Can I work in Tampa? Yes. Should I? Let us talk.

What the work actually consists of

Two true things sit next to each other here. The first is that my licence covers Tampa 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.

The parts people underestimate

• 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.

Where Florida transactions get complicated

The survey is where the story of a property is usually kept. Encroachments, an easement nobody mentioned, a fence that has been in the wrong place for twenty years, an addition that crosses a setback — none of that appears in the listing and all of it can affect title, insurance or your ability to do what you were planning to do. Order it early enough that its findings can still be negotiated.

Other cities in Florida

• Boynton Beach
• Lauderhill
• Weston
• Kissimmee
• Homestead
• Delray Beach
• Daytona Beach
• Tamarac
• All of Florida