Buy or Sell a Home in Cape Coral, FL With a Broker-Led Team

Cape Coral Real Estate Questions

Does every Cape Coral canal home have Gulf access?

No. According to the City, Cape Coral has about 300 miles of freshwater canals that collect stormwater, plus tidal saltwater canals, and many canals have direct access to the Caloosahatchee River. A “waterfront” or even “saltwater” label doesn’t mean a boat can reach the Gulf. Confirm navigable access for the specific lot before you price, list or make an offer.

How do I check whether my boat can get out from a specific lot?

Trace the actual route from the dock to open water. Check every bridge’s clearance against your boat’s height, the water depth against its draft at low tide, the lift’s rated capacity, and the condition of the dock and seawall. A local marine contractor or captain can run the route with you. Don’t rely on a listing description.

How do I check water, sewer and irrigation assessments?

Request a free parcel payoff through the City’s CapeIMS (opens in a new tab). The City says payoff information includes special assessments, utility balances, open code cases and building permits. Keep three kinds of charges separate:

• Utilities Extension Project (UEP) assessments: special assessments for extending water, sewer and irrigation service. If they aren’t prepaid, they’re billed in yearly installments on the property tax bill.
• Yearly tax-billed charges: the City also bills stormwater, fire and solid waste charges on the property tax bill (City list (opens in a new tab)).
• Utility service balances: separate from assessments. Any open balance shows on the City payoff.

To see whether an area is scheduled for future utility extension, use the City’s future utilities extension lookup (opens in a new tab).

Who pays outstanding assessments at closing?

It depends on your purchase contract, so agree on it in writing. The City says an assessment stays with the property regardless of the owner and doesn’t have to be paid off when you sell, though some banks and lenders may require payment in full. Have the closing agent request a current City payoff. After July 31, the City’s payoff figures are estimates until that year’s installment billing is complete, and a payoff made after July 31 still gets that year’s installment on the tax bill.

What should I check about flood zones, elevation and insurance?

Look up the address on the City’s Flood Risk portal (opens in a new tab) for the flood zone and any elevation certificate on file. You can also check FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center (opens in a new tab). An elevation certificate records the building’s elevation and can help set the flood insurance premium. Get flood and wind quotes from a licensed agent before your inspection period ends, and don’t judge cost by flood zone alone.

What documents help sell a Cape Coral waterfront home?

Gather the following:

• A survey, if you have one
• Permits for the roof, seawall, dock, boat lift and pool (check the City’s permit portal (opens in a new tab))
• Your elevation certificate
• A CapeIMS payoff showing assessments and utility balances
• Dock, lift and seawall details: age, repairs and lift capacity
• Insurance declarations pages

Florida also requires sellers of residential property to give buyers a flood disclosure.