The Cost to Sell a Home in Florida: Commission, Doc Stamps, Title and Closing Costs

Every line on a Florida seller's closing statement: commission, documentary stamp tax on the deed, title charges by county, prorated taxes, association fees, and how to estimate your net.

By Tyson E. Sam, Founder and Broker of Record · September 18, 2026

Selling a home in Florida costs the seller the real estate commission they agree to, documentary stamp tax on the deed at $0.70 per $100 of the sale price (Miami-Dade County uses different rates), title and settlement charges that depend on the county and the contract, a prorated share of the year's property taxes, and whatever else the contract makes the seller's responsibility, such as association estoppel fees, lien releases, repairs or credits to the buyer. Your mortgage payoff comes out of the proceeds too, although that is repayment of a loan rather than a cost of selling.

There is no single percentage that fits every sale, because the total depends on the price, the county, the contract and what you negotiate. Below is each line you are likely to see on a Florida seller's closing statement, what drives it, and how to estimate your net proceeds before you list.

Real estate commission

Commission is negotiable and is agreed in writing in the listing agreement. No law sets it.

Since August 2024, offers of compensation to buyers' agents no longer appear in the MLS, and buyers working with an agent sign a written agreement with that agent before touring homes. Sellers can still agree to pay the buyer's agent or offer a concession toward the buyer's costs, and in many South Florida sales they do. Either way it is a term you negotiate, and it should be settled before your home goes live so your net estimate is accurate.

At BreakThru Realty the listing commission is agreed in writing before we list, there are no upfront fees, and photography and marketing are included.

Documentary stamp tax on the deed

Florida charges documentary stamp tax when a deed is recorded:

• Every county except Miami-Dade: $0.70 per $100 of the sale price, or portion of $100.
• Miami-Dade County: $0.60 per $100 when the property is a single-family residence, and $1.05 per $100 on other property.

For example, on a $500,000 sale outside Miami-Dade, the deed tax is $3,500. Florida contracts customarily assign this tax to the seller, but it is a contract term like any other.

Do not confuse it with the taxes on the buyer's new mortgage. Documentary stamp tax on the mortgage note and the intangible tax on the loan are normally the buyer's costs.

Title insurance and closing agent fees

Florida title insurance premiums are promulgated, meaning the rate is set by state rule rather than by each title company. What does vary is the settlement fee, the search charges and other ancillary fees, so compare the full fee sheet, not just the premium.

Who pays for the owner's title policy varies by county and is negotiable in the contract. The standard Florida contract forms let the parties choose. In Miami-Dade and Broward counties, the customary arrangement has the buyer pay for the owner's policy while the seller pays for updating the title evidence, the tax search and the municipal lien search. In Palm Beach County and much of the rest of the state, the seller has customarily paid for the owner's policy and chosen the closing agent. Read the box that is checked in your contract rather than assuming.

The municipal lien search is worth understanding early. It reveals open permits, code violations and unpaid city charges on the property, and anything unresolved can delay the closing or turn into a credit to the buyer.

Property taxes, prorated

Florida property taxes are paid in arrears. The bill for the current calendar year is mailed in November, with a discount for early payment, and becomes delinquent on April 1 of the following year. At closing the seller usually credits the buyer for the taxes from January 1 to the closing date, based on the current year's bill if it is known or an estimate if it is not.

If you sell early in the year before paying the prior year's bill, that bill is paid out of your proceeds as well.

Mortgage payoff and liens

Your lender's payoff statement includes interest through the payoff date and any fees the loan carries. A home equity line of credit must be paid and closed. Any other recorded lien, such as a contractor's lien or a judgment, has to be released. A PACE assessment for solar, windows or roof work, which appears on the property tax bill, usually has to be paid off unless the buyer and the buyer's lender accept it.

Condominium and HOA charges

• Estoppel certificate. The association's written statement of what is owed on the unit. Florida law caps the fee, and the standard contract forms generally assign it to the seller.
• Special assessments. The contract sets who pays an assessment that has been levied but not fully collected. Read that paragraph closely if your association has voted repairs.
• Application and approval fees. These are usually the buyer's, but confirm it in the contract.

Repairs, credits and concessions

Florida's widely used "AS IS" residential contract lets the buyer inspect and cancel within the inspection period but does not oblige the seller to make repairs. The standard version sets repair limits the seller agrees to cover. In practice, many sellers negotiate a credit after inspection instead of doing the work. Having a recent wind mitigation report and, on an older home, a four-point inspection ready can shorten that conversation, because the buyer's insurance quote depends on them.

Costs that do not appear on the closing statement

• Preparation: cleaning, paint, landscaping, minor repairs and staging.
• Carrying costs while listed: mortgage, insurance, taxes, utilities and association fees.
• Moving.
• Tax on your gain. Florida has no state personal income tax, but federal capital gains tax may apply. If the home was your primary residence and you meet the ownership and use tests, you may exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly. Sellers who are foreign persons for tax purposes are generally subject to FIRPTA withholding at closing. Ask a tax professional before you sign a contract, not after.

How to estimate your net proceeds

Your net is roughly: sale price, minus commission and any buyer-agent compensation you agree to, minus deed stamps, minus the title and settlement charges your contract assigns you, minus payoffs and liens, minus the prorated taxes, minus association charges, minus any credits or repairs.

Every line except the sale price is fairly predictable once you know the county and the contract. The sale price is the number to get right. Start with a free home valuation, then look at what comparable homes actually closed for, such as the recently sold homes in Pompano Beach. The Pompano Beach housing market report and the Fort Lauderdale housing market report track sale-to-list and days on market daily, which tell you how close to the asking price homes are closing right now.

Each city hub, from Pompano Beach real estate to the other cities on the Broward County page, links a local sell page with live sold prices, for example selling a home in Fort Lauderdale.

Listing or a cash offer

If certainty matters more than the highest price, a guaranteed cash offer removes repairs, showings and financing risk. It usually trades some price for that speed, so compare the net proceeds of both options side by side before you choose.

When you are ready, visit our seller page to request a net proceeds estimate and a written selling plan from a BreakThru broker.