Florida Mortgage Broker for Buyers, Homeowners and Investors Statewide

Skyline Mortgage is a licensed Florida mortgage broker with its office in Palm Coast. We work with borrowers across the state, from Jacksonville and the Panhandle to Orlando, Tampa Bay and South Florida, by phone, video and secure online document upload. As a broker, we can compare loan options from multiple lenders instead of offering a single lender's products.

How working with a mortgage broker works

A mortgage lender funds loans with its own money and offers its own products. A mortgage broker helps you apply with a lender that fits your situation. With Skyline Mortgage, that means:

• One conversation, multiple lenders. We review your goals, income, assets, credit and property, then look at which lenders' programs may fit.
• Disclosed compensation. How the broker is paid appears on your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure. Read our guide on what a Loan Estimate shows.
• The lender makes the credit decision. The lender underwrites and approves the loan, and sets its final terms.

Florida costs and rules to plan for

Florida homeownership comes with costs that buyers from other states often underestimate. Ask about each one before you write an offer:

• Homeowners and wind insurance. Premiums can vary widely by roof age, construction and location. A wind mitigation inspection may reduce the premium, and the lender will count the premium in your monthly payment.
• Flood zones. If the home is in a FEMA special flood hazard area and the loan is federally backed or regulated, flood insurance is generally required. Check the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
• Condo rules. Under Florida's condominium safety laws (SB 4-D, 2022; SB 154, 2023, as later amended), many associations of buildings three stories or taller must complete milestone inspections and structural integrity reserve studies. These can affect special assessments, HOA dues and whether a lender will approve the building. See our Florida condo financing notes below.
• Homestead exemption. If the home will be your permanent residence, you may be able to file for the Florida homestead exemption with your county property appraiser. To qualify, you must own the home and make it your permanent residence as of January 1, and file by March 1 of that year (s. 196.011, F.S.). This can change your escrow over time.
• State taxes at closing. Florida charges documentary stamp tax on the note and a nonrecurring intangible tax on new mortgages. They appear on your Loan Estimate. See the Florida Department of Revenue for current rates.
• HOA and CDD fees. Many newer Florida communities sit inside a Community Development District (CDD). The CDD assessment usually appears on the property tax bill and counts in your payment.

Loan options we help Florida borrowers compare

• Conventional loans and first-time buyer options
• FHA loans in Florida
• VA loans in Florida for eligible veterans, service members and surviving spouses
• Bank statement and self-employed loan options
• DSCR loans for Florida investment properties (business-purpose only)
• Cash-out refinance and rate-and-term refinance

Each program has its own eligibility, documentation and property rules, and not every option fits every borrower or property.

Florida condo financing notes

Lenders review the condo association as well as the borrower. Expect questions about the association's budget and reserves, any special assessments, pending litigation, the share of units that are owner-occupied, and the status of milestone inspections or structural reserve studies. Ask the association for these documents early. Some buildings will not meet a given lender's requirements, which can narrow the loan options.

Where we work in Florida

Our office is at 160 Cypress Point Parkway, Unit C211, Palm Coast. We serve all of Florida remotely, including:

• Northeast Florida: Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, St. Augustine, Jacksonville
• Central Florida: Orlando, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange
• Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida
• South Florida and the Treasure Coast
• The Panhandle and North Central Florida

Other than our Palm Coast office, we do not have offices in these cities. Your loan is handled from Palm Coast by our team of NMLS-licensed loan originators. Meet the team.

How the process works

1. Call or request a consultation. Tell us what you want to buy or refinance and when.
2. Document review. We list what the lender will likely need. Use our pre-approval document checklist.
3. Compare options. We review loan options and Loan Estimates with you, including costs, not just the payment.
4. Apply and underwrite. The lender reviews your file and the property.
5. Close. Review your Closing Disclosure and protect yourself from closing wire fraud.

Call (407) 663-4743 or contact us to talk through your situation.