Found 313 blog entries tagged as Florida.

Do Florida's condo milestone inspection and reserve rules apply to the condo I want to buy on the Forgotten Coast?

Only if the building is three habitable stories or taller. Florida's milestone inspection law and the Structural Integrity Reserve Study requirement both key off that three-story threshold, and plenty of the low-rise condo and townhome buildings on this coast sit below it. For buildings that do qualify, the milestone inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, and the reserve study gives you a written, dollar-by-dollar picture of what the building needs. Both are genuinely good news for a buyer, because they turn what used to be guesswork into documents you can read before you ever write an offer.

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What will I owe in capital gains when I sell my Forgotten Coast vacation home?

Federal long-term capital gains tax on the profit, at 0, 15, or 20 percent depending on your taxable income, with no Florida state capital gains tax on top of it. The $250,000 and $500,000 primary-residence exclusion does not apply to a home you have used only as a vacation property. The number that matters is your gain, not your sale price, and gain is the sale price minus your adjusted basis minus your selling costs. Every improvement you have made and every dollar of cost to sell reduces it, which is why the owners who plan ahead here consistently keep more of their money.

By Billy Joe Smiley | September 1, 2026

I want to say up front that I am a broker,…

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Do You Need a License to Rent Your Forgotten Coast Home Short-Term?

Yes. If you rent a whole home for stays under 30 days more than three times a year, Florida requires a state DBPR vacation rental license, and your county adds its own layer on top. On the Forgotten Coast that means a Gulf County STR business license, a City of St. George Island business license, or a Bay County Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, depending on where the property sits, plus sales tax and tourist development tax registration.

By Billy Joe Smiley | August 27, 2026

I get this question from almost every investment buyer I work with, and it usually comes up late, right after they have fallen in love with a house and started running the rental numbers in…

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What Do You Have to Disclose When Selling a Home on Florida's Forgotten Coast?

Florida sellers must disclose known facts that materially affect a home's value and aren't obvious to a buyer, a rule from the 1985 case Johnson v. Davis. As of October 2024, you also have to complete a separate written Flood Disclosure before the contract is signed, and as of October 2025 that requirement expanded to cover any flooding you know about, even without an insurance claim. Selling as-is doesn't change any of this. The good news is that this process is straightforward once you know the two pieces, and getting it right upfront protects both you and the buyer.

By Billy Joe Smiley | August 25, 2026

I sit down with almost every seller on this coast for…

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How Does a 1031 Exchange Work When You Sell Investment Property on the Forgotten Coast?

A 1031 exchange lets you sell a qualifying investment or rental property and roll the proceeds into your next one without paying federal capital gains tax right now. You defer the gain instead of losing a chunk of it, as long as you use a qualified intermediary, identify a replacement property within 45 days, and close within 180. Florida has no state capital gains tax to worry about, but documentary stamp tax still applies on both sides of the exchange. Get the timeline and the paperwork right, and this is one of the most valuable tools an investor on this coast has for building real wealth over time.

By Billy Joe Smiley | August 13, 2026

If you own…

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One Day on the Market: Park Point Custom Home with St. Joe Bay Views

This secluded dunes custom home in Park Point at Secluded Dunes on North Cape San Blas lasted just one day on the market—proof that the right buyer showed up at the perfect time. With St. Joe Bay right out the back door and uninterrupted vistas into the St. Joe Peninsula State Park, it’s a rare find in the heart of the Forgotten Coast.

A Setting Like Nowhere Else

Backing up to the state park means your "neighbors" are the deer and native fauna that make this world-class preserve so special. From sunrise over the bay to peaceful evenings, the views and wildlife take center stage every day.

Highlights at a Glance

Stunning St. Joe Bay views from the backyard


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Your inspection found issues. Can you get the seller to fix them or pay you for it?

Yes, and in today's Forgotten Coast market you have more room to work with than buyers have had in years. Florida's standard AS IS contract does not require a seller to make repairs, but it gives you a defined inspection period, typically 10 to 15 days, to use your findings as leverage for a closing credit, a price reduction, or repairs before closing. With inventory rising across Cape San Blas and the surrounding coast, sellers are saying yes to reasonable requests more often than they were even a year ago.

By Billy Joe Smiley | August 6, 2026

The inspection report just landed in your inbox and it's longer than you expected. Maybe the roof is pushing 17…

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IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM FWC!!!!!

FWC just released an announcement regarding the 2026 bay scallop season, and if you're in the Gulf County area, here's what you need to know.

The Gulf County Zone, including St. Joseph Bay, is closed for the 2026 bay scallop harvest. The closure covers state waters from Mexico Beach Canal down to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island, and it's a precautionary move based on this summer's population survey. FWC is already working with the community on restoration efforts and will continue monitoring.

The bay is still wide open for fishing, boating, and swimming. And scallop season is still running in Franklin County waters east of St. Vincent Island all the way through Hernando County through September 24th.

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Do HOA fees and rental rules differ between Ovation, WindMark Beach, and Secluded Dunes?

Yes, significantly. Ovation enforces strict signage rules and tiered dues penalties, WindMark Beach charges roughly $490 to $600 per quarter with rental policies that vary by neighborhood, and Secluded Dunes has recorded covenants but no active HOA collecting dues or enforcing them day to day. I always pull the actual documents for the specific lot before a buyer writes an offer, because the rules can differ even within the same community.

By Billy Joe Smiley | August 4, 2026

I love this question, and I get it often, because it means a buyer is thinking ahead instead of getting surprised later. Cape San Blas and Port St. Joe have some of the best…

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8th Annual Forgotten Music Festival Returns to Port St. Joe in October 2026

Music lovers, mark your calendars for one of the most anticipated fall events on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. The 8th Annual Forgotten Music Festival returns to Port St. Joe on Saturday and Sunday, October 10–11, 2026, for two days of blues, soul, funk, blues rock, and American roots music overlooking beautiful St. Joseph Bay. 

Held at George Core Park, the festival brings nationally recognized performers, regional favorites, residents, and visitors together for an unforgettable weekend of live music in one of Port St. Joe’s most scenic waterfront settings.

Two Days of Live Music on St. Joseph Bay

Forgotten Music Festival is more than a concert. It is a…

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