Buyers, Sellers and Investors
A Florida licence covers Ruskin too
My licence is statewide. My day-to-day markets are not. Here is what that means for Ruskin.
Licensed statewideWhat Florida adds to a transaction
- Windstorm and flood are underwritten separately from the main policy across much of Florida. Price them on the specific address before you are under contract, not after.
- For condominium buildings of three storeys or more at the relevant age, Florida requires milestone structural inspections and a structural integrity reserve study. Both change assessments and financeability. Read them before waiving anything.
- The homestead exemption reduces taxable value on a Florida primary residence, and the Save Our Homes cap limits how fast the assessed value rises afterwards. Portability may carry a benefit from a prior Florida homestead. Your county property appraiser is the authority, not your agent.
- Title in Florida is customarily handled through a title company rather than an attorney as a matter of course, which changes who you call when a question arises mid-contract.
Practical things, in order of how often they bite
The appraisal decides what the lender will lend against, not what the property is worth to you, and the two are not obliged to agree. What matters is what the contract says happens when they do not — who may walk away, who may make up a difference, and by when a decision has to be made. Read that clause before you need it rather than on the day it becomes relevant.
What working together looks like
Two true things sit next to each other here. The first is that my licence covers Ruskin exactly as it covers Boynton Beach — Florida does not licence by region. The second is that a licence confers authority, not local knowledge, and pretending otherwise is how buyers end up badly advised. So: I can take this on, and the first thing I will do is tell you honestly whether I should.
Other cities in Florida
Questions people actually ask
What relationship will we have — are you my agent?
In Florida the presumption is a transaction broker relationship unless something else is agreed in writing, as Section 475.278, Florida Statutes contemplates. That carries a defined set of duties, including dealing honestly and fairly, skill and care, and limited confidentiality. I will tell you plainly and in writing which relationship applies before you rely on me, and none exists until it is agreed.
How long does a Florida closing usually take?
It depends on the financing far more than on the property. A cash purchase can run in weeks; a financed one is governed by the lender’s conditions and the appraisal. Where an association is involved, add time for approval and for the estoppel. I will give you a working calendar early and tell you which dates are firm and which are hopeful, because the gap between those two is where people get hurt.
Can I speak to other agents as well?
Of course, and you should. Nothing about a first conversation requires exclusivity, and no brokerage relationship exists until something is agreed in writing. If you interview three people and pick one of the others, that is a good process working properly. I would rather lose the work than have you commit to somebody because it felt awkward not to.
Why does everyone keep asking about the roof?
Because insurers price on it and some decline on it, and a lender who cannot see cover in place cannot close. Age, material and permit record all matter. On an older roof, get an insurance answer during the inspection period rather than after it — it changes what the property costs to own, which is a separate question from what it costs to buy.
Do you work in Ruskin directly?
Yes. Ruskin is in Hillsborough County, inside the area I work as a sales associate of The Keyes Company. No referral is involved.
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About Jacob Campbell Read the FAQ
Jacob Campbell · Florida Real Estate Sales Associate, license 3623732 · The Keyes Company · 561.301.7130