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The South Florida title library, in plain English
Every guide here is written by the team that actually closes these files — reviewed for accuracy, dated, and updated when the law or the market moves. No fluff, no scare tactics, no jargon without a translation.
Who Pays Title Insurance in South Florida?
Broward and Miami-Dade: buyer customarily pays and picks. Palm Beach: seller. Why the custom exists, when contracts override it, and what it means for your negotiation.
Read the guideFlorida Closing Costs Explained
Doc stamps, intangible tax, promulgated title premiums, recording fees, estoppels, lien searches: every South Florida closing cost explained, with who customarily pays what.
Read the guideThe Florida Closing Timeline
What happens between contract and closing in Florida: the first 48 hours, the diligence window, the curative period, the final week, and where deals actually slip.
Read the guideThe Title Commitment, Explained
The title commitment decoded: what Schedule A confirms, what B-I requirements must be cleared, what B-II exceptions mean for you, and the questions to ask before closing.
Read the guideCommon Title Defects
Unreleased mortgages, probate gaps, judgment liens, code violations, homestead defects, legal-description errors and more — what each defect is and how it actually gets cured.
Read the guideDeed Types in Florida
What each Florida deed actually promises: general warranty, special warranty, quitclaim, enhanced life estate (Lady Bird), and personal representative deeds — and when each appears.
Read the guideFIRPTA at Florida Closings
FIRPTA withholding in Florida real estate: the 15% rule, the $300k residence exception, withholding certificates, buyer liability, and the closing mechanics step by step.
Read the guideWire Fraud Prevention Guide
How closing wire fraud works, the exact verification ritual that defeats it, what banks can and can't reverse, and the first-hour playbook if money already moved.
Read the guideMunicipal Lien Searches, Explained
Why South Florida buyers order municipal lien searches: unrecorded code fines, open permits, utility balances — where they hide, what they cost, and real-world stakes.
Read the guideEstoppel Letters (Condo/HOA)
Florida estoppel certificates: what they must contain, statutory deadlines and fee caps, why the association is bound by them, and how they protect buyers at closing.
Read the guideThe Florida Reissue Credit
The reissue rate can cut hundreds off a Florida title premium when a qualifying prior owner's policy exists. Eligibility, the math, and the paperwork that proves it.
Read the guideProbate Property Closings
Selling a decedent's Florida property: when probate is required, summary vs. formal administration, homestead's special rules, PR deeds, and realistic timelines.
Read the guideTrust-Owned Property Closings
How Florida trust property actually closes: certifications of trust, successor trustee proof, co-trustee rules, unfunded-trust cures, and buying in trust from day one.
Read the guideRON, Explained
Florida RON from the inside: the identity-proofing (credential analysis + KBA), session recording, which documents qualify, lender policies, and international wrinkles.
Read the guideCan't find your question?
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