Your right to choose
Florida law lets every buyer choose their own title company. You are never obligated to use whoever the agent or builder suggests.
Read the law →Florida Buyer Resources
Buyer resources: your 30A and Florida closing playbook.
Buying on 30A or anywhere in Florida should feel calm, not chaotic. This is the buyer playbook AquaRK Title Services uses on every closing — the full timeline from contract to funding, plain English on title insurance and escrow, and the wire fraud rules that keep your down payment safe. Attorney supervised, Miramar Beach based, closing Walton County real estate since 2006.
The Florida closing process, step by step.
Every 30A closing runs through the same six phases. Here is what happens on your file, who does what, and where AquaRK steps in.
01
Contract accepted
Your agent sends the fully executed FAR/BAR contract. AquaRK opens the file and confirms escrow of your earnest money the same business day.
02
Title search and lien search
We pull 30+ years of Walton County records, order the municipal lien search, request HOA estoppels, and flag any issues in writing.
03
Loan and appraisal
If you are financing, the lender orders the appraisal and underwrites the file. AquaRK provides title commitment and wire instructions directly to the lender.
04
Clear to close
Lender issues the Closing Disclosure at least 3 business days before closing. We prepare the settlement statement and reconcile every line.
05
Closing day
Sign in our Miramar Beach office, by mobile notary, or via remote online notarization. Funds wire, deed records, and keys transfer.
06
After closing
The recorded deed and owner's title insurance policy arrive by mail. We keep a digital copy on file for you permanently.
Wire fraud prevention: the AquaRK rules.
Real estate wire fraud cost American buyers and sellers over $446 million in the last FBI IC3 report. The scam is simple: criminals compromise an email account in the closing chain, then send fake wire instructions that look identical to the real ones. Follow these five rules on every 30A closing.
- Call AquaRK at (850) 650-9737 to verbally confirm wire instructions before every transfer. Use a number you already have — never one from an email.
- Never trust wire instructions that arrive by email, even from a known sender. Email accounts get compromised.
- Treat any last minute change to routing number, account number, or beneficiary as fraud until proven otherwise.
- Ask your bank to verify the wire against our instructions before releasing funds. Use their fraud verification line.
- If you suspect fraud, call your bank first, then the FBI at IC3.gov within 24 hours. Recall requests must move fast.
Real closing cost numbers
Florida promulgated title insurance rates, Walton County doc stamps, and every line item you will see at the closing table.
Read the guide →Owner's vs lender's policy
What each Florida title policy covers, who pays, and why we recommend both on every 30A purchase.
Read more →Buyer FAQs.
What is the closing process for a home purchase in Florida?+
In Florida the closing process runs from contract acceptance to funding in roughly 30 to 45 days on a financed deal and 10 to 21 days on cash. The title company opens the file, runs a title search, orders a lien search and payoffs, coordinates the HOA estoppel and survey, works with the lender on the Closing Disclosure, wires funds through escrow, records the deed with the Walton County Clerk, and issues the owner's title insurance policy after recording.
How do I protect myself from wire fraud when buying a home on 30A?+
Wire fraud is the single biggest financial risk in a Florida closing. Always call AquaRK at (850) 650-9737 using a number you already trust before sending any wire. Never accept wiring instructions that arrive by email, and never act on last-minute changes to routing or account numbers. AquaRK sends encrypted instructions and confirms every wire by voice before funding.
What does a title company actually do at closing?+
The title company searches the public record for defects, issues title insurance, holds earnest money and closing funds in escrow, prepares the settlement statement, coordinates signing, disburses funds to sellers, agents, lenders, and taxing authorities, and records the deed and mortgage. In Florida the entire process is supervised by a licensed attorney at AquaRK Title Services.
Do I need owner's title insurance in Florida?+
Owner's title insurance is optional but strongly recommended and, in Walton County, it is customarily paid by the seller. It is a one time premium that protects your equity for as long as you or your heirs own the property against undiscovered liens, forged deeds, missing heirs, and boundary disputes. Lender's title insurance is required on any financed purchase but only protects the lender.
How much are closing costs in Florida for a buyer?+
On a typical 30A purchase, buyer closing costs run about 1.5% to 3% of the purchase price on a cash deal and 2.5% to 5% on a financed deal. See the full breakdown in our Florida closing costs guide or run the calculator for a line item estimate.
Ready for a smooth Florida closing?
Send the property details and AquaRK responds with a written line item quote within one business day.