What is title insurance?
A one-time closing cost that protects owners and lenders from financial loss tied to past title defects, liens, or ownership claims.
Download the guideYour real estate toolbox
Close with fewer surprises.
Practical closing answers, calculators, checklists, and marketing tools—built to help Florida agents keep every deal moving.
01 / Resources
Answers within reach.
Use these quick guides at the kitchen table, in your listing appointment, or whenever a client asks the question you knew was coming.
What does a title company do?
See how ownership is verified, funds are handled, documents are coordinated, and title is transferred safely to the buyer.
See the title company’s roleRealtor closing cheat sheet
A listing-to-closing checklist to keep dates, documents, communication, and client expectations organized from start to finish.
Download the checklistBuyer after-closing checklist
Give new homeowners a simple next-step guide for securing, organizing, and maintaining their property after closing day.
Download for your buyersGet more listings toolkit
Practical ideas for farming, expired listings, FSBO outreach, and staying valuable to your sphere—without overcomplicating the work.
Download the toolkitStart the title search early
Surface legal issues sooner so sellers have time to solve them and buyers have clarity before a title problem threatens the timeline.
Request an upfront searchHave a title question?
Tell the team what’s unusual—property address included—and they’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.
Submit a questionSeller intake questions
Spot divorce, deceased owners, powers of attorney, marital status, and mortgage issues before they become closing-day surprises.
Request a copyTitleCapture net sheet
Already have a TitleCapture account? Open the full net sheet platform for your established workflow.
Open TitleCaptureFlorida property taxes, explained
Paid in arrears, billed around November 1, with early-pay discounts — the essentials every agent should know, plus how prorations work at closing.
Read the guide1031 exchange basics
How investors defer capital gains by swapping investment property — the 45-day and 180-day deadlines, and why a qualified intermediary is required.
Read the guideForeign sellers & FIRPTA
When the seller isn’t a U.S. person, the buyer must withhold at closing — 10% in the common residential band. Know the brackets before you list.
Read the guide02 / Calculator
Estimate the seller’s net.
Build a quick, itemized estimate before the appointment ends. Adjust every line to match the contract and known costs.
03 / Closing 101
A clearer road to closing day.
Every deal is different, but the work generally follows a dependable rhythm. Starting early gives the team room to solve the exceptions.
Open title and share the contract
Send the fully executed contract and complete contact details as soon as possible so the file can begin moving.
Search, examine, and resolve
The title company confirms ownership, identifies recorded issues, coordinates payoff information, and works through curative items.
Coordinate documents and funds
The closing team aligns the parties, lender, agents, required documents, signing details, and final figures.
Sign, fund, record, and hand off
Once closing conditions are satisfied, funds are disbursed, recordable documents are sent for recording, and ownership transfers.
04 / Marketing toolbox
Show up polished. Stay focused on people.
Ready-to-use ideas and personalized support for the moments before the contract: listings, open houses, social posts, and thoughtful follow-up.
Listing & open house materials
Customizable listing sheets, open house signs, visitor sign-in logs, directional pieces, neighborhood information, and polished print materials.
Social graphics & captions
Make Just Listed and Just Sold milestones easier to share with editable graphics, curated captions, and monthly content planning.
Client appreciation & pop-bys
Stay connected after the closing with seasonal pop-by tags, thank-you notes, and simple client-care ideas that support repeat referrals.
New free resource · 7 pages
Social Media Content Toolkit
Steal-worthy captions, Story ideas, Reels hooks, and engagement questions — a 7-page guide to help you post more and stress less.
Download the Toolkit (PDF)
What’s inside
- 8 ready-to-use captions
- 8 Story ideas for busy days
- 6 no-dancing-required Reels formats
- 12 engagement questions
- 20 bonus post ideas
Want the team to make it for you?
Send your property photos, listing details, and request. The marketing team can assemble materials tailored to your brand.
05 / Quick answers
Questions clients ask.
Is title insurance a monthly cost?
No. Florida title insurance is generally a one-time premium paid at closing. The owner’s policy protects the owner from covered title issues connected to the property’s past.
Why start a title search before the last minute?
Time is leverage. An early search can reveal issues while there is still room to gather documents, clear liens, resolve ownership questions, or adjust expectations without putting closing day at immediate risk.
Can the net sheet replace a closing disclosure or settlement statement?
No. It is an early planning estimate. Final figures require verified payoff statements, contract-specific allocations, property details, and the title company’s confirmed charges.
Who should I contact about an unusual title issue?
Use the title-question form for a property-specific question, or contact the Title Exchange team directly. If legal advice is needed, consult a Florida attorney.
06 / Agent know-how
The stuff that saves deals.
Three topics that come up in real transactions — explained plainly so you can speak confidently and spot issues early. General information only, not tax or legal advice.
Florida property taxes, in plain English
Florida property taxes are paid in arrears — the tax bill your county mails around November 1 covers January 1 through December 31 of that same year. You’re paying for time already passed.
- Pay early, save: 4% off in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, 1% in February.
- Due March 31 — taxes become delinquent on April 1.
- At closing: taxes are prorated, so the seller credits the buyer for the seller’s share of the year’s taxes.
Bottom line for agentsExplain prorations with confidence: the seller owned the property for part of the tax year, so they cover that part — it’s the arrears system at work.
Estimate Florida property taxes
1031 exchanges: the basics
A 1031 exchange (IRC §1031) lets an investor sell investment or business property and defer capital gains tax by reinvesting the proceeds into another “like-kind” property — essentially swapping one investment for another.
- 45 days after selling to identify potential replacement properties.
- 180 days total to close on the replacement.
- A qualified intermediary must hold the funds — the seller can’t touch the money in between.
- To fully defer the tax, reinvest all proceeds into property of equal or greater value.
- Personal residences don’t qualify — it’s for investment and business property.
Bottom line for agentsThe deadlines are unforgiving and the intermediary must be in place before closing. If your client mentions a 1031, get a qualified intermediary and their tax advisor involved immediately.
Foreign sellers & FIRPTA withholding
When the seller is a foreign person (non-resident alien, foreign entity), federal law — FIRPTA — requires the buyer to withhold a percentage of the sales price at closing and remit it to the IRS.
- 10% — sale price $300,001–$1,000,000 and the buyer will use it as a residence.
- 15% — sale price over $1,000,000, or any non-residence purchase.
- 0% — $300,000 or less with a buyer who will reside in the property (buyer affidavit required).
The buyer is legally the withholding agent — if withholding is missed, the IRS can collect from the buyer. The title team typically prepares Forms 8288 / 8288-A, due to the IRS within 20 days of closing.
Bottom line for agentsAsk about the seller’s status early — at listing, not at closing. Flag it to everyone immediately and get a tax professional involved. A surprise FIRPTA issue can freeze disbursement.
Educational summaries only — not tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their CPA, tax advisor, or attorney for their specific situation.
07 / About Title Exchange
One title partner for every kind of deal.
Title Exchange of Pinellas, Inc. closes residential and commercial transactions across the entire state of Florida — including the complicated ones other shops shy away from.
- Short salesLender negotiations and timelines, handled with patience.
- RefinancesClean, quick closings for your borrowers.
- AssignmentsContract assignments closed correctly.
- Wholesale dealsInvestor-friendly closings that keep chains moving.
- Novation contractsThe paperwork-heavy ones, done right.
- Probate & estate salesCourt-authorized sales, heir issues, and homestead curveballs.
- Residential closingsFrom first-time buyers to seasoned sellers.
- Commercial closingsMulti-unit, retail, office, and land.
- All of FloridaFrom the Panhandle to the Keys — if it’s in Florida, we can close it.
Got a tricky one? Bring it to us.
Short sale, wholesale chain, foreign seller, 1031 — tell the team what you’re working on and they’ll map the path to closing.
Bring us the tricky one.
Questions about a title issue, an upcoming listing, or what to collect from a seller? The Title Exchange team is ready to help you get ahead of it.