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Look for someone who closes 20+ transactions per year in the specific neighborhoods you're targeting — not just 'in Orlando.' A generalist who does one deal a year in Dr. Phillips is not the same as someone who has closed 15 there in the last 18 months. Ask for a list of recent sales in your target area, not just a license number. Check Google reviews and ask specifically how many of their closings last year were in your price range and neighborhood. Florida requires a license but doesn't require expertise in the specific market you're buying in — that's something you have to vet yourself.See Ryan's recent sales

Five questions that actually matter: (1) How many homes have you closed in this specific neighborhood in the last 12 months? (2) What percentage of your listings sold at or above asking price? (3) Do you represent buyers and sellers simultaneously, and how do you handle that? (4) Who handles my transaction if you're unavailable — is it you or an assistant? (5) Can I cancel our agreement if I'm not satisfied? The answers reveal whether you're hiring the agent or the brand.

Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer and seller commissions are negotiated separately. There's no fixed rate — typical listing-side commissions range from 2.5–3% of sale price. Buyer-agent compensation is now negotiated independently and may or may not be covered by the seller depending on the transaction. On a $600K home at 2.5% listing side, that's $15,000. Some agents offer flat-fee or reduced commission arrangements. Ryan discusses fees transparently before any engagement — you'll see a full net sheet before you sign anything.Get a free seller net sheet

Not legally, but unrepresented buyers consistently leave money on the table or miss contract terms that cost more later. A buyer's agent in Florida is typically compensated by the seller (or negotiated into the transaction), so the cost to you is often zero. What you get in return: access to off-market listings before they hit Zillow, someone who reviews the seller's disclosure for red flags, help navigating HOA and CDD documents (which can run 200+ pages), and representation during inspection negotiations. The listing agent's job is to represent the seller — not you.

Earnest money is a good-faith deposit you put down when your offer is accepted — typically 1–3% of the purchase price in the Orlando market. It goes into an escrow account held by the title company or brokerage. If the deal closes, it applies toward your down payment or closing costs. If you back out for a reason covered in the contract (failed inspection, financing contingency, etc.), you get it back. If you back out without a covered reason — say, you just change your mind after the inspection period closes — the seller can claim the earnest money. A $500K home typically sees $5,000–$10,000 earnest money.

Florida's 'AS-IS' residential contract is the standard purchase agreement used in most transactions — it doesn't mean the home is sold without inspection rights. It means the seller isn't obligated to make repairs, but you retain the right to inspect and cancel during the inspection period (typically 10–15 days) for any reason and receive your deposit back. Most buyers in Orlando use an AS-IS contract, conduct thorough inspections, and then negotiate repairs or price reductions as a separate conversation. 'AS-IS' sounds scarier than it is — what actually matters is how your agent handles the post-inspection negotiation.

A licensed Florida home inspector examines the structure, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and major systems. In Florida, you should also budget for a separate WDO (wood-destroying organism / termite) inspection and consider wind mitigation and 4-point inspections, which your insurance company may require on older homes. Inspection costs typically run $400–$600 for a general inspection, $75–$150 for WDO, and $100–$200 for wind mitigation. Budget $700–$900 total for a thorough inspection package on a home in the $500K–$800K range. The inspection period is your window to negotiate — use it.

Yes, during the inspection period — Florida's AS-IS contract gives you an unconditional right to cancel and receive your deposit back within the inspection window (typically 10–15 days from acceptance). After that, you can still back out if a financing contingency fails or another covered contingency isn't met. Once you're past all contingencies, backing out costs you the earnest money and potentially exposes you to additional damages. The key: know exactly when your inspection period expires — it's often the most important date in the contract.

Florida has two title insurance policies: the lender's policy (required if you're financing — protects the bank) and the owner's policy (protects you). In Florida, the seller traditionally pays for the owner's title insurance policy, though this is negotiable. The owner's policy is a one-time fee at closing — roughly 0.5–1% of the purchase price — and covers you for as long as you own the property. It protects against title defects, liens, fraudulent transfers, and prior ownership claims that weren't discovered during the title search. Given Florida's complicated ownership history, skipping the owner's policy to save a few hundred dollars is a mistake.

From accepted offer to closing: cash deals typically close in 14–21 days. Conventional financed purchases run 30–45 days depending on appraisal turnaround and HOA estoppel processing. FHA and VA loans can run 45–60 days due to additional underwriting requirements. The MLS listing-to-contract timeline depends entirely on the market — in a hot segment, homes go under contract in days. In slower segments ($1.5M+), plan for 3–12 months of searching before finding the right property. Ryan is dual-licensed as a mortgage broker, which can shorten the loan process by a week or more.

Orange County's millage rate for 2025–2026 is approximately 16–18 mills (varies by city and district), meaning roughly $1,600–$1,800 per $100,000 of taxable value. On a $600,000 home with no exemptions, expect $9,600–$10,800 in annual property taxes. With the homestead exemption ($50,000 off assessed value for primary residents), taxable value drops to $550,000 and annual taxes fall to $8,800–$9,900. Community Development District (CDD) fees, if applicable, appear as a separate line on your tax bill and can add $1,500–$4,500/year. Always ask for the prior year's tax bill before you make an offer.

Florida's homestead exemption reduces your taxable property value by $50,000 for primary residents — saving $800–$1,000 per year in taxes on a typical Orange County home. To qualify: you must own the property, it must be your primary residence, and you must file by March 1 of the tax year. There's also the 'Save Our Homes' (SOH) cap, which limits annual increases in assessed value to 3% or the CPI increase (whichever is lower) once homestead is established. This cap is valuable in a rising market — longtime homeowners can see assessments far below actual market value. First-time Florida buyers: file your homestead exemption application the January or February after you close.Estimate your closing costs

HOA fees in Orlando communities vary enormously. Minimal gated communities (staffed gate, basic amenity package) run $1,500–$3,000/year. Full-service master-planned communities like Laureate Park (Lake Nona) run $800–$1,500/year. Large estate communities like Keene's Pointe with 24/7 guard, lake maintenance, and extensive amenities run $3,000–$6,000/year master HOA. Some communities like Isleworth and Golden Oak have club memberships on top of HOA fees — separate and optional but often expected for resale. The critical detail: read the HOA documents before you close. Some have rental restrictions, pet rules, short-term rental bans, and architectural controls that affect how you can use the property.

Florida has a documentary stamp tax (doc stamp) on the deed: 0.7% of the sale price, paid by the seller. There's also a doc stamp on the mortgage note: 0.35% of the loan amount, paid by the buyer. On a $600K home with a $480K mortgage, the seller pays $4,200 in deed doc stamps and the buyer pays $1,680 in mortgage doc stamps. Florida has no separate real property transfer tax beyond the documentary stamp. There's also an intangible tax on new mortgages: $0.002 per dollar of the loan ($960 on that same $480K mortgage). These appear as itemized closing costs on your settlement statement.

Depends on what you're comparing it to. Builders in Horizon West and Lake Nona are offering meaningful incentives in 2026 — rate buydowns, closing cost contributions, and free upgrades — which can represent real value versus resale. The trade-off: builder contracts are written by the builder's attorney to protect the builder, not you. You can still negotiate, but the leverage is different. Builder pricing includes the cost of the model, the HOA setup, and the lot premiums — it's not apples-to-apples against a 5-year-old resale. A buyer's agent who knows the community can often negotiate $10,000–$25,000 in concessions that an unrepresented buyer won't know to ask for.Browse new construction listings

Yes, and it typically costs you nothing extra. Builders pay buyer's agent commissions separately from the home price — having representation doesn't increase what you pay. What it does: your agent knows which lot premiums are negotiable, which upgrade allowances are real vs. inflated, and what the builder's actual incentive window looks like (builders typically offer the most at quarter-end). The builder's sales agent works for the builder. You need someone working for you.

Horizon West (west Orange County, near Winter Garden) remains the most active master-planned new-construction corridor in the metro — it has multiple builder communities at every price point from $400K to $1.2M. Lake Nona continues adding product, especially townhomes and paired villas. Brevard County (the Space Coast) has significant new construction activity driven by aerospace employment growth — Melbourne and Viera are especially active. Osceola County near St. Cloud and Kissimmee has the most affordable new construction in the metro area. If you want new construction under $450K with a good school zone, you're looking at Horizon West or far-east Orange County.

For long-term buy-and-hold with a diversified employer base supporting rents — yes. The caveat: Orlando's short-term rental (Airbnb/VRBO) market near Disney is heavily regulated now, with many municipalities capping new licenses or eliminating them entirely. Buying a home to use as a short-term rental without verifying the permit status is a significant financial risk. For traditional long-term rentals, rent-to-price ratios are tighter than 2019–2020 but still reasonable for cash-flowing investments at $300K–$500K price points. Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips, and Windermere have strong long-term rent demand from medical, aerospace, and tech tenants.Explore investment properties

Osceola County (which includes the Disney area, Kissimmee, and Celebration) has the most permissive short-term rental framework in the metro — many neighborhoods there are licensed for Airbnb/VRBO and the county registers them. Orange County is more restrictive: unincorporated Orange County banned new short-term rental licenses in residential zones in 2023. The City of Orlando has its own licensing with density limits. If you're buying specifically for short-term rental income, you must verify the license status at the specific address before closing — this is not something a listing agent will volunteer and it's not always visible in MLS data. We verify this as part of any investor-buyer process.

Generally yes — foreign nationals can own real estate in Florida with no special restrictions for most countries. The notable exception: as of 2023, Florida law (SB 264) restricts property purchases by nationals of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria within 10 miles of military installations or critical infrastructure. For most international buyers (Canada, UK, EU, Latin America, Middle East, Asia), there are no ownership restrictions. Financing is the main complexity — most conventional U.S. lenders don't offer mortgages to non-resident foreign nationals, so many international buyers pay cash or use specialized foreign national loan programs. Tax treatment is different for non-U.S. residents (FIRPTA withholding at sale, for instance) — consult a tax advisor.

Depends on where your employer is and what lifestyle you want. Coming from a Northeast urban market and want walkability and character? Look at Baldwin Park, College Park, Thornton Park, or Winter Park. Coming from a suburban Midwest or South market and want a good school zone with space? Dr. Phillips or Windermere. Tied to a specific employer — Disney, Universal? Dr. Phillips or Windermere shorten your commute significantly. Tied to Medical City, VA, or USTA? Lake Nona. Tied to the Space Coast (Lockheed, Blue Origin, NASA)? Viera, Melbourne, or Rockledge. Coming from California and want the most house for your money? Horizon West or Oviedo.See our relocation guide