Homestead Attorney
Attorney for Homestead Home Buyers, Military Families, and Homeowners
Two things set Homestead apart from the rest of Miami-Dade. It is home to Homestead Air Reserve Base and the Air Force Reserve’s 482d Fighter Wing, so many households include a reservist, an active duty member, or a military retiree. And much of its newer housing was built inside community development districts. The East Homestead CDD, for example, was established on October 17, 2003 by Ordinance No. 03-209 and covers about 435 acres entirely within the city, according to the district’s own information page (read September 30, 2026). Arturo R. Alfonso P.A. has handled Miami-Dade real estate, family law, and bankruptcy matters in English and Spanish for 30 years from an office at 7821 Coral Way. Call (305) 266-9584 or request a free consultation.
Buying a Home Inside a Homestead CDD
A community development district is a special-purpose local government created under Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes. The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser explains that developers use CDD bonds to pay for roads, water and sewer lines, parks, and amenities, and that residents pay those bonds off over 10 to 30 years. The charge is a non-ad valorem assessment: it is set by the district’s board under its own formula, not by your home’s value, and it can appear on the TRIM notice mailed in August and on the November tax bill.
Buying new from a builder, you should see the district named in a required notice. Fla. Stat. 190.048 requires each contract for the initial sale of a parcel or residential unit within a district to state, in bold type larger than the rest of the contract and immediately before the buyer’s signature, that the district may levy taxes or assessments on the property in addition to county and other local taxes. That rule covers the initial sale only. The Property Appraiser warns that later sellers are not required to disclose the CDD, and that the sale price does not include the assessment unless the buyer and seller negotiate it into the price.
So a resale buyer in Homestead has to look. Before signing, check the property on the Property Appraiser’s Property Search under Additional Information and Non-Ad Valorem, read the prior TRIM notices, and, if the district still does not appear, pull the disclosure documents that Fla. Stat. 190.009 requires the district to file in the County’s property records. Knowing the annual assessment before you are bound to buy lets you budget for it or negotiate. Florida does not require an attorney to close a sale; read title company or attorney closing, how we handle residential closings in Miami-Dade, and our real estate law services.
Courts, Leases, and Divorce for Homestead Military Families
Homestead matters belong to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. The Clerk’s nearest location is the South Dade Justice Center, 10710 SW 211th Street, which handles county civil filings including small claims and landlord/tenant cases, domestic violence petitions, and marriage licenses. Divorce, custody, and support cases go to the Family Division at the Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center, 175 NW 1st Avenue in downtown Miami.
Landlords renting near the base should know the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Before a court enters a default judgment, including in an eviction, the plaintiff must file an affidavit stating whether the defendant is in military service, and if the defendant is, the court cannot enter judgment until it appoints an attorney for that servicemember (50 U.S.C. 3931). On the tenant side, Fla. Stat. 83.682 lets a servicemember end a rental agreement on permanent change of station orders to move 35 miles or more away, among other events, by written notice effective at least 30 days after the landlord receives it. See how to evict a tenant.
A homeowner who took out a mortgage before entering military service has added protection: a sale or foreclosure for breach of that mortgage is not valid during service or within one year after it, unless made under a court order or a valid waiver (50 U.S.C. 3953). For a reservist, SCRA protections generally begin when the activation order is received (50 U.S.C. 3917). For catching up on missed payments through Chapter 13, see can bankruptcy stop foreclosure and our bankruptcy law services.
In a divorce, one spouse must have lived in Florida for 6 months before filing (Fla. Stat. 61.021). Military retired pay has its own federal limits. A state court may divide it only if it has jurisdiction through the member’s residence (other than because of a military assignment), domicile, or consent; the military pay center pays a former spouse directly only if the marriage overlapped at least 10 years of creditable service; and all such court orders together cannot exceed 50 percent of disposable retired pay (10 U.S.C. 1408). Florida adds what the judgment must contain in Fla. Stat. 61.076(2). A member stationed at Homestead but domiciled in another state should raise that question early. See how a 401(k) or pension is divided and our family law services.
Common Questions
Does the seller have to tell me a Homestead home is in a CDD? A developer’s contract for the initial sale must include the CDD disclosure under Fla. Stat. 190.048. The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser notes that later sellers are not required to disclose it, so check the property record and TRIM notice before you sign.
Can military retired pay be divided in a Florida divorce? Yes, within the federal limits of 10 U.S.C. 1408, including a 50 percent cap on court-ordered payments from disposable retired pay.
Contact Us
Whether you are buying a new or resale home in a Homestead CDD, renting to or from a servicemember, dividing military retired pay in a divorce, or behind on a mortgage, Attorney Alfonso can review your documents in English or Spanish. Hablamos español. Call (305) 266-9584 or contact us to schedule a free consultation.
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