Florida property guides
Statute-grounded explainers for the money moments of Florida property ownership — every figure verified against a primary source, every source linked. The reform pieces lead: 2026 is the year of SB 4-F and Amendment 3.
Your TRIM notice, explained
The August notice, the rolled-back rate, the 25-day appeal window, SB 4-F's new supermajority rule — and Amendment 3.
Amendment 3, explained
What the November tax cut actually does — the $150K/$250K phases, savings by home value, and the provisions most coverage skips.
The Amendment 3 ballot lawsuit
The Aug 4, 2026 ruling that ordered the ballot wording rewritten as misleading — no appeal, and the new title and summary.
Property tax discounts & due dates
Pay in November and keep 4 percent — the statutory schedule, the grace rules, and the April 1 line.
Title insurance rates, explained
The premium is set by state rule — the rate card, the reissue credit, and who pays by county.
Closing costs, line by line
Which charges the state sets, which you can shop, and who pays each, worked through the same house in two counties.
Why taxes jump after you buy
The reset at sale, the year-two bill, the escrow shortage that follows, and three ways to shrink it.
Flood insurance on a mortgage
When a lender must require it, how much coverage, the Citizens mandate, and the seller's flood disclosure.
Wind mitigation & 4-point inspections
The two insurance inspections that decide coverage at closing, and the state's roof-age law.
Homeowner's insurance at closing
Coverage amount, the hurricane deductible in dollars, storm binding freezes, and Citizens.
Cancelling mortgage insurance
When PMI comes off by law, dropping it on today's value, and FHA's 11-year and life-of-loan rule.
First-time homebuyer guide
The whole Florida purchase arc — with a working calculator for every step.
Down payment assistance
Florida Housing's current programs, verified — amounts, rules, and the honest funding-status picture.
USDA loans in Florida
Check any address on the official eligibility map in about a minute, plus every county's income limit.
Start here
- Buying your first home? The first-time homebuyer guide walks the whole purchase in order. Down payment assistance and USDA loans cover the two biggest ways to put less down.
- Just got a TRIM notice? The TRIM guide explains each line and the 25-day window to appeal your value. Bought last year? See why taxes jump after you buy.
- Wondering what the November ballot means for your bill? Amendment 3, explained works through the savings by home value.
- Closing soon? Closing costs, line by line covers who pays each charge, and title insurance rates explains the premium the state sets.
The Florida property-tax year
Most of these guides hang off the same calendar, set by Florida statute:
| When | What happens | Read |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Each property's value and exemption status are set for the year. | Homestead calculator |
| March 1 | Deadline to file for homestead and most other exemptions. | Homestead calculator |
| August | TRIM notices mail with your value and proposed rates; the window to petition the value runs 25 days. | TRIM guide |
| November | Bills mail; paying in November keeps the largest early-payment discount. | Discounts & due dates |
| March 31 | Last day to pay before the bill is delinquent on April 1. | Discounts & due dates |
Prefer doing the math? The tools index has a calculator for every figure these guides explain, and the county pages localize them.