Are flashcards effective for the Florida real estate exam?

Yes. Flashcards use active recall — retrieving an answer from memory — which research shows is one of the most effective study methods, especially in short, spaced sessions. Because the Florida exam rewards instant recall of FREC rules, brokerage relationships, the escrow timelines, and math formulas, the cards make that knowledge automatic.

What topics do the Florida real estate flashcards cover?

All nine content areas: Florida license law and practice (DBPR/FREC, education hours, brokerage relationships, escrow rules, transfer taxes, discipline), plus the national areas — property and legal descriptions, ownership and transfer of title, value and appraisal, contracts and agency, real estate practice, disclosures and environmental hazards, financing and settlement, and real estate math.

How should I study with these Florida real estate flashcards?

Lead with the Florida license law deck — it is the largest part of the exam and the hardest to learn elsewhere. Drill brokerage relationships, the escrow timelines, and the transfer taxes, then mix the modes: flip to learn, type to test recall, match for speed, and quiz to check yourself before working full practice questions.

Are the Florida real estate flashcards free?

Yes — 100% free, all four study modes, no paywall.

Do these flashcards match the Florida sales associate exam?

Yes. The cards are organized around the Florida sales associate exam's content — the Florida-specific license law tested under Chapter 475, F.S., and the national real estate principles tested on the same 100-question exam. The Florida license-law deck is the largest because that area carries the most weight.

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — the umbrella state agency that issues and regulates real estate licenses through its Division of Real Estate.

Florida Real Estate Commission — 7 gubernatorial appointees within the DBPR that write and enforce real estate license law under Chapter 475, F.S.

7 members: 4 licensed brokers, 1 broker or sales associate, and 2 consumer members who have never held a real estate license. Appointed by the Governor.

The Florida Statutes chapter governing real estate brokers, sales associates, schools, and appraisers — the source of Florida license law.

The Florida Administrative Code rules adopted by FREC that implement Chapter 475 (escrow timelines, office signs, advertising, conduct).

100 multiple-choice questions; must score 75% (75 correct) to pass; 3.5 hours; delivered by Pearson VUE for the DBPR.

Florida pre-license education (sales associate)

63 hours — the FREC Course I, which must be completed and passed before sitting for the state exam.

Florida post-license education

45 hours — must be completed before the FIRST license expiration, or the license becomes null and void.

Florida continuing education (CE)

14 hours every 2-year renewal after the post-license period, including 3 hours Core Law and 3 hours ethics/business practices.

Florida education ladder

63 hours pre-license → 45 hours post-license (first renewal) → 14 hours CE every two years.

3 of the 14 CE hours that update licensees on recent changes to Chapter 475, F.S., and FREC rules each renewal period.

Florida brokerage relationships (s. 475.278)

Only three: single agent, transaction broker, or no brokerage relationship. Florida prohibits dual agency.

Florida's PRESUMED relationship — limited representation without fiduciary loyalty. Owes honesty, accounting, skill, disclosure of known facts, and limited confidentiality.

Full fiduciary representation of one party. Owes the added duties of loyalty, confidentiality, obedience, and full disclosure.

No brokerage relationship

Licensee represents neither party; owes only honesty, fair dealing, disclosure of known material facts, and accounting.

Presumed Florida relationship

Transaction broker — under s. 475.278, F.S., a licensee is presumed a transaction broker unless a single agent or no-brokerage relationship is established in writing.

Single agent extra duties

Loyalty, Confidentiality, Obedience, and Full disclosure — the four duties a single agent owes that a transaction broker does not.

Dual agency in Florida

Prohibited — both disclosed and nondisclosed. A key Florida difference from many other states.

The written disclosure a single agent must give the customer before or at the time of entering into a listing or showing property.

Transaction broker notice

No longer required (repealed effective July 1, 2008) because transaction brokerage is the presumed relationship.

Deposit: sales associate to broker

A sales associate must deliver an earnest-money deposit to the broker by the END OF THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY (Rule 61J2-14.009). The associate may never hold it personally.

'Immediately' for broker escrow

No later than the END OF THE 3RD BUSINESS DAY after the broker receives the funds (Rule 61J2-14.008). Weekends and legal holidays are excluded.

A broker's reasonable uncertainty over who is entitled to escrowed funds, triggering notice to FREC within 15 business days and a settlement procedure within 30.

Notify FREC of escrow dispute

Within 15 business days of the broker's good-faith doubt or the last demand.

Institute escrow settlement procedure

Within 30 business days of the last demand or good-faith doubt.

Four Florida escrow settlement procedures

(1) Escrow Disbursement Order (EDO) from FREC, (2) arbitration, (3) mediation (with consent), (4) litigation/interpleader.

Escrow Disbursement Order (EDO)

A FREC order directing release of a disputed deposit; generally available only when the funds are held on a residential sale.

Improperly mixing a client's trust funds with the broker's own or business funds — a Florida license-law violation.

Conversion of trust funds

Using a client's trust funds for the broker's own purposes — more serious than commingling; triggers automatic license suspension if paid from the Recovery Fund.

Real Estate Recovery Fund

Reimburses consumers for unpaid judgments from a licensee's wrongful act. Pays up to $50,000 per transaction and $150,000 per licensee.

Recovery Fund — per transaction cap

$50,000 in the aggregate for all claims arising out of the same transaction (s. 475.484, F.S.).

Recovery Fund — per licensee cap

$150,000 in the aggregate against any one broker or sales associate (s. 475.484, F.S.).

Effect of a Recovery Fund payment

The licensee's license is automatically suspended until the licensee fully reimburses the Fund plus interest.

Maximum FREC administrative fine

Up to $5,000 per violation, in addition to suspension or revocation (s. 475.25, F.S.).

Administrative Complaint

The formal charging document the DBPR files against a licensee after FREC finds probable cause of a violation.

A FREC panel that reviews investigations and decides whether probable cause exists to file an Administrative Complaint.

Performing real estate services for another for compensation without a license — a violation even for a single isolated act (s. 475.41, F.S.).

How a Florida sales associate is paid

Only by the broker (or owner-developer) they are registered under — never directly from a buyer or seller (s. 475.42, F.S.).

A Florida sales associate may be registered under and supervised by only ONE licensed broker (or owner-developer) at a time.

Brokerage office sign

A registered office must display an entrance sign with the broker's name, the trade name, and 'licensed real estate broker' (or 'lic. real estate broker').

Active vs. inactive license

An inactive (voluntarily inactive) license is valid but the holder may not perform real estate services for compensation until activated under a broker.

Involuntary inactive status

A license not renewed at expiration becomes involuntarily inactive for up to 2 years; after that it is null and void (s. 475.182, F.S.).

Florida exam administrator

Pearson VUE delivers the Florida real estate licensure exam on behalf of the DBPR.

Florida Fair Housing Act

Chapter 760, F.S. — mirrors the federal protected classes; complaints filed with the Florida Commission on Human Relations or HUD.

Question mix on the Florida exam

Roughly 45 questions on real estate principles/practices, ~45 on Florida and federal license law, and ~10 on real estate math.

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Florida Real Estate Flashcards

DBPR: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — the umbrella state agency that issues and regulates real estate licenses through its Division of Real Estate.
FREC: Florida Real Estate Commission — 7 gubernatorial appointees within the DBPR that write and enforce real estate license law under Chapter 475, F.S.
FREC membership: 7 members: 4 licensed brokers, 1 broker or sales associate, and 2 consumer members who have never held a real estate license. Appointed by the Governor.
Chapter 475, F.S.: The Florida Statutes chapter governing real estate brokers, sales associates, schools, and appraisers — the source of Florida license law.
Chapter 61J2, F.A.C.: The Florida Administrative Code rules adopted by FREC that implement Chapter 475 (escrow timelines, office signs, advertising, conduct).
Florida exam format: 100 multiple-choice questions; must score 75% (75 correct) to pass; 3.5 hours; delivered by Pearson VUE for the DBPR.
Florida pre-license education (sales associate): 63 hours — the FREC Course I, which must be completed and passed before sitting for the state exam.
Florida post-license education: 45 hours — must be completed before the FIRST license expiration, or the license becomes null and void.
Florida continuing education (CE): 14 hours every 2-year renewal after the post-license period, including 3 hours Core Law and 3 hours ethics/business practices.
Florida education ladder: 63 hours pre-license → 45 hours post-license (first renewal) → 14 hours CE every two years.
Core Law (CE): 3 of the 14 CE hours that update licensees on recent changes to Chapter 475, F.S., and FREC rules each renewal period.
Florida brokerage relationships (s. 475.278): Only three: single agent, transaction broker, or no brokerage relationship. Florida prohibits dual agency.
Transaction broker: Florida's PRESUMED relationship — limited representation without fiduciary loyalty. Owes honesty, accounting, skill, disclosure of known facts, and limited confidentiality.
Single agent: Full fiduciary representation of one party. Owes the added duties of loyalty, confidentiality, obedience, and full disclosure.
No brokerage relationship: Licensee represents neither party; owes only honesty, fair dealing, disclosure of known material facts, and accounting.
Presumed Florida relationship: Transaction broker — under s. 475.278, F.S., a licensee is presumed a transaction broker unless a single agent or no-brokerage relationship is established in writing.
Single agent extra duties: Loyalty, Confidentiality, Obedience, and Full disclosure — the four duties a single agent owes that a transaction broker does not.
Dual agency in Florida: Prohibited — both disclosed and nondisclosed. A key Florida difference from many other states.
Single agent notice: The written disclosure a single agent must give the customer before or at the time of entering into a listing or showing property.
Transaction broker notice: No longer required (repealed effective July 1, 2008) because transaction brokerage is the presumed relationship.
Deposit: sales associate to broker: A sales associate must deliver an earnest-money deposit to the broker by the END OF THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY (Rule 61J2-14.009). The associate may never hold it personally.
'Immediately' for broker escrow: No later than the END OF THE 3RD BUSINESS DAY after the broker receives the funds (Rule 61J2-14.008). Weekends and legal holidays are excluded.
Good-faith doubt: A broker's reasonable uncertainty over who is entitled to escrowed funds, triggering notice to FREC within 15 business days and a settlement procedure within 30.
Notify FREC of escrow dispute: Within 15 business days of the broker's good-faith doubt or the last demand.
Institute escrow settlement procedure: Within 30 business days of the last demand or good-faith doubt.
Four Florida escrow settlement procedures: (1) Escrow Disbursement Order (EDO) from FREC, (2) arbitration, (3) mediation (with consent), (4) litigation/interpleader.
Escrow Disbursement Order (EDO): A FREC order directing release of a disputed deposit; generally available only when the funds are held on a residential sale.
Commingling: Improperly mixing a client's trust funds with the broker's own or business funds — a Florida license-law violation.
Conversion of trust funds: Using a client's trust funds for the broker's own purposes — more serious than commingling; triggers automatic license suspension if paid from the Recovery Fund.
Real Estate Recovery Fund: Reimburses consumers for unpaid judgments from a licensee's wrongful act. Pays up to $50,000 per transaction and $150,000 per licensee.
Recovery Fund — per transaction cap: $50,000 in the aggregate for all claims arising out of the same transaction (s. 475.484, F.S.).
Recovery Fund — per licensee cap: $150,000 in the aggregate against any one broker or sales associate (s. 475.484, F.S.).
Effect of a Recovery Fund payment: The licensee's license is automatically suspended until the licensee fully reimburses the Fund plus interest.
Maximum FREC administrative fine: Up to $5,000 per violation, in addition to suspension or revocation (s. 475.25, F.S.).
Administrative Complaint: The formal charging document the DBPR files against a licensee after FREC finds probable cause of a violation.
Probable cause panel: A FREC panel that reviews investigations and decides whether probable cause exists to file an Administrative Complaint.
Unlicensed activity: Performing real estate services for another for compensation without a license — a violation even for a single isolated act (s. 475.41, F.S.).
How a Florida sales associate is paid: Only by the broker (or owner-developer) they are registered under — never directly from a buyer or seller (s. 475.42, F.S.).
One broker rule: A Florida sales associate may be registered under and supervised by only ONE licensed broker (or owner-developer) at a time.
Brokerage office sign: A registered office must display an entrance sign with the broker's name, the trade name, and 'licensed real estate broker' (or 'lic. real estate broker').
Active vs. inactive license: An inactive (voluntarily inactive) license is valid but the holder may not perform real estate services for compensation until activated under a broker.
Involuntary inactive status: A license not renewed at expiration becomes involuntarily inactive for up to 2 years; after that it is null and void (s. 475.182, F.S.).
Florida exam administrator: Pearson VUE delivers the Florida real estate licensure exam on behalf of the DBPR.
Florida Fair Housing Act: Chapter 760, F.S. — mirrors the federal protected classes; complaints filed with the Florida Commission on Human Relations or HUD.
Question mix on the Florida exam: Roughly 45 questions on real estate principles/practices, ~45 on Florida and federal license law, and ~10 on real estate math.
Real property: Land plus everything permanently attached to it (improvements and fixtures) and the bundle of legal rights of ownership.
Personal property (chattel): Movable items not permanently affixed to land. A fixture is personal property that becomes real property when permanently attached.
Bundle of rights: The rights of ownership: possession, use (enjoyment), exclusion, disposition (transfer), and control.
Fee simple absolute: The most complete ownership — absolute, of unlimited duration, freely transferable by deed or will.
Life estate: A freehold estate that lasts for the lifetime of a named person; it cannot be willed because it ends at death.
Leasehold estate: A tenant's right to possess and use property for a term without owning it (e.g., estate for years, periodic tenancy).
MARIA fixture tests: Method of attachment, Adaptability, Relationship of the parties, Intention, Agreement — the tests for whether an item is a fixture.
Trade fixtures: Items attached by a business tenant; they remain personal property and may be removed before the lease ends.
Easement: A nonpossessory right to use another's land for a specific purpose, such as a driveway or utility line.
Easement appurtenant vs. in gross: Appurtenant benefits an adjacent parcel and runs with the land; in gross benefits a person or company (e.g., a utility), not a parcel.
Encumbrance: Any claim, lien, charge, or right that limits an owner's title — liens, easements, encroachments, deed restrictions.
Encroachment: An unauthorized intrusion of an improvement (fence, building, driveway) onto a neighbor's land; usually found by survey.
PETE (government powers): Police power, Eminent domain, Taxation, Escheat — the four limits on private property. Only eminent domain pays the owner.
Police power: Government's authority to regulate land for public health, safety, and welfare — the basis for zoning and building codes, with no payment.
Eminent domain: Government's power to take private property for public use through condemnation, paying just compensation.
Escheat: Property reverts to the state when an owner dies with no will and no legal heirs.
Zoning & variance: Local police-power regulation dividing land into use districts; a variance permits a hardship deviation from the rules.
Metes and bounds: A legal description using distances (metes) and compass directions (bounds) traced back to a point of beginning.
Rectangular (government) survey: Describes land by principal meridians and base lines forming 6-mile-square townships of 36 sections. Florida uses the Tallahassee meridian.
Section: One square mile of land — 640 acres — and one thirty-sixth of a township.
Acre: A unit of land area equal to 43,560 square feet.
Lot-and-block: A legal description that refers to a lot and block on a recorded subdivision plat.
Deed restriction (CC&Rs): Private limits on land use, often stricter than zoning; enforced by other owners or an association.
Severalty: Sole ownership of property by one person or entity.
Tenancy in common: Co-ownership of undivided, willable shares with NO right of survivorship; a share passes by will or intestate succession.
Joint tenancy: Co-ownership with the right of survivorship; requires the four unities of time, title, interest, and possession.
Four unities (joint tenancy): Time, Title, Interest, Possession — all four are required to create a joint tenancy.
Right of survivorship: A deceased co-owner's share passes automatically to the surviving co-owners, not to heirs.
Tenancy by the entirety: A Florida survivorship form of co-ownership reserved for married couples, with creditor-protection features.
Florida homestead: Constitutional protection of a primary residence from forced sale by most creditors, plus property-tax and devise limits.
Deed: The written instrument that conveys title to real property from the grantor (seller) to the grantee (buyer).
General warranty deed: Gives the most protection; the grantor warrants clear title against all defects, even those arising before the grantor owned the property.
Special (limited) warranty deed: The grantor warrants title only against defects arising during the grantor's own period of ownership.
Quitclaim deed: Conveys only whatever interest the grantor has, with no warranties; often used to clear a cloud on title.
Delivery and acceptance: Title passes only when the grantor delivers the deed and the grantee accepts it; the grantee never signs the deed.
Recording: Entering a deed in the public record; gives constructive notice to the world and sets lien priority.
Constructive notice: Notice the law presumes everyone has because a document is recorded in the public record or possession is visible.
Florida 'notice' recording state: A later good-faith purchaser without notice of a prior unrecorded interest is generally protected over the unrecorded interest.
Title insurance: A policy protecting the insured against loss from title defects that existed before the policy date, such as liens or recording errors.
Owner's vs. lender's title policy: An owner's policy protects the buyer's equity; a lender's policy protects the mortgage lender and is usually required for a loan.
Chain of title: The recorded history of ownership of a parcel, established by a title search of the public record.
Cloud on title: A claim or encumbrance that may impair title; often removed with a quitclaim deed or a quiet-title action.
Market value: The most probable price a property should bring in a competitive, open market under fair-sale conditions; an opinion of value.
Market value vs. market price: Market value is an opinion of the most probable price; market price is the actual price a property sold for.
Highest and best use: The legally permissible, physically possible, financially feasible, and most profitable use of a site — the basis of value.
Principle of substitution: A buyer pays no more than the cost of an equally desirable substitute property.
Progression / regression: A modest home gains value near larger ones (progression); a fine home loses value near lesser ones (regression).
Sales comparison approach: Compares the subject to recently sold similar properties, adjusting for differences. Best for homes.
Cost approach: Land value + cost to rebuild the improvements new − depreciation. Best for new or special-use property.
Income (capitalization) approach: Value = net operating income ÷ capitalization rate. Best for income-producing property.
Net operating income (NOI): Effective gross income minus operating expenses, before any mortgage payment.
Capitalization rate: Rate of return on an income property: NOI ÷ value. A higher cap rate implies more risk and a lower value.
Reconciliation: Weighing the three value indications (not averaging) into one final opinion of value.
Depreciation (appraisal): A loss in value from physical deterioration, functional obsolescence, or external (economic) obsolescence.
Appraisal: An impartial, supported opinion of value by a licensed appraiser as of a specific date, following USPAP.
Comparative market analysis (CMA): A licensee's estimate of value from recent comparable sales to help price a listing — not a formal appraisal.
USPAP: Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice — the professional standards an appraiser must follow.
Plottage / assemblage: Combining adjacent parcels (assemblage) to create added value (plottage) greater than the sum of the parts.
Contract: A legally enforceable agreement between competent parties to do or refrain from doing a lawful act.
Essential elements of a valid contract: Mutual agreement (offer and acceptance), consideration, legal purpose, and competent parties — plus writing for real estate.
Statute of frauds: Requires contracts for the sale of real estate (and most leases over a year) to be in writing to be enforceable.
Void vs. voidable: Void = missing an essential element (no contract); voidable = a party may rescind (e.g., a minor's contract).
FAR/BAR contract: The FloridaRealtors/FloridaBar Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase — the standard Florida purchase agreement.
Earnest money: A buyer's good-faith deposit; held in a Florida trust account and usually applied to the price at closing.
Contingency: A condition that must be met for a contract to become binding, such as financing, inspection, or appraisal.
Specific performance: A court remedy compelling a defaulting party to carry out the contract because real estate is unique.
Liquidated damages: A pre-agreed amount (often the deposit) the seller keeps if the buyer defaults, in lieu of suing for actual damages.
Counteroffer: A response that rejects the original offer and creates a new one the other party may accept or reject.
Agency: A fiduciary relationship in which an agent represents a principal in dealings with third parties.
Single agent fiduciary duties (FL): Loyalty, confidentiality, obedience, and full disclosure — plus the duties every licensee owes.
Listing agreement: A contract employing a broker to find a buyer for the owner's property in exchange for compensation.
Exclusive right-to-sell listing: The listing broker earns the commission no matter who finds the buyer.
Open listing: Only the broker who actually finds the buyer earns the commission; the owner may also sell it personally.
Procuring cause: The agent whose actions set in motion an unbroken chain of events leading to the sale, earning the commission.
Ready, willing, and able buyer: A buyer prepared to purchase on the seller's terms; producing one generally earns the broker the commission.
Fair Housing Act (1968): Federal law banning housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability.
Seven federal protected classes: Race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability.
Florida Fair Housing Act: Chapter 760, F.S. — mirrors the federal classes; complaints go to the Florida Commission on Human Relations or HUD.
Steering: Illegally guiding buyers toward or away from neighborhoods based on a protected class.
Blockbusting: Inducing owners to sell by claiming members of a protected class are moving in, to profit from turnover — illegal.
Redlining: A lender's illegal refusal to lend or insure in certain areas based on the racial or ethnic makeup of the neighborhood.
Reasonable accommodation: A rule change (e.g., allowing a service animal) a housing provider must permit for a person with a disability.
Reasonable modification: A physical change to a unit (e.g., a ramp) a tenant with a disability may make, generally at their own expense.
Familial status: Protects households with children under 18 and pregnant persons from housing discrimination.
Trust (escrow) account: Where a Florida broker must keep client funds, separate from operating money. Commingling is a violation.
Negotiable commission: Commission rates are always negotiable; competing brokers may not agree to fix them (an antitrust violation).
Gross lease: The landlord pays the property expenses (taxes, insurance, maintenance); the tenant pays a flat rent.
Net lease: The tenant pays some or all property expenses on top of base rent.
Percentage lease: Retail rent tied to a percentage of the tenant's sales, often with a base minimum.
Lessor vs. lessee: Lessor = landlord (grants the lease); lessee = tenant (receives the right to use).
Property management agreement: A contract employing a manager to operate an owner's property — leasing, rent collection, maintenance, and accounting.
Material fact: A fact that would affect a reasonable buyer's decision to buy or the price they would pay; it must be disclosed.
Johnson v. Davis (1985): Florida case: a residential seller and licensee must disclose all known facts that materially affect value and are not readily observable.
Latent defect: A hidden physical defect not discoverable by ordinary inspection; a known latent defect must be disclosed.
Caveat emptor (limited): 'Let the buyer beware' — now limited in Florida by Johnson v. Davis and statutory disclosure duties.
Florida radon gas disclosure: Section 404.056(5), F.S. — a statutory radon warning must be given to a buyer or tenant in every sale or rental contract.
Radon: An odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas from soil; the second-leading cause of lung cancer.
Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) disclosure: Required when residential property is partly or fully seaward of the CCCL, given before the contract is signed.
HOA disclosure summary: Section 720.401, F.S. — a buyer of a parcel in a mandatory homeowners' association must receive a summary stating membership is mandatory and assessments may be levied.
Lead-based paint disclosure: Federal: pre-1978 housing requires disclosure of known lead paint, the EPA pamphlet, and a 10-day inspection window for sales.
Title X (1992): The federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act — source of the lead-paint disclosure rule.
Asbestos: Hazardous fibers in old insulation/flooring; controlled by removal or encapsulation.
Underground storage tank: Can leak and contaminate soil and groundwater, creating cleanup liability.
Stigmatized property: Property psychologically impacted by an event (e.g., a death); disclosure rules vary and differ from physical defects.
Property condition disclosure statement: A seller's form listing known defects; commonly used to satisfy the Johnson v. Davis disclosure duty.
Mortgage: A loan secured by real property; the borrower (mortgagor) pledges the property as collateral to the lender (mortgagee).
Promissory note: The borrower's written promise to repay a debt — the evidence of the debt that the mortgage secures.
Hypothecation: Pledging property as security for a debt without giving up possession — what a mortgage does.
Acceleration clause: Lets the lender demand the full balance on default.
Due-on-sale (alienation) clause: Requires the loan to be paid in full when the property is sold.
Defeasance clause: Releases the lien when the debt is fully paid.
Amortization: Repaying a loan through regular payments of interest and principal so the balance reaches zero by the end of the term.
Loan-to-value ratio (LTV): Loan amount ÷ property value or price; a higher LTV means a smaller down payment and more lender risk.
Private mortgage insurance (PMI): Insurance a conventional borrower usually pays when the LTV is over 80% (down payment under 20%).
Conventional loan: A loan not backed by the government; PMI is usually required when the down payment is under 20%.
FHA loan: A loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration; low down payments, with mortgage insurance premiums.
VA loan: A loan guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for eligible veterans; often no down payment (up to 100% LTV).
Discount points: Prepaid interest paid at closing to lower the loan's rate; one point equals 1% of the loan amount.
RESPA: Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act — requires loan-cost disclosures (Loan Estimate, Closing Disclosure) and prohibits kickbacks.
TILA: Truth in Lending Act — requires lenders to disclose the cost of credit, including the APR (Regulation Z).
Loan Estimate: Due within 3 business days of application; discloses estimated loan terms and closing costs.
Closing Disclosure: Must reach the borrower at least 3 business days before closing; shows final loan terms and costs.
Foreclosure: The legal process by which a lender forces the sale of property to recover an unpaid debt. Florida is a judicial-foreclosure state.
Documentary stamp tax on a deed: $0.70 per $100 of consideration (Miami-Dade $0.60 + surtax); customarily paid by the seller (s. 201.02, F.S.).
Documentary stamp tax on a note: $0.35 per $100 of the loan obligation; customarily paid by the buyer/borrower (s. 201.08, F.S.).
Florida intangible tax: 2 mills — $0.002 per $1 ($0.20 per $100) — on a new mortgage; paid by the buyer/borrower (s. 199.133, F.S.).
Who pays Florida transfer taxes: Seller pays the deed doc stamps; buyer pays the note doc stamps and the intangible tax on the mortgage.
Acre conversion: 1 acre = 43,560 square feet; convert square feet to acres by dividing by 43,560.
Section acreage: 1 section = 1 square mile = 640 acres.
Area of a rectangle: Length × width. A 150 ft × 290 ft lot = 43,500 square feet ≈ 1 acre.
Commission formula: Commission = sale price × commission rate. A $300,000 sale at 6% = $18,000.
Price for a target net: Net ÷ (1 − commission rate). A $282,000 net at 6% = $282,000 ÷ 0.94 = $300,000.
LTV calculation: Loan ÷ value. An 80% LTV on a $300,000 home is a $240,000 loan and a $60,000 down payment.
Income-approach value: Value = NOI ÷ cap rate. $90,000 NOI at a 9% cap rate = $1,000,000.
Mill: $0.001 of tax per dollar of assessed value, so 18 mills = 0.018 = 1.8%.
Annual property tax: Assessed value × tax rate (or mills × 0.001). A $320,000 assessment at 18 mills = $5,760.
Proration: Dividing prepaid or accrued expenses (taxes, rent, interest) between buyer and seller by days of ownership.
Florida taxes paid in arrears: Florida property taxes are paid in arrears, so accrued taxes are a seller DEBIT and a buyer CREDIT at closing.
Deed doc-stamp calculation: (Price ÷ 100, rounded up to the next $100) × $0.70. A $350,000 deed = 3,500 × $0.70 = $2,450.
Note doc-stamp calculation: (Loan ÷ 100, rounded up) × $0.35. A $200,000 note = 2,000 × $0.35 = $700.
Intangible-tax calculation: Loan × 0.002. A $200,000 mortgage = $200,000 × 0.002 = $400.
Percent of profit/loss: Divide the gain or loss by the ORIGINAL cost (not the sale price).
360-day year (banker's year): Many proration problems use a 360-day year (a 30-day month) unless told to use actual days.
FHA & VA loans on LTV: Government-backed FHA and VA loans allow much higher LTVs than conventional; VA can reach 100% for eligible veterans.
Mortgagor vs. mortgagee: Mortgagor = the borrower who pledges the property; mortgagee = the lender who receives the lien.
Owner-developer: An entity that may register sales associates and pay them directly under Florida law, like a broker for its own projects.
Brokerage entity registration: A Florida brokerage must register its trade name and broker with the DBPR; the office must display the required entrance sign.
Mutual recognition: Florida agreements with certain states letting their licensees obtain a Florida license by passing only the Florida-law portion.
Group license: Allows a sales associate of an owner-developer to work at multiple developments owned by the same entity under one registration.
Effective vs. current license: A current license is properly renewed; an effective (active) license also permits performing real estate services for compensation.
Bundle vs. stick analogy: Ownership is a 'bundle of sticks' — an owner can lease or sell one right (a stick) while keeping the rest.
Severance vs. annexation: Severance turns real property into personal (e.g., cutting a tree); annexation turns personal into real (attaching a fixture).
Lis pendens: A recorded notice that litigation is pending that may affect title to a property.
Mortgage lien priority: Generally 'first in time, first in right' by recording date, except property-tax liens, which take priority.
Effective gross income (EGI): Potential gross income minus vacancy and collection losses, plus other income — the basis for NOI in the income approach.

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By Career EmployerUpdated Sep 12, 2026

200+ free Florida Real Estate flashcards — 4 ways to study

Florida Real Estate Flashcard of the DayNew daily

The classic card. Do you know this one?

Click Study Flashcards above to open the flashcard hub — 200 Florida real estate cards you can flip, match, type, or quiz yourself on. Every card is drawn from the Florida sales associate exam content — the Florida-specific license law plus the national principles tested on the same exam.^[1] Pair them with our free practice test and study guide.

Florida Real Estate Flashcard Study Modes

Four modes work the same 200 cards. Flip lets you read a front, think, then check the back. Match is a timed race pairing terms with definitions. Type shows a definition and asks you to spell the term back, so a card like Lis pendens has to come from memory. Quiz turns the same cards into multiple choice questions with distractors drawn from nearby terms.

Free Florida real estate exam flashcards from Career Employer — active recall for the FREC sales associate exam

Why Flashcards Work for the Florida Real Estate Exam

Florida License Law & Practice is the largest block at 50 cards, and it carries the vocabulary that is specific to this state rather than to real estate generally. You get the agencies and their roles through DBPR and FREC membership, escrow handling language such as Commingling, and licensing structures like Group license and Owner-developer, plus the continuing education requirement behind Core Law (CE).

Property, Legal Descriptions & Use holds 25 cards covering rights, limits, and land measurement, with terms such as Escheat, Police power, and the difference an exam question can hinge on between Easement and Encroachment. Financing & Settlement adds 21 cards on loans and closing rules, drilling RESPA and TILA alongside concepts like Amortization and Hypothecation that get tested as definitions rather than calculations.

Ownership, Transfer & Recording of Title runs 20 cards on how title moves and how it is clouded or cleared, including Quitclaim deed, Lis pendens, and Chain of title. Real Estate Math is also 20 cards, but these are formula prompts more than vocabulary: Mill, Proration, Section acreage, and LTV calculation each give you the rule you need before you ever touch a number.

Property Value & Appraisal covers 17 cards on how value is estimated and defended, from USPAP and Cost approach to Highest and best use and Plottage / assemblage. Contracts & Agency matches it with 17 cards on the paperwork and the relationships behind it, including Procuring cause, Contingency, and the FAR/BAR contract.

Real Estate Practice gives you 16 cards on fair housing violations and leasing, where Blockbusting, Steering, and Percentage lease sit close enough together to confuse. Disclosures & Environmental Issues closes the deck with 14 cards tying hazards to duties, including Latent defect, Title X (1992), and the case behind Johnson v. Davis (1985).

The Florida exam rewards instant recall of FREC license law, the brokerage relationships, the escrow timelines, the transfer taxes, and math formulas.^[1] Spaced flashcards are the most efficient way to make that knowledge automatic. Used alongside our practice test and study guide, they turn review time into measurable progress.

Florida Real Estate Flashcards by Content Area

The cards are organized by the Florida exam’s nine content areas. Drill the largest one first — Florida license law and practice — then the heavily weighted contracts and agency:^[1]

Florida real estate flashcards by content area
Content area	What the cards cover
Florida License Law & Practice	DBPR/FREC, education hours, brokerage relationships, escrow rules, transfer taxes, discipline, Recovery Fund
Property, Legal Descriptions & Use	Estates, fixtures, easements, government powers, legal descriptions
Ownership, Transfer & Recording	Co-ownership, homestead, deeds, recording, title insurance
Property Value & Appraisal	Value principles, the three approaches, CMA vs. appraisal
Contracts & Agency	Contract law, FAR/BAR forms, listings, fiduciary duties
Real Estate Practice	Fair housing (federal & Florida), trust funds, leases and management
Disclosures & Environmental	Johnson v. Davis, radon, CCCL, HOA, lead paint, asbestos
Financing & Settlement	Notes, mortgages, loan types, RESPA, TILA, closing
Real Estate Math	Commission, LTV, mills, proration, area, Florida doc stamps & intangible tax

How to Get the Most Out of These Flashcards

Start with license law. Florida License Law & Practice is 50 cards, a quarter of the deck, and its terms are the ones you cannot reason out from general real estate knowledge.
Type-drill the confusable pairs. Run Commingling and Single agent in Type mode until the exact wording comes back, since near-miss recall is what costs points on agency and escrow questions.
Use Match for term families. The fair housing and lease vocabulary in Real Estate Practice, like Redlining next to Blockbusting, sorts fastest when you are pairing several related terms against the clock.
Move to the practice test once recall holds. When Quiz stops surprising you on Financing & Settlement and Ownership, Transfer & Recording of Title, switch to full-length questions and use the study guide for gaps.
Keep a steady rotation. Work two domains per sitting, revisit the 20 Real Estate Math cards often since formulas fade fastest, and run a whole-deck Quiz pass before any timed practice.

Florida Real Estate Flashcards FAQ

Two hundred free Florida real estate exam flashcards, organized across all nine content areas — Florida license law and practice plus property and land use, ownership and title, value and appraisal, contracts and agency, real estate practice, disclosures, financing, and real estate math. They're free with no account required.

References

1.Florida Legislature. “Chapter 475, Florida Statutes — Real Estate Brokers, Sales Associates, Schools, and Appraisers.” flsenate.gov. ↑
2.Florida Legislature. “Section 475.278, F.S. — Authorized brokerage relationships.” flsenate.gov. ↑
3.U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “Fair Housing Act Overview.” HUD. ↑

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