In Alachua County, deeds are recorded by the Clerk of the Court at 201 East University Avenue in Gainesville, and residential evictions are filed in Alachua County Court in the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Homestead and portability go to the Alachua County Property Appraiser on North Main Street by March 1. We meet Gainesville clients by phone or video.
Gainesville is a university city first, and its real estate market shows it. The University of Florida and Santa Fe College draw tens of thousands of students, and a City of Gainesville housing study found that about 36 percent of rental units in the city exclusively serve or cater to students. The city's downtown plan reports that private student housing has added more than 10,300 beds since 2010. For landlords and investors that means per bedroom leases, parent guarantors and an August move in rush. For buyers and sellers it means competition near campus and more traditional markets in Alachua, High Springs and the rural west of the county.
Communities we serve in Alachua County
- Gainesville, including the neighborhoods around the UF campus and Santa Fe College
- Alachua
- High Springs
- Newberry, Archer, Hawthorne and the unincorporated county
Recording deeds with the Alachua County Clerk
The Alachua County Clerk of the Court serves as County Recorder for every instrument recorded in the Official Records. Its recording office is at 201 East University Avenue in Gainesville, and documents can be recorded in person, by mail or electronically. One rule surprises people: the Clerk cannot accept a printed copy of an electronically signed document delivered in person or by mail. An electronically signed deed has to come through electronic recording. The Clerk's Ancient Records collection reaches back to deeds from 1848, which can help when an old chain of title has gaps.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Recording, first page | $10.00 |
| Recording, each additional page | $8.50 |
| Each name indexed beyond four | $1.00 |
| Documentary stamp tax on a deed | 70 cents per $100 of consideration |
The page fees come from section 28.24 of the Florida Statutes, and documentary stamp tax on deeds is imposed by section 201.02.
Two free fraud alerts in Alachua County
Alachua County owners have two separate tools, and using both costs nothing:
- The Clerk's Recording Notification Service emails you when a document is recorded under a name you register, with up to 10 name variations per email address. It covers Alachua County Official Records only.
- The Property Appraiser's Title Alert watches a specific parcel by its Prop ID and tells you when ownership changes, by phone, text, email or mail. Anyone can sign up for a parcel, so an adult child can watch a parent's house.
Neither office can reverse a fraudulent deed. That takes a court order, usually through a quiet title action, which our real estate litigation page explains.
Homestead and portability with the Alachua County Property Appraiser
The Alachua County Property Appraiser's main office is at 515 North Main Street, Suite 200, in Gainesville, with a second office at the Swick House in the City of Alachua. The homestead application is due by March 1 under section 196.011, and you must own and occupy the home as your permanent residence on January 1. Portability under section 193.155(8) can move much of the Save Our Homes difference from a prior Florida homestead, up to $500,000, if you held the exemption on any of the three prior January 1 dates, and it needs its own form with the application. A home bought for a student to live in is generally not the parent's homestead. Our Florida homestead exemption guide explains why.
Student rentals and the Gainesville rental housing rules
On September 17, 2020, the Gainesville City Commission adopted a Rental Housing Ordinance establishing annual permits, inspections and minimum energy efficiency, life safety and property maintenance standards for residential rental units in the city. Since then, section 83.425 of the Florida Statutes has preempted local regulation of residential tenancies to the state, covering matters such as tenant screening, security deposits, lease terms and notices. How the city's program operates today should be confirmed with the City of Gainesville before you buy or lease out a unit. Properties outside the city limits are not covered by the city ordinance at all.
For student leases, the lease itself carries most of the weight: who is jointly liable, what a parent's guaranty covers, how a departing roommate is replaced and how the deposit is divided. Our landlord and tenant law page covers the chapter 83 rules on deposits and repairs.
Evictions in Alachua County Court
Residential evictions are filed with the Clerk and heard in Alachua County Court, part of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, which also includes Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union counties. The Clerk publishes a landlord tenant packet and offers self help forms that can be filed through the statewide electronic filing portal. The steps are:
- Notice. Three days for unpaid rent, excluding weekends and legal holidays (section 83.56(3)), or seven days for a lease violation.
- Complaint. Filed in county court with the notice and lease. Section 34.041 sets the removal of tenant filing fee at $180.
- Summons and response. The eviction summons gives the tenant five days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, to respond.
- Writ of possession. After judgment, the Clerk issues the writ and the sheriff serves it.
Our Florida eviction page explains each step for landlords and tenants.
Closings, title and commercial property
We review contracts, title commitments and surveys, and resolve the issues that hold up Alachua County closings, such as unreleased mortgages, liens and property inherited without probate. Our real estate closings page explains our role, and our Alachua County probate page covers opening an estate when a seller has died. For commercial clients we negotiate office, medical and retail leases under part I of chapter 83 through our commercial real estate practice. Long term owners can see our Gainesville estate planning page.
How we work with Alachua County clients
Alachua County clients meet with an attorney by phone or video, or in person at any of our Florida offices. Real estate matters for areas without an office are handled remotely, with signings before a local notary. Your first consultation is free, and because the firm limits its caseload, you work directly with an attorney. See our real estate law overview or contact us about your Gainesville property.
More help in Alachua County
We also help Alachua County clients with:
