Florida Owner's Guide

Your complete guide to owning and managing rental property in Florida — from first steps to emergency response.

Getting Started

New to landlording? Inherited a property? Converting your home to a rental? Start here.

Know Your Legal Obligations

Florida landlord-tenant law, lease requirements, notices, screening, and eviction process.

First-Time Landlord in Florida? Here's Your 30-Day Checklist

Application Fraud Is Rising: How to Spot Fake Pay Stubs and Landlord References

93% of landlords reported encountering application fraud in the past year. The new wave isn't just fake pay stubs — it's fake employers with real websites, real phone numbers, and AI-generated employment histories.

Florida's New 5-Day Eviction Notice Rule: What SB 716 Means for Your Lease Templates

Starting July 1, 2026, Florida landlords must give tenants 5 business days — not 3 — to pay or vacate. SB 716 also bans late fees during the cure period and voids recurring penalty clauses.

Hurricane Prep for Florida Rental Properties: A Landlord's Checklist

A step-by-step hurricane prep checklist for Florida rental properties — what to do before, during, and after storm season to protect your investment.

Preventive Maintenance Calendar for Florida Rental Properties

Florida's climate beats up rental properties year-round. Here is the month-by-month maintenance calendar that prevents expensive emergency repairs.

Move-Out Inspection Checklist for Florida Landlords

The move-out inspection determines what you can deduct from the deposit. Here is the room-by-room checklist and the 30-day claim timeline you cannot miss.

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When Things Go Wrong

Tenant not paying? Property damage? Pest problems? Step-by-step responses for the situations that keep landlords up at night.

How to Handle Tenant Disputes Without Going to Court

Tenant disputes are expensive. Here's how Florida landlords resolve noise complaints, maintenance disagreements, and lease violations without a courtroom.

Domestic Violence and Lease Breaks: FL 83.676 for Landlords

A tenant invoked FL 83.676 to break the lease due to domestic violence. Here's what the law requires from landlords and how to handle it properly.

Tenant Withholding Rent Over Repairs: Florida Landlord Response

Your tenant is withholding rent, claiming you haven't made repairs. Florida law has a specific process — and if they didn't follow it, you can still collect.

Selling a Rental With Tenants in Florida: Cash for Keys and Other Options

Ready to sell your Florida rental but have tenants in place? Here's your options — from cash for keys to selling with the lease intact — and what the law requires.

Dangerous Tenant: What Florida Landlords Can Legally Do

Your tenant is threatening neighbors, damaging property, or creating unsafe conditions. Here's what Florida law allows you to do — and the line you can't cross.

Pest Control in Florida Rentals: Landlord vs. Tenant Responsibility

Roaches, termites, rodents — who handles pest control in a Florida rental? Here's how state law divides responsibility and what your lease should say.

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Money and Taxes

1031 exchanges, LLCs, depreciation, insurance, and the hidden costs nobody warns you about.

Rental Property Bookkeeping: The Florida Landlord's Monthly System

The landlords who lose money usually lose it through sloppy records. Here's what to track, how long to keep it, and the Florida-specific rules that trip up even experienced property owners.

Rental Property Depreciation: The Florida Landlord's Tax Guide

Depreciation is the largest tax benefit for Florida rental owners. Here is how the 27.5-year schedule works, when cost segregation makes sense, and what recapture costs.

Orlando Property Tax for Rental Owners: What You'll Actually Pay

Losing homestead exemption means a property tax jump. Here is what Orlando rental owners actually pay and how to manage it.

Hurricane Prep for Tampa Bay Rental Properties: A Landlord's Guide

Tampa Bay faces different hurricane risks than inland Florida. Storm surge, wind-borne debris zones, and named-storm deductibles change the math for landlords.

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Day-to-Day Operations

Inspections, rent collection, lease renewals, maintenance calendars, and when to hire a property manager.

Hurricane Prep for Florida Rental Properties: A Landlord's Checklist

A step-by-step hurricane prep checklist for Florida rental properties — what to do before, during, and after storm season to protect your investment.

Preventive Maintenance Calendar for Florida Rental Properties

Florida's climate beats up rental properties year-round. Here is the month-by-month maintenance calendar that prevents expensive emergency repairs.

Rental Property Bookkeeping: The Florida Landlord's Monthly System

The landlords who lose money usually lose it through sloppy records. Here's what to track, how long to keep it, and the Florida-specific rules that trip up even experienced property owners.

Move-Out Inspection Checklist for Florida Landlords

The move-out inspection determines what you can deduct from the deposit. Here is the room-by-room checklist and the 30-day claim timeline you cannot miss.

View all operations guides →

Landlord Toolkit

Keep these on hand — during tax season, before hurricane season, or your first week as a landlord.

Download the Florida Landlord Tax Cheat Sheet

Every Schedule E deduction on one page, a repairs-vs-improvements guide with 10 examples, and a fill-in depreciation worksheet. Print it. Hand it to your CPA.

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Download the Hurricane Prep Countdown Checklist

The 30-day timeline that keeps your rental property insured and your tenants safe — with the documentation protocol adjusters want to see.

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Download Your First 30 Days as a Florida Landlord

The week-by-week checklist for new and accidental landlords in Orlando and Tampa — with the specific statutes, market numbers, and local requirements national guides leave out.

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Looking for market-specific content? See our Orlando and Tampa property management guides.

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