Buying a home near Disney World from out of state

You can find, buy and close on a home in the sunshine without living here yet. Video tours, paperwork, inspections and the signing can all happen from another state, through online notarization or a mail-away closing. The step that needs the most care is guarding your closing money against wire fraud.

How do video tours work when you can't be there?

A live video walk-through lets you ask for what listing photos skip: the view from each window, the ceilings, the edges of the yard, the street out front. Check the drive to the places you'll go most with the drive times guide, and compare towns near Disney World by price, distance and supply before you pick a short list.

Tyler's note: [How I run video tours and remote showings for buyers who live out of state.]

What do I sign before we tour?

Section 475.278 of Florida's license law sets the relationships an agent can have with you:

Relationship	What it means	When the written disclosure is due
Transaction broker	Limited representation, not a fiduciary	Florida presumes this one unless another is set up in writing
Single agent	A fiduciary, with duties that include loyalty, confidentiality, obedience and full disclosure	Before or when you sign a representation agreement, or before a showing, whichever comes first
No brokerage relationship	Honest dealing, accounting for funds and disclosing known facts that aren't easy to see	Before a showing

A single agent who wants to switch to transaction broker needs your written consent first.

A written buyer agreement is a separate document that says what your agent will do and how they're paid. Section 475.278 doesn't itself require one before a tour; its timing rules cover the disclosures above. Read what any agreement says about services, pay and how it ends before you sign, and ask a Florida real estate attorney if a term isn't clear.

Can I close without flying to Florida?

Yes, in two ways. Ask the title company and your lender early which one they'll accept.

Online notarization. Under Part II of Chapter 117, a Florida online notary who is physically in Florida can notarize for a signer anywhere. You appear on a two-way audio and video call. The notary confirms who you are by knowing you personally, or by checking your government ID on camera, running a credential analysis on it and an identity check such as knowledge-based questions. If you're outside Florida, the notary confirms that you want a Florida notarization under Florida law. The session is recorded, and the journal and recording must be kept for at least 10 years.

Mail-away closing. The title company sends you the documents, you sign before a notary where you live, and you ship the originals back. Section 695.03 accepts an acknowledgment taken before another state's notary, with a seal, for recording in Florida.

How do I protect my closing money from wire fraud?

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center warns that criminals send fake emails posing as title companies, lawyers and agents, telling the reader to send payment to a new account, and use public listing details like a home going under contract to pick targets. It advises verifying every change to payment instructions through a second channel outside email.

• Never wire money from emailed instructions alone, even from an address you know.
• Call the title company at a number you found yourself, never one from the email, and treat any last-minute change as fake until you've confirmed it.
• If money goes to the wrong place, call your bank right away and ask for a recall, contact your local FBI office and file a complaint at ic3.gov.

What about inspections and the appraisal?

Florida has required home inspectors to hold a state license since July 1, 2010, and you can look one up by name or license number in the DBPR license search. Under state law, a home inspection is a limited, visual, non-invasive look at the accessible parts of the home, such as the structure, roof covering, plumbing, electrical and heating and cooling, with a written opinion of their condition. Ask for a report with photos.

Your purchase contract sets how many days you have for inspections and what happens if you decide not to go forward. The forms get revised, so read the version you sign before the clock starts.

With a first mortgage, the federal consumer bureau says you have the right to a copy of the appraisal, promptly and at least three days before closing.

What do I file after I move in?

• Homestead exemption. You need to own the home and make it your permanent residence on January 1, then apply to your county property appraiser by March 1. See property taxes near Disney World.
• Driver license. The state's new resident page says 30 days from establishing residency, and lists filing for homestead, starting a job and registering to vote among the things that can make you a resident.
• Vehicle. That page says to title and register within 10 days of establishing residency, with Florida insurance. Your county tax collector's office handles it.

More is in moving to Orlando: first steps. This is general information, not legal advice. Call me or send a note with your budget and timeline.