How to Track a New Construction Home's Progress Without Waiting on the Builder (Northeast Florida Agent Guide)
Short answer: In Northeast Florida you can track a new construction home's progress yourself by searching the county's public permit records. Look up the address on the county building permit site to see which permits have been pulled, which inspections have passed or failed, and where the home is in the process. Then update your buyer before they have to ask, "What's happening with my house?"
New construction transaction coordination is so much more than getting a contract to closing. It's knowing what to watch for along the way. Here's one of the ways our team stays proactive on new construction files, and exactly how you can do it too.
Why Track Permits Instead of Waiting for the Builder?
Builder updates can be slow, vague or sporadic. Meanwhile your buyer is driving by the lot every weekend wondering what's going on.
Public permit and inspection records tell you a lot:
Whether the county has approved the build in the first place
Which permits have been pulled (building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and so on)
Which inspections have happened, and whether they passed or failed
Where the home is in the process, so you can see big milestones like pre-slab, pre-drywall and final inspections coming
That's the difference between reacting to an anxious buyer and getting in front of them. That's customer service.
Step by Step: How to Track a New Construction Home in St. Johns County
This is the exact process I walk through in the video, using St. Johns County.
Step 1: Go to the county permit website
Start at St. Johns County's Online Permitting & Status page. It links to the county's public tools, including clearance sheet status and building permit status.
Step 2: Search the clearance sheet
Open the Clearance Sheet Search and search the property address.
Tip: less is more. Don't type "Street," "Drive" or "Road." The search is picky, and extra words often mean nothing pops up. Start with the house number and street name only.
The clearance sheet tells you whether the county has actually approved the build. In St. Johns County, building permit applications are generally accepted only after a clearance sheet is issued.
Step 3: Search the building permits
Next, open the Building Permit Search and enter the address again. Same tip: less is more.
This is the secret spot. Here you'll see which permits have been pulled and the inspection history. The county describes this tool as showing inspection history, holds, releases, certificate of occupancy status and permits issued.
Step 4: Read what the inspections are telling you
Look at the inspection results and dates. In the example in my video, the slab inspection with the county had failed twice. That's something your buyer deserves to know, and something you want to know before closing.
Step 5: Communicate before they ask
Once you know what's happening, send your buyer a clear update:
Where the home is in the process right now
Anything that failed or is on hold, and what it means
What's coming next and the expected timeline
Your recommendations. For example, in my video I let the buyer know we wanted to get a pre-slab inspection of our own.
Now you aren't waiting until the buyer calls asking for an update. You're getting in front of them. And once they close, here’s how to stay top of mind after closing.
Permit Lookup Sites in Duval, Clay and Nassau Counties
Building in another Northeast Florida county? Each county has its own system. Here's where to start (links current as of October 2026):
Duval County / City of Jacksonville: JaxEPICS. The City of Jacksonville says anyone can look up permits through JaxEPICS and track scheduled inspections by permit number, confirmation number or address. More info on the city's Building Inspection Division inspections page.
Clay County: the county's Building Permit Search page lets you search by address, permit number, contractor or parcel. There are separate searches for permits submitted after January 9, 2023 and archived permits completed before that date.
Nassau County: Nassau County's online permitting system runs on Accela Citizen Access, with a Building "Search Applications" option. The county's Building Department page has details and contact info.
Each county's system looks a little different from St. Johns, so the screens and search fields won't match the walkthrough exactly. The idea is the same: search the address, find the permits, and read the inspection history.
One more thing: if the home is inside the limits of a city with its own building department, the permits may be with the city rather than the county. If the address doesn't turn up on the county site, check with the city.
What to Watch for on a New Construction File
Here are the milestones we keep an eye on so we can update agents and buyers at the right time:
Clearance/approval: has the county approved the build?
Pre-slab: is the foundation stage coming up? This is often the time to line up an independent pre-slab inspection if your buyer wants one.
Pre-drywall: the last chance to see what's behind the walls before they're closed up.
Final inspections: a sign the home is approaching completion and closing.
Failed inspections or holds: these can affect the timeline, so your buyer should hear about them from you.
Talk with your buyer early about which of these stages they'd like their own inspector to see, so you aren't scrambling to schedule one when the county moves faster than expected.
Practical Takeaways
Bookmark the permit site for every county you work in.
Search with less. House number and street name, no "Drive" or "Road."
Check permits on a schedule (for example, weekly) on every active new construction file.
Turn what you find into a proactive buyer update. Where things are, what's next, and what you recommend.
Delegate it. This is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes work a good transaction coordinator should own.
FAQ
How can I check the progress of a new construction home in Florida?
Search the property address on the building permit website for the county (or city) where the home is being built. You'll see which permits have been issued and the inspection history, including passed and failed inspections. That tells you roughly where the home is in the build.
Where do I look up building permits in St. Johns County?
Use the St. Johns County Online Permitting & Status page at sjcfl.us. From there you can search clearance sheets (whether the build is approved) and building permits (permits issued and inspection history) by address.
What does a failed slab inspection mean for my buyer?
It means the county inspector didn't pass that stage yet, and the builder has to correct the issues and get reinspected, which can affect the timeline. Let your buyer know, explain what comes next, and discuss whether an independent inspection makes sense.
Can a transaction coordinator track new construction for me?
Yes. On our new construction files, our team monitors public permitting records and communicates milestone updates to the agent and buyer so nobody is left wondering what's happening.
Want a team that watches your new construction files this closely? This is just one small piece of what we do behind the scenes. Learn more about our transaction coordination or explore all of our services. Then reach out to us here. We'd love to help.
