Frequently asked questions

Answers about buying, selling, financing and listing a home in Florida: valuations, commission, pre-approval, credit scores, closing times and for-sale-by-owner listings.

General

How quickly can you respond to inquiries?
We typically respond to every message within 24 hours during business days. Sending your question through the contact form is the fastest way to reach us.
Do you offer virtual property tours?
Yes! We offer comprehensive virtual tours for all our listings. You can schedule a live virtual walkthrough with one of our agents or explore properties at your own pace with our 360° tours.
What areas do you serve?
We primarily serve the Florida real estate market, with a strong presence in major metropolitan areas including Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and surrounding communities.
How do I ask about a specific property?
Open the listing and use the "Contact an agent" button on the property page. Your question reaches the agent with the listing details already attached, so you get a precise answer instead of a general one.
Can I schedule a consultation?
Absolutely! Fill out the contact form and tell us what you are looking for, and we will follow up to arrange it. We offer both in-person and virtual consultations.
Do you charge consultation fees?
No, initial consultations are completely free. We believe in understanding your needs before you make any commitments.

Mortgages

How does getting a mortgage through Ghalaxy work?
Ghalaxy is where you search, compare and shortlist homes. The financing itself is handled by a licensed lending partner: when you start a pre-approval we tell you exactly who they are and hand you over to their secure application. Ghalaxy is not a lender and does not make credit decisions.
What is the difference between pre-qualified and pre-approved?
A pre-qualification is an estimate based on numbers you report yourself. A pre-approval goes further: your loan officer reviews documentation of your income, assets and credit and issues a letter for a specific amount. Sellers weigh the two very differently, so go straight to a pre-approval if you are actively shopping.
What credit score do I need?
Most conventional loans start around a 620 score, while FHA loans can go lower — often 580 with 3.5% down. A higher score generally earns a lower rate, so it is worth asking what a small improvement would be worth before you apply.
How much do I need for a down payment?
Less than most people expect. VA loans can require nothing down, conventional loans start around 3% and FHA around 3.5%. Putting down 20% avoids mortgage insurance, but waiting years to save it is not always the better financial move.
What documents will I need?
Generally recent pay stubs, W-2s or two years of tax returns, two months of bank and asset statements, and a government-issued ID. Self-employed borrowers, retirees and anyone with rental income should expect a few additional documents.
How long does it take to close?
Most Florida purchases close in about 30 to 45 days from an accepted offer. Appraisal scheduling, condo association paperwork and how quickly you return requested documents are the three things that usually decide whether you land at the fast or slow end of that range.
How do I get in touch with a loan officer?
Start the pre-approval and a licensed loan officer will reach out to walk you through the numbers, the programs you qualify for, and what your monthly payment would actually look like on the homes you are watching.

Mortgage calculator

How is the monthly payment calculated?
Principal and interest come from the standard amortization formula using your loan amount, rate and term. On top of that the calculator adds one twelfth of your yearly property tax and homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance when your down payment is under 20%, and the monthly HOA dues you enter.
Does it include closing costs?
No. Closing costs are paid once, at closing, rather than monthly, so they are not part of this figure. Budget roughly 2% to 5% of the purchase price for origination, appraisal, title, recording and prepaid escrows.
Why is my payment higher than the loan payment I was quoted?
A quoted mortgage payment is usually principal and interest only. Taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and HOA dues are what turn that number into the amount that actually leaves your account each month, and together they routinely add several hundred dollars.
What interest rate should I enter?
Use something close to what is being quoted today for your credit profile and loan type, then try a rate half a point higher and lower. Seeing how much the payment moves is more useful than any single number, because your real rate is only set once you apply and lock.
What do extra payments actually do?
Every dollar above the scheduled payment goes straight to principal, so the balance falls faster and the interest that would have accrued on it never happens. Enter an extra amount monthly, once a year or as a lump sum on a specific date, and the calculator shows the new payoff date and what you keep in interest.
When does mortgage insurance come off?
The calculator charges PMI only while your balance sits above 80% of the purchase price, then drops it, which is how a conventional loan works. That is why the total PMI figure covers the first several years rather than the whole term.
Is this an offer or a pre-approval?
Neither. It is an estimate to help you plan. A pre-approval requires an actual application with a licensed lender, who reviews your income, assets and credit and issues a letter for a specific amount.

Selling with an agent

How do you work out what my home is worth?
An agent pulls the homes near you that recently sold and are comparable to yours in size, age, condition and location, then adjusts for the differences between them and your property. That is a comparative market analysis, and it is what buyers and their lenders will be looking at too. It is prepared by a person, not generated automatically, which is why it takes a day rather than a second.
Is the valuation really free? Am I committing to anything?
It is free, and you are not. Plenty of owners ask for a valuation because they are curious what the market has done, decide the timing is wrong, and come back a year later. Nothing is owed until you sign a listing agreement, and we will tell you plainly if we think you would be better off waiting.
What does it cost to sell with Ghalaxy?
Commission is agreed in writing in the listing agreement before anything is published, and your agent will walk you through the number and what it covers at the valuation. Photography, listing copy and syndication are part of the service rather than add-ons billed separately. You will also have Florida closing costs — title, taxes and recording fees — and your agent will estimate your net proceeds so you know what you actually walk away with.
How long will it take to sell?
That depends on your price, your condition and what else is on the market in your area, so any single number quoted before we have seen the home would be a guess. What your agent will give you is the range comparable homes near you have actually taken to sell, and what would move yours to the faster end of it.
Do I need to renovate before listing?
Usually not. Most homes need cleaning, decluttering, a few small repairs and good photography — the things that change how a listing reads online at very little cost. Larger projects only make sense when the local comparables show buyers paying for them, and your agent will tell you when they do not.
Can I sell one home and buy another at the same time?
Yes, and it is the most common case we handle. The two sides get sequenced together so you are not left owning two homes or none, and if the purchase needs financing our mortgage team can size what you qualify for once your likely proceeds are known.
What if I want to rent it out instead?
Tell us in the notes on the form. An agent can compare what the home would list for against what it would rent for, so the decision is made on two numbers instead of one.
Which areas do you cover?
Florida, with our deepest coverage across South Florida — Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Submit the address either way; if your home is somewhere we do not serve well, we will say so rather than take the listing.

Selling by owner

What does it cost to list by owner?
Nothing to publish. You are selling the home yourself, so there is no listing commission to Ghalaxy. If a buyer comes with their own agent, that agent will usually expect a commission from the sale — that is between you and them, agreed in writing before you accept an offer.
Does my home go on the MLS?
No. The MLS only accepts listings from licensed brokers, so a for-sale-by-owner listing appears on Ghalaxy and not on the MLS or the portals that syndicate from it. If MLS exposure is what you are after, that is what listing with one of our agents gives you — and you can compare the two before deciding.
Why does a person review my listing?
Because buyers have to be able to trust what they see. We check that the address is real, the photos are of that property, and the description does not contain contact details or anything that would breach fair-housing rules. It is a read-through, not a judgement on your home or your price.
How long does the review take?
Usually within one business day. You will get an email either way. If we ask for a change, the email says exactly what needs fixing, and your listing goes straight back to you editable, with everything you wrote still in place.
How do buyers contact me?
Through the inquiry form on your listing, which reaches our team and then you. Your phone number and email address are never published on the page — which is also why the description field removes them automatically.
Can I edit or remove it after it goes live?
Yes, any time, from your dashboard. Your listing stays live while we read the changes, so nothing comes down — buyers keep seeing the version we last approved until the new one is cleared. Removing it takes it out of search immediately.
Can I rent it out instead, or as well?
Yes. Choose "Rent it out" or "Either one" when you start, and the form asks for lease terms instead of — or alongside — the sale details. A property offered both ways appears in both searches, with its own price and its own status on each side.
What if I change my mind and want an agent?
Ask us for a valuation and we will show you what the two routes look like side by side, with no obligation either way. Plenty of owners start here and decide later that they would rather hand it over.

Renting by owner

What does it cost to list a rental by owner?
Nothing to publish, and no lease-up fee to Ghalaxy. You are renting it out yourself. If a tenant arrives with their own agent, that agent will usually expect a commission — customarily around one month of rent in South Florida — and that is between you and them, agreed before anyone signs.
Does my rental go on the MLS?
No. The MLS only accepts listings from licensed brokers, so a for-rent-by-owner listing appears on Ghalaxy and not on the MLS or the portals that syndicate from it.
Do you screen the tenants for me?
Not yet. What you get today is an inquiry: when they want to move, what they pay now, roughly what they earn and their credit range, so you can decide who is worth a viewing. Running credit, verifying income and checking references stay with you — or with an agent, if you would rather hand it over.
How do tenants contact me?
Through the inquiry form on your listing. It reaches our team first and then you, so you are not publishing your phone number to the open internet — which is also why the description field removes contact details automatically.
Can I mark it rented when I find someone?
Yes, from your dashboard, and it applies immediately with no review. That takes it straight out of search, so you stop getting calls about a place that is gone.
Can I list it for sale as well?
Yes. Choose "Either one" when you start and the form asks for both a price and a rent. It then appears in both searches as two listings with one set of photos, and each side carries its own status — so you can mark it rented while the sale stays open, or the other way round.
What about the lease itself?
That is yours to handle. Florida residential leases have requirements around deposits, disclosures and notice periods that are worth getting right, and a real estate attorney or an agent is the right person to check yours. Ghalaxy publishes the listing; it is not a party to your lease.

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