We Buy Houses in Florida City, Florida

In Florida City, the City Clerk’s office answers lien searches as well as public records requests, and both use the same Public Records Request form. You write “Lien Request” in the space that asks what you want. A request costs $100 per folio number for 5 business days, or $150 per folio number for 2 business days. The clerk’s office is at 404 West Palm Drive, and you can reach it at 305-247-8221 or cityclerk@floridacityfl.gov.

When you sell to us, you don’t need to order this yourself. Our title company orders it when the contract is signed, and anything owed is settled from the closing, as the settlement statement shows.

Since January 1, 2026, all new applications in Florida City go through the eTRAKiT portal, which covers planning applications, building permits, inspections, business tax licenses and code compliance services. Building Services says you can check permit status there. Projects from before that date stay on the older Contractors Portal and Plans Processing systems, so if you can’t find a permit, call the Building Department at 305-247-8222, option 2.

The city requires a building permit for any construction, alteration, removal or demolition of a structure inside city limits. Code Enforcement sends unresolved violations to a Special Magistrate, who holds virtual meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 2:00 p.m. You can reach Code Enforcement at 305-247-8222, option 6.

You don’t have to close an old permit or finish a code case before you sell. We price the house as it stands, and the title company confirms what has to be dealt with at closing. This is general information; the Building Department can confirm what applies to your address.

Florida City’s code has its own rule for empty homes with a loan in default. Under Sec. 30-155, the mortgage lender must inspect a residential property before issuing a notice of default. If the home is vacant or shows evidence of vacancy, it is deemed abandoned, and the lender has 10 days to register it with the city. The fee is $150 per property each year, renewed before October 1. If the home is occupied but still in default, the lender inspects it monthly. The rule also covers homes taken back at a foreclosure sale or by a deed in lieu.

Registered properties have to meet maintenance and security standards. The yard has to be kept up, trash removed, paint and graffiti handled, pools kept clean, and doors and windows locked or secured. A corporate or out-of-area owner has to hire a local property management company for inspections every two weeks and post its contact details on a sign at the property. The code says a failure to maintain the property is a violation by the lender, the owner of record, or both.

If your empty house is behind on the mortgage, tell us early. We buy it as it stands, with no cleanup first. Whether a sale can close depends on the payoff, the title and any legal deadlines, so no buyer can promise that outcome. This is general information; speak with a Florida attorney about your own case.