and close — then file your homestead exemption by March 1. A financed purchase typically runs 30–45 days from accepted offer to keys.
Educational guide, not legal, tax, or lending advice. Figures are typical for our Florida markets — programs, rates, and rules change, so verify current numbers with your lender, title company, or county.
The ten steps
Know your number before anyone else does
Pull your credit, fix errors, and work out what monthly payment feels comfortable — not what a lender says you qualify for. Aim to have your down payment (as little as 3–3.5% on many programs) plus 2–5% for closing costs.
💡 Try our mortgage calculator with real numbers from the town you want.
Get pre-approved, not just pre-qualified
A pre-approval means a lender verified your income, assets, and credit. In our markets listing agents take offers with strong pre-approvals seriously — and it locks your search to a realistic range.
Check the Florida programs before you shop
Florida Housing programs (like Hometown Heroes when funded) can put serious down-payment assistance behind eligible buyers; FHA allows 3.5% down, VA 0% for veterans, and USDA 0% in some rural corners of Lake and Osceola counties. Ask your lender which you fit — before you fall in love with a house.
Pick your water, then your town
Beach walkability, river access, launch views, and commute all trade against price here. Explore the living guides and the interactive map — median prices, flood zones, school grades, and insurance exposure town by town.
💡 The service-areas map shows every one of these as a toggleable layer.
Tour with a checklist, not vibes
On the coast: roof age (insurers care at 15+ years), windows and shutters (wind-mitigation credits), AC age, water heater, panel brand, and any signs of past water intrusion. Inland: many of the same, minus the salt.
Write the offer like you mean it
Your agent will calibrate price, escrow deposit, inspection period, and closing date to the situation. In Florida the escrow deposit (often 1–2%) goes to a neutral holder within days of acceptance — budget for it to move fast.
Inspect everything — then negotiate like an adult
General inspection plus, on the coast, wind-mitigation and (for older homes) four-point inspections that your insurer will want anyway. Use findings to negotiate repairs or credits, not to relitigate the price you offered.
Shop insurance the same week you go under contract
This is the step that bites coastal buyers. Get homeowners quotes immediately — the premium feeds your loan approval and your escrow math, and in flood zones your lender will require flood coverage on top. Waiting until the week of closing is how deals wobble.
💡 Our insurance and flood-zone guides cover exactly what quotes involve.
Clear to close: appraisal, underwriting, walkthrough
The lender orders the appraisal, underwriting clears conditions, you wire nothing to anyone who emails you new instructions (wire fraud is real — verify by phone), and you walk the house within 24 hours of closing.
Close, then file your homestead exemption
Sign, fund, get keys. Then put one date on the calendar: file your Florida homestead exemption with the county property appraiser by March 1 — it trims your assessed value and caps future increases at 3% a year.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need for a down payment in Florida?
Less than most people think: conventional loans allow 3% down for qualifying first-time buyers, FHA 3.5%, and VA/USDA 0% for eligible borrowers. On a $400,000 home that can mean $12,000–$14,000 down — the bigger surprise is usually the 2–5% in closing costs and prepaids on top.
What is the Hometown Heroes program?
A Florida Housing down-payment assistance program offering eligible full-time workers a deferred second loan toward down payment and closing costs. Funding comes and goes by budget year, so ask a Florida-approved lender whether it is currently funded and whether your job and income qualify.
How long does buying a house take?
From accepted offer to keys, a financed Florida purchase typically runs 30–45 days; cash can close in as little as one to two weeks. The search itself is the variable — some buyers find the house in a weekend, some take six months.
Do I need a 20% down payment to avoid PMI?
PMI applies to conventional loans under 20% down, but it is often cheaper than buyers expect and drops off once you reach 20% equity. Waiting years to save 20% in an appreciating market frequently costs more than paying PMI now — run both scenarios.
What should first-time buyers know about condos here?
Since Florida’s post-Surfside condo laws, buildings three stories and taller face milestone inspections and reserve requirements — which shows up in association fees and lending. Always review the association budget, reserves, and any special assessments during your inspection period.
What is different about buying near the beach?
Three things: insurance (wind coverage and hurricane deductibles priced by roof and construction), flood zones (lender-required coverage in AE/VE zones), and due diligence on salt-air wear. None are dealbreakers — they are line items to price in before you offer, which is exactly what our team does.
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