The Metka Law Firm, P.A.

Chelsea Metka takes on one of the most common do-it-yourself tasks in Florida real estate: transferring a home to a family member. A parent adds an adult child to the deed, or a couple moves the house into a trust using an online form. Later, a tax bill or a letter from the Department of Revenue shows the homestead exemption is gone or documentary stamp taxes are due. Chelsea walks through each Florida deed type , from quitclaim to lady bird deeds, and explains why a recorded deed is so hard to undo.   She also covers how an existing mortgage can trigger stamp taxes when no money changes hands, what the Save Our Homes cap protects, how tenancy by the entireties shields married couples, and three practical ways parents can help an adult child buy a home in Central Florida. Families thinking about a transfer will find clear, practical answers here. In this episode, you will hear: Common problems DIY deeds create for Florida families How quitclaim, warranty, special warranty, ...

A homeowner buys a house. Only one spouse’s name goes on the deed. Later, that homeowner refinances or sells, and the lender or title company asks for the other spouse’s signature, even though that spouse was never on the property. Confusion follows, and closings get delayed. The reason comes down to one concept: Florida homestead protection. What Florida Homestead Protection Actually Does Florida grants homestead status special legal protections that go beyond a typical property. Those protections don’t stop at the person named on the deed. They extend to that person’s spouse, regardless of whether the spouse holds any ownership interest in the home. Consider a husband who is the sole owner of record on the marital home. His wife has no name on the deed. Under Florida law, she still holds a protected interest in that property because it’s their homestead. If she doesn’t sign the mortgage, she could later argue that the mortgage isn’t enforc...

Key Takeaways Once a deed is recorded in the public records, it cannot be undone. Depending on the mistake, it may not be an easy fix, making professional review before recording essential. Most family property transfers trigger documentary stamp taxes, even when no money changes hands. If a mortgage exists on the property, the Department of Revenue treats the acceptance of title subject to that debt as taxable consideration. A deed transfer can cause immediate loss of the Florida homestead tax exemption and the Save Our Homes cap, resulting in a significant and permanent increase in property taxes. In Central Florida’s current market, that consequence can be financially serious. The quitclaim deed’s casual reputation leads people to underestimate it. It is still a legal document with real requirements, and mistakes carry the same weight as mistakes in any other deed type. Tenancy by the entireties is one of Florida’s most powerful asset protection tools for marr...

Chelsea Metka welcomes back Eric Putt, branch manager at Waterstone Mortgage, to tackle a question that lands in her inbox on a near-weekly basis: does the spouse have to sign? A husband’s name sits alone on the deed . Does his wife still have to sign the mortgage? Chelsea and Eric dig into that exact scenario, and the answer comes down to Florida’s homestead protections, which extend rights to a non-owner spouse regardless of who holds title. Chelsea and Eric break down the difference between the mortgage and the promissory note, why signing one doesn’t always mean taking on the debt, and how the same homestead rules apply when a homesteaded property is sold. The takeaway: being on title, being on the loan, and holding homestead rights are three separate things, and mixing them up can create last-minute closing surprises. For anyone buying, selling, or lending in Florida, this episode lays out exactly when a spouse’s signature is required and when it isn...

Many buyers walk into the mortgage process assuming assistance programs come directly from their lender. They don’t. Lenders act as the delivery point for programs funded by government-sponsored entities like Florida Housing or by county housing agencies. One of the most talked about is Hometown Heroes, a Florida program built around specific job categories such as law enforcement, education, and first responders. What surprises most applicants is the scope. Over a hundred professions qualify, including roles like school librarians and custodial staff, far beyond the handful of jobs people typically picture when they hear the word “hero.” First-Time Homebuyer Status Depends on Who’s Asking The term “first-time homebuyer” doesn’t mean the same thing across every program. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac apply a strict definition, someone who has never owned a home, period. Florida Housing takes a different approach, defining a first-time buyer as any...

Closing with Confidence welcomes Eric Putt, branch manager with Waterstone Mortgage in Winter Park, for a conversation on financing a home purchase without the surprises that derail deals late in the process. Eric walks through the assistance programs buyers overlook, including Hometown Heroes, and clears up the confusion around what actually counts as a first-time homebuyer under Florida versus conventional guidelines. He also details the red flags lenders watch for between loan approval and clear to close , from untraceable cash deposits to buy now, pay later withdrawals that never show up on a credit report. With more than 20 years serving Central Florida buyers and a career built on construction to permanent lending, Eric brings a grounded, practical view of what keeps a closing on track. For anyone eyeing a purchase in the next year, this episode offers a clear place to start. In this episode, you will hear: Florida’s Hometown Heroes program and the surprisingly wide r...