A SOURCE FOR REAL ESTATE & TAMPA BAY INFORMATION

How do construction loans work for a custom build in South Tampa? A construction loan funds a custom build in stages — the lender releases money in four to six draws as inspections confirm each phase, and you pay interest only on the drawn balance during the build. Most South Tampa builds use a cons

What is the FEMA 50% rule for Tampa Bay homes? The FEMA 50% rule — formally the substantial improvement and substantial damage standard under 44 CFR 59.1 — says that when the cost of repairing or improving a home in a Special Flood Hazard Area equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structu

Do you have to replace an older roof before selling a Tampa Bay home? No — Florida law protects roofs under 15 years old from age-only insurance denial, and a roof 15 years or older can stay insurable with an inspection showing at least 5 years of remaining useful life (F.S. 627.7011). What roof age

What's the real difference between buying in Hyde Park and Palma Ceia? The biggest practical difference is regulatory. Much of Hyde Park sits inside a locally designated historic district, so exterior changes to homes there require a Certificate of Appropriateness from Tampa's Architectural Review C

What does a boundary survey catch before a Tampa Bay closing? A boundary survey maps your legal property lines, plots every recorded easement, and flags encroachments — fences, driveways, pool decks, or docks that cross a line in either direction. In Florida, the buyer typically orders and pays for

Should you buy in Beach Park or Sunset Park? Beach Park and Sunset Park sit side by side on the Old Tampa Bay side of the South Tampa peninsula, and both offer canal-front homes, private docks, and a mix of original houses and elevated new construction. Beach Park is the older neighborhood — platted

What does Florida's Seller's Property Disclosure have to reveal, and what does Johnson v. Davis require? Florida's Seller's Property Disclosure is the seller's written statement of known defects that materially affect a home's value — structural and roof issues, water intrusion and drainage, floodin

Can you sell a Tampa Bay home without being in Florida? Yes. Florida law fully supports remote real estate closings, and out-of-state sellers close Tampa Bay transactions every week without setting foot in the state. You have three paths: remote online notarization (RON), legal in Florida since Janu

Should you take a cash offer over a financed offer on a Tampa Bay luxury home? Not automatically. Cash removes the two contingencies that most often kill a deal — financing and the lender's appraisal — and can close in as little as one to two weeks instead of the 30–45 days a mortgage usually needs.

How do you establish Florida domicile after buying a Tampa Bay home? Florida has no state income tax and no day-count residency test of its own, so establishing domicile is about proving you intend to make Florida your permanent home — and severing the ties that let your former state keep taxing you

Should you sell your Tampa Bay home or rent it out? For most Tampa Bay homeowners, selling beats renting unless the property can clear its full carrying cost — including the property tax increase that comes with losing your homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap. Renting a former homestead for m

How do you buy a new home in Tampa Bay before selling your current one? You have four workable paths: make your offer contingent on your current home's sale using the FR/BAR Comprehensive Rider V, borrow against your existing equity with a bridge loan or a HELOC opened before you list, tap a securit

How does solar affect selling a home in Tampa Bay? It comes down to ownership. A system you own outright conveys with the home and can add appraised value, while a leased system or power purchase agreement is third-party property that adds nothing to the appraisal and has to be transferred to your b

Is it better to buy a Tampa Bay home in an LLC or a land trust? For a primary residence, a Florida land trust is usually the better fit, because under F.S. 689.071 the resident beneficiary keeps the homestead exemption, the Save Our Homes 3% cap, and standard mortgage financing while gaining title-r

How do you transfer a Tampa Bay home to family the right way? The deed you choose decides almost everything. A quitclaim deed transfers ownership immediately and permanently, while a Florida lady bird (enhanced life estate) deed lets you keep full control during your life and passes the home to fami

Do you need approval to renovate a historic home in South Tampa? Yes — if the home sits in one of Tampa's four local historic districts (Hyde Park, Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, or Ybor/Barrio Latino) or is a designated local landmark. Exterior changes visible from the public right-of-way, additi

How do you contest a property tax assessment in Tampa Bay? You contest a Tampa Bay property tax assessment by filing a petition — Form DR-486 — with your county Value Adjustment Board within 25 days of the date your TRIM notice is mailed, which is usually in mid-to-late August. An independent specia

What does it mean when a Tampa Bay condo is "non-warrantable"? A condo is non-warrantable when the building — not the buyer — fails the project standards Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac require, so a conventional or conforming loan can't be sold to them. Common triggers include underfunded reserves, a la

How does earnest money work on a Tampa Bay luxury home? In Florida, earnest money — the good-faith deposit that goes with your offer — is commonly 1% to 3% of the purchase price, though luxury buyers often commit a flat five- or six-figure sum or a structured deposit: an initial amount, then an addi

What is a Coastal Construction Control Line permit, and when do you need one in Tampa Bay? A Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) is a jurisdictional line, set under Florida Statute 161.053, that marks the landward limit of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's authority over the