06/03/2026
The Florida Home Tour Checklist Most Buyers Never Use β And Why It Costs Them
20 Things to Check at Every Florida Home Showing β Most Buyers Check 3
By Kerin Clarkin | The Kerin Group | Tampa Bay Real Estate
Most buyers walk into a home tour and look at three things: the kitchen, the master bedroom, and the closet space.
Then they make an offer for $350,000 based on how the granite countertops looked.
In Florida β where roof conditions affect your insurance by $3,000/year, where CDD fees add $200/month, where flood zones matter, where AC units fail in year 13 β a home tour is a financial due diligence exercise. Treating it like a model home visit is an expensive mistake.
Start Outside β Florida's Climate Destroys Exteriors
Before you walk in, walk around the entire perimeter. In Tampa Bay's brutal climate, the most expensive problems show up outside first.
Roof: This is your most important check. Ask the listing agent when it was last replaced. In Florida, most insurers require replacement at 15 to 20 years. A home with an 18-year-old roof may cost $4,000 to $6,000 more per year to insure β or be uninsurable without immediate replacement. Roof replacement in Tampa Bay runs $15,000 to $35,000+.
AC compressor: It is outside on almost every Florida home. Look at the age sticker. Over 12 to 15 years old and you are looking at a $5,000 to $12,000 replacement within your ownership window.
Drainage: Does the ground slope away from the foundation β or toward it? Florida's rain is not gentle. Water running toward the home means moisture intrusion, mold, and foundation issues. If you are touring during rain β that puddle next to the foundation is telling you something important.
Impact windows and doors: Ask if they are impact-rated. Homes with impact windows and doors qualify for significant wind mitigation credits that can reduce your annual insurance premium by $1,500 to $3,000. This is not a cosmetic detail β it is a financial one.
Inside β What Actually Matters
Look up first: Every ceiling, every room. Water stains β even faint ones β indicate roof or plumbing leaks. Fresh paint in isolated ceiling patches is often covering a water stain that was "fixed." This is one of the most commonly missed things buyers overlook.
Electrical panel: Open it. Look for Federal Pacific or Zinsco brands β many Florida insurers will not write policies on homes with these panels. Look for burn marks, rust, or double-tapped breakers. This is one of four things checked on a four-point inspection that your insurer will require.
Smell the house: Before you smell the candles the sellers lit β smell the air near the floors, in closets, and in the garage. Musty smell = moisture somewhere. Pet odor = subfloor saturation. A house that smells off is telling you something.
Run every faucet and flush every toilet: Low pressure, slow drains, or toilets that run all signal plumbing issues. Check under every sink for moisture or staining.
The 5 Florida-Specific Questions to Ask at Every Showing Before You Offer:
1. What is the annual CDD fee and when do the bonds mature?
2. What flood zone is this property in?
3. When was the roof last replaced and what material?
4. How old is the AC system?
5. Are there any pending HOA special assessments?
Get an Insurance Quote Before You Make an Offer
This is the step most Tampa Bay buyers skip β and the one that causes the most closing-day surprises. Florida insurance costs vary dramatically by roof age, flood zone, and construction type. A home that fits your monthly budget based on the mortgage payment can blow your budget completely when the real insurance cost is revealed.
Your agent can provide basic property information to an insurance agent for a preliminary quote before you are emotionally committed to a home. Takes 24 hours. Can save you from a very bad surprise.
π Get the Complete 20-Point Florida Home Tour Checklist
Including every exterior and interior check, all Florida-specific questions to ask, and what to do after the tour before making an offer:
TheKerinGroup.com β What to Look for During a Home Tour in Florida
π (813) 530-1996 | Serving Riverview, Apollo Beach, Brandon & South Shore Tampa Bay
https://thekeringroup.com/what-to-look-for-during-home-tour-florida/
Most buyers only look at kitchens and closets. Learn what smart Tampa Bay buyers actually check during every Florida home tour in 2026.
