LOADING...

Umbralio checks a property before you go see it. Paste the link from the Zillow, Redfin or Realtor.com listing and we tell you what the listing does not: the property tax you would pay, the community fees (HOA and CDD, the neighborhood and development-district charges), whether the house sits in a flood zone (FEMA’s map, the federal emergency agency), and what shape the building is in. It uses public county records; the report comes out without you giving your phone number or Social Security number. Below are the questions people ask before they go see a house in Miami-Dade or Broward.

How much property tax will I pay if I buy a house in Miami-Dade or Broward?

Almost never what the listing says. That number is what the current owner pays, and often they have been paying less for years: in Florida, on the home where the owner lives, the value used to charge tax can only go up a little each year, even if the house is worth far more.

When you buy, that cap resets. The house is revalued at market price, and your first bill can be much higher than the previous owner’s. On a home that has been in the same family for many years, the difference can be thousands of dollars a year.

To work it out you need your purchase price and that city’s tax rate, which changes from place to place. That is exactly what Umbralio does with the link you paste.

What is the homestead exemption and how do I apply for it?

It is a discount on the value you are taxed on, for the home where you live. It is not automatic: you have to apply to the county property appraiser (Miami-Dade or Broward), and the deadline is March 1 of the year after you buy.

It also protects you from big increases: once you have it, the value of your home for tax purposes cannot rise more than 3% a year (or inflation, if that is lower).

If you buy to rent it out or as a second home, it does not apply, and the tax comes out higher. That is why it is worth checking before you make an offer, not after.

What are HOA and CDD fees, and why are they not in the listing?

There are two different fees. The HOA fee (homeowners association) is paid to the community, usually monthly or quarterly. And many newer communities have another one: the CDD fee (community development district), which pays for roads, drainage and other services that were financed with bonds.

The CDD fee almost never shows up in the listing because it is part of the property tax bill, as a separate line. It can add hundreds of dollars a year, or more than a thousand in new communities, and the lender counts it in your monthly payment.

How do I know if a house is in a flood zone?

Every house in Florida sits in a zone on the flood map of FEMA, the federal emergency agency. Zones that start with A or V are high risk: if you buy with a mortgage, the lender requires flood insurance.

And here is the detail that surprises people most: regular homeowners insurance does not cover flooding. It is a separate policy, and its price depends on the zone and how high the house sits. Many people find out on closing day.

Being outside the high-risk zone does not mean it will not flood: in South Florida a heavy rain floods streets and homes even when there is no water nearby.

What should I check about a condo before buying?

With a condo you do not just buy your unit: you buy a share of a building, and the condition of the building is part of your purchase. Three things almost nobody looks at: the building’s reserve fund (what it has saved for big repairs, like the roof or the structure), whether a special assessment (an extra charge the building asks of every owner) has been approved or planned, and whether the building keeps its inspections up to date.

Since 2022, after the Surfside collapse, Florida law requires condo buildings of three stories or more to have a structural inspection and a reserve study. A building with no money saved for that is a building that will ask its owners for the money: you.

Why is the real monthly payment on a house higher than what the listing shows?

The calculators on listings usually add up only the loan and part of the tax. They leave out, or understate, homeowners insurance (in Florida it is among the most expensive in the country), flood insurance if you need it, the community fees, and the property tax recalculated at your purchase price.

That is why two houses with the same price can have very different monthly payments: they split apart exactly on the costs the listing does not add.

Where does Umbralio’s data come from, and how far can I trust it?

From public records: the Miami-Dade and Broward property appraiser offices (value and taxes), FEMA flood maps (the federal emergency agency) and the state’s public condo databases. Anyone can check them.

These are estimates to orient you before you go see the house. Before you make an offer, the final figure is confirmed by the county appraiser and your lender.

The figures and notes on this page are for guidance. Official information comes from the county, FEMA and the building itself. Umbralio orients, it does not advise.