Mastering the Florida AS IS Contract: What Experienced Agents Still Get Wrong

Summary

This session focused on the Florida AS-IS contract through a practical Q&A format with Folio Title and Attorney Nelson Taracido. Instead of reviewing the form line by line, we addressed the real mistakes experienced agents still make, from signature requirements and legal descriptions to special assessments, seller rights, and contract deadlines. The goal was simple: strengthen fundamentals, eliminate assumptions, and raise the standard of representation.

Q&A with Folio Title and Attorney Nelson Taracido

We recently hosted a full house at Avanti Way East Miami for an in-person training focused on the Florida AS-IS contract, led by Folio Title and Attorney Nelson Taracido. This was not a line-by-line review of the form. It was a practical Q&A built around the most common mistakes we see agents make in real transactions.

Why Experience Can Create Blind Spots

Contract mistakes are rarely made by brand-new agents. They are usually made by experienced ones. Over time, habits form. Sometimes no one ever corrected them. Sometimes the contract evolved, and they did not. Confidence without updated knowledge can create exposure for both the agent and the client.

Instead of walking through clauses, we structured the session around real-world scenarios and direct questions that agents should be able to answer without hesitation.

The Questions That Matter

During the session, we focused on issues that regularly surface in transactions.  Here are a few of those questions, do you know the answers?

• Who must sign when a seller is married, only one partner is on the deed, but the property is not homesteaded?
• Where do you find the true legal description so your contract is fully enforceable instead of relying on an abbreviated MLS version or even tax records?
• What is the difference between a public body special assessment and an HOA assessment, and how is each treated under the Florida AS-IS contract?
• Does a seller have any legitimate way out once a contract is fully executed?
• How do you properly calculate contract dates and deadlines in plain English so you do not accidentally default your client, and what are best practices?

These are not minor technicalities. They are foundational details that directly impact enforceability, negotiation strategy, and risk management.

How We Train Our Agents

What stood out most was the quality of the discussion. Agents were not looking for shortcuts. They wanted clarity. They wanted to understand the reasoning behind the clauses so they could confidently explain them to buyers and sellers.

That is the standard we focus on. We bring in professionals. We create space for real dialogue. We make sure our agents can translate legal language into something clients actually understand. Strong roots create strong representation.

Next Up: The Condo Rider

With the impact of condo reform and the new regulatory requirements across Florida, we are already planning our next deep dive on the condo rider. Reserves, assessments, milestone inspections, and statutory changes have shifted how condominium transactions should be approached, and agents who do not fully understand those nuances are operating at a disadvantage.

Clarity is not optional in this market. It is your competitive advantage.

Reach out if you want to join us for the next session.

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Ines Hegedus-Garcia East Miami Branch Leader, Avanti Way

ines@avantiway.com