Pinellas Beaches Buyer GuideJon Bearson · Keller Williams St. Pete
St. Pete Beach, Florida · Buyer research

Buying on St. Pete Beach? Know more than the listing tells you.

Flood elevation, storm history, permits, condo reserves, assessments, insurance and financing rarely fit in an MLS description. This guide covers what deserves a closer look before you commit.

Just lookingBrowse beach homes & condos for saleOpen the listings → Doing homeworkGet the beach buyer checklistFree, just your email → Found one?Ask me about a propertyI'll tell you what to check →
Prepared by Jon Bearson, licensed real estate agent Keller Williams St. Pete · Arrivato Homes Call or text 727-230-9999
Choose your path

A house and a condo raise different questions.

With a house, most of the research is about the lot and the structure: how high it sits, what the storms did to it, and what the rules allow you to do next. With a condo, you are also buying into a building and an association, so the research follows the money and the engineering reports.

Single-family

Buying a house on St. Pete Beach

  • Flood zone and Base Flood Elevation
  • Elevation Certificate and finished-floor height
  • Storm damage, repairs and permit history
  • The FEMA 50% rule and future renovations
  • Flood and wind insurance questions
Read the house guide → Condominium

Buying a condo on St. Pete Beach

  • Milestone inspections and SIRS
  • Reserves, budgets and special assessments
  • Master insurance and deductibles
  • Conventional, portfolio and non-warrantable financing
  • Rental rules and governing documents
Read the condo guide →
Common questions

Start with the question you're already asking.

Did this house flood?How to research flood zone, storm history and prior claims What does BFE mean?Base Flood Elevation versus ground and floor height Can I renovate an older beach house?How the FEMA 50% rule works on St. Pete Beach Are St. Pete Beach condos hard to finance?Why the building needs approval as well as you What should I know about SIRS?Reading a structural integrity reserve study as a buyer What's a milestone inspection?Phase one, phase two and what to ask for Is a low HOA fee a good sign?What the fee pays for and what it may be leaving out Can I rent out a condo on St. Pete Beach?Association rules and city zoning both apply
How I work

Due diligence, not alarm.

Most beach properties are fine to buy. The point of this research is to know which records, documents and professional opinions you still need before you make an offer, so the surprises happen on paper instead of after closing.

  • Records first. Permits, elevation certificates, association reports and insurance history, pulled for the specific property.
  • The right specialist for each question. Engineers, insurance agents, lenders and attorneys answer what's theirs to answer. I help you know what to ask them.
  • A clear list of unknowns. What's verified, what isn't, and what it would take to find out.
Free checklist

The Pinellas beach buyer checklist

One printable page set for houses and condos: the records to pull, the questions to ask the listing agent, and when in the deal to ask them.

  • Flood zone, elevation and permit records for a house
  • Condo documents: SIRS, milestone reports, reserves, insurance
  • Questions for the listing agent and the association
  • What to get before the offer, during inspections and before closing

It opens right away. I may follow up once by email; no spam, and your email isn't shared.

Ask me directly

Ask about a property, or tell me what you're looking for.

Jon Bearson
Jon BearsonKeller Williams St. Pete · Arrivato Homes

I reply personally, usually the same day.

Send an address or building name and I'll tell you what's worth checking before you offer: flood and permit records for a house, or the building's documents, reserves and financing picture for a condo.

Prefer to talk? Call or text 727-230-9999

What can I help with?

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Browse live listings on my Keller Williams search. When one catches your eye, send me the address and I'll tell you what to check.

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