Real Estate Blog

Stealing Home

So the contract is signed, the earnest money deposit is in escrow, the lender has approved the loan, the survey is clean, the home inspection reveals no issue, and the closing date is set. What could possibly go wrong? You show up to closing only to find out that the Seller never owned the property! This scenario has…

Relocation to Florida: Looking to your Future, Leaving your Past

We all know about the snowbird, the retiree, the investor, the tourist who asks the question: how do I relocate to Florida, how do I become a resident? Beyond the weather and lifestyle, there are obvious reasons why people want to make that move, including the lack of Florida income and estate taxes, exemptions for property…

Do You Have 2020 Vision for Your Closing?

On behalf of the entire BPE family, we want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Its times like this where it can be helpful to reflect on the prior year, and since this year is 2020 (presumably the year of “perfect vision”), let’s take a step back and reflect on those instances where the…

RON Closings: The Future is Here!

The new year is quickly approaching and is ushering in a new decade of technology-enabled closings. One of the most important changes is the approval of remote online notarization in the State of Florida. While electronic signing platforms have been around for several years, their use in Florida real estate closings has been limited because…

Homestead…The Gift That Keeps On Giving!

With the holiday season fast approaching, giving is on everyone’s mind. While finding the perfect gift for a loved one can be difficult, enjoying the perks of Homestead shouldn’t be. The Homestead provisions of the Florida Constitution are the State’s gift to the permanent residents of Florida. If you are a permanent resident of Florida…

Don’t Buy Your Christmas Presents on that Equity Line!

When a title search is done prior to closing, it will return any mortgages or liens that appear in the public records that must be satisfied in order to close and convey marketable title to the new purchaser. Aside from mortgages, a common item to show up on the title search will be a seller’s home…

Don’t Get Burned By Solar Panels (Or Other Leased Items)

More and more homes are running off the power of the sun these days. Renewable energy has become a trending topic and solar panels are beginning to become prevalent in the state of Florida due to positive environmental impacts and the potential to reduce large A/C bills. Selling a house with solar panels comes with…

Be Thankful You Don’t Receive a Fowl Title Objection Notice

It seems almost obvious, only a plucked turkey would buy property without having a title search conducted to determine if a Thanksgiving feast is in the making, that is to say “title is clear”, or if there are title defects that would render the property unmarketable. This right is provided under the terms and provisions…

WHAT THE !#CDD!?

Buyers often have questions about taxes and the fees they can expect to pay when they are purchasing their new home. One category of fees that we often get questions about are CDDs. A CDD or Community Development District is a local governmental authority created to provide for the long-term, specific needs of a specific…

Movers and Breakers

Moving day can be an exciting time for many! However, the thought of moving always causes angst, frustration, and physical/emotional exhaustion. To avoid most of these emotional and physical moving issues, Sellers and Buyers should research said issues and then eventually hire vetted and reputable moving companies. Moving companies come in all sizes (i.e., National to local) and shapes (i.e., service and costs). …