What Is the Cost of Selling a House in Florida?

Keyser’s advice for home sellers stepping into a slower Flordia market is to be realistic about your selling price.

“The biggest mistake I’ve seen sellers make in a declining market is to overprice their homes,” he explains. “If you are looking to sell, you need to get ahead of the market instead of going above the market and trying to catch it. So if somebody sold [a similar] house last month for $500,000, look at getting a little bit below that price, realistically, depending on what you’ve got.”

Pricing slightly below the market value can make your property attractive to more potential buyers. An experienced agent familiar with your Florida city market will know how to find those home-seller opportunities. Next, let’s review some typical expense numbers so you know what to expect when selling a home in Florida.

Start with a home value estimate

Getting a home value estimate is a helpful first step in estimating the cost of selling a house in Florida. With property values and housing markets shifting in recent years, even if you’re not selling right away, now is a good time to check your home’s value. You may be surprised to learn what it’s worth today.

You can get a free value estimate using HomeLight’s free Home Value Estimator. This automated valuation model (AVM) tool will use recent sales transactions, local market trends, and your property’s last selling price to provide a preliminary value range in under two minutes. To get started, simply enter your address and answer a few questions about your Florida home.

What is the cost of selling a house in Florida?

The cost to sell a house in Florida ranges from 8%  to 12% of its selling price. This estimate is based on current market data but can vary widely depending on your home’s location, condition, and local service costs.

Using the statewide median home price of $415,000, your total seller costs with agent commissions might fall between $33,200 and $49,800 based on the averages for each of the common expenses we’ll review below.

Flordia selling cost examples by home price

Your final out-of-pocket costs will depend on your specific situation and a number of variable factors, decisions, and personal preferences. Let’s look at what you need to consider when determining the cost of selling a house in Florida.

What are common expenses for home sellers in Florida?

In this section, we’ll share a list of expected (and possibly some unexpected) expenses that Florida home sellers should be prepared to cover. It starts with the cost of preparing your home to attract buyers.

A combination of factors, including the home’s size, age, and maintenance, play a role in the cost of preparing it for sale. The price estimates in our list can be a guide to assist you as you make plans to sell your Florida home.

1. Preparing your Florida house for sale

Based on averages, preparing your Florida home for sale can cost between $6,300 and $12,450, or 1.5% and 3% of a typical median home’s final sale price.

• While newer homes typically need less repairs, the cost to fix up older houses can average between $4,500 and $5,400, including but not limited to:
  • Exterior replacement improvements
  • Flooring repairs or replacement
  • Insulation upgrades
  • Kitchen and bath remodels
  • Outside attachments
  • Outside property and disaster repairs
• Staging your home for buyers and photos: $837–$2,924
• Professional cleaning services: $118-$236, depending on home size
• Paint for interior areas: $967–$3,075
• Paint for a home’s exterior: $1,819–$4,551
• Landscaping and yard work: $1,249–$6,071
• Pre-listing home inspection: $300 and $425. (if desired or needed)

“I’ve had several conversations with clients asking, ‘Should I do XYZ to the house?’ and in most cases — depending on what it is — I’m saying ‘Yes’ because you have to look at the return on investment,” Keyser advises. “For example, curb deal. ‘Should I clean up the front yard and put some new shrubs up there and some fresh mulch?’ The answer is ‘Absolutely yes.’ If it’s not going to be a big expense, and it’s going to help 100% with curb appeal.”

Before jumping into any major renovation projects or repairs, consult with your real estate agent. An experienced Florida agent will know what needs to be fixed and what repairs might be unnecessary.

2. Realtor fees in Florida

Real estate agent commissions are among the largest selling costs in a home sale transaction. In Florida, Realtor fees historically have averaged between 5% and 6%. However, these averages are changing due to the landmark settlement terms of a recent National Association of Realtors (NAR) lawsuit, which took effect in mid-August 2024. Buyers are now expected to pay their own agent’s commission (2.5%-3%), which traditionally was paid by the home seller.

Limited data exists to provide reliable post-settlement commission averages for the state. In addition, some sellers are still offering to pay the buyer’s agent fees to sweeten the home sale deal. So, our examples below will provide estimates for both the traditional commission model and the new post-settlement commission model.

Some Florida homeowners may be considering a low-commission or discount agent, but Keyser, who sells homes nearly 60% quicker than average agents in his market, says now is not the time to take chances on discount services.

“Right now, homebuyers have been very particular about houses. This is the most inventory we’ve had in the last couple of years, so this is the most selection they’ve had on homes,” he explains. “You need to have a good price on your house, but it also needs to look good.”

A top-rated, experienced local agent will know how to strategically price your home and what needs to be done to achieve a swift and profitable sale. Homelight data shows that the top 5% of agents across the country sell homes for as much as 10% more than average agents — and nearly twice as fast.

To illustrate, let’s look again at our example median-price Florida home that an average agent might sell for $415,000. If you use a top agent with a high sale-to-list ratio, you could sell the same house for as much as $41,500 more (10%), and net $14,110 in additional profit even if you paid the combined 6% agent commissions.

In this scenario, a 10% higher selling price can easily offset the cost of a top agent’s commission. In addition, your entire home-seller journey will likely be easier with a proven Florida real estate professional guiding you every step of the way.

Find a Florida Agent 100% Worth Their Commission

HomeLight can connect you with a top-performing, trusted agent in your Florida market. We analyze over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to determine which agent is best for you based on your needs.

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3. Seller concessions

In addition to the direct costs of preparing your Florida house to sell and agent commissions, indirect costs often surface during the transaction. These indirect expenses can include seller concessions and seller-assisted buyer incentives.

A seller concession or credit is when a home seller agrees to use a portion of their sale proceeds to cover some or all of a buyer’s final closing costs. The negotiated amount of these costs will depend on what is happening in your Florida market and selling situation.

Keyser says high interest rates and increased home prices have shifted Florida’s housing market, forcing sellers to consider making more concessions. “In [Sarasota], as far as I can guess, single-family sale prices are down about 10% year over year, and for condos, it’s 15%. So for home sellers right now, it really is about sharpening your pencil — and understanding that it’s a softening market.”

Although sellers are not required to make concessions, you may want to increase the chances of your home standing out in an ocean of listings. Concessions and credits are bargaining chips during negotiations with a potential buyer. Here’s a quick look at some common seller concessions and homebuyer incentives you may need to consider:

• Property inspection fees: Sellers may offer to pay for the home inspection, which can range from $296–$424 or more, depending on the size of your home.
• Home warranty: This is a common incentive to offer buyers more peace of mind. This concession can range from $450–$600.
• Repair credit: The amount of a repair credit can vary, but it may be one of the best concessions you can offer to ease buyer concerns about things they’d like to see fixed.
• Property taxes: In some cases, sellers might offer a credit to cover some or all of the buyer’s upcoming property taxes.
• Mortgage buydown: This concession is when a seller offers to pay mortgage points on the buyer’s home loan to help lower the buyer’s interest rate. (It is especially helpful in the current market.)
• Appliance upgrades: The seller may offer a concession that helps the buyer upgrade older or outdated kitchen appliances.
• Decorating allowance: This less common concession allows the seller to give the buyers a decorating allowance for updates or renovations.
• Moving expenses: The seller may offer a concession to assist the buyer with moving expenses.

Closing costs and additional fees

Closing costs are fees associated with a home purchase that buyers and sellers pay at the close of the transaction. Not including agent fees, the average seller closing costs in Florida are around 2.3% of a home’s purchase price.

Using our $415,000 median-price Florida home, your seller closing costs and additional fees would total $9,545. However, your final closing costs can fall into a wider range because of variable high-dollar factors such as your mortgage payoff amount and prorated property taxes.

Keyser says there are several closing costs to be aware of in Florida, starting with some that many sellers do not expect.

“There is a transfer tax that’s 0.7% of the purchase price. So, for example, if you sell a $500,000 house, you’ll pay a transfer tax of $3,500,” he explains. “Another thing that might be unique is that taxes are paid in arrears here, which I think for a lot of states is just the opposite. You get a discount if you pay them early.”

Sellers can also expect to pay recording fees and — in some counties — title insurance. “In Sarasota County, the majority of the time, the buyer pays for title insurance,” Keyser says. “But in Hillsborough County, which is a couple of counties north, it’s just the opposite. It’s the seller who pays.”

Here’s a look at some typical closing costs when selling a house in Florida:

• Escrow fees: If the buyer places money into an escrow account, the seller may need to split the fee for maintaining the account.
• Title-related fees: As Keyser noted above, who pays for title insurance in a home sale varies by county. The paying party can often be negotiated within the contract. Buyers and sellers may agree to split the cost of title insurance, or the seller may offer to pay for it as a gesture of goodwill. There is also a fee for conducting the title search.
• Attorney fees (optional): Florida does not require an attorney to close your home sale. However, some sellers still want legal advice or document review. Real estate attorneys in Florida typically charge between $150 and $400 per hour, but rates can be higher in some markets.
• HOA fees and property taxes: Sellers are usually responsible for homeowners association (HOA) fees and property taxes up until the day of closing.
• Seller concessions: As noted earlier, if the seller has agreed to offer any financial credits or concessions, such as covering needed repairs or part of the buyer’s closing costs, these expenses will be deducted from the seller’s proceeds on closing day. We’ve included concessions in this bullet list because they typically appear in transaction documents as a closing cost.
• Recording fees: Most sellers pay recording fees for the new deed or deed of trust if it’s a financed sale. The deed must usually be filed with the Register of Deeds through the county courthouse, and will likely cost less than $100.
• Transfer tax: As Keyser explained, Florida sellers pay a transfer tax of $0.70 per $100 of the total value of the property. For a median-priced $415,000 home, the transfer tax would amount to $2,905. An exception to the statewide transfer or stamp tax fee is Miami-Dade County, which levies a lower rate of $0.60 per $100 for single-family homes.

At-a-glance home-selling cost example

This at-glance analysis is based on the median home price of $415,000 in Florida. These figures are rough estimates that may be helpful when planning your home sale.

*Based on Florida’s median home price of $415,000 with minimal seller concessions.

When planning your sale costs, remember to account for your mortgage payoff, which averages $240,113 in Florida, or about 58% of a $415,000 home.

In the example above, if you successfully sold your home for $415,000 and paid off the average statewide mortgage balance, you could potentially make a profit of $135,462. That’s a decent profit, and it can be even larger if you have more equity in your home and fewer remaining mortgage payments before selling. If you remove the mortgage payoff from the equation, the cost of selling a house in Florida using these estimates would be 9.5% of its sold price.

Keyser reminds his clients that the cost of selling a house in Florida will vary on a case-by-case basis due to market trends and buyer demands in the property location. He recommends sellers work with a seasoned local agent to make their house as attractive as possible and reach a wide buyer pool.

How can I reduce the cost of selling a house in Florida?

There are several ways to reduce the cost to sell a house in Florida. Some strategies are more effective than others. Keyser highly recommends spending the time and money to prepare and beautify the inside and outside of your home to help increase the purchase price.

“Make sure your house looks and shows the best it possibly can because today’s buyers are very discerning,” he explains. “If they walk into the house and it’s not clean. Well, you might have just missed a sale there. So really pay attention to the details — now more than ever. It’s about getting the most amount of money for the house and getting a home sale.”

Some of the things that you can do to reduce your seller costs include:

• Make DIY repairs where possible
• Negotiate a lower listing fee commission with your agent
• Don’t offer seller concessions or buyer incentives
• If you agree to pay closing costs or offer a repair credit, raise your list price
• Avoid the urge to over-improve or make unnecessary repairs
• Sell your home off-market
• Time your home sale using HomeLight’s Best Time to Sell Calculator
• Use a top-performing agent with a high sale-to-list ratio

Partner with a top Florida agent

To get a better grasp on the cost of selling a house in Florida, start with a home value estimate. Then plan to maximize your profits by partnering with a top local agent who can help you achieve a successful sale from listing to close.

Keyser offers Florida home sellers these parting insights:

Homes in flood zones: “I recommend home sellers — if their property is in a higher-risk floodplain — to get an elevation certificate because if you are above the mean floodplain (six and a half feet), we can advertise that to buyers. We can say, ‘Hey, look, you’re able to get cheaper flood insurance,’ which is a big concern with people right now.”

Florida roof issues: “For homeowners insurance, the roof is a big ticket item. If your roof is over 10 years old, it’s going to be a higher premium. You might consider replacing the roof, especially if it’s a shingle roof. Either way, I recommend looking into whether you have a third nail in the roof — how close the spacing of the nails are — and/or hurricane clips. Having hurricane clips and a third nail is going to save you (and the buyer) a lot of money. It’s very inexpensive to put that stuff in.”

Florida Save Our Homes provision: “When you become a Florida homeowner, if it’s your primary residence, you want to ‘homestead’ the property, which does two things for you. First, the [homestead exemption] takes $50,000 off the taxable value of your property. Second, if you have it homesteaded, you’ll also be able to take advantage of what’s called the Save Our Homes (SOH) benefit.” This Florida assessment limitation allows you to transfer some or all of your original SOH tax benefits from one property to another when you move within the state.”

Interested in expertise like this? HomeLight can connect you with a top real estate agent in your Florida market. Search our data-backed list of top agents in your community.

If you’re timing your home sale to balance buying and selling at the same time, check out HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program. This innovative program uses your existing equity to provide a streamlined, simplified, and more certain process to make your best move. Watch this short video to learn more.

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