Dan Paying for a Florida Build From a Distance On a custom build, you don’t pay for the house all at once. Money goes out in stages, called draws, as the work gets done. Who checks that the work is really done before money moves is one of the biggest questions for an owner who lives … Read more
Protecting Yourself From Construction Liens When You’re Building From Out of State Florida’s construction lien law surprises many new owners. If your builder doesn’t pay a subcontractor or supplier, that company can file a lien against your property, even if you’ve already paid the builder in full. When you’re building from another state, you can’t … Read more
When you’re building from another state, your builder is the most important decision you’ll make. You can’t drop by the site, run into the foreman, or drive past other houses they’ve built on a Saturday. So you need to do your checking on paper and online, and get a contract that protects you when you’re … Read more
The Roadmap Many people moving to Central Florida don’t buy an existing house. They build one, often while still living and working somewhere else. It can work well, but being 1,000 miles away changes how you choose a builder, how you pay, how you check the work, and what you sign. This guide is the … Read more
How the Process Works for Renters, Landlords, and Homeowners Losing a home, whether because rent fell behind or a mortgage did, moves fast in Florida once the legal process starts. Evictions for unpaid rent can move from notice to sheriff in a matter of weeks. Foreclosures take longer, but they have their own hard deadlines. … Read more
What Happens When the Government Needs Your Property Central Florida keeps growing, and growth means new roads, interchange rebuilds, toll lanes, drainage projects, and utility lines. Sometimes a project needs private land, either a whole parcel or a strip along the front of a lot. Eminent domain is the government’s power to take that property … Read more
Where It Hides, When It’s a Risk, and the Rules for Removing It Asbestos was once used in many common building products for its strength and heat resistance. Plenty of older Central Florida homes still contain it in flooring, textured ceilings, roofing, siding, or pipe insulation. That isn’t automatically a danger. Asbestos becomes a health … Read more
What Buyers Pay For and What They Get Title insurance and the deed are two of the least understood parts of a Florida closing. Both show up as line items on the closing statement, and most buyers sign whatever’s put in front of them. They matter, though. The deed is how ownership actually moves to … Read more
TRIM Notices, the Value Adjustment Board, and Deadlines Every late summer, Florida property owners get a TRIM notice, short for “truth in millage.” It shows the property appraiser’s market value for your home, your exemptions, and what each taxing authority proposes to charge. If you think the value is too high or an exemption was … Read more
Free Hurricane Inspections and Grants for Wind Upgrades My Safe Florida Home is the state’s program for helping homeowners harden their homes against hurricanes. It offers a home inspection that shows which upgrades would make the biggest difference, and, for qualifying homeowners, grants of up to $10,000 toward impact windows and doors, garage doors, and … Read more
