Buying a Home Through an LLC in Florida

There are three primary reasons high-net-worth buyers purchase Florida real estate through an LLC or other entity: (1) Privacy — Florida real estate transactions are public records. When you purchase in your own name, your name, the purchase price, and the property address become searchable in county records. Purchasing through an LLC with a non-identifying name (e.g., 'Orange Pine Holdings LLC' rather than 'Smith Family LLC') keeps your identity out of the public record at the time of purchase. (2) Liability protection — for investment properties specifically, holding title in an LLC creates a liability separation between the property and your personal assets. (3) Estate planning — holding multiple properties in an LLC (or series of LLCs) can simplify estate transfer, facilitate gifting of membership interests, and avoid probate. For a primary residence, privacy is typically the dominant motivation.

No — Florida's homestead exemption requires that the property be owned by a natural person (a human being) as their primary residence. If title is held by an LLC, corporation, or trust (with certain exceptions for revocable living trusts), the property is not eligible for the homestead exemption. This is a significant financial consideration: the homestead exemption reduces assessed value by up to $50,000 and, more importantly, caps annual property tax assessment increases at 3% under the Save Our Homes provision. On a $3M home, forgoing homestead can cost $8,000–$15,000 per year in additional property taxes over time. Buyers must weigh the value of privacy against the homestead tax benefit. One common approach: use a Florida land trust with a natural person as the beneficiary — this structure can preserve homestead eligibility while still providing privacy at the public record level.

Conventional mortgages (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac) are not available for LLC-owned residential properties — they require individual ownership. However, portfolio loans (loans held by the bank rather than sold on the secondary market) are available for LLC purchases. Florida-based private banks and wealth management lenders frequently offer portfolio lending programs specifically designed for high-net-worth buyers making entity purchases. Terms differ from conventional: typically higher down payment (20–30%+), slightly higher rates, and full financial disclosure of the LLC's members. Many buyers in the luxury market make all-cash purchases through their LLC and avoid the mortgage question entirely. If financing is needed, working with a private bank or wealth management division with Florida real estate experience is essential — a standard mortgage broker won't have the right product.

A Florida land trust is a specific trust structure authorized under Fla. Stat. § 689.071 that allows real property to be held in trust with the beneficiary remaining private. When a property is held in a land trust, the public record shows only the trustee's name (typically a neutral party, often an attorney or trust company) — not the beneficiary. Critically, unlike an LLC, a land trust with a natural person as beneficiary can qualify for the homestead exemption. This makes the land trust the preferred privacy vehicle for primary residences in Florida. The setup involves having a trustee hold title, with the beneficial interest held by the buyer — that beneficial interest is what doesn't appear in public records. A Florida real estate attorney should establish the trust and draft the beneficial interest agreement. The closing process is standard; the lender (if any) must agree to lend with the land trust as borrower.

When you purchase through an LLC, the deed is recorded showing the LLC as the grantee — the buyer. The LLC name, the purchase price, and the property address are all public. The LLC's members are not listed on the deed, but LLC membership is disclosed in Florida's Sunbiz.org database if the LLC is a Florida entity (or a foreign LLC registered to do business in Florida). Using a non-identifying LLC name helps, but determined searchers can look up the LLC's registered agent and members through Sunbiz. For maximum privacy, some buyers use a Florida land trust as the purchaser, with an LLC as the beneficiary — this structure keeps both the buyer's name and the entity structure off the immediately searchable deed record. This is a strategy to discuss with a Florida real estate attorney before structuring the purchase.