Where I buy in and around Cocoa Beach
Every part of the island in ZIP 32931 is fair game, plus the town right next door. Calls I get most often come from:
- The north end, near the Cape Canaveral line
- Downtown, around Minutemen Causeway and SR 520
- Canal streets on the Banana River side
- Oceanfront and riverfront condo buildings
- The south end, near the Cocoa Beach Country Club
- Cape Canaveral (ZIP 32920)
Over the SR 520 causeway on Merritt Island, or down A1A in Satellite Beach? Same process. If the property is in Brevard County, send me the address.
Selling a condo in an older building
After the Surfside collapse, Florida passed condo safety laws that require milestone structural inspections for many buildings three stories and up, plus structural integrity reserve studies. Some associations have raised dues or voted special assessments to pay for the work, and that has made a lot of beachside condo owners rethink keeping their unit. If your building has an inspection coming, a report back, or an assessment already voted, tell me up front. I can still look at buying the unit. The association's approval process and the terms of the assessment decide how that goes.
Old roofs, four-point inspections and insurance
This is the one I hear about most. On an older home, a buyer's insurance company usually wants a four-point inspection covering the roof, electrical, plumbing and AC, and a wind mitigation report helps set the premium. If the roof is near the end of its life, the panel is a type insurers won't write, or the plumbing is original, the buyer may not get a policy. No policy, no loan. Some owners have already gotten a non-renewal letter on their own house. I pay cash, so there's no lender requiring a policy before closing, and you don't need a new roof to sell to me.
Flood zones, canals and seawalls
Parts of the island sit in FEMA flood zones, and in those zones a lender will require flood insurance before a financed buyer can close. Canal homes add seawalls, docks and boat lifts to the list. A cracked or leaning seawall is a big job, and it's the kind of thing that scares off a retail buyer. Tell me what you know: whether you have an elevation certificate, whether water has ever come in, how old the seawall is. None of that stops a cash offer.
Rentals, second homes and family beach houses
Cocoa Beach has its own rules on short-term rentals in residential areas. If your place has been rented by the week or the month, tell me how and for how long. It helps me understand the property and its paperwork. I also hear from owners who bought a beach place years ago and rarely get down here anymore, retirees moving off the island to be closer to family, and grown kids out of state who inherited a parent's house a few blocks from the pier.
How a sale to me works
- Send the address. Use the form or call or text (407) 413-8331. Mention the bad stuff too: roof age, water intrusion, a seawall problem, an assessment letter.
- I walk the house. I come out myself, look at it once, and pull the Brevard County Property Appraiser record. You get a written cash offer within 24 hours of seeing the home.
- Close on your date. If you say yes, a Florida title company handles the title search, payoffs and closing. Most closings take 30 days or less, on the date you choose, subject to title work and the contract.
Public records, probate and paperwork in Brevard County
You can look up your parcel and what's on record with the Brevard County Property Appraiser. A lot of older island homes have a porch that got enclosed or a carport turned into a room at some point. If the house doesn't match the record, just tell me. It's common here and I can work with it. Brevard County probate cases go through the Clerk of Court and are heard at the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Justice Center, 2825 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera, FL 32940. The Clerk's probate line is (321) 637-5413. Selling a parent's house? Read our guide to selling an inherited house in Florida and talk with a probate attorney about which kind of administration fits your situation.
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and plenty of island houses have been through Matthew, Irma and the storms since. If yours has roof damage, a tarp, or an open insurance claim, see selling a house with hurricane or roof damage. Thinking about listing instead? Read cash buyer vs. listing with an agent before you decide.
What to have handy (not required to start)
- Roof age and any roof permit, plus your four-point or wind mitigation report if you have one
- Elevation certificate or flood policy, if the house has one
- Condo association contact and any assessment or inspection letters
- Insurance claim number or adjuster estimate for storm damage
- Mortgage payoff contact, and lease and rent details if it's rented
- Death certificate and letters of administration if you're selling for an estate
See our work
Want to see what I do with a house after I buy it? Look up 720 Wing Foot Lane in Suntree and 914 Waialae Circle NE in Palm Bay.
Questions Cocoa Beach sellers ask
Do you buy condos with a special assessment pending?
Yes, depending on the association's approval process. Tell me the amount and the timing. It affects the offer, and the written offer spells out who pays what at closing.
Do you buy in Cape Canaveral too?
Yes. Cape Canaveral, just north of Cocoa Beach in ZIP 32920, is part of my regular area.
My insurance company won't renew. Can I still sell?
Yes. I buy with cash, so there's no lender requiring a new policy before closing. Send me the address and what the letter says about the roof or the house.
Do I have to make repairs before you buy?
No. Sell it as it sits, salt-air wear and all. Tell me about known issues and leave behind anything you don't want.
Are there fees or commissions?
There's no agent commission on a direct sale. We normally cover the standard title-related closing costs, and the written offer lists exactly what's included.
Am I obligated to accept?
No. The offer is free and you can say no. Put it next to a listing estimate and decide on your own time.