Licensed Florida real estate brokerage
How do I look up recent comparable sales in county public records myself?
A straight answer from a licensed Florida real estate brokerage — then what you can check yourself and when to bring in a licensed professional. Free consultation: (888) 440-3766.
Start with your county property appraiser's website. Search by address or parcel number, open the sales history, then look up nearby properties of the same type, size and age that sold recently. The county clerk's official records hold the recorded deeds behind those sales.
Raw county data only gets you part of the way. Appraiser sales records can lag behind closings, and they don't show condition, updates, flood zone, roof age or association issues, which all change how one sale compares to your home.
Why county records are only the starting point
Each Florida county keeps its own property appraiser and clerk of court, and each website works a little differently. Some let you filter sales by subdivision, date or property type. Others only let you look up one parcel at a time. Check your own county's site rather than assuming it matches another county's.
The records also don't explain why a home sold for what it did. Two similar houses on the same street can sell very differently because of a newer roof, a documented wind-mitigation feature, a flood zone designation or the insurance situation. For condominiums, pending milestone inspection findings, structural integrity reserve study results, reserve funding and special assessments can matter as much as the unit itself.
Be careful with assessed value. Because of homestead and Save Our Homes caps, a home's assessed value can differ sharply from its market value, and a buyer's taxes may reset after a sale. Use recorded sale prices as your starting point, not the assessed or taxable value shown on the same page.
What you can check yourself
County property appraiser sales history
Look up your own parcel first to see its details, then search nearby parcels. Note the sale date, the recorded price, the property type and the living area. Most appraiser sites also show whether a sale was flagged as qualified, so confirm what that flag means with the appraiser.
Recorded deeds in the clerk's official records
The clerk's online records let you confirm that a transfer was recorded and who the parties were. Deed details can help you see whether a sale looks like an ordinary open-market sale or a transfer between related parties.
Flood zone and exemption details
Compare each property's FEMA flood zone, since a lender generally requires flood insurance in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Also check homestead status with the county property appraiser, because it affects the tax picture a future buyer inherits.
Condo association documents
For a condominium, compare sales within the same building or similar buildings, and ask the association for its budget, milestone and SIRS reports. Confirm assessment and fee details with the association itself, not just the county record.
Active and pending listings
Public records show only closed sales. Public listing sites show what competing homes are being offered for right now, which tells you how your home may be positioned against current options.
When to bring in a licensed professional
Call us when you have a handful of sales and can't tell which ones truly compare to your home, or when the numbers don't line up with what you expected. Adjusting for condition, updates, roof age, insurance and association factors takes judgment that raw records don't supply. For a free consultation, call (888) 440-3766 or send the form on this page.
If you need a value for a lender, an estate, a divorce or a legal dispute, you need a formal appraisal from a state-licensed or certified appraiser. A comparative market analysis is not an appraisal. For legal questions about a contract, disclosure or association document, a Florida real-estate attorney is the right person.
Premier Real Estate Group Inc is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage (broker license BK3314523). Verify at Florida DBPR.
What a licensed real-estate professional will do
- Pull and screen the comparable salesA licensee selects recent sales that truly match your home and sets aside those that don't, rather than relying on an automated number.
- Weigh active and pending listingsCurrent competition shows how buyers have options today, which closed sales alone can't show.
- Adjust for condition and updatesWe account for how your home differs from each comparable, including condition, updates and features.
- Factor in Florida-specific issuesWe consider flood zone, insurance and roof age, wind-mitigation features and, for condos, association fees and special assessments after milestone inspections or SIRS.
- Deliver an opinion of value at no costOur comparative market analysis is free and carries no obligation. A licensed professional, either Premier Real Estate Group Inc or an agent we refer you to, will contact you by phone or email.
Related questions
- Is the county's assessed value the same as my home's market value?
- No. Homestead exemptions and Save Our Homes caps can make assessed value differ sharply from market value. Confirm your assessment and exemption details with the county property appraiser.
- Why doesn't a recent sale show up in the county records yet?
- Sales generally appear only after the deed is recorded and the appraiser's office processes it, so very recent closings may be missing. A licensee can often see recent activity that public records haven't caught up with.
- Is a comparative market analysis the same as an appraisal?
- No. A comparative market analysis is an opinion of value prepared by a licensee from comparable sales and current listings. A formal appraisal for lending or legal purposes must be done by a state-licensed or certified appraiser.
- Do condo sales compare differently from house sales?
- Often, yes. Association fees, reserve funding, special assessments, and milestone inspection and SIRS findings can change what buyers will pay for otherwise similar units. Ask the association for its documents and call us for a free comparison.
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Licensed brokerage
Premier Real Estate Group Inc
Broker of record Maxim Bohadana, Florida broker license BK3314523
(888) 440-3766