Buying a house in Florida takes six steps: get pre-approved, hire a buyer's agent, write an offer on the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract, complete the inspection period, clear the appraisal and loan conditions, then close at a title company or closing attorney. A financed purchase usually runs 30 to 45 days from signed contract to keys. Budget 2% to 5% of the purchase price for closing costs on top of your down payment, because Florida charges two taxes on the loan itself that most states do not. This guide covers the statewide process; for the Jacksonville-specific version, read our how to buy a home in Jacksonville guide.
Context for the price you will be looking at: the Zillow typical home value for Florida was $390,450 in September 2026, down 0.5% year over year, with 171,208 active listings statewide (our Florida Housing Tracker, October 19, 2026 release). Costs vary by county, which is why each cost below links to a calculator that runs the number for yours.
Step 1: How do you get pre-approved in Florida?
A pre-approval is a lender's written statement of how much it will lend you after reviewing your income, assets and credit. Sellers expect one with the offer. Shop at least two lenders and ask each for a Loan Estimate. Lender fees (origination, appraisal, underwriting) typically run $2,500 to $4,000 in our closing cost calculator's default range.
Before you settle on a price, run our Florida home affordability calculator. It fits the full monthly cost, including county property tax with homestead and county insurance, into your housing budget, which a generic calculator does not do. If you are a first-time buyer, check the Florida down payment assistance programs: Florida Hometown Heroes offers up to $35,000 (5% of the first mortgage, minimum $10,000) as a 0% non-amortizing second mortgage, and FL Assist offers up to $10,000, both through Florida Housing participating lenders under the income and price limits published June 10, 2026. Funding is first come, first served; the 2026 Hometown Heroes allocation of $50 million launched July 13, 2026. Confirm current availability with a participating lender.
Step 2: Why hire a buyer's agent?
The listing agent represents the seller. A buyer's agent represents you: pulling comparable sales, writing the offer, managing the inspection period and the contract deadlines. Buyer agent compensation is set in a written agreement you sign before touring homes; the seller may still agree to pay it as a term of the offer. On new construction, the builder's sales office works for the builder, so bring your own agent to the first visit.
Step 3: What goes into a Florida offer?
Most Florida resale offers are written on the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar "AS IS" Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase. The terms that matter most:
- Price and any seller credit toward your closing costs or a rate buydown.
- Earnest money deposit, held in escrow by the title company or a broker.
- Inspection period: a negotiated number of days during which you can cancel for any reason and get the deposit back.
- Financing contingency: the number of days to get loan approval, and what happens if the appraisal comes in low.
- Closing date and who pays which closing costs (Florida has county customs, below).
Price the offer against the data. Our Florida home offer calculator weighs days on market and the listing's price-cut history. In Northeast Florida, 56% of active listings had cut price and 72% of September 2026 closings came in below list (NEFAR MLS, closings through October 29, 2026), so a below-list offer with clean terms is normal.
Step 4: What happens during the inspection period?
Order a general home inspection immediately after the contract is signed. In Florida, add a wind mitigation inspection and a four-point inspection (roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC); insurers ask for both on older homes, and the wind mitigation report can lower your premium. Our wind mitigation savings calculator shows what each feature is worth. Check the roof age: carriers limit coverage on older roofs, which becomes a financing problem.
Also in this window: a termite (WDO) inspection, a survey if the lender requires one, the flood zone determination, and for a home in an association, the HOA or condo documents and the estoppel certificate (fee capped at $299 for standard delivery). Septic systems and wells get their own inspections.
Step 5: Appraisal, title and loan approval
The lender orders an appraisal. If it comes in under the price, you renegotiate, pay the difference, or cancel under the financing contingency. The title company issues a title commitment; read the exceptions for easements and liens. Three business days before closing you receive the Closing Disclosure. Compare it to the Loan Estimate line by line.
Step 6: What happens at a Florida closing?
Florida closings are handled by a title company or a closing attorney. You wire the cash to close (verify wire instructions by phone, never from an email), sign the note and mortgage, and the deed is recorded with the county clerk. Keys change hands once funds disburse.
How much are closing costs for a buyer in Florida?
Typically 2% to 5% of the purchase price on a financed purchase, and often under 1.5% for cash, per our Florida buyer closing costs calculator. The Florida-only line items:
- Documentary stamp tax on the note: 35 cents per $100 borrowed (Fla. Stat. 201.08). On a $400,000 loan, $1,400.
- Nonrecurring intangible tax: 0.2% of the loan amount (Fla. Stat. 199.133). On a $400,000 loan, $800.
- Owner's title insurance: state-promulgated rates, so the price is the same at every title company. Who pays is county custom: buyers customarily pay in Miami-Dade, Broward, Sarasota and Collier; sellers in most of the rest of the state.
- Lender's title policy, settlement and recording fees, and prepaids for the escrow account.
The seller customarily pays the documentary stamp tax on the deed, 70 cents per $100 of price statewide ($0.60 in Miami-Dade for single-family), which is why it does not appear on your side of the statement. Our cost to sell a house in Florida page itemizes that side.
What will property taxes and insurance cost after you buy?
Two numbers in a Florida listing mislead buyers. The first is the seller's tax bill. Florida assessments reset to market value the January after you close, so a long-time owner's bill under the Save Our Homes cap tells you nothing about yours. Run the property tax after purchase calculator with your county and price. If the home will be your primary residence, file for the homestead exemption with the county property appraiser by March 1 of the year after you move in; it reduces taxable value by up to $50,000 and caps future assessment growth (2.7% for 2026, never above 3%). If you are selling a Florida homestead to buy this one, the portability calculator shows how much of your old cap you can carry.
The second is insurance. Get a homeowners quote during the inspection period. The statewide average Citizens Property Insurance premium was $1,843 a year in April 2026 (Citizens Detail by County), and county averages run from $836 in Baker County to $4,380 in Monroe County; our home insurance by county map has every county. Flood insurance is a separate policy and is required by the lender in FEMA zones AE, A and VE. Our flood insurance calculator estimates it, and the true cost of ownership calculator puts tax, insurance, HOA and CDD into one monthly figure. If the home sits in a Community Development District, the CDD assessment rides on the tax bill; the CDD carrying cost calculator explains it.
How long does it take to buy a house in Florida?
- Pre-approval: a few days once documents are in.
- Searching and touring: varies; the median Northeast Florida home took 41 days to go under contract in September 2026.
- Contract to closing, financed: 30 to 45 days. Inspection period in the first one to two weeks, appraisal in weeks two to three, final loan approval in the last week.
- Contract to closing, cash: often 2 to 3 weeks, limited by the title search.
- Tax reset: January 1 after closing; file homestead by March 1.
People also ask
How much money do you need to buy a house in Florida?
Your down payment plus 2% to 5% of the price in closing costs on a financed purchase, per our Florida buyer closing costs calculator. On a $390,000 home with 5% down, that is $19,500 down plus roughly $7,800 to $19,500 in closing costs and prepaids. Florida Hometown Heroes can supply up to $35,000 of the down payment as a 0% second mortgage for qualifying buyers, subject to funding.
What are doc stamps and the intangible tax in Florida?
Two state taxes charged on the mortgage at closing: documentary stamps on the note at 35 cents per $100 borrowed and the nonrecurring intangible tax at 0.2% of the loan amount. Together they add about 0.55% of the loan in cash at the table. The seller separately pays 70 cents per $100 of the sale price in doc stamps on the deed.
How long does it take to close on a house in Florida?
A financed purchase typically closes 30 to 45 days after the contract is signed. Cash purchases can close in two to three weeks, limited mainly by the title search. The inspection period, appraisal and final loan approval run in sequence inside that window.
Who pays for title insurance in Florida?
It is county custom. Buyers customarily pay for the owner's title policy in Miami-Dade, Broward, Sarasota and Collier counties; sellers pay in most of the rest of Florida. The rate is promulgated by the state, so it is the same at every title company. Our closing cost calculator applies the custom for your county automatically.
Do I need flood insurance to buy a house in Florida?
If the home is in a FEMA special flood hazard area (zones A, AE or VE) and you have a federally backed mortgage, the lender requires it. In zone X it is optional. Flood coverage is a separate policy from homeowners insurance. Our Florida flood insurance calculator estimates the premium by county and zone.
What happens to property taxes after I buy a house in Florida?
The assessed value resets to market value on the January 1 after you close, so the seller's bill is not a guide to yours. If the home is your primary residence, file for the homestead exemption by March 1 of the following year to reduce taxable value by up to $50,000 and cap future assessment increases at 2.7% for 2026, never above 3% a year.
Next step
Start with the live inventory: homes for sale by Florida city, or homes for sale in Jacksonville, FL. Run your numbers in the calculators before you tour.
Sources: Momentum Florida buyer closing costs calculator and cost-to-sell page (Fla. Stat. 201.02, 201.08, 199.133, promulgated title rates, compiled August 2026); Momentum Florida buyer programs file (Florida Housing Finance Corporation terms, June 10 and July 6, 2026); Momentum Florida Housing Tracker, September 2026 release (Zillow Research); Momentum home insurance by county (Citizens Property Insurance, April 2026); Momentum Market Pulse, Northeast Florida, September 2026 (NEFAR MLS). MLS figures are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice.