Straight answers for real Central Florida decisions.
These are the questions buyers and sellers ask me most across Winter Park, Maitland,
Windermere, Baldwin Park, and the lakes: waterfront due diligence, title customs,
closing costs, insurance, and getting a home ready to sell. Plain answers in my own
words, written from the same evidence I use at the closing table.
Last updated October 30, 2026 · New FAQs added weekly · More questions always welcome
Lakefront
What should I investigate before buying a lakefront home in Central Florida?
A lakefront home is priced on three things a normal home never considers: the water access, whether it is deep water, a canal, or a shallow cove; the condition of the dock and seawall; and the views from the living spaces. Two identical floor plans can differ by hundreds of thousands of dollars on those three facts alone. Before you offer, we also check what the water level does in the dry season and whether the dock and seawall are permitted and sound. That is the kind of due diligence I investigate before you spend a dollar or fall in love.
Sellers
Who pays for the buyer's title insurance policy in Florida?
Florida has no statute assigning that cost, so it follows local county custom, and the custom genuinely differs from county to county. In many Florida counties the seller customarily pays the buyer's owner's title policy, but in a few counties the buyer pays it instead. The owner's policy is a one-time purchase that protects the buyer for as long as they own the home against hidden liens, title defects, and claims that predate the purchase. Before we write an offer or a listing, I tell you exactly what the custom is for that county and what the policy will cost, so the number is in your net sheet or closing cost estimate from day one.
Buyers
What closing costs should a buyer expect in Central Florida?
Buyers customarily pay their loan-related costs: origination points, appraisal, credit report, and lender processing. Buyers also pay the lender's title insurance policy, plus any inspections they order, the survey if one is ordered, and the recording fees on the deed and mortgage. Every Florida closing carries a stack of fees beyond the purchase price, so I give every client a written estimate before we write an offer. The closing statement should confirm what the contract said, never surprise you.
Buyers
Do I need flood insurance to buy a home in Florida?
It depends on the property's flood zone, so we check the zone before you commit. If the home sits in a mapped flood zone, your lender will require flood coverage as a condition of the loan. Even outside a lender requirement, we quote homeowners plus flood where it makes sense, because in Florida the insurance quote can change what the house is worth to you. Confirming that the flood zone matches the lender's requirements is part of the due diligence window before closing.
Sellers
How should I prepare my home before listing it?
Start with a pre-market audit before the sign goes up: comps, condition review, and the insurance and title questions buyers will raise. Sellers who skip the pre-listing inspection often watch requested credits grow at the buyer inspection. Then stage and photograph toward the best light, and price with evidence, not hope, because the first 14 days tell the story. Gather your current policy, roof documentation, and any wind mitigation certificates before listing, because buyers will ask, and the answers are part of the home's story.
Market conditions and county customs change, and your address changes the answer. Tell
me where you are looking and what you are planning, and I will give you the specific
answer before you commit to anything.