Compare the true monthly cost of two Florida homes

Costs that differ most between Florida homes

• CDD. Many newer communities were built with a Community Development District that issued bonds for roads, water and amenities. Owners repay them through an annual assessment on the property tax bill, often $1,500 to $4,000 a year, sometimes for 20 to 30 years. Ask whether the debt portion can be paid off early.
• HOA and condo fees. Condo fees often include building insurance, roof and reserve funding, so they are much higher than single-family HOA dues. After the 2022 condo safety laws, many buildings raised fees or levied special assessments to fund required reserves.
• Home insurance. Roof age, construction year, wind mitigation features and distance to the coast drive the premium. A condo owner insures only the interior.
• Flood insurance. Required by the lender in a FEMA high-risk zone (A or V). Outside those zones it is optional and usually much cheaper.
• Property tax rate. Millage varies by city and county, and by special districts inside them. Two homes ten minutes apart can differ by 0.3% of value or more.

How to get each number

Look up both addresses on the county property appraiser and tax collector websites. The tax bill shows the millage and any CDD or other non-ad valorem assessments. Ask the listing agent for the HOA budget and recent special assessments. Get an insurance quote for each address with the roof year and wind mitigation report in hand. Check the flood zone on the FEMA flood map or the county GIS site.

Reading the result

The difference column shows Home B minus Home A for every line. A positive number means B costs more. Property tax here is shown before homestead, which helps both homes roughly equally if you will live there.