Guides
Straight answers for Florida property owners.
Plain-English guides for selling, buying and renting out property in North Lake County.
For sellers
Getting Through Inspections and Appraisal When Selling in Florida
What Florida sellers should expect from buyer inspections and the appraisal, how to prepare, and how repair requests and low appraisals are handled.
Preparing Your Lake County Home to Sell for Its Full Value
Practical ways to prepare a Florida home for sale: which repairs matter, what to skip, how to handle insurance-related items, and how to price with the market.
Seller Disclosure in Florida: What You Must Tell a Buyer
How Florida's seller disclosure duty works, which forms are required by statute, what you don't have to disclose, and how to fill out a disclosure carefully.
Selling a Florida Property With a Cloudy Title
What a cloud on title is, common causes in Florida (liens, heirs, old deed errors), and the usual ways title issues get cleared so a sale can close.
Selling an Inherited or Probate Property in Florida
How selling a house through a Florida probate estate works: who can sign, when court approval is needed, creditor deadlines and homestead questions.
Selling Your Florida Home for Retirement or Downsizing
For Lake County owners selling to retire or downsize: timing, homestead portability, the federal home-sale exclusion, decluttering and moving.
For buyers
Buying an Older Home in Lake County, Florida: What to Check
What to look at when buying an older Florida home: roof, wiring, plumbing, foundation, insurance inspections, permits, wells and septic, and lead paint.
Flood, Wildfire and Sinkhole Risk When Buying in Lake County
How to research flood zones, wildfire exposure and sinkhole coverage on a Lake County, Florida property, and what Florida's flood disclosure law requires.
Legal Basics of Buying and Selling a Home in Florida
The legal pieces of a Florida home sale explained: brokerage relationships, the contract, required disclosures, title, closing, and property taxes.
The Real Costs of Buying a Home in Florida
A plain-English look at what buyers pay beyond the price in Florida: deposits, inspections, closing costs, loan taxes, insurance and property taxes.