4 Point Inspection Before Selling a House in Florida: The Seller’s Guide to 4-Point, Wind Mitigation and Roof Reports

What is a 4-point inspection, and why does it matter when you sell a Florida house?

A 4-point inspection is an insurance-underwriting report that records the age, type and condition of a home’s roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems, signed by a Florida-licensed professional. It matters to a seller because the buyer’s insurance company uses it to decide whether to write a policy, and most buyers who finance a purchase cannot close without a policy in place.

The name comes from those four systems. The inspector does not test every outlet or open every wall. The report answers four underwriting questions: how old is each system, what is it made of, is it working as intended, and are there visible hazards. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state-created insurer of last resort in Florida, publishes a sample form (Insp4pt 03 25) that has become the reference format across the market. Citizens states that its sample form is not mandatory, but any other report submitted must include at least the same level of detail (Citizens sample 4-Point Inspection Form, accessed October 2026).

The form itself carries a sentence that every seller should read. It says the information is used only to determine insurability and is not a warranty or assurance of the suitability, fitness or longevity of any system inspected. In plain words, a 4-point inspection is not a home inspection. A home inspection, as the term is used in Florida, is a broader visual examination of a home’s structure and systems performed for the buyer by a home inspector licensed under Part XV of Chapter 468, Florida Statutes. Buyers usually order both: the full home inspection to decide whether they want the house, and the 4-point to get it insured.

Why the seller ends up carrying the 4-point result

The buyer orders and pays for the 4-point in most Florida transactions, yet the result lands on the seller. When the 4-point says a system is unsatisfactory, the buyer’s insurance agent cannot bind coverage, the lender cannot fund, and the next phone call goes to the listing agent with a request: repair it, credit for it, or the buyer cancels. Citizens’ instructions to agents are direct on this point: agents may not submit applications for properties with electrical, heating or plumbing systems not in good working order or with existing hazards or deficiencies (Citizens sample 4-Point Inspection Form, Insp4pt 03 25).

That is the core reason a seller should understand the report before the buyer does. The facts in the report belong to the house. They do not change because a different person ordered the inspection.

The three insurance documents and the one buyer document, side by side

Sellers often hear four document names used interchangeably. The table separates them by purpose, who asks for each one, who may sign it, and how long it stays usable.

Each row answers a different question for a different reader. A seller who knows which document a buyer is asking for can respond in hours instead of days.

Should you order a 4-point inspection before listing your house?

Order a 4-point inspection before listing when your home is more than 20 years old, when the roof is older than about 15 years, or when you are not sure what is in the electrical panel or the plumbing. For newer homes with documented recent systems, a current wind mitigation report alone often does more for the sale.

The belief to test: “The 4-point is the buyer’s problem”

Many sellers assume the 4-point belongs to the buyer because the buyer orders it and pays for it. The evidence says otherwise. Citizens ties eligibility to the condition of the systems, and its instructions say agents may not submit applications for homes with systems not in good working order or with existing hazards (Citizens Insp4pt 03 25). Under the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar “AS IS” Residential Contract, the buyer can cancel during the inspection period for any reason and recover the deposit; the default period is 15 days after the Effective Date when the blank in paragraph 12(a) is left empty (FR/BAR “AS IS” contract, form ASIS-7x, accessed October 2026). The FR/BAR “AS IS” Residential Contract is the standard Florida purchase contract in which the seller has no obligation to make repairs, while the buyer keeps a right to inspect and cancel within the inspection period.

Put the two together and the risk becomes clear. A failed 4-point found on day 9 of a 15-day inspection period gives the seller about six days to find a licensed contractor, pull a permit if one is needed, finish the work and get a new report, or else negotiate a credit under pressure. The same finding discovered before the listing goes live gives the seller weeks, competitive bids and the choice of fixing, pricing or disclosing.

A decision guide by situation

What a pre-listing report costs you, and what it does not

A pre-listing 4-point costs an inspection fee, which varies by inspector and house size; ask two or three Florida-licensed inspectors for a written quote. It does not cost you control. You decide what to repair, what to replace, and how to present the report. You also gain a dated record that answers the buyer’s insurance agent before the question is asked. The one real cost is knowledge: once you know about a defect, Florida disclosure law applies to it, which section 8 explains.

What does a 4-point inspector actually check, system by system?

A 4-point inspector checks the roof, electrical system, plumbing and HVAC for age, type, condition and visible hazards, and photographs each one. The Citizens sample form (Insp4pt 03 25) lists the minimum details and photos an insurer expects, so a seller can walk the house with the form in hand before the inspector arrives.

Photos the inspector must take

The Citizens form sets minimum photo requirements: each side of the dwelling; each slope of the roof; the water heater including the temperature and pressure relief valve; under-cabinet plumbing and drains; exposed valves; the main electrical panel with the interior door label; the electrical box with the panel cover off; and every hazard or deficiency noted. A temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve is the safety valve on a water heater that opens if temperature or pressure rises too high. The March 2025 update made a TPR valve photo mandatory (Citizens, March 20, 2025).

Electrical

The electrical section records each panel’s type (circuit breakers or fuses), total amperage, whether the amperage is sufficient for current use, panel age, the year last updated, and the brand and model. It asks about active knob-and-tube wiring and branch-circuit aluminum wiring. Branch-circuit aluminum wiring is single-strand aluminum used for the individual circuits that feed outlets and switches, found in some homes of the 1960s and 1970s; the form requires separate documentation of any remediation certified by a licensed electrician, and it lists two repair methods by name, COPALUM crimp connectors and AlumiConn connectors.

The hazards checklist names the issues that stop an application: double taps, blowing fuses, tripping breakers, exposed or loose wiring, unsafe wiring, empty sockets, improper breaker size, scorching, improper grounding, corrosion and over-fusing. Most of these are inexpensive for an electrician to correct when found early. Because the form records the panel’s brand and model, ask the buyer’s insurance agent early whether the carrier accepts that panel; each insurer sets its own acceptance rules.

Plumbing

The plumbing section asks for the age of the water heater and its location, whether a TPR valve is present, and whether there is any sign of an active or prior leak. It rates the dishwasher, refrigerator, washing machine, water heater, showers and tubs, toilets, sinks, sump pump, main shut-off valve and all other visible connections as satisfactory, unsatisfactory or not applicable. The 2025 supplemental section records the age of the supply piping and of the drain piping, and whether each is original, completely re-piped or partially re‑piped.

The pipe-type checklist includes copper, PVC/CPVC, galvanized, PEX, ABS, cast iron and polybutylene, with a separate yes/no for polybutylene. Polybutylene is a gray plastic supply pipe installed in many homes from the late 1970s into the 1990s that insurers treat as a leak risk. A Port St. Lucie or Palm Beach County house built in that window should have its supply lines identified before listing.

HVAC

The HVAC section asks whether central air and central heat are present, whether the systems are in good working order, the date of the last servicing, the age of the system and the year last updated, with a photo of the dated manufacturer’s plate. It asks whether a wood-burning stove or central gas fireplace is present and whether it was professionally installed, and whether a space heater is the primary heat source. It also asks whether the air handler, condensate line or drain pan shows signs of blockage or leakage, including water damage around it. In Florida’s humidity, a clogged condensate line is one of the most common “unsatisfactory” notes and one of the cheapest to fix.

Roof

The roof section records the covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, last permit date, whether the last update was a full or partial replacement, and overall condition, for the main roof and any secondary roof such as a flat porch section. It checks for cracking, cupping or curling, excessive granule loss, exposed asphalt or felt, missing, loose or cracked tabs or tiles, soft spots in the decking, and visible hail damage. It asks about visible leaks in the attic and on interior ceilings; the 2025 update requires the inspector to explain any “yes” answer. With photos of every slope, the roof section can take the place of a separate roof inspection form.

What “satisfactory” means on the form

Citizens defines acceptable condition as each system working as intended with no visible hazards or deficiencies. That is a narrower test than “like new.” A 22-year-old air conditioner that cools the house, drains properly and has a dated service record can be satisfactory. A two-year-old water heater without a TPR valve cannot.

How do the 4-point and wind mitigation reports fit the Florida AS IS contract timeline?

The reports fit best before the listing goes live, because once a buyer signs an AS IS contract, the buyer’s inspection period is the only window to resolve a failed 4-point, and the default period in paragraph 12(a) of the current FR/BAR AS IS form is 15 days after the Effective Date if the blank is left empty. Working backward from the listing date gives a seller room to inspect, repair, document and re‑inspect.

An insurance binder is the insurer’s written confirmation that coverage will start on the closing date; lenders require it before funding. The buyer’s insurance agent cannot issue a binder for an older home until the 4-point is acceptable. The sequence below is a planning order for sellers; actual days depend on contractor and inspector availability.

Watch the 12-month and 5-year clocks

A 4-point ordered too early can expire before closing. Citizens wants a report dated within 12 months before the new-business application (Citizens FAQ, May 20, 2026), so a pre-listing 4-point from September 2026 covers an application filed through September 2027. A wind mitigation report stays usable for up to five years if nothing material changes (Florida OIR), so a seller who replaces the roof or adds impact windows should order a new one after the work.

Hurricane season and binding

Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (Florida OIR). Citizens Property Insurance does not let agents bind new coverage or increases in coverage, regardless of effective date, while a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning is in effect for any part of Florida (Citizens, July 19, 2026), which can push a closing date. Private carriers set their own binding restrictions, so ask the buyer’s insurance agent how the carrier handles a storm watch. Having the 4-point and wind mitigation reports ready shortens the time the buyer’s agent needs to bind once binding resumes.

Can a strong wind mitigation report help your sale price or speed?

A strong wind mitigation report can make your home cheaper to insure, and the buyer’s monthly payment includes that insurance premium, so documented features such as a hip roof, secondary water resistance, roof-to-wall clips or wraps and full opening protection can widen the pool of buyers who qualify. No public source puts a fixed dollar value on any feature, so treat the report as proof, not as a price formula.

Buyers using a mortgage qualify on a monthly payment that typically includes principal, interest, property taxes and homeowners insurance. A comparative market analysis (CMA) is a listing agent’s comparison of a home with recently sold, pending and active nearby homes to set a list price; it compares houses, but it does not see the insurance quote each buyer will get. When two similar Port St. Lucie houses list at similar prices and one hands over a wind mitigation report showing strong features, the buyer’s insurance agent can quote it with the credits on day one.

Turn the report into a quote, not a claim

The most useful way to market wind mitigation is to let an insurance agent turn it into numbers. Before listing, ask an independent Florida insurance agent to run a sample quote using the report, and keep it with the date it was run. In the listing, describe the features factually, such as “hip roof; secondary water resistance documented on 2026 wind mitigation report; impact-rated windows and doors.” Leave premium promises out of the listing, because each buyer’s quote depends on their own carrier, coverage and deductible.

When replacing the roof before listing also improves the report

A roof replacement is the one project that can change several wind mitigation categories at once. Florida Statutes s. 553.844 (2026) requires certain hurricane mitigation techniques to be incorporated when a roof is replaced, including roof-decking attachment and a secondary water barrier, and, for site-built homes in the wind-borne debris region with an insured or just value of $300,000 or more, roof-to-wall connection improvements. The statute caps that last item: roof-to-wall connections are not required unless evaluation and installation at gable ends or all corners can be completed for 15 percent of the cost of the roof replacement (s. 553.844, Florida Statutes, 2025). Ask the local building department how these rules apply to your house before the roofing contract is signed. A wind-borne debris region is the area defined by the Florida Building Code, based on design wind speed and distance from the coast, where buildings must have protected openings.

The same statute adds a provision that matters to owners of newer roofs: if a roof was built, repaired or replaced in compliance with the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition, and 25 percent or more of it is being repaired or replaced, only the repaired portion has to meet the current code (s. 553.844, Florida Statutes, 2026). A seller with a storm-damaged section of a 2010s roof may be able to repair rather than replace the whole roof. After any roof work, order a new wind mitigation inspection, because the five-year validity assumes no material change to the structure.

Impact windows and shutters are the other big category. The series guide on whether impact windows increase home value in Florida covers that decision in detail.

Palm Beach County: what changes for sellers ordering pre-listing inspections?

In Palm Beach County the inspection rules are the same statewide rules, but the records are spread across many issuing offices: homes in unincorporated Palm Beach County are permitted by the county’s Planning, Zoning and Building Department, while homes inside cities such as West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington are permitted by each city’s own building department. The first step is confirming which office issued the roof permit.

Palm Beach County sellers fall into two groups for inspection purposes: condominium unit owners, whose building is insured by an association, and single-family owners, who carry the whole structure on their own policy. The documents differ for each.

Condominium sellers

Citizens states that its 4-point requirement does not apply to condominium risks (Citizens FAQ, May 20, 2026). A condo unit owner’s insurance (often called an HO-6 policy) covers the interior, while the association insures the building, so the roof and building-wide features that drive wind mitigation belong to the association. Condo sellers should ask the association for the building’s most recent wind mitigation report and insurance declarations. For condos subject to Florida’s milestone inspection and reserve study laws, the series guide on selling a condo after the milestone inspection covers the documents buyers and lenders review.

Single-family sellers in older coastal neighborhoods

For a single-family home in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Lake Worth Beach, West Palm Beach or any other Palm Beach County city, the 4-point questions about original plumbing and electrical panels follow the age of the house, so the year built on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser record is the first thing to check. A pre-listing 4-point lets an out-of-area seller, or a seller managing an estate, see the issues before buyers do. A seller planning a roof replacement before listing should also ask the building department whether the s. 553.844 reroof requirements described in section 9 apply, since the roof-to-wall provision turns on a $300,000 insured or just value.

Sellers in Palm Beach County can review city-specific guidance, such as the Boca Raton seller guide, and the overview of home seller representation across the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County.

This article is general information about Florida home sales, insurance inspections and disclosure, current as of October 2026. It is not legal, tax, insurance or financial advice. Insurance underwriting rules differ by carrier and change often; confirm requirements with a licensed Florida insurance agent, and consult a Florida real estate attorney about disclosure, contracts or liability for your specific property.

Frequently Asked Questions