Congratulations — you have an accepted offer!
Now let’s make sure you’re not overpaying.
“What will my monthly payment really be?”
“Is my rate guaranteed, or can it still change?”
“How much will I pay out of pocket?”
Send us your Loan Estimate and we’ll go over it together:
what every number means, what’s negotiable, and what you can push back on before you commit.
Do’s & don’ts during the homebuying process
From offer accepted to closing day, your loan file is being re-verified. Small moves you wouldn’t think twice about — opening a credit card, switching jobs, financing furniture — can jeopardize the entire transaction and result in a loss of your deposit.
✅ Do
- Keep paying every bill on time, including ones that aren’t on your credit report
- Save every paystub, deposit slip, and bank statement starting now
- Tell your mortgage professional immediately if your hours, salary, or job status changes — even good news
- Forward any letter or call from a creditor straight to your mortgage professional before responding
🚫 Don’t
- Open a new credit card, store card, auto loan, or “buy now pay later”
- Pay off old collections or charge-offs without asking your mortgage professional first
- Make large unexplained deposits or transfer big sums between accounts
- Change jobs, leave your job, or go from W-2 to 1099 without telling your mortgage professional
- Sign anything that says “lease” or “finance” — even for an appliance
Wire fraud is the scam that’s live right now
In the days before closing, criminals impersonate your title company or closing agent and email “updated” wiring instructions. Buyers send their entire down payment to a thief — and once it’s gone, it is almost always gone for good. It is the single most expensive mistake a buyer can make in these exact weeks.
- Wiring instructions that arrive or “change” by email at the last minute
- Any pressure to hurry, keep it quiet, or skip a phone call
- A new account number, bank, or beneficiary name you weren’t told about in person
- The fix: always call your title company on a number you already had — never the one in the email — and verbally confirm every wire before you send it
know how to protect yourself
The Florida Homebuyer’s Scams & Mistakes Checklist
After enough closings, the same traps show up again and again — and they catch experienced buyers just as often as first-timers, because most people have simply never been told about them. We put the ones we see most in our practice into one short checklist, so you can spot them before they cost you time, money, and stress.
- The wire-fraud red flags
- The document and “urgent change” tricks
- The avoidable mistakes that quietly delay closings
- What to verify before you send any money
Get my Free Checklist →
Free · instant · the ones we see most in our practice
Closing costs, state taxes, prepaids & escrows — what to expect
If you are wondering “how much do I actually need out of pocket?”, these videos will walk you through — what’s a one-time cost, what gets collected up front, and what can be negotiated or not.
What Are Closing Costs Made Of in Florida?
Show full transcript ▾
Natallia: Krista, what are the typical costs that buyers should expect to pay at closing?
Krista: Origination fee, appraisal fee, credit report fee, and MERS registration fee if applicable. Depending on the loan type there might be a VA funding fee, or an upfront mortgage insurance premium if it’s FHA. Then a survey, closing costs for the title company, an owner’s policy and a loan policy.
Krista: First-time buyers are often blindsided by HOA capital contribution fees, community enhancement fees, or transfer fees. On my own closing we had a $500 capital contribution and a $250 transfer fee — $750 we didn’t know about until the final closing disclosure.
Krista: The single biggest way to save: review pages three and four of the contract. If the buyer chooses the title company, the buyer pays an additional ~$1,000. 90% of the time in our area, the seller pays and chooses the title company.
Krista: Other tip: request an existing recent survey from the seller. If they sign an affidavit confirming no changes, you can use that — saves about $300+.
Florida State Taxes — Doc Stamps & Intangible Tax
Show full transcript ▾
Krista: Those taxes are charged by the state — document stamps (doc stamps) on the deed and the mortgage, and intangible tax on the mortgage. Listed in Section E.
Natallia: Can we negotiate it? Reduce it?
Krista: No. That’s determined by the state. It’s a specific calculation based on your loan amount — the tax they charge on the mortgage to be recorded and valid. There’s no way to negotiate it down.
Krista: A few loan programs — certain down payment assistance programs — are exempt from intangible taxes. Typically, no.
Prepaids — what they are and why they’re collected
Show full transcript ▾
Krista: Prepaids are typically your upfront full year of homeowners insurance (Section F), plus prepaid interest from the date of closing to the first of the following month. That’s why your first mortgage payment is the month after next.
Natallia: So if you close mid-April, your first payment isn’t until June 1st.
Krista: Property taxes? Usually charged to the seller. In September/October they get charged to the buyer if the bill is due within 30-60 days. We overestimate from the August TRIM notice, collect from the buyer, then refund any overage.
Escrow — how your escrow account actually works
Show full transcript ▾
Krista: Section G shows a monthly amount for homeowners insurance and property taxes. The lender divides total bills into 12 months + a cushion based on when you close.
Krista: Why does the lender prefer to pay for you? Liability. If property taxes go unpaid for three consecutive years, a tax certificate buyer can apply for a tax deed and take the property. If insurance lapses and the property is damaged, the lender has no protection.
Krista: The number of months in escrow depends on when you close. Closer to November 1st = more cushion. Highest is August. In Sep/Oct the lender requires we pay the bill directly.
Natallia: Some lenders allow you to waive escrows — you make the payments yourself. The lender usually charges a fee or increases the rate to compensate for the risk.
Want to walk through your actual numbers?
Book a call with us where we go over your scenario to ensure you don’t overpay just because you were overwhelmed and not fully informed.
Real Central Florida homebuyers, real outcomes
A homebuyer who is house-hacking walks through what the process actually felt like — and what changed once she had a broker she trusted.
