Florida · Fix and flip loans

Florida Fix and Flip Loans: Terms, Taxes and the Real Cost of a Flip

Florida fix and flip loans are sized the usual way: a share of the price plus the full rehab, capped against the after-repair value. What Florida adds is tax on the deal itself: documentary stamps on your mortgage and your sale deed, and intangible tax on the loan. On the Tampa-area flip below, those three cost $3,910 before a single commission.

Get Funding How fix and flip loans work

Apply in 60 seconds
Fast closings
No credit pull to apply

Doc stamps on the deed: $0.70 per $100
Doc stamps on the mortgage: $0.35 per $100
Intangible tax on the loan: 0.2% (2 mills)
Foreclosure sale: 20–35 days after judgment

Florida figures from the sources below, updated October 26, 2026. Not an offer.

Florida costs

Florida taxes the flip three times. Put each one in your numbers.

Doc stamps and intangible tax are set by state statute, so you can calculate them to the dollar before you make an offer. The loan terms quoted here are what lenders published in October 2026.

WORKED EXAMPLE · TAMPA-AREA FLIP, 7-MONTH HOLD

After-repair value (ARV): $370,000
Purchase price: $200,000
Rehab budget: $60,000
Loan: 90% of purchase + 100% of rehab: $180,000 + $60,000 = $240,000
Cap check: 75% of ARV: $277,500 — loan fits under it
Doc stamps on the mortgage ($0.35 per $100): $840
Intangible tax (0.2%): $480
Interest at 10.25%, 7 months: $12,556
Points (1.5%) and doc fee: $3,600 + $1,995
Property tax, 7 months at 18.2515 mills: $2,129
Insurance during rehab (assumed): $2,400
Other buying closing costs (assumed): $3,000
Doc stamps on your sale deed ($0.70 per $100): $2,590
Other selling costs (assumed 6% of ARV): $22,200
Total costs beyond purchase and rehab: $51,790
Your cash in: down payment $20,000 + costs paid before sale: $47,000

Profit before income tax$58,210

$370,000 − $200,000 − $60,000 − $51,790 = $58,210. Florida's three transaction taxes total $3,910 ($840 + $480 + $2,590), about 7% of the profit; the example assumes your sale contract has you, as seller, pay the deed stamps. Interest: an assumed 10.25%, just under the 2025 non-bank median of 10.45%, on $180,000 for 7 months plus $60,000 of draws averaging 3.5 months outstanding. ARV is near Tampa's typical single-family value (Zillow, September 2026); tax uses unincorporated Hillsborough County's 2025 millage on the price paid. Illustrative only — not a rate quote.

Doc stamps on the deed: 70 cents per $100 of the price in every county except Miami-Dade, which has its own schedule, including a surtax of up to 45 cents per $100 on property other than a single-family home. All parties to the deed are liable for the tax; your contract decides who pays it, so check it on both the purchase and the resale.
Doc stamps on the mortgage: 35 cents per $100 of the amount borrowed: $840 on a $240,000 flip loan. The statute's $2,450 cap applies to notes alone, not to mortgages recorded in Florida.
Intangible tax: A one-time 2 mills (0.2%) on any loan secured by Florida real estate: $480 on $240,000. The lender is liable but may pass the cost to you, so budget for it.
Interest and points: The 2025 HMDA median on short-term investor loans was 10% (10.45% at non-bank lenders), plus 0–2 points. Each extra month of the example's $240,000 loan at an assumed 10.25% costs up to $2,050 in interest, so build permit and inspection time into the schedule.
Property tax while you hold: Unincorporated Hillsborough County's 2025 millage is 18.2515, about $304 a month on a $200,000 purchase. Florida bills each calendar year's tax in arrears around November 1, so the tax for your months of ownership is still owed after you sell; settle it in the closing figures.
Insurance during the rehab: Florida's average HO-3 premium was $2,779 in 2023, and a vacant house under renovation is a different risk from an occupied one. Get a builder's-risk or vacant-property quote before you close, and check whether the flood zone adds a flood policy.
Notice of Commencement: For improvements with a direct contract price over $2,500, the owner must record a Notice of Commencement before work starts, and a copy goes to the permit office before the first inspection when the contract exceeds $5,000. Build the recording into your closing-to-start timeline.
HOA and condo estoppel certificates: In an HOA or condo, closing needs an estoppel certificate showing what the unit owes. The association must issue it within 10 business days of a request and may charge up to $250, plus $100 for delivery within 3 business days and up to $150 more if the account is delinquent. An HOA certificate sent by hand or email is good for 30 days (35 by mail), so expect to pay for one when you buy and again when you sell.

Markets

Florida values slipped in six of eight metros; price your ARV off fresh comps.

A typical-value home approximates a finished flip, and the lower-third value is nearer to where distressed purchases start. Cape Coral–Fort Myers fell most over the year, so leave more cushion there between your purchase price and your ARV.

Metro	Typical home value	12-mo change	Lower-third value	12-mo change
Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach	$477,000	+0.3%	$255,000	−2.1%
Tampa–St. Petersburg	$357,000	−0.9%	$231,000	−1.4%
Orlando	$383,000	−1.4%	$261,000	−2.0%
Jacksonville	$351,000	−0.1%	$218,000	−0.6%
Cape Coral–Fort Myers	$334,000	−3.5%	$225,000	−4.9%
North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton	$404,000	−2.0%	$259,000	−2.7%
Lakeland	$296,000	−2.2%	$207,000	−2.1%
Pensacola	$309,000	+1.6%	$194,000	+2.0%

Swipe the table to see every column →

Source: Zillow Home Value Index, single-family homes and condos combined, smoothed and seasonally adjusted; middle tier (typical value) and bottom tier (lowest third by value); metro areas, September 2026 compared with September 2025; downloaded October 19, 2026.

Florida rules

Florida rules that change a flip.

Foreclosure runs through the courts: Florida law says all mortgages are foreclosed in equity, so every foreclosure is a court case. After final judgment, the clerk's sale is held 20 to 35 days later, or later if the lender agrees. ATTOM put the national average at 563 days from first filing to completed foreclosure in Q2 2026; Florida wasn't among the five fastest states.
A deep foreclosure pipeline: Florida had the highest foreclosure rate in the US in the first half of 2026: 27,494 properties with filings, one in every 373 housing units, and 20,358 foreclosure starts. It led all states in starts in August 2026, with 3,189. For flippers, that means a steady supply of pre-foreclosure and auction inventory.
Auction purchases: redemption and title: The owner or a junior lienholder can cure the debt until the clerk files the certificate of sale; after that, there is no right of redemption. If no one objects within 10 days, the clerk issues a certificate of title. Don't schedule contractors until that certificate is filed.
The FEMA 50% rule in flood zones: If your rehab costs 50% or more of the structure's market value before work starts, FEMA treats it as a substantial improvement, and the building must meet current flood rules, including raising the lowest floor to the base flood elevation. In a flood zone, get the structure value from the local floodplain office before you set the scope.
Moving title through an LLC: Florida charges deed stamps when an interest in an entity is sold for value within 3 years after real estate was deeded into that entity without full consideration. If you plan to put a property into an LLC and sell the company rather than the house, ask a Florida real estate attorney first.
Condo flips start with the building: Condo buildings three or more habitable stories tall need milestone inspections from age 30 and a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years, and owners can't vote to skip those reserves for budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024. A special assessment can land on your unit while you hold it, so read the association's reports first.
Permit clocks you can hold the city to: Once your permit application is complete, a local government using its own plans reviewer has 5 business days to act on work under $15,000 on an existing single-family home, such as a roofing, structural or electrical permit, and 30 business days on a single-family home under 7,500 square feet. It must tell you what's missing within 5 business days of receiving the application, and each business day it runs past the deadline cuts the permit fee by 10%, unless you agreed in writing to more time, caused the delay yourself, or a force majeure event intervened.
Private providers can shorten the wait: Florida lets the owner, or the owner's contractor with written authorization, hire a private provider (a licensed engineer, architect or building code administrator) for plans review, inspections or both. The building official then has 10 business days from a complete application and the provider's affidavit to issue the permit or cite specific code problems, and 2 business days on a one- or two-family home to issue a certificate of occupancy or flag missing documents. You pay the provider directly; weigh the fee against a month of interest and tax.
No owner-builder permit on a house you'll sell: Florida's owner-builder exemption covers a home built or improved for the owner's own use and not offered for sale or lease. Selling, or offering to sell or lease, within 1 year after the work is complete creates a presumption that you did the work for sale. On a flip, hire licensed contractors and let them pull the permits. A contract with an unlicensed contractor can't be enforced by that contractor, which protects your wallet but not your schedule.
Roof repairs and your buyer's insurance: If the existing roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, repairing or replacing 25% or more of it requires only the repaired part to meet current code, and local governments can't amend that exception. With an older roof, ask the building department before you price a partial repair. Roof age also shapes the resale: insurers can't refuse or non-renew a homeowner's policy solely because a roof is under 15 years old, and an older roof that an authorized inspector says has 5 or more years of life left can't be refused on age alone.
A flood disclosure goes with the resale: Sellers of residential property must give the buyer a written flood disclosure at or before signing the sales contract. It asks whether flooding damaged the property during the seller's ownership, and whether the seller filed a flood insurance claim, including with the National Flood Insurance Program, or received flood assistance, including from FEMA. It covers only your months of ownership, so ask your own seller the same three questions before you buy; past flood damage also bears on the FEMA 50% rule.
Close out the Notice of Commencement before you list: A Notice of Commencement is void if work doesn't begin within 90 days of recording, so record it close to your start date. Contractors and suppliers can record a claim of lien up to 90 days after their final work. To close out, record a notice of termination stating that all lienors have been paid in full; its termination date can't be earlier than 30 days after it's recorded, so file it as soon as the final payments clear.
Hurricane season sets the schedule: The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, peaking around September 10. Bind builder's risk or vacant-property coverage at closing, and sequence the roof and windows so the house isn't open through the peak months. When the shell is finished, order a wind mitigation inspection on the state's uniform form (OIR-B1-1802) and give it to buyers: Florida requires insurers to discount documented storm-resistant features, which can lower your buyer's premium.
Business purpose only: Flip loans finance property you'll resell or rent out. If you or a family member will live in the house, even while it's being renovated, you need a residential loan instead.

Florida fix and flip loan questions

Who pays doc stamps on a Florida flip?

The statute makes all parties to the deed liable, and the contract decides who pays. On a flip, you pay doc stamps of 35 cents per $100 on your mortgage when you buy, plus 70 cents per $100 on the sale deed if your resale contract assigns deed stamps to the seller. Miami-Dade has its own deed rates.

How much is intangible tax on a Florida flip loan?

Two mills, or 0.2% of the loan, charged once when a mortgage on Florida real estate is made. On a $240,000 flip loan, that's $480. The lender is liable but may pass it to you, and it is separate from the $840 in doc stamps on the same mortgage.

How long does a Florida foreclosure take?

Longer than in non-judicial states, because every Florida foreclosure goes through court. ATTOM's national average for homes foreclosed in Q2 2026 was 563 days, and Florida was not among the five fastest. Once a judge enters final judgment, the auction is set 20 to 35 days later unless the lender agrees to a later date.

What happens after I win a Florida foreclosure auction?

The clerk files a certificate of sale. Until then, the owner can still cure the debt; afterward, there is no right of redemption. If nobody objects within 10 days, the clerk issues a certificate of title in your name. Ask your lender before you bid when it can fund an auction purchase.

What is the FEMA 50% rule for Florida rehabs?

In a flood zone, if the cost of your improvements equals or exceeds 50% of the structure's market value before work starts, it counts as a substantial improvement. The building must then meet current flood standards, which can mean elevating the lowest floor. That can turn a cosmetic flip into a much bigger project.

Do I need a Notice of Commencement for a Florida rehab?

Yes, for most rehabs. If the direct contract price exceeds $2,500, the owner must record a Notice of Commencement before work starts, and a copy goes to the building department before the first inspection on contracts over $5,000. Record it before your contractor starts, not after.

How much can I borrow for a Florida flip?

Lenders in October 2026 published 85–100% of the purchase price and 100% of the rehab, capped at 70–80% of after-repair value, and 60–70% of ARV for new investors at some lenders. In the example on this page, 90% of a $200,000 price plus a $60,000 rehab gives a $240,000 loan, well under the $277,500 ARV cap.

How long does a Florida building permit take for a rehab?

Florida law sets the clock once your application is complete: with the local government's own plans reviewer, 5 business days for work under $15,000 on an existing single-family home, such as a roofing, structural or electrical permit, and 30 business days for a single-family home under 7,500 square feet. Each business day past the deadline cuts the permit fee 10%. A private provider brings the permit decision to 10 business days.

Can I act as my own contractor on a Florida flip?

Not under the owner-builder exemption. It covers homes built or improved for the owner's own use and not offered for sale or lease, and selling within a year of completion creates a presumption that you built for sale. On a flip, use licensed contractors and have them pull the permits. Florida also makes contracts with unlicensed contractors unenforceable by the contractor.

Do I have to replace the whole roof on a Florida flip?

Not always. If the roof was built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, repairing 25% or more of it requires only the repaired section to meet current code. For an older roof, ask the building department first. Think about the resale too: insurers can't refuse a homeowner's policy solely because a roof is less than 15 years old.

What flood disclosure do I give when I sell a Florida flip?

Florida requires a written flood disclosure at or before the time the buyer signs the sales contract. It asks whether flooding damaged the property during your ownership, and whether you filed a flood insurance claim or received flood assistance, such as from FEMA. Because it covers only your ownership, ask your seller the same questions before you buy.

What if my Florida flip doesn't sell?

You can rent it and refinance into a debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) loan, which qualifies on the rent rather than your income. Most DSCR lenders cap cash-out at 75% of value. Florida taxes the new mortgage too: on a $277,500 refinance, 75% of a $370,000 value, doc stamps are $971 and intangible tax $555. Get a landlord insurance quote before you decide.

Florida funding

Fast fix and flip funding in Florida.

Your name and number first, then a few quick taps — about 60 seconds. A loan specialist calls you back to lock in your terms.

Takes about 60 seconds
No credit pull to apply
A loan specialist calls you back fast

STEP 1 OF 9No credit pull to apply

Related loan programs

Project loanFix and flip loansPurchase and renovation funds in one short-term loan, with rehab draws.Learn more →Project loanHard money loansAsset-based private loans that close in days, not months.Learn more →Project loanBRRRR loansRehab financing now, then a refinance into a long-term rental loan sized on the rent.Learn more →

Sources and methodologyUpdated October 26, 2026

Figures are market ranges from published lender terms and public data on the dates shown. They describe the market and are not an offer. Your terms depend on the property, your credit and your experience.