Much of Florida's popularity has been fuelled by buyers seeking year round sun, as well as exceptional winters, great golf, culture and value for money. Be on your guard, especially in certain areas of Central Florida, where currently there are concerns of too many properties on the market and overpricing on certain developments. Unfortunately, these are sometimes the ones British buyers are steered towards not realising the motivation can be higher commissions for the developer or the agent. Preferably, you should try to use a reputable buyer's agent when looking for your Floridian property – there should be no cost to you for their service, and a good one can protect you from bills for unnecessary extras and other unwelcome surprises.

Choosing an agent
The agent you select should have experience of both the American and British markets as they will need to be aware of any clauses a non-US citizen may require to have entered into their contract. It can also be invaluable to hear some information about the area you are looking to buy in, from a British perspective. It is worth talking to an independent real estate consultant at the outset who can give you unbiased, no holds barred advice on the merits or otherwise of different locations, developments, companies and agents, which can vary enormously.
 
The simplicity of buying a home in Florida is a further reason why you need a good buyer's agent to represent you. The purchasing process is much more straightforward than in the UK and in a majority of cases, an attorney is not used. Therefore, it can be all too easy to end up with an inappropriate property due to poor advice and a hasty decision.

Selecting a property
Before you make your final decision on choosing a property, make sure you are shown all of the surrounding area. If you plan to spend increasing periods of time in Florida, the location and area are as important as the house. It is easy to be hypnotised by the apparent quality of the various properties, but the critical thing is will you be happy in a couple of years time in the location you choose. Once you have selected a property that you are happy with and wish to purchase, a good agent will provide you with a breakdown of recent sale prices for similar properties. This should provide you with enough information to help frame your offer wisely.

After the offer
Your offer will then be written up on a standard Florida real estate contract form. This form should include all contractual clauses such as your mortgage requirements, time spans for inspections and completion, and rights to inspections. If this offer document is accepted, it becomes a binding contract subject to the clauses that have been inserted, so it is critical to get it right. At this stage you will also need to make an initial deposit and so will normally need to have access to an American bank account. The type of contract you sign will depend on whether you are buying a resale property or a new property straight from the builder or developer. In the latter case there can  be a number of significant differences.

The contract should allow you time to finalise your mortgage arrangements, while there will also be criteria regarding a building inspection (which is somewhat different to a British survey), along with termite and mould inspections. If you are looking to let your property, you need to be vigilant regarding completely unrealistic claims that are sometimes made concerning guarantees and zoning implications.

You also need to be aware that this can have implications for your mortgage. The American selling process for resale property is usually completed within 30 to 90 days but the key thing to remember is that once the contract offer is accepted at the beginning of the process, dependent upon those all important clauses, there is rarely any going back for either the buyer or seller. However the right property purchased in the most appropriate locations in Florida at the present time is a sound investment. With the bonus of a lower cost of living, the best steak dinner in town with all the trimmings costing as little as £6, a gorgeous tropical coastline and year-round sunshine you can certainly afford to enjoy the good life.

And finally
The above is a brief summary of the procedure involved in buying your home in Florida. It is designed for information purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. You are strongly advised to obtain independent financial advice prior to entering into any contract.

The information in this guide was written by Andrew Bartlett, a certified independent Florida Property Specialist. Andrew writes articles on Florida property trends, has constructed a Florida property consumer web guide  and provides independent advice to British clients on locations, properties, agents and investment trends in Florida.

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Read other articles about Florida:
Living and working in Florida
The American Dream is still a reality
Buying property in Florida continues to thrill

Article first published in June 2006