Real estate acquisition — Chapter 01

Chapter table of contents

Guides marked with a coral dot are published. Others are queued for production.

Topic 01.1Before the offer — understanding the market

Canadian buyer journey in Florida

Reading an MLS sheet when you're used to Centris

Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, local MLS

From Centris to Florida: Quebec buyers' guide

From Realtor.ca to Florida: guide for buyers outside Quebec

Bilingual lexicon, 200 terms

Virtual tours, FaceTime, drones, 360° video

On-site visit checklist (hurricane, intrusion, HOA)

When to buy (summer trough vs. winter peak)

Choosing your property type in Florida: house, condo, mobile home, and alternatives

Topic 01.2Picking a Realtor®

Realtor® FL vs. OACIQ broker: contract differences

Finding a French-speaking, FL-licensed Realtor®

Transactional representation vs. single agent

Single Agent Notice and Consent to Transition: the two FL representation forms

Quebec FARCIQ & FICI vs. Florida buyer protection

Who pays what since the NAR 2024 settlement

Florida Buyer Broker Agreement (BBA): What Canadian Buyers Sign Before Touring

Topic 01.3Purchase offer & contract

The FAR/BAR contract, line by line

Earnest money deposit: amount, escrow, release

Inspection, financing, sale contingencies

Florida contingencies: inspection, appraisal, HOA approval

From offer to closing: 30 / 45 / 60 days

Clauses specific to a Canadian buyer

Topic 01.4Financing

Mortgage for a Canadian without US credit

US banks that lend to Canadians (RBC Bank US, BMO Bank N.A., Scotia, Natbank, Desjardins Bank)

Canadian HELOC or refinance to finance a Florida purchase

Foreign national mortgage: financing as a Canadian non-resident

Cash vs. financing: tax and opportunity analysis

Building US credit from zero

Reading the Loan Estimate

Reading the Closing Disclosure

DSCR loans for Canadian investors: qualifying on rental cash flow

Authorized user: build US credit via a US relative

Cash-out refinance for Canadians

DSCR cash-out refinance: BRRRR strategy

Non-warrantable Florida condos & financing

Topic 01.5Inspection & due diligence

Florida general home inspection: what gets inspected

4-Point inspection (roof, plumbing, electrical, HVAC) for insurance

Wind mitigation: hurricane insurance credit

Open permits search

Seller's Property Disclosure: what must be disclosed

Topic 01.6Title & closing

Florida title insurance: who pays, owner's vs. lender's policy

The closing step by step (escrow, settlement statement, deed)

Title search and common defects

Choosing the escrow agent

Quebec trust account vs. Florida escrow: deposit protection & disputes

Reading the ALTA Settlement Statement

Real estate wire fraud prevention

Florida Title Insurance Endorsements: Florida Form 9, Survey Deletion, HOA Assessment

Title Insurance Compared: Florida vs Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta for Canadian Cross-Border Owners

Topic 01.7Closing costs & taxes

All closing costs, itemized (buyer)

Documentary stamps tax (0.70 %), calculation and exceptions

Intangible tax on the mortgage

Property tax and HOA prorations at closing

Doc stamp and intangible tax: the closing-cost lines Canadians miss

Topic 01.8Holding structure

Buying in personal name, LLC, or corporation

Setting up a FL LLC to hold real estate

Cross-border trust: pros and pitfalls

Buying via a Canadian corporation

Comparing FL LLC and Quebec trust

Topic 01.9Special cases

Buying preconstruction (new condo, 10/10/10/70 deposit structure)

Foreclosure, REO, short sale: pros and risks

Condo vs single-family: trade-offs for Canadians

Co-op (rare in FL): how it works

Condotel: financing and tax restrictions

Auction purchases (caveat emptor)

Florida SB-4D and post-Surfside condo reform: a Canadian buyer's guide

55+ active-adult communities in Florida: HOPA, the 80/20 rule, and what Canadians should expect

Mobile and manufactured homes in Florida: a Canadian buyer's guide

Townhouse and villa in Florida: condo or fee-simple?

Topic 01.10Chapter tools

Total purchase cost calculator (taxes + fees + reno)

Non-resident mortgage calculator (30–40 % down)

Doc stamps + intangible tax mini-calculator

Interactive 12-step diagram (offer → closing)

Disclaimer

Educational purpose only. This guide is general information drawn from public sources (IRS, Code of Federal Regulations consolidated on Cornell Law, Canada: US Tax Convention). It is in no way legal, tax, accounting, real estate, financial, or any other regulated professional advice.

No professional relationship. The reading, downloading, or any use of this guide does not create any attorney-client, accountant-client, broker-client, advisor-client, or any other professional relationship between you and CanadaFlorida or its contributors.

Time validity. The figures, rates, thresholds, forms, timelines, and procedures cited are valid as of the last review date shown at the top of the page. US and Canadian tax law, the Code of Federal Regulations, the Florida Statutes, the IRS / CRA tax tables, and the Canada: US Tax Convention protocols evolve; the data may become inaccurate without notice.

Mandatory professional consultation. Before any concrete decision related to FIRPTA, the sale, purchase, ownership, rental, or transfer of Florida real property by a Canadian, you must consult, for your specific situation: a cross-border tax attorney (member of the Florida Bar and / or a Canadian provincial Bar), a Canada: US chartered accountant (CPA), a Florida-licensed closing agent / title company, and a Florida-licensed real estate broker.

Limitation of liability. CanadaFlorida, its contributors, and its editors disclaim all liability for any loss, damage, penalty, interest, excess withholding, double taxation, administrative sanction, or any other legal consequence resulting directly or indirectly from the use of this guide, the use of the calculator, or the following of any information that appears in it. You use this content at your sole and entire risk.

Calculator. The calculator in Section 5 provides an educational estimate based on the FIRPTA tiers set out in 26 CFR § 1.1445-2(d)(2) and on simplified gain assumptions. It does not account for the particularities of your file (holding structure, deductions, depreciation, exact tax status, actual Canadian-side calculations) and is no substitute for the calculations of a licensed tax professional.

External links. Hyperlinks to third-party sites (IRS, Cornell LII, federal governments, cited firms) are provided for reference only. CanadaFlorida has no control over their content and endorses none of the opinions, services, or products that may appear on them.

Jurisdictions. This guide is intended for a Canadian audience (all provinces and territories) currently or potentially owning property in Florida. It is not designed for US tax residents, nor for situations in US states other than Florida. For those situations, the federal US rules (FIRPTA) remain applicable, but the state environment differs.