How long does it take to buy a home in Florida?

From the day you start seriously searching to the day you get the keys, most Florida purchases run about 45 to 75 days, though it varies with your situation. The mortgage timeline itself is usually the driver: once you are under contract, a financed purchase commonly takes 30 to 45 days to close while the lender orders the appraisal and completes underwriting. A cash purchase can close much faster because there is no loan process to wait on.

When is the Florida homestead exemption filing deadline?

The deadline to file for the Florida homestead exemption is March 1 of the year you want it applied. You must own the home and have it as your permanent residence as of January 1 of that year to qualify for that tax year. File with your county property appraiser, and once approved the exemption generally renews automatically each year.

Do I need a wind mitigation inspection in Florida?

A wind mitigation inspection is not legally required, but it is one of the most valuable things a Florida buyer can order. It documents roof-to-wall connections, roof shape, and other features insurers reward, and it can meaningfully lower your homeowners premium. Because Florida insurance is expensive, most buyers order one during their inspection period alongside the general home inspection.

Buyer Guide

The complete Florida home buyer checklist

Buying a home in Florida follows the same broad arc as anywhere else, but a handful of Florida-specific steps trip up buyers who use a generic national checklist. Insurance, the homestead exemption, and the way closing costs work here all deserve their own attention. Here is the full sequence, in order, with the Florida details built in.

1. Get pre-approved

Before you tour a single home, talk to a lender and get pre-approved. Pre-approval is different from a quick pre-qualification: the lender actually reviews your income, credit, and assets, then issues a letter stating how much you can borrow. In a competitive Florida market, sellers often will not take an offer seriously without one. Ask your lender to include taxes and Florida insurance in the estimate, because those two line items are higher here than the national average and they change what you can comfortably afford.

2. Set a real budget

Your pre-approval tells you the ceiling. Your budget tells you what you actually want to spend. The gap between those two numbers matters, especially in Florida where homeowners insurance and, in newer communities, CDD assessments can add hundreds of dollars a month on top of principal and interest. Run your own numbers with our Florida affordability calculator, which is preloaded with real county tax rates and a Florida insurance estimate so the payment you see is closer to reality.

Florida reality check. A national mortgage calculator that ignores our insurance costs and county millage can understate your monthly payment by a wide margin. Always price a Florida home on Florida numbers.

3. Choose a local agent

Pick an agent who knows the specific area you are buying in. County tax rates, flood zones, HOA rules, and CDD-heavy communities vary block by block across Central Florida. A local agent can tell you why two similar homes in Horizon West carry very different monthly costs, or how the property-tax picture differs when you look at a market like Lakeland. Good local guidance saves you from surprises after you are already under contract.

4. Search and tour

Now the fun part. With your budget set and your agent lined up, start touring homes that fit your criteria. Keep notes on each one, and pay attention to Florida-specific details: the age and type of the roof, whether the home sits in a flood zone, the age of the air conditioning system, and any signs of past water intrusion. These items directly affect both your insurance premium and your negotiating position later.

5. Make an offer

When you find the right home, your agent helps you write an offer using the standard Florida contract. Beyond price, the offer spells out your deposit (escrow), your financing terms, the closing date, and your contingencies, which are the conditions that let you walk away and keep your deposit. The two contingencies that matter most for Florida buyers are financing and inspection.

6. The inspection period

Once your offer is accepted, you enter the inspection period, a set window to have the home professionally evaluated. Order a general home inspection, and in Florida strongly consider two more: a wind mitigation inspection, which documents roof and structural features insurers reward and can lower your premium, and a four-point inspection, which covers the roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC and is often required by insurers before they will write a policy on an older home. If the inspection turns up problems, this is your window to renegotiate or, if needed, cancel.

Do not skip wind mitigation. It is optional on paper, but because Florida homeowners insurance is one of the largest costs of ownership here, the credits a wind mitigation report can unlock often pay for the inspection many times over.

7. Appraisal

If you are financing, your lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home is worth what you agreed to pay. If the appraisal comes in at or above the contract price, you are on track. If it comes in low, you and the seller renegotiate, you cover the gap in cash, or you use your financing contingency. Cash buyers can waive the appraisal, though many still get one for peace of mind.

8. Title work and closing costs

While underwriting finishes, a title company confirms the seller can legally transfer the property and issues title insurance to protect you. This is also when your closing costs come into focus. Florida has its own set of costs, including documentary stamp taxes on the note, intangible tax on the mortgage, and title insurance priced by state formula. Estimate what you will owe with our Florida closing cost calculator so the cash-to-close number does not catch you off guard a few days before closing.

9. Plan your homestead exemption

If the home will be your permanent residence, the Florida homestead exemption can reduce your taxable value and cap how fast your assessed value rises each year. To claim it, you must own and occupy the home as your primary residence as of January 1, and you must file with your county property appraiser by March 1. Put that deadline on your calendar the day you close, because missing it means waiting a full year for the savings.

10. Closing day

At closing you review and sign the final documents, bring your funds to close by wire, and the deed is recorded. Do a final walkthrough shortly before to confirm the home is in the agreed condition and that any negotiated repairs were completed. Once the transaction records, the keys are yours.

11. After closing

You are not quite done. File for your homestead exemption if you have not already, and do it well ahead of the March 1 deadline. Transfer or set up your utilities, including power, water, and internet, so nothing lapses on move-in day. Update your address, and keep your closing documents somewhere safe, since you will need them at tax time and if you ever refinance or sell.

Every purchase has its own wrinkles, and a good local advisor is the difference between a smooth close and a stressful one. If you want a Florida-specific answer to where you are in this process, reach out.

Talk to a local Evolve advisor

Disclosure. This guide provides general information only. It is not a loan offer, pre-approval, appraisal, home inspection, or tax or legal advice, and actual steps, timelines, and figures depend on your lender, property, county, and circumstances. Homestead exemption rules and deadlines are set by Florida law and administered by your county property appraiser, so confirm current requirements with them. Evolve Estates Group is brokered by eXp Realty. Equal Housing Opportunity.