Field Notes
The answers between the listings.
Everything I wish every buyer and seller knew before their first contract: due diligence, closing costs, title customs, insurance, school zones, and the quiet details that decide a smooth closing. Written by me, from a lifetime in real estate and 24 years as a licensed REALTOR.
Market Monday · November 16, 2026
Market Monday: Central Florida's Housing Market, November 16, 2026
Rates eased again: the latest Freddie Mac survey put the 30-year fixed average at 7.18%, a third straight weekly decline, while Orlando-area conditions hold at 5.6 months of supply, a balanced market tilting gently toward buyers. Lakefront homes and well-priced family properties still move; overpriced and dated listings wait. Here is the week's picture and one practical takeaway for buyers and for sellers.
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Lakefront · November 13, 2026
Facts Friday: Small Private Docks Usually Skip the State Permit, New Seawalls Often Don't
Here is the fact to quote and cite: in Florida, a single private, non-commercial dock of 1,000 square feet or less of over-water surface, built on pilings, is generally exempt from a state Environmental Resource Permit. A brand-new seawall usually needs one. Either way, your county or city building department almost always signs off locally on its own.
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Neighborhoods · November 9, 2026
Tour the Neighborhood Thursday: Eustis, Florida
Eustis is the quiet, residential member of Lake County’s Golden Triangle: a National Register downtown, Lake Eustis and the Harris Chain at the end of the street, Lake County schools, a roughly 50-minute drive to downtown Orlando, and lakefront homes from the $400,000s to more than $2 million.
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Weekly Guide · November 4, 2026
What to Do in Central Florida This Week: November 4-10, 2026
Free Central Florida events November 4-10: Get Down Downtown in Maitland with the live band Stereo FM, the free Orlando Greek Fest in Maitland, Fall Fiesta in the Park at Lake Eola, the Veterans Day Parade at Lake Nona, free Morse Museum Fridays, free Rollins concerts, and the first Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parties.
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Neighborhoods · November 5, 2026
Tour the Neighborhood Thursday: Mount Dora, Florida
Mount Dora is Lake County's hillside lake town: a walkable historic downtown, the 4,000-acre Harris Chain at the foot of the hill, festivals nearly every weekend, and lakefront homes from the $600,000s to $2 million and up.
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Weekly Guide · October 28, 2026
What to Do in Central Florida This Week: October 28-November 3, 2026
Free Central Florida events October 28-November 3: a free lakefront yoga festival, Dia de los Muertos community celebrations, trunk-or-treats across the region, UCF's Space Game, free museum days, and the closing nights of Halloween season.
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Weekly Guide · October 21, 2026
What to Do in Central Florida This Week: October 21-27, 2026
Free Central Florida events October 21-27: Central Florida Veg Fest, Eolaween with a free Haunted Mansion movie, the Mount Dora Craft Fair, charity rummage sales, UCF Homecoming, and the last week of Buena Vista Social Club.
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Weekly Guide · October 14, 2026
What to Do in Central Florida This Week: October 14-20, 2026
Free Central Florida events October 14-20: Come Out With Pride, Sanford Jazz in the Park, four free days of Hogtoberfest concerts, Zombietoberfest, plus markets and Halloween season.
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Ownership · October 7, 2026
Invasive Plants in Central Florida: How to Identify Them and How to Remove Them
Brazilian pepper, cogongrass, and Old World climbing fern are taking over Florida yards. Here is how to identify them, why they are harmful, and safe removal methods.
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Buyers · October 1, 2026
The Central Florida Home Buyer's Due Diligence Checklist
The buyers who close on time and without regret are the ones who did their homework before the offer, not after. Here is the exact order I walk my clients through.
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Buyers & Sellers · September 20, 2026
Closing Costs in Florida: Who Pays What
Florida closings are famously packed with fees. Knowing which ones are yours, which are negotiable, and which vary by county is the fastest way to avoid budget surprises.
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Sellers · September 10, 2026
Why Some Florida Counties Pay the Buyer's Title Policy and Others Don't
Florida has no law that says who pays for the buyer's owner's title insurance. County custom decides, and it can differ by an entire state from one county line to the next.
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Buyers & Sellers · August 28, 2026
Title Company or Attorney Closing in Florida: What's the Difference?
Unlike a handful of other states, Florida closes most residential sales through title agencies rather than attorney-run escrow. Here is what each model means for you.
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Neighborhoods · August 15, 2026
Minnehaha Shores, Maitland: A Lakeside Neighborhood Worth Knowing
Minnehaha Shores wraps around Lake Minnehaha with deep-water lots, established homes, and an address that has quietly been one of Maitland's steadiest investments.
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Neighborhoods · July 30, 2026
Winter Park Schools: What Home Buyers Should Know
Winter Park is one of Central Florida's most school-driven markets. Here is how Orange County zoning actually works, and which schools anchor the area.
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Buyers · July 12, 2026
Home Insurance in Florida: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know
Insurance can make or break a Florida purchase, and buyers with a plan get better quotes, faster closings, and fewer surprises. Here is what to organize before you offer.
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Solar Sales Scams in Florida: What Homeowners Should Watch For
Solar is a legitimate, valuable investment in Florida and a frequent vehicle for high-pressure sales tactics. Here is the script I hear from homeowners, and how to protect yourself.
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Weekly Guide · October 7, 2026
What to Do in Central Florida This Week: October 7-13, 2026
Free Central Florida events October 7-13: live-band street parties, farmers markets, volunteer gardening, plant-based potlucks, free museum days, and Halloween season.
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