Florida Home Inspector
If you are looking to buy a new home in Florida you have to do your research. If you dont, youll face a nasty surprise after you close on the home – even if you are buying it way below current market levels.
Property taxes in Florida are outrageous even during this period of depressed home values. Ask the county tax assessor what the property taxes will be on the home that you are considering. Property tax amounts on bills the seller shows you might not be the tax amounts that you are going to pay. Long time homeowners in Florida enjoy what is known as a “Save Our Homes” exemption that could be freezing the assessed home value far below what you are offering for the home. A year after buying such a home you could be facing outrageous property taxes.
Dont confuse the Florida “Save Our Homes” exemption with a homestead exemption. Homestead exemptions in Florida exempt the home from the first $25,000 of assessed value if that home is used as a primary residence. The reduction in Florida property taxes from a homestead exemption is nothing compared to the property tax reductions the “Save Our Homes” exemption can produce.
Finally, when you are talking to the county property tax appraiser, find out how much the “non-advalorem” taxes are on the home. Youll pay this part of your property tax bill regardless of what the home is worth. And in many Florida Counties they can be very substantial. Those taxes have to be paid even if the tax value of your home is zero.
The second biggest expense on a Florida home after you buy it is homeowners insurance which can be extremely expensive due to hurricanes. Dont rely on home insurance bills shown to you buy the seller of the home. Instead contact several different agents and get multiple quotes. If you are trying to break a tie among several homes you are considering, choose the home that was built in the year 1995 or later. Homes built after 1994 were constructed under a tougher building code and youll have much better luck finding a home insurance policy to cover that home.
Find out whether the Florida home you are considering is located in a flood zone. Homeowners insurance in Florida does not cover flood losses from rising waters. A separate policy is needed. If the home you are purchasing is located in a flood zone your financial institution will require that you purchase flood coverage that will add to your insurance costs. Even if the home is not located in a flood zone, find out where the closest canals and rivers are – Florida has large amounts of rain and you could be faced with rising water coming into your home.
If you are considering a community with a homeowners association find out whether there are any special assessments being considered by the association. Many homeowners associations in Florida had unreimbursed damages from previous hurricanes and are still trying to recover money from their insurance policies. All homeowners those neighborhoods are being asked to pay thousands of dollars in special assessments above and beyond the normal dues. Request recent financial statements from the homeowners association and ask how many homeowners are not current on their dues. With the rise in foreclosures, many homes are being abandoned without the homeowner association dues or special assessments being paid. Those associations will be looking to the new influx of homeowners to make up the difference. Select the wrong neighborhood or the wrong association and youll pay a lot more that the normal level of homeowner association dues.
Homes in Florida with a pool can be very expensive to own. Find out how old the pool is and the last time it was resurfaced. Normal pool chemicals and cleaning can run between $50 and $150 per month.
If the home has a sprinkler system to water the lawn find out whether the water comes from wells or if you will be using city water to irrigate the lawn. City water is very costly and youll consume a lot of it in order to keep your lawn green during a Florida drought. Expect to spend $25 in electric to water a lawn using wells and $100 a month to water a lawn if you have to use city water. Finally, if your lawn is going to be watered using well water find out how deep the well is. Shallow wells draw up water that has too much iron in it. This kind of water can stain sidewalks and houses with a rust color. Many Florida homeowners pay an outside service $50-$100 a month to add chemicals to their sprinkler system to ensure that the irrigation system doesnt cause stains.
Many Florida homes are also candidates for hidden mold damage that comes from leaky walls and roofs. Once the cause of mold in a Florida house is eliminated, replacing drywall, studs, baseboards, and cabinets is the only way to get rid of the mold damage.
If you are buying a home on a golf course, find out the financial condition of the course. Florida is saturated with golf courses and very few courses are operating at full capacity. If the golf course next to your home fails you might wake up one morning to find your golf course view replaced by condominiums.
Do your research on all of these issues and hire a home inspector with experience locating hidden mold damage. Dont pick an inspector recommended by the seller. Doing your due diligence is the only way to be sure that the dream home you buy in Florida doesnt turn out to be a nightmare.
Other articles you may enjoy:
Florida Mold Inspection Procedures Used By The Pro’s
Florida Home Inspection
Florida Home Inspection Training
