Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions most families ever make. You research neighborhoods, compare prices, walk through multiple houses, and ask a lot of questions before signing anything. You take it seriously because the stakes are high.
Choosing a financial advisor deserves the same level of care. That person will be guiding the money you've spent your entire career building, which for most families rivals the value of their home. Yet many people spend more time researching a new car than vetting the person who will be guiding their financial future.
If you're a family in Oakland, Winter Garden, or anywhere across Orange County, this article will outline what to look for in a financial advisor through the lens of a process you are more familiar with: buying a home.
Start with the Homework, Not the Headlines
When you buy a house, you don't drive past one you like and make an offer. You check comparable sales, research the neighborhood, and dig into the property's history before you get serious. Finding a financial advisor works the same way.
Before your first conversation with an advisor, start with FINRA BrokerCheck (brokercheck.finra.org). It's a free tool that shows an advisor's credentials, licensing history, and any regulatory actions or complaints on record. The SEC also maintains a searchable database at adviserinfo.sec.gov where you can verify registration and review disclosure documents.
Beyond credentials, think about what you are looking for in a financial advisor. A family in their 30s juggling a mortgage, college savings, and retirement contributions has different needs than someone approaching retirement or a retiree focused on making their money last. The right advisor for each of those situations can look very different and knowing what you're looking for before you start can help you save time and make a more informed decision.
Fit Matters More Than You Think
In real estate, its about location, location, location. In financial planning, it should be fit, fit, fit. The highest-rated advisor in Orlando might be completely wrong for a family in Winter Garden with three kids, a growing mortgage, and competing financial goals. Credentials matter, but they don't answer whether they are the best fit for your unique needs.
Fit includes things that don't show up on a resume. Does this advisor work with people in your life stage? Do they communicate in a way that makes you feel informed rather than talked at? Do they seem genuinely interested in your goals, or does the conversation feel transactional? These questions are key considerations in finding the right advisor for you.
Should You Work with a Local Financial Advisor?
Remote advising relationships work for some people, but a local advisor brings context that's hard to replicate. An advisor based in Orange County understands the Central Florida housing market, the planning opportunities that come with Florida's lack of a state income tax, and the real cost of living in communities like Windermere, Ocoee, or Winter Garden.
Don't Skip the Inspection
A home inspection is a key step in the buying process and skipping it can be a costly mistake. Problems invisible on a walkthrough can become expensive surprises after closing. The same applies to choosing a financial advisor, and many people skip this step.
One of the most important questions to ask is whether and when your advisor is held to a fiduciary standard. An investment fiduciary is legally required to act in your best interest in advisory relationships. Advisors who are not investment advisor representatives operate under a suitability standard, meaning their recommendations must be appropriate for your situation, but not necessarily the best option available to you. Both types of advisors can do excellent work, but understanding which standard applies to your advisor helps you ask better questions and know what to expect from the relationship.
Ask any advisor you're considering directly: "What standard are you held to, and how does that affect the advice you give me?" A good advisor will welcome that question and answer it clearly. How they respond tells you a lot about how they'll treat you as a client.
Know What You're Actually Paying For
First-time homebuyers are routinely caught off guard by closing costs. They planned for the down payment but not the fees at the table. Advisory fees can work the same way if you don't ask upfront.
Fee-only advisors charge a flat fee, hourly rate, or a percentage of assets under management, typically around 1% annually, and earn no commissions. Commission-based advisors earn money through the products they sell, which isn't automatically a problem but is worth understanding. Fee-based advisors use a combination of both. Ask any advisor you're considering one straightforward question: "How do you get paid, and what will I pay in a typical year?" A good advisor answers that directly and without hesitation.
Tour More Than One House
Very few buyers fall in love with the first house they see and stop looking. Viewing multiple homes is how you figure out what factors matter most in your purchase. The same logic applies here. Having initial conversations with two or three advisors before deciding is not just acceptable, it's a smart way to find the right fit. Most advisors offer a complimentary initial meeting, so the only cost is your time.
What Questions Help You Find the Right Fit?
The goal of these conversations isn't just to gather information. It's to figure out whether this person is genuinely right for your family. A few questions that help reveal that:
- What types of clients do you typically work with, and what life stage are they in?
- How often will we meet, and how do you communicate between meetings?
- How do you handle client conversations during market downturns?
- Can you walk me through how you'd approach someone in my situation?
Pay close attention to how an advisor responds, not just what they say. Do they welcome your questions? Do they explain things in plain language? Do they ask as many questions about your goals as you ask about their background? An advisor who does more listening than talking in a first meeting is usually a good sign.
You're Buying Into More Than a Person
When you buy a house, you're buying into a neighborhood, a school system, and a community. Two houses at the same price in different areas can offer completely different lives. Choosing a financial advisor has a similar dimension. You're buying into a firm's philosophy, their team's approach, and the overall client experience they provide.
Some firms are large and institutional. Others are smaller and more personal. Some advisors are proactive communicators. Others work on a scheduled basis. Neither is wrong, but one will be a better fit for how you want to work. A retiree who wants regular check-ins during volatile markets has different needs than a busy professional in their 40s who wants a solid plan and minimal friction.
Your Starter Home vs. Your Forever Home
A lot of families buy a starter home knowing they'll outgrow it. The advisor who helped you open your first retirement account and buy your first home may not be the right person to guide you through peak earning years, college funding, and a retirement that could last 30 years. Life stages bring genuinely different needs, and it's worth asking periodically whether your current advisor still matches where you are.
Finding the Right Fit
Finding the right financial advisor takes some research, a few conversations, and some reflection before making a final decision. The families who take this process seriously, the ones who ask good questions and choose someone they genuinely trust, tend to feel more confident about their financial future.
At LaPorte Financial, we work with families across Oakland, Winter Garden, Windermere, Ocoee, and throughout Orange County. Mike LaPorte built the firm around a straightforward idea: Central Florida families deserve an advisor who knows their community, understands their goals, and gives them guidance they can actually use. Whether you're building wealth, navigating your peak earning years, or preserving what you've built in retirement, we'd love to have that first conversation.
Ready to find out if we're the right fit? Reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a financial advisor? Look for someone whose experience matches your life stage and financial situation. Beyond credentials, pay attention to how they communicate, whether they ask good questions about your goals, and whether the overall client experience fits how you want to work. Fee transparency, a clear explanation of the standard they're held to, and a willingness to welcome your questions are all strong indicators you're talking to the right person.
What questions should I ask a financial advisor? A few worth bringing to your initial conversation: How are you compensated, and what will I pay in a typical year? What types of clients do you typically work with? How do you communicate between meetings? How do you handle client conversations during a market downturn? The answers matter, but so does how openly and clearly they respond.
When should I consider switching financial advisors? When your life changes significantly and your plan hasn't changed with it, that's worth paying attention to. Other signals include feeling uninformed between meetings, not understanding the reasoning behind recommendations, or sensing your advisor isn't familiar enough with your specific situation. Outgrowing an advisor is a normal part of financial life, not a failure on either side.