Florida real estate investing guide

A due-diligence framework for analyzing Florida flips and rentals—insurance, flood risk, taxes, HOA, permits, and more—without invented market statistics.

Florida attracts flip and rental investors, but outcomes depend on the specific property, municipality, insurance quotes, flood exposure, and operating costs—not on a single statewide narrative.

Use this hub to structure analysis. FlipMetric provides county-level tax and insurance estimate defaults you can edit; always verify with local professionals.

Due diligence checklist

Analyze a potential Florida flip

Model purchase, rehab, ARV, holding months, insurance on a vacant property, and selling costs. Stress-test longer permits and higher insurance before offering.

Rental underwriting basics

Underwrite rent, vacancy, taxes, insurance, HOA, maintenance, capex, and management. Check whether local rules or HOAs restrict leasing.

Insurance and wind risk

Homeowners and wind coverage can dominate carrying costs. Obtain quotes early; do not rely on calculator defaults as bindable premiums.

Flood-zone due diligence

Check FEMA flood maps and lender/insurance requirements. Flood insurance may be required or economically necessary even when not mandated.

Property taxes

Millage rates and assessments vary by county. Use the county property appraiser and tax collector as sources of record.

HOA and condominium fees

Association dues, special assessments, rental caps, and approval processes can change cash flow and exit options.

Renovation permits

Permit scope and inspection timelines vary by city and county. Longer holds increase taxes, insurance, utilities, and interest.

Vacancy, repairs, and management

Budget turnover, make-ready costs, and professional management if you are not local.

Rental regulations

Short-term and long-term rental rules differ by municipality. Confirm licensing and zoning before underwriting Airbnb-style income.

Strategies to model

  • Fix and flip

    Use the flip calculator with conservative ARV and rehab contingencies. Florida insurance during renovation can be material.

  • Buy and hold

    Use the rental calculator and stress-test insurance and vacancy. Compare DSCR if you plan to finance.

Worked example (hypothetical)

Hypothetical statewide teaching framework (not a market forecast)

Approach
Enter local purchase, rehab/rent, and insurance quotes
Flip path
House flipping calculator
Rental path
Rental property calculator

We do not publish fabricated median prices, rents, or cap rates. Build the analysis from verifiable local inputs.

Frequently asked questions

No. Risk varies by property, location, insurance, flood exposure, and operations. Treat any statewide claim with skepticism.

FlipMetric

Analyze a Florida deal with your numbers

Open a calculator and replace defaults with quotes, tax bills, and comps for the subject property.

Educational content from FlipMetric. Not investment advice. Disclaimer.

What does it cost to own and rent in Florida?

Across Florida's 67 counties, the median county has an effective property tax rate of 0.74%, a median home value of $254,300 and a median rent of $1,230 a month. Miami-Dade, the most populous county, has a median home value of $425,400 and a 0.83% tax rate. Property tax is lowest in Walton (0.45%) and highest in Hardee (1.05%). The average homeowners premium is $2,779 a year. On a $250,000 purchase, the Miami-Dade rate works out to about $2,075 a year in property tax.

Median property tax rate
0.74%
Median home value
$254,300
Median rent / month
$1,230
Average insurance / year
$2,779

Is there a transfer tax in Florida?

$0.70 per $100 or portion of total consideration outside Miami-Dade; all parties are liable regardless of who agrees to pay. Miami-Dade is 60 cents per $100 instead, plus a 45-cent surtax that does not apply to a single-family dwelling. Rules change and exemptions exist, so confirm with your title company. Florida Department of Revenue

Florida property tax, home values and rent by county

Select a column heading to sort.

Miami-Dade0.83%$3,516$425,400$1,731$3,27712.4%9.5%
Broward0.95%$3,610$380,400$1,804$3,17210.4%8.5%
Palm Beach0.88%$3,600$407,300$1,818$3,05211.3%9.1%
Hillsborough0.84%$2,787$333,300$1,543$2,44810.3%9.1%
Orange0.78%$2,795$358,300$1,675$2,4459.3%8.3%
Duval0.78%$2,142$274,900$1,385$2,0778.8%8.0%
Pinellas0.73%$2,324$319,000$1,525$2,44810.2%9.4%
Lee0.83%$2,699$326,300$1,597$2,3738.2%7.2%
Polk0.74%$1,769$240,000$1,272$2,2129.6%9.2%
Brevard0.70%$2,139$304,400$1,456$2,3829.1%8.9%
Pasco0.76%$2,028$265,800$1,372$2,44811.1%10.3%
Volusia0.78%$2,179$278,000$1,368$2,2049.2%9.2%
Seminole0.70%$2,493$357,300$1,686$2,4459.1%8.4%
Sarasota0.76%$2,826$373,100$1,715$2,7758.8%7.7%
Manatee0.79%$2,853$359,800$1,549$2,77510.6%8.7%
Osceola0.79%$2,498$317,600$1,651$2,4459.8%9.3%
Lake0.79%$2,284$287,900$1,468$2,44510.0%8.8%
Marion0.75%$1,659$220,800$1,174$1,83610.3%8.8%
Collier0.66%$3,219$486,800$1,752$2,58410.9%8.2%
St. Lucie0.95%$2,893$305,800$1,489$2,80110.4%9.7%
Escambia0.60%$1,406$234,200$1,234$2,0348.9%8.2%
Leon0.82%$2,305$279,800$1,230$1,7428.0%6.6%
St. Johns0.78%$3,547$457,600$1,775$2,0779.9%8.0%
Alachua0.98%$2,623$266,800$1,255$1,8069.2%7.8%
Clay0.74%$2,080$281,500$1,464$2,0779.3%8.4%
Okaloosa0.60%$1,948$324,800$1,475$2,6168.0%7.4%
Hernando0.72%$1,732$240,700$1,209$2,44810.9%10.6%
Charlotte0.89%$2,581$291,000$1,289$2,1377.9%7.5%
Santa Rosa0.60%$1,809$302,100$1,445$2,0348.9%7.8%
Bay0.60%$1,653$276,900$1,424$2,1018.2%7.6%
Indian River0.73%$2,288$314,700$1,284$1,8829.6%9.0%
Martin0.81%$3,120$386,500$1,499$2,80110.8%9.0%
Citrus0.59%$1,320$223,200$1,069$1,65310.7%9.9%
Sumter0.83%$2,940$356,000$1,225$1,6066.2%4.8%
Flagler0.79%$2,628$333,400$1,687$2,3618.4%7.5%
Highlands0.73%$1,295$177,900$980$1,50011.6%10.0%
Nassau0.73%$2,558$351,100$1,335$2,07710.6%9.1%
Monroe0.54%$3,943$723,800$1,959$2,97310.0%8.1%
Walton0.45%$1,709$376,400$1,674$2,0419.9%8.2%
Putnam0.81%$1,196$147,300$902$1,30710.8%9.8%
Columbia0.74%$1,385$186,400$915$1,42210.5%8.2%
Jackson0.55%$625$113,900$846$1,2648.1%6.6%
Suwannee0.73%$1,169$160,900$849$1,3369.7%7.6%
Levy0.65%$1,110$171,400$826$1,17610.6%8.1%
Gadsden0.55%$854$154,700$792$1,7427.8%6.6%
Hendry0.80%$1,519$189,700$958$1,41111.2%10.1%
Okeechobee0.75%$1,349$179,000$974$1,48510.3%9.5%
DeSoto0.87%$1,322$151,500$910$1,49711.3%10.2%
Wakulla0.65%$1,408$216,300$1,155$1,5297.9%7.0%
Baker0.63%$1,410$225,000$1,011$1,53711.0%8.4%
Bradford0.57%$1,022$180,300$838$1,29010.4%7.3%
Hardee1.05%$1,358$129,400$954$1,52210.3%8.0%
Washington0.50%$787$156,000$884$1,2439.4%7.3%
Taylor0.72%$724$100,200$878$1,2488.7%5.6%
Holmes0.52%$527$101,400$823$1,28111.8%8.6%
Gilchrist0.68%$1,301$191,000$855$1,8069.6%7.8%
Madison0.88%$928$105,900$819$1,2607.9%5.3%
Dixie0.74%$715$96,900$792$1,373——
Union0.58%$931$160,400$846$1,27912.0%8.7%
Gulf0.57%$1,334$235,700$1,161$1,8379.2%8.9%
Jefferson0.68%$1,348$198,800$790$1,7429.9%7.6%
Calhoun0.55%$743$134,000$680$1,2489.6%7.3%
Hamilton0.73%$806$110,400$819$1,2236.5%6.0%
Franklin0.62%$1,572$254,300$1,044$1,40811.0%8.5%
Glades1.01%$1,163$114,800$927$1,365——
Lafayette0.65%$850$131,600$880$1,428——
Liberty0.88%$1,031$117,600$968$1,340——

Common questions

What is the typical property tax rate in Florida?

The median Florida county has an effective property tax rate of 0.74%, calculated from median taxes paid and median home value in the Census American Community Survey (2019-2023). Rates range from 0.45% in Walton to 1.05% in Hardee.

How much is homeowners insurance in Florida?

The average Florida HO-3 homeowners premium was $2,779 a year in 2023, according to the NAIC. That ranks 3 of 51 among the states and DC. This is a statewide average, so get a quote for the specific property.

What is fair market rent in Miami-Dade, Florida?

HUD's 2027 Fair Market Rent for a three-bedroom home in Miami-Dade is $3,277 a month, and $2,564 for a two-bedroom. HUD sets these at about the 40th percentile of rents, including utilities, so treat them as a cautious baseline.

How fast have home prices risen in Florida?

The median Florida county saw home prices rise 9.9% a year over the five years to 2025, according to the FHFA House Price Index. In Miami-Dade, the ten-year pace was 9.5% a year. Those years include an unusually strong run, so don't assume the same pace going forward.

Where these numbers come from

Tax rate is median real estate taxes paid divided by median owner-occupied home value, ACS 2019-2023. A buyer may be reassessed higher than a long-time owner, so check the county's actual rate. Rents are HUD Fair Market Rents for 2027. Insurance is the NAIC 2023 statewide HO-3 average. Price changes are annualized from FHFA's developmental county House Price Index through 2025, and a dash means FHFA doesn't report that county. Past growth doesn't predict future growth. Updated 2026-11-09. Estimates only, not financial advice.

Run a Florida deal with these numbers

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