Are you thinking about moving to Florida and buying a home and want to know some of the greatest mistakes that people make? If you are, then you’re in the right place. As a local Realtor just outside of Orlando, I get a LOT of calls from people moving here from another state. Florida’s population has increased every year since 1946, and 4 of the top 10 metros in the US that people are moving to are right here in Florida, with Orlando being #6.

As such, I’m often dealing with difficult circumstances for buyers that could’ve been avoided had they taken a few simple steps. Today, I’ll be sharing some important tips to help you avoid some of these mistakes. These mistakes aren’t listed in any particular order, so be sure to read all the way through, as the last two are as important as number one.

1. Not seeing the home in person.

The real estate market here in Florida tends to go bonkers from time to time and when it does, buyers sometimes panic as FOMO (fear of missing out) sets in. They see a home with great photos and they get excited, telling themselves it’s perfect based on those photos and some online research about the area. Then, they pick up the phone or worse yet, send an email, telling some local Realtor® that they want to make an offer on that home. It may seem odd to you, but this happens, and it happens to very intelligent people JUST LIKE YOU.

My team and I always discourage sight-unseen purchases. While we do virtual tours all the time on our phones and we do a great job with them, we still narrate those tours based on OUR perception, not YOURS. Virtual tours don’t tell you everything about what the neighborhood is like, I don’t care what type of online searches you do.

They don’t tell you about the smells in a home or that “gut” feeling you get when you see a home. We cannot envision how junior will like his new bedroom based on the location in the home, or how your loved ones will like riding their bicycles or walking the dog in the surrounding areas.

If you’re thinking about spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home, then, at the very least, come spend the weekend to get in that home for yourself and drive around the area. I’m sure you’re a busy person or that job transfer is happening quickly, but this is one of the biggest mistakes that you can easily avoid. We’ve got round trip flights coming into and out of Orlando for well under two hundred bucks-that’s a SMALL investment to make for a purchase of this size.

2. Buying a home in a state you’ve never been to

The next mistake people often make may be the sister mistake of number one, and that is buying a home in a state you’ve never visited. If this isn’t you, hang with me until I get to number three, because this one could STILL apply if you’re moving to Florida from another state.

I noted earlier that a lot of people are moving here and that’s for good reason. Florida had a net increase of around 320,000 people between 2021 and 2022, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have people moving OUT of Florida. People leave Florida every day because it just isn’t for everyone. Maybe it’s the humidity, the constant sweating from May through September, the bugs or alligators, or maybe it’s just the distance from family or some other reason.

If you’re thinking about moving to Florida, you NEED to spend some time here BEFORE you even begin to put your home on the market where you currently live or you make any decisions about the move. Moving is very expensive, and I’m not just talking about the cost of selling and buying a home. I’ll address some of these other expenses in a bit. Spending a week here, heck, even a weekend will give you SOME idea of how YOU’LL perceive what Florida is ACTUALLY like.

An out of state move is a risky endeavor for sure. If you’d like help with this process, give me or someone on my team a call and we’ll be happy to help.

3. Putting themselves in a time crunch

I’ve dealt with time crunches in my life and my decision making is usually poor when I’m in them. Looking back, I remember one conversation I had in my head (yes, I talk to myself), when I completely justified to myself a completely ridiculous purchase. It wasn’t the salesperson’s fault or the smooth music they were playing. The truth is, that I couldn’t think clearly about this purchase of around $30k when I was under a time crunch, and I’m betting that you won’t either when you need to purchase a new home that’ll cost you several hundred thousand dollars. Failure to plan can cost you cold, hard, cash and that’s a painful lesson when it couldn’t been completely avoided.

4. Underestimating the cost of relocating

Moving to Florida, or any state for that matter, is very expensive and there’s more to it than just the cost of selling and/or buying. What about that furniture? Is it old and needs replacing? Will it fit in your new living room or bedroom?

Some homeowner’s associations have fancy named fees well over a thousand bucks that are often overlooked. What about utility deposits? Things like obtaining new driver’s licenses, utility deposits, insurance, rental deposits or repairs or needed upgrades to your new home are often overlooked. I’m sure there’ll be others.

I tell my customers that are moving to Florida from another state to consider that they may need $3,000 to $5,000 just to make the move happen. Underestimating the cost of relocating to Florida could cost you big bucks or potentially leave you stranded, even having to abort mission if things get bad enough-well maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but it COULD happen!

5. Avoiding living near water because of snakes, alligators, or sharks

I moved to the Orlando area from Michigan years ago, and this one still cracks me up. People often tell me that they don’t want to live near water because of alligators and snakes. They’re concerned that some big gator will chase down Fifi (or worse yet, them), and have a snack or that snakes will take over their homes. While these things have happened, they aren’t really a concern of everyday life for most Floridians.

We do have plenty of snakes and alligators, but it isn’t like we interact with them. I’ve spent many days water skiing amongst them and somehow, I’ve survived. The St. Johns River here in the Orlando area is loaded with people in these waters. Millions of people are in the water on our local beaches every day and New Smyrna Beach, which is right up the road IS considered to be the shark bite capital of the world.

However, the odds of you having an encounter with a man-eating beast is VERY slim. Could it happen, YES. Is it something you should worry yourself with, NO. Not if you take risks like driving on the highway or consuming the type of diet I eat, as these are likely much bigger risks than being attacked by an alligator, snake or a shark.

6. Thinking you will declutter or downsize too late

One big part of moving is determining how much space you’ll need to have to bring your “stuff” to Florida. Once that truck is packed to the rim, and you realize you forgot to leave space for that family heirloom, and NOW you’ve got to deal what you’re going to do with it can be a real problem. Unloading and getting a bigger truck is usually off the table by then.

I see it time and time again that people underestimate the amount of space they’ll need to move. I also see them bring down old furniture that they end up getting rid of as soon as they get here. As such, have a yard sale…OR TWO BEFORE you make the move.

Ask yourself hard questions. Is that baseball card collection REALLY worth holding on to? Do I REALLY need 6 pairs of walking shoes? Will the kids really want grandma’s hutch when I pass on? How do I know these questions? Because I’ve been there and done that! You should start the decluttering process and getting rid of things that aren’t necessary to move at least a month in advance.

7. Waiting to select a mover until it’s too late

Flirting around with not getting the right moving company can be one of the biggest mistakes you could make when moving to Florida. So many people are moving IN to Florida and so few are moving OUT. As such, availability of inbound trucks can be an issue simply because of supply and demand.

I’ve heard of all sorts of horror stories about moving companies. Stories of people being scammed are almost legendary. I’ve heard of entire trucks being delayed for several days or even weeks, I could go on and on with some of the stories I’ve heard. The moving truck industry has it’s share of problems like so many industries these days.

Now, if I haven’t gotten too Henny Penny on you already, I need to say that there are a lot of VERY GOOD and REPUTABLE moving companies out there. However, you’ve got to do your homework AHEAD OF TIME and get the right company on the calendar early, so that when you need that truck, it’s there for you. Failure to do this early in the process could leave you taking whatever you can get at the last minute, and that’s not a place I’d want to be.

8. Not checking with a local Realtor® BEFORE you begin the process of moving to Florida

Once you’ve worked through a plan, take the time to come to Florida and speak with an experienced, local Realtor to get their perspective on an area that you like BEFORE it’s too late. Failing to do this – see mistakes #1 and #2 – could be a huge mistake. Take the time to be sure it’s what you want and devise a thoughtful plan to make it happen. If you’ll need to sell your home, don’t tell us here in Florida that you want to start looking for a new home once your home up there is already under contract. Speak with us BEFORE you put your home on the market, even a month or so before you do so.

Sometimes, I’ll have homes that I personally know will be coming to market in the next month or so that might be the perfect fit for you. I may be able to work with the seller to work with your timeline, but I cannot do that if you don’t even HAVE a timeline. The sale of a home is a VERY stressful process. The purchase of a home is ALSO a very stressful process. So, give yourself time to breathe as you work through this process in an effort to not only save yourself some grey hair, but also a TON of money and stress on you and your loved ones.

While many lenders can serve buyers throughout the country, having a local lender is A HUGE advantage for our buyers. My team and I work closely with the Realtor® from the originating state to coordinate the sale and purchase of a home here in Florida. This greatly reduces the stress level and helps our buyers be more successful. My team and I have a TON of connections with other Realtors throughout the US, and we may have one where you are, so let us know before you reach out. Perhaps we can connect you with an experienced professional where YOU live.

9. Failure to speak with a local lender EARLY in the process

Speaking of local lenders, if you’re like most of us buying a home in Florida, you’re going to need financing. As such, you’ve got to speak with a local lender very early in the process. You’ll need to know things like what your payment could be and how that could be impacted by changing interest rates, what type of financing you could qualify for and many other things.

If a lender is going to take a risk on you, then they’re going to want to know you’ve got a way to pay for that loan. Lenders usually require continuous employment in the same industry or at least in a similar position. If you’re moving to Florida FOR a new job, they’ll likely want to see an offer letter from your employer.  They’ll want to know things like: how much you’ll be earning, start date, how you’ll be paid (1099 or W2) and what position you’ll have.

If you’re transferring with the same company, most lenders are still requiring 6 months to a year of continuous employment and may require paystubs to back that up. Although I deal with my customer’s financing every day, I am not a lender. A local lender will help navigate the best financing option for you and your situation, because they, like your Realtor® here in Florida, aren’t paid until closing.

I’ve been helping buyers and sellers as a Realtor®, but I’m learning every single day and I’m often learning from people just like you. If you have questions about moving or need a local Realtor® in your state, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Published on November 14. 2023 / Tags: Moving to Central FL, Moving to DeBary, moving to Deland, Moving to Deltona, Moving to Florida, moving to Lake Mary, Moving to Orlando, Moving to Sanford / no comments.