Owner Financing Homes in Florida
Owner financing homes in Florida work like a regular sale: you sign a note and a mortgage, close with a title company, and the deed is recorded in your name.
- No minimum credit score
- Homes from $250,000 up
- Based in Fort Lauderdale, FL
See if you qualify
Takes about a minute. Freddy replies within 24 hours.
- Deed in your name at closing
- No balloon payment
- No minimum credit score
- ITIN holders welcome
How owner financing works in Florida
Source: Median price from Redfin, September 2026.
In a Florida owner financed purchase, the financing is provided directly instead of through a bank. Everything else looks like a normal home sale. You agree on a price, a title company or real estate attorney handles the closing, and the deed is recorded in your name in the county's official records.
At closing you sign two documents. The promissory note is your promise to repay the balance with a fixed monthly payment. The mortgage secures that note with the home. Because the deed is already in your name, the home is yours from day one, and you can refinance into a regular mortgage whenever you're ready. There is no prepayment penalty.
Florida buyers often ask whether owner financing is a gray area. It isn't. It's one of the oldest ways homes change hands in the state, and the paperwork is recorded the same way a bank-financed sale is. What protects you is the recorded deed and a closing handled by a licensed title company or attorney, which is exactly how this program closes. Read more on how the program works.
Closing costs in Florida
Who pays what is ultimately set by your contract. Your closing statement lists every cost before you sign.
| Cost | Rate | Who usually pays |
|---|---|---|
| Documentary stamps on the deed | $0.70 per $100 of the price ($0.60 in Miami-Dade) | Usually the seller |
| Documentary stamps on the note | $0.35 per $100 financed | Usually the buyer |
| Intangible tax on the mortgage | 0.2% of the amount financed, one time | Usually the buyer |
| Title insurance and recording fees | Set by the title company and county | Set by your contract |
Property taxes and the Florida homestead exemption
As the owner of record, you pay the property taxes and homeowners insurance, usually collected with your monthly payment or paid directly. Insurance matters more in Florida than almost anywhere, so we talk through wind and flood coverage before you pick a home, not after.
If the home is your permanent residence, you can usually apply for Florida's homestead exemption with your county property appraiser. It can lower your home's taxable value by up to $50,000 and caps how fast your assessed value can rise each year. Renters and most rent to own buyers can't get it, because the deed isn't in their name.
Florida cities we cover
Local guides with home prices, neighborhoods and where your deed gets recorded.
Tampa, FL
Orlando, FL
Miami, FL
Source: Redfin housing market data, three months ending September 2026.
Don't see your city? You can pick a home anywhere in Florida we can negotiate. Tell us where in the form.
Who buys with owner financing in Florida
These are the Florida buyers we hear from most. If one sounds like you, the program was built for you.
Self-employed in a cash-and-1099 economy
Florida runs on contractors, drivers, salon owners and hospitality workers. Real income, irregular paperwork. We read bank statements the way a business owner would.
New to the state or the country
Florida gains newcomers every year, many with savings but no U.S. credit file. ITIN holders and recent arrivals are a big part of who we help.
Rebuilding after a hurricane or a hard year
A storm, a medical bill or a business that closed can wreck a credit score without changing what you can afford today.
Tired of Florida rent increases
If your rent already costs what a payment would, owning puts that money toward a home with your name on the deed.
Three steps to a Florida home.
How a Florida purchase moves from first call to keys.
Get qualified
We review your income and down payment. You get a qualification letter good for up to 12 months, which Florida sellers take seriously in a market where homes sit about two months.
Pick your home anywhere in Florida
Choose three homes. Listed homes, for sale by owner and builder inventory all work. We negotiate the price and the terms for you.
Close with a Florida title company
A licensed title company or attorney runs the closing, records your deed with the county, and you get the keys.
Owner financing vs rent to own in Florida
Florida has more rent to own listings than almost any state, and the difference matters here because of the homestead exemption. A rent to own tenant doesn't own the home, so they can't claim homestead, and they pay rent that may or may not count toward a purchase later.
With owner financing the deed is recorded in your name at closing. You claim homestead, you build equity with every payment, and a problem on the seller's side can't take the house from you. See the full side by side on owner financing vs rent to own.
Cash to close on a Florida home
The calculator starts at Florida's September 2026 median sale price of $383,897. Move it to the price you have in mind.
The program starts at $250,000 and has no upper limit. Down payments are normally 20 percent, with exceptions reviewed one by one. There's no application or origination fee.
- Down payment (20%)
- Closing costs (2% to 3%)
- Amount financed
Estimate only. Closing costs vary by state and are listed on your closing statement before you sign.
Your Florida contact
- In real estate since 2010
- Finance degree, FIU
- 20+ families into homes since 2024
- Based in Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Speaks Spanish fluently
Freddy is based in Fort Lauderdale and has worked in Florida real estate since 2010. Florida is home, and it's where the program started.
Every Florida purchase closes with a Florida title company or real estate attorney, and your deed is recorded with your county's official records in your name.
"If you can afford the house, there should be a path to it."
Freddy E.Founder, Sold With Financing
See if you qualify for a Florida home.
Tell us where in Florida you want to live and what you can put down. Freddy will reach out within 24 hours.
- Closing with a Florida title company or real estate attorney.
- Deed recorded with your county's official records.
- You can apply for the Florida homestead exemption, worth up to $50,000 off your taxable value.
- No minimum credit score.
See if you qualify
Takes about a minute. Freddy replies within 24 hours.
Florida owner financing questions
How does owner financing work in Florida?
You sign a promissory note and a mortgage, just like with a bank loan, and the deed is recorded in your name at closing. You make fixed monthly payments on the note. A Florida title company or real estate attorney handles the closing.
Is owner financing legal in Florida?
Yes. Owner financing is a long-standing way to buy a home in Florida. The deal is documented with a note and a mortgage, closed by a title company or attorney, and recorded in the county's official records like any other sale.
What does owner financing cost at closing in Florida?
Florida charges documentary stamp tax on deeds and on notes, plus a one-time intangible tax on new mortgages. On the note, the stamp tax is 35 cents per $100 financed, and the intangible tax is 0.2% of the amount financed. Your closing statement lists every cost before you sign.
Can I get Florida's homestead exemption with owner financing?
Usually, yes. Because the deed is in your name, a home you live in as your permanent residence can qualify. Apply with your county property appraiser. The exemption can reduce your home's taxable value by up to $50,000.
What credit score do I need to buy a home with owner financing in Florida?
There is no minimum credit score in this program. We qualify buyers on steady income and down payment, normally 20 percent, with exceptions reviewed one by one.
Do I need flood insurance on an owner financed home in Florida?
If the home is in a flood zone, plan on it, and plan on wind coverage too. We look at insurance costs with you before you choose a home so the monthly number holds up.
Compare the other states
Georgia
Alabama
North Carolina
South Carolina
Median prices: Redfin, September 2026.
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