Property Representation Tool

Map Effective Date

This is the effective date of the FEMA flood zone map. The Map Effective Date is an important piece of information to validate when researching property. You may encounter situations in which the lender is working with outdated maps and may not have the most current flood zone information. It is important to note that the flood zone information on this map is based on FEMA data. While the information is available through Pinellas County, FEMA is the authoritative source for determining flood zones.

Primary Flood Zone

This is determined by FEMA and indicates whether or not the property is in a flood zone. Primary Flood Zone designations that start with either an "A" or "V" require mandatory flood insurance. Primary Flood Zone designations that start with either a "D" or "X" do not require flood insurance, but a good risk management practice is to recommend flood insurance to buyers who are in flood zones D and X. The cost of the insurance is relatively inexpensive. In a statement made by FEMA representatives in early 2005 they indicated that in a storm situation, 40% of the flooding occurs in non-flood zones. Typically, homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding that is a result of a storm.

Flood Panel Id

The Flood Panel Id indicates the section of the FEMA map where the property is located. When contacting FEMA regarding a property, you must refer to this number.

Zone Designations

The Flood Zone designations are definitions created by FEMA based on the Flood Insurance Study. To access this information, click here.

Bedrooms

Public records do not track bedroom information. Please note that there is no universally accepted definition of a bedroom; the definition for a bedroom is determined by the governing municipality.

Bathrooms

Pinellas County uses a formula to calculate the number of bathrooms. The formula takes the number of drains/fixtures and divides that number by three to determine the number of bathrooms in the home. This formula is ineffective for high-end homes that may have more than three drains/fixtures per bathroom. Do not rely on public records for information about the number of bathrooms in a home.

Lot Frontage and Lot Depth

Lot frontage and lot depth are based on a formula used by the county. To confirm the lot shape and size, it is recommended that you review the Pinellas County General Map – Lot Dimensions Report. If the lot is neither square nor rectangular, it is suggested that you record "IRR" on the profile sheet in the Lot Size field and record the acreage date in the Acreage Information in the Residential Features section.

Cooling Type and Heat Type

This information indicates the type of heating and cooling system or systems that are in the home. Improvements or upgrades to the heating and cooling system may require permits from the governing municipality. The property card would reflect these permits however; this information may not be recorded on the Realist Property Details Report or the Pinellas County Appraiser Report. The information in Realist report should be consistent with the information in the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report and visual inspection of the property.

Roof Material

This information indicates the type of roofing material used on the home. Improvements or upgrades to the roof may require permits from the governing municipality. The property card would reflect these permits however; this information may not be recorded on the Realist Property Details Report or the Pinellas County Appraiser Report. The information in Realist report should be consistent with the information in the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report and visual inspection of the property.

Exterior

This information indicates the type of materials used in the exterior of the home. Improvements or upgrades to the exterior may require permits from the governing municipality. The property card would reflect these permits however; this information may not be recorded on the Realist Property Details Report or the Pinellas County Appraiser Report. The information in Realist report should be consistent with the information in the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report and visual inspection of the property.

Year Built and Effective Year Built

If the public records reflect both a "Year Built" and an "Effective Year Built" it is an indication that a major change occurred to the property. The change could be the result of something adverse such as a fire or it could be the result of an extensive remodeling or expansion project.

# of Buildings

If there are multiple buildings on the property, it is important to note that the "TOTAL HEATED SQ FT" and "TOTAL SQ FT" fields will contain the sum total for all of the buildings. It should be noted in MLS Public Remarks Section how much of the total square footage and total heated square footage should be allocated to each building.

Step 1

Whether you are preparing the profile sheet for a listing or analyzing an agent full report for a potential buyer, always confirm the Total Heated Square Footage information on the Realist Property Details Report when the Source of Measurement is "T" for tax records. It is important to note that the Total Heated Square Footage information can be altered in the MLS and still have a Source of Measurement code of "T."

If the Source of Measurement is "A" for Appraisal or "B" for Builders, you should request documentation to support the Total Heated Square Footage number. A Source of Measurement code of "M" is used in situations where the Realtor® is calculating the Total Heated Square Footage. This business practice is considered extremely risky and carries a great deal of liability. Consult your broker before using measured Total Heated Square Footage in the MLS.

Step 2

Review the Features section of the Realist Property Details Report. This section contains a breakdown of the conponents of Total Square Footage.  As a footnote, typically 200 square feet equals a one car garage. You can use this standard to estimate the approximate size of the garage.

The Extra Features section includes any improvements that have been added to the property after original construction. Typically you will find pools, patios, screen enclosures, etc. in this section of the report.

Step 3

Compare the square footage information in the Sub Areas section of the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report to the Features: Building Description section of the Realist Property Details Report. The information should be the same. If the information is not the same, it could be the result of a timing difference. The square footage information on the Realist Property Details Report is updated on a quarterly basis; information on the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report is updated every few weeks. 

Step 4

Compare the Residential Extra Features section of the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report to the Features: Extra Features section of the Realist Property Details Report. The information should be the same. Inconsistent information could be the result of the timing difference between the Realist report and the Property Appraiser’s report. Always investigate differences by pulling a copy of the property card to review all of the permits (open and closed) that have be issued for the property.

Step 1

It is important to note that the taxes reported on the Realist Property Details Report are the Ad Valorem taxes and may not be the total taxes for the property. Total taxes could include special taxes as well as a CDD (Community Development District) fee. A good business practice is to review the Pinellas County Tax Collector Tax Bill to determine if there are any non-Ad Valorem taxes on the property.

Step 2

Review the Tax Information section of the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report to better understand the impact of the Save-Our-Homes cap and exemptions on the property. A good risk management practice is to either present a copy of this report to the buyer or advise them on how to find the report on the Pinellas County website. Many brokerage firms use a tax information disclosure, along with the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report, to help clients better under the potential tax liability on the property. This is the only public records report that addresses potential tax liability without the benefit of the Save-Our-Homes cap and exemptions.  It is important to note that the tax impact is based on the current owner’s taxable assessment.  When the property is sold the taxable assessment will change.

Step 3

Review the Exemptions section of the Pinellas County Property Appraiser Report to understand the exemptions that are currently in effect on the property. This is the only public records report that contains a breakdown of the types of exemptions on the property.

Municipality

The Pinellas County Parcel Report is the resource for validating the governing municipality for the property. There are approximately 26 governing municipalities in Pinellas County; each has their own zoning codes and ordinances. A good risk management practice is to validate the governing municipality and zoning information for property that you list or sell. In addition to validating this information; you should become familiar with zoning codes and ordinances in the communities where you list and sell property.

Zoning

If the property is governed by Pinellas County, the zoning code will be on the Parcel Report. Click here for the Summary of Zoning Ordinance Pinellas County Government.   It the property is not governed by Pinellas County, the name of the governing municipality will be identified on the Parcel Report and the zoning with be "N/A." For information about the zoning codes, ordinances and to obtain a copy of the property card, you will need to contact the local governing municipality. It is important to note that local municipality ordinances supersede county and state ordinances.