In-person Florida visit checklist: 60 minutes to capture what photos cannot show

The 60 second version

A Florida property visit is not optional. It is the only moment when a buyer can verify the things that matter most for a home in a subtropical climate exposed to hurricane season: roof age, AC age, hidden water damage, drainage, neighborhood noise, hurricane shutters or impact glass, and the real condition of pool cages, docks, and seawalls. This guide breaks the visit into six families to inspect, in this order: exterior and lot, structure, mechanical systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, water heater), interior, neighborhood, and administrative documents. Plan two passes if you can. Bring a phone, a laser tape, a flashlight, slippers, and a notes app. Within 24 hours of the visit, you decide: offer, hold, or eliminate.

Why the in-person visit matters more in Florida than in Canada

A Canadian buyer comes to Florida with mental models built on Quebec, Ontario, BC, or Alberta housing. Several of those models do not transfer.

In Quebec or Ontario, the dominant climate stress is heat in summer and cold in winter, with the heating system carrying most of the operational load and the lifespan of the roof shaped mainly by snow load and freeze and thaw cycles. In Florida, the dominant stress is heat and humidity, twelve months a year, with the cooling system carrying most of the operational load and the lifespan of the roof shaped by sun, salt, and hurricane wind. The result: the AC unit you might glance at in a Quebec inspection is the AC unit you must scrutinize line by line in Florida.

A Canadian buyer also comes with the assumption that hurricanes are an exotic, occasional risk. In coastal Florida, hurricane risk is the single largest variable in the homeowner's insurance premium and one of the largest variables in the long term capital cost of the property. The presence or absence of impact rated windows, hurricane shutters, a properly secured roof, and a wind mitigation report that actually matches the building, can change the annual insurance premium by several thousand US dollars and can determine whether the property is insurable at all.

Finally, a Canadian buyer is not eligible for the Florida homestead exemption (which requires Florida residency), so the property tax estimate the seller's agent quotes from the current owner's bill is almost always understated. The visit is also the moment to read the seller's most recent property tax bill carefully and to start estimating the post-sale, non-homestead property tax that the Canadian buyer will actually pay.

Canada side and Florida side: what differs at the visit stage

Preparing the visit

The visit fails when the buyer arrives without a plan and walks the property at the agent's pace. The agent represents a closing, not a buyer.

Gear. A phone with a full battery, a laser tape measure (USD 25 to 40 at most hardware stores), a flashlight or torch app, slippers or shoe covers (a courtesy on staged homes and a way to feel the floor), a paper notebook or a structured notes app, and the compass app on the phone for window orientation. A bottle of water and a light mask if anyone in the household is mold sensitive.

Timing. Two passes when possible. Morning to read the natural light, the dew or condensation on the AC condenser, and the smell. Late afternoon to read traffic, neighbor noise, and the temperature inside if the AC is set realistically. Avoid Sunday morning as a single read: it is abnormally quiet and gives a false noise signal. A rainy day pass is gold for drainage, flat roof pooling, and local street flooding.

Companion. Going alone is acceptable if a video call with a partner or trusted advisor runs during the walkthrough. Going with a buyer's agent who is paid only on closing is not the same as going with a neutral observer. The buyer's agent will steer attention away from defects unless the buyer asks specifically.

1. Exterior, lot, immediate neighborhood

Walk the perimeter before stepping inside. The exterior tells the truth about the building's age, its drainage, and the owner's maintenance discipline.

On the façade, look for cracks (vertical hairline cracks are usually drying related and benign, stair step or diagonal cracks wider than 2 mm warrant a structural opinion), water stains, peeling paint, and signs of settling. On the roof, observed from the ground or with a drone if available, look for missing tiles, lifted shingles, moss, sagging horizon lines, clogged gutters, and the condition of roof vents. Roof age is one of the four facts that drive insurability in Florida: most insurers will not write a new policy on an asphalt shingle roof past 15 years and will require replacement on a tile roof past 25 to 30 years depending on condition.

The outdoor AC unit (the condenser) tells you the age of the climate system. The nameplate has the manufacture date, model number, and refrigerant type. A condenser that is tilted, surrounded by debris, or has crushed line insulation is a sign of poor maintenance, and the indoor air handler is likely worse.

On the lot, observe the slope. A property that slopes toward the house is a future water intrusion problem. Puddles or moss patches near the foundation tell the same story. Check fences (condition, height, ownership), trees (large trees within ten meters of the house are a hurricane debris risk and an insurance flag), parking (number of spots, clearance for an SUV), the mailbox, and outdoor lighting. If there is a pool, inspect tile condition, water clarity, equipment (pump, filter, heater), and the pool cage and screen for tears or rust on the cage frame. If the property is waterfront, the dock and seawall are major capital items: condition, canal depth at low tide, presence of cleats, and number of slips.

2. Structure: roof, foundation, walls, openings

Inside, the structure tells you whether the building has been moving and whether water has been getting in.

On the ceilings, look for stains. A yellow or brownish dry stain is an old leak that has been painted over but not fixed at the source. A wet or recently expanded stain is an active leak. On interior walls, fine vertical cracks are usually drying related. Stair step or diagonal cracks wider than 2 mm in a load bearing wall warrant a structural engineer's opinion before any offer.

On the floors, check level. A marble or an orange placed on the floor in a few rooms will roll if the floor is meaningfully out of level. Squeaks under foot in a wood or vinyl floor over a slab can indicate a soft subfloor or moisture damage. Most Florida homes are built on concrete slab on grade, not on a basement or full crawlspace, which is one of the simplifications a Canadian buyer should mentally adjust to.

On openings (doors and windows), open and close every one. Frames that are out of square, doors that bind, and windows that no longer latch are signs of structural movement.

The single most important question on windows and doors in Florida: are they impact rated, or are hurricane shutters present and operational? Impact rated openings carry a stamp on the glass corner. Shutters can be panel (manual), accordion (folding), or roll down (motorized). The presence of impact glass or operational shutters reduces the wind mitigation insurance premium materially and is a key item on the wind mitigation inspection report.

3. Systems: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, water heater

This is the section where Canadian instincts mislead the most. In Florida, AC failure is the system failure that makes a house uninhabitable in July, not heat failure in January.

HVAC (the central air system)

Find the model and year on the outdoor condenser nameplate. Useful life of an HVAC system in Florida is shorter than in northern climates because the system runs nearly year round.

Turn on the AC at the thermostat. Cold air should reach all vents within five minutes and the temperature differential between supply and return should be roughly 8 to 12 degrees Celsius (15 to 22 degrees Fahrenheit). Listen to the outdoor compressor for grinding, rattling, or short cycling. Open the air handler closet (often a hallway or garage closet, sometimes in the attic): look at the filter (recent or filthy), the ductwork (insulation intact, no visible mold on the boots or plenum), and the drain pan and condensate line under the air handler.

Plumbing

Open every faucet (not just the kitchen tap). Pressure should be even throughout the house. Hot water should arrive at the farthest faucet within 30 to 60 seconds; longer than that suggests a long undersized supply line or a failing water heater.

Flush each toilet. If the pressure drops noticeably elsewhere when a toilet flushes, the supply line is undersized or partially obstructed. Check under every sink: humidity traces, calcium scale, slow leaks at the trap.

The plumbing material in the wall matters more in Florida than most Canadians realize.

Electrical

Find the main electrical panel (often in a garage or utility closet). Note the brand, the amperage (most modern Florida homes are 200 amp service, older homes may be 100 amp), and the apparent age. The single most consequential question: is the panel a Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok, a Zinsco, or a Sylvania Zinsco?

Verify GFCI protection.

Water heater

Find the unit. Note the brand, year, type (tank, gas, electric, tankless), and capacity.

A 40 to 50 US gallon tank is standard for a 3 to 4 person household. Look for a drip pan under the tank: the absence of a drip pan in a closet over a finished floor is a sign of cut corner installation that will cost the next owner.

4. Interior

Measure the main rooms with the laser tape and compare to the listing. Square footage on a Florida MLS sheet is generally close to accurate (county records are public and feed the listing), but the reported "living area" often excludes garages, lanais, and screened porches. A 2,000 square foot listing is not the same as a 2,000 square foot Quebec house: in Florida, square footage often refers strictly to air conditioned space.

Ceiling height of 8 feet is standard, 9 to 10 feet is premium. Note the orientation of the main living room and master bedroom windows: south facing rooms are hot from noon to sunset and will run higher AC bills, west facing rooms are bright and hot late afternoon. East facing is the most comfortable in a Florida summer.

Note the floor material. Tile is dominant, vinyl plank is increasingly common, hardwood is rare due to humidity, and carpet is increasingly limited to bedrooms. In the kitchen, note appliance brand and age, countertop material (granite, quartz, laminate), and cabinet quality (soft close hinges, real wood vs particleboard). In bathrooms, run the water and verify pressure, ventilation, and the condition of grout (failing grout in a shower stall is a future water intrusion source).

Smell the property. Musty smell, especially near the AC return, suggests poor ventilation or an active mold issue. Pet smell suggests carpet impregnation, which a re-stretch and shampoo will not fully resolve.

5. Neighborhood: noise, safety, services

Walk five minutes in each direction from the front door.

Listen for ambient noise: a freeway within 800 meters, a train line within 1.5 km, an international airport within 5 km, or a commercial district with bars and outdoor music will all show up at the visit but not in the listing. Read the immediate neighbors' homes: lawn care, peeling paint, abandoned vehicles, and signs of intensive short term rental (a stack of suitcases in the driveway every weekend) are signals about the block, not just one property.

Map distances on the phone: nearest grocery (Publix, Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe's), nearest urgent care and hospital, distance to the nearest international airport for direct flights to Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver, and the nearest public beach or park.

6. Documents to request on site or shortly after

Request the following from the seller or listing agent. Some are legally required, others are professional courtesy that a serious seller will provide.

• Seller's Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS) if not already provided. Optional under Florida law but standard practice.
• The last 12 months of electric bills (FPL, Duke Energy, or local utility). Reveals real HVAC consumption, the single best signal of HVAC efficiency and home envelope quality.
• The last 12 months of water and sewer bills.
• The most recent home insurance policy declarations page. This document tells the buyer what the seller is currently paying, the deductibles (especially the hurricane deductible, which is a percentage of dwelling coverage and can be USD 10,000 or more), and whether the carrier is a major national insurer or a Florida only "specialty" carrier.
• The most recent property tax bill from the county tax collector. Note that this is the seller's bill, often with the homestead cap; the buyer's bill will reset upward at sale.
• Permits for past renovations (roof replacement, HVAC replacement, addition, pool, impact windows). Open or unfinaled permits are a Florida specific trap that can delay or block closing.
• Active warranties on recent installations (roof, HVAC, impact windows).

For a condominium or HOA property, the document set is materially larger and is governed by Florida Statutes Chapter 718 (condominiums) or Chapter 720 (homeowners associations).

A worked example

A Canadian couple from Montreal flies to Fort Lauderdale to see a 1,650 square foot single family home in a non-coastal inland zip code, listed at USD 575,000. They walk it methodically using this checklist.

Findings: roof is asphalt shingle, replaced 2019 (verified by the permit on the Broward County property appraiser site, 6 years old at visit, well within insurability window). HVAC is a 2017 Trane heat pump (8 years old, mid-life). Plumbing is CPVC, post-polybutylene era, no insurance flag. Electrical panel is a 2006 Square D 200 amp, modern and acceptable. Water heater is a 2019 electric tank, 50 gallons, 7 years old (acceptable, will need replacement in approximately 3 to 8 years). Property is in FEMA flood zone X (low risk, flood insurance not required by lender), confirmed on msc.fema.gov. Last 12 months of electric bills: USD 245 monthly average, reasonable for a 1,650 square foot home with this AC age. Last property tax bill: USD 4,100 with homestead cap; estimated post-sale property tax for the Canadian non-resident buyer: USD 7,500 to 8,500 annually based on the assessment reset at sale price (estimate, verify with the county property appraiser).

The walkthrough also reveals: a south facing kitchen with no exterior shading (high midday cooling load), one stair step crack on the garage interior wall under 2 mm wide (likely cosmetic, document and ask the inspector to confirm), pool cage screen torn at one corner (USD 800 to 1,500 to repair), and a freeway audible at 30 meters from the back fence at 5 pm but not at 9 am.

The couple decides: offer at USD 555,000 with a request that the seller repair the pool cage screen before closing, contingent on a general inspection, a 4 Point inspection, and a wind mitigation inspection.

This example is fictional and illustrative. Real numbers will vary by city, year, and condition. Use it as a structure, not as a benchmark.

Common mistakes Canadian buyers make on the visit

1. Visiting only once, on a Saturday morning. A single visit at the quietest time of the week is a partial read. Two passes at different times of day reveal more than one long pass.
2. Failing to verify the roof age and the HVAC age. Without these two facts confirmed by nameplate or permit, the buyer cannot estimate the next 5 years of capital cost.
3. Underestimating insurance. The seller's current premium, on a renewal with their long term carrier, is rarely what the buyer will pay on a new policy. Request a fresh quote from a Florida licensed insurance broker before committing.
4. Not pulling the FEMA flood zone. Flood zone determines whether a flood policy is required by the lender (mandatory in zones A and V) and whether the buyer can obtain one at a reasonable price at all.
5. Ignoring the electrical panel brand. A Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or a Zinsco panel is a future insurance refusal and a USD 2,500 to 6,000 replacement.
6. Visiting without measuring. Square footage discrepancies between the listing and reality are common. Bring the laser tape.
7. Not requesting permits. Open permits, expired permits, or unfinaled permits on past work are Florida specific traps. The county building department's online portal is the source.
8. Trusting the buyer's agent as a neutral party. The agent's commission depends on the transaction closing. The buyer's agent is helpful but not impartial.

Right after the visit: what to do within 24 hours

While memory is still fresh:

1. Write up the notes by section (the six families above).
2. Sort photos and videos into a dated folder, ideally subfoldered by section.
3. Verify the property tax history on the county property appraiser's site (broward.org, miamidade.gov, palmbeachpa.gov, hillsboroughpa.org, or the appropriate county).
4. Verify the FEMA flood zone at msc.fema.gov by entering the property address.
5. Pull the open permits report from the county building department's online portal.
6. Request a homeowner's insurance quote from a Florida licensed insurance broker (not an aggregator website). The broker will often surface issues the visit missed.
7. Read the SPDS and any disclosures in detail.
8. If condominium, read the condo documents (Declaration, Bylaws, Rules, financials, milestone inspection, SIRS) and note any pending special assessments or major capital projects.
9. Calculate the estimated total annual carrying cost: property tax (post-sale, non-homestead) plus HOA or condo assessments plus insurance plus utilities plus reserve for maintenance.
10. Decide. A good Florida property in a desirable price band sells in 24 to 72 hours in many submarkets. Decision discipline matters.

FAQ

How long should the in-person visit last? A serious first visit lasts 60 to 90 minutes inside, plus a 30 minute neighborhood walk. A second pass at a different time of day adds another 30 to 45 minutes.

Can I rely on a Matterport tour or a FaceTime walkthrough instead of an in-person visit? A virtual tour is useful for shortlisting but is not a substitute for an in-person visit on a property you are about to spend several hundred thousand US dollars on. See the related guide on touring from a distance, linked below.

Do I need a real estate agent to access the property for the visit? In a Florida listed sale, the buyer typically accesses the property through a buyer's agent or the listing agent. Lockbox or showing assistant access without a licensed agent is unusual on a serious resale.

Should I pay for an inspection before making an offer? The standard practice in Florida is to make the offer contingent on a satisfactory general inspection, with the inspection conducted during a defined inspection period after the offer is accepted. Pre-offer inspection is unusual unless the buyer is competing in a multiple offer situation and wants to remove the contingency.

What is a wind mitigation inspection and why does it matter? The wind mitigation inspection documents construction features that reduce hurricane wind damage (roof shape, roof to wall attachment, roof deck attachment, secondary water resistance, opening protection). Insurance carriers apply discounts based on the report, often materially reducing the premium. A separate guide on wind mitigation is forthcoming on this site.

Is the SPDS legally required? No. The SPDS form is a Florida Realtors standard form that is widely used but not statutorily required. The legal duty to disclose known material defects comes from Florida case law (Johnson v. Davis, 1985), regardless of whether a form is used.

Honest scope statement

This guide covers the in-person physical visit. It does not cover the virtual or distance touring workflow, the structured general home inspection, the 4 Point inspection, the wind mitigation inspection, the SPDS in detail, the FAR/BAR contract, the financing process, or the closing workflow. Each of those topics is covered, or being prepared, as a separate guide in this chapter. Equivalent comparisons for the buying process from Ontario, BC, and Alberta are being added incrementally; this guide uses Quebec as the reference Canadian province where comparison is needed.

CanadaFlorida Editorial Team. Research drawn from primary public sources cited at the bottom of every guide: U.S. and Florida statutes, U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, official Florida county and state authorities, and Canadian provincial bodies where applicable. Every figure, rate, threshold, and deadline in this guide is drawn from a verifiable primary source listed at the bottom of the page or labelled as a Typical range or Opinion. The article is updated whenever the underlying rules change, with a fresh review date stamped at the top.

Essential disclaimer. Educational purpose only. This document is reference information. It is not legal, tax, accounting, real estate, immigration, insurance, or financial advice and does not create a client-professional relationship. Before any concrete decision, consult a Florida licensed Realtor, a Florida licensed home inspector, a Florida licensed insurance broker, a cross border tax professional, and a Florida licensed real estate attorney for the questions in their respective fields. Treat this content as a research starting point, not as professional advice.

Related articles to create

• Pool, screen cage, dock, and seawall inspection deep dive. Chapter 01 Acquisition. Angle: a Florida specific subarticle covering pool equipment lifespan, pool cage rust failure modes, dock pilings, seawall condition, canal depth at low tide, and the cost ranges for replacing each.
• Cast iron and polybutylene plumbing in Florida homes: identifying, insuring around, and replacing. Chapter 01 Acquisition. Angle: deep dive on the two legacy plumbing materials that drive Florida insurance refusals, including how to identify them, how insurers treat them, and the cost order of magnitude of a full repipe.
• Reading Florida property history: permits, code violations, liens, and open permit traps. Chapter 01 Acquisition. Angle: county property appraiser and building department lookups, how to spot unfinaled permits and code violations before the offer, and what a Canadian buyer should request from the seller.
• Pre-offer insurance quote: how a Canadian buyer should use it as a structural inspection. Chapter 01 Acquisition. Angle: walk through how to obtain a quote from a Florida licensed broker before offering, what items the broker will surface (roof age, plumbing, panel, location), and how to use the quote to renegotiate price or back out.
• Post sale property tax reset for non-homestead Canadian buyers. Chapter 01 Acquisition or Chapter 07 Possession. Angle: how the assessed value resets at sale, why the seller's tax bill is not the buyer's, how to estimate the post-sale tax, and how non-homestead status interacts with the Save Our Homes cap.