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Katz & Associates / Your first Florida home
The goal is not to collect more paperwork. It is to know what you are agreeing to, what still needs checking, and when a choice becomes final.
Get the sequence right
Before buying a first home, check the contract dates and cash needed. Review the loan, title, use limits, and home’s condition. Then check the closing papers. One inspection, loan approval, or title search does not answer all five questions.
Ask for legal review of the purchase terms before signing when possible. If a contract is already signed, bring the complete version and every addendum. The next deadline matters more than a generic home-buying checklist.
Your pre-closing decision sheet
For each row, name who will check it. Set a date for the answer. Keep each open issue on the list until it is addressed.
| Check | Evidence to review before deciding |
|---|---|
| 1. Contract and deadlines | Signed contract, addenda, deposit dates, notice rules, and conditions for cancellation. |
| 2. Loan and cash | Loan terms, lender conditions, estimated closing funds, and approved credits or assistance. |
| 3. Ownership and use | Title commitment, exceptions, survey, association records, and limits on planned use. |
| 4. Condition and coverage | Inspection findings, disclosures, repair terms, permit concerns, and insurance quotes. |
| 5. Closing and aftercare | Final figures, deed, loan documents, verified payment instructions, and tax filing reminders. |
An original decision-tracking aid for a home to live in, not a substitute for the contract or professional inspection.
Check 1: Know what you signed
Record when the contract takes effect. Add the deposit, inspection, loan, and closing dates. Check who must send each notice, to whom, and how. A call about a concern may not meet the contract’s notice rule.
Read the terms that govern a failed loan, title problem, or inspection concern. Preapproval does not guarantee funding. A bad inspection does not always return the deposit. Ask what proof and action the contract requires, and by when.
Put agreed extensions, repairs, or credits in the proper written form. Do not plan around an oral promise that the signed papers do not reflect. Keep the new agreement with the original. Make sure everyone uses the same dates.
Check 2: Distinguish approval from funds ready to close
Ask the lender what remains outstanding. Review the interest rate, loan type, payment, cash to close, and any seller or lender credits. A seller’s proposed credit must fit the agreement and the loan rules. It is not automatic free cash.
Explore current Florida Housing programs with a participating lender if relevant. Eligibility and funding must be checked. Some assistance is a second loan with repayment conditions, not a grant. Ask what happens if you sell, refinance, or stop living in the home.
Do not budget for a tax break based on an old article. Check that the program is still offered. Ask if you qualify and if it fits your loan. Keep funds for costs after moving. The closing estimate is not the full cost of owning the home.
Check 3: Understand what you will own and may do
Ask about recorded liens, easements, restrictions, and any issues shown by the survey. A title search identifies matters for review; it does not automatically remove them. Ask how each issue will be resolved. Check what proof you will get before closing.
The Florida Department of Financial Services distinguishes an owner’s title policy from a lender’s policy. The lender’s policy protects the lender’s interest, not yours. Read the proposed owner’s coverage and its exceptions. Not every title risk is covered.
If the home has an association, read its records and rules. Do not rely only on neighbors’ views. Ask about dues, assessments, approvals, parking, pets, and any planned use that matters to you. If you hope to rent the home later, check that now. Our property-law misconceptions article explains why familiar labels can hide different legal rules.
Check 4: Inspect, ask, and verify coverage
Read the inspection terms before deciding how to respond to findings. A report can flag a concern. The contract controls the right to seek repairs, a credit, or cancellation. Allow time for any expert check before you must decide.
Check permits where work raises questions. A permit does not prove the work was done well. It also does not settle every question about who did it. Ask about open permits and issues not yet fixed. Get proof of agreed repairs.
Florida’s residential flood-disclosure law requires the seller’s disclosure at or before the sales contract is signed. It includes specified knowledge of flood damage, claims, and assistance. Review it with the inspection and insurance questions; it is not a substitute for either.
Check insurance costs and terms before deciding the home fits your budget. Discuss flood coverage and other relevant exclusions with the insurer. A home warranty has limits too. It does not replace an inspection or property insurance.
Check 5: Read before signing and sending funds
For mortgages covered by the disclosure rules, the lender must provide a Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing. This is not a rule for every cash purchase or every loan type. Compare the final terms and costs with the earlier estimate. Ask about changes.
Request the deed and other key papers in advance. The CFPB’s closing review guidance highlights the note, mortgage, and deed as separate documents. If buying with someone else, ask whether the deed creates the ownership arrangement you intend.
Before sending funds, verify payment details through a trusted contact route. Be alert if a last-minute message changes the account. Do not rely only on the contact details in that message. Keep the final papers and confirmation of recording after closing.
After closing: Two different meanings of homestead
For the property-tax homestead benefit, you generally must meet the ownership and permanent-residence tests on January 1. March 1 is the deadline to apply on time. Check eligibility, documents, and any exception with the county property appraiser. The Department of Revenue directs applications to that local office.
The tax application does not create every form of homestead protection. Creditor protection under Article X, section 4 of the Florida Constitution is a separate legal issue with its own limits and exceptions. Do not assume filing a tax form shields the home from every debt.
Review while choices remain open
Discuss the contract and unresolved issues with Katz & Associates. Bring the full documents and identify the date you need to act.
Common questions
It protects the lender’s interest. Ask about an owner’s policy and review what it covers and excludes.
Not automatically. The contract, timely notices, and any later written agreement control the response.
No. Some programs involve loans or conditions that can trigger repayment. Read the actual program and loan terms.
About the author
By Katz & Associates. Published by Katz & Associates Law Firm.
This is general information, not a review of a particular contract, loan, or title policy.
Sources checked October 26, 2026. Program availability and transaction terms require individual verification.
