Selling a Home in Florida: Expert Tips to Get the Best Deal

What do I need to disclose when selling a home in Florida?

When selling a home in Florida, a specific seller’s property disclosure form is not legally required for residential home sales. However, Florida law does require sellers to disclose any known material facts that affect the property’s value and are not readily observable to the buyer.

Some things you may need to disclose in Florida include:

• Physical condition: Unseen defects in the property’s structural condition, such as ceilings, walls, doors, windows, foundation, or leaks in the pool or hot tub. Details about a roof’s condition and age are especially watched in Florida.
• Water damage: Any history of water intrusion, drainage issues, erosion risks, flooding, or known potential flooding.
• Pest infestations: Past or current damage caused by termites or other wood-destroying organisms, including fungi.
• Hazardous materials: Presence of lead-based paint, asbestos, or other hazardous materials in the home or on the property.
• Electrical and plumbing systems: Any known issues with electrical wiring or plumbing, and whether you have had a problem with the quality, supply, or flow of potable water.
• Appliance functionality: Whether appliances are working properly and whether any of the appliances, including solar panels, are leased.
• HOA information: If the property is part of a homeowners association, disclose the rules and fees.

Being upfront about major issues helps avoid legal trouble down the road and builds trust with buyers. This results in a faster, smoother transaction and less risk of liability.

What documents do I need when selling a home in Florida?

When selling your Florida home, several important documents will be required to complete the process. These typically include:

• Original sales agreement (contract)
• Your home’s official deed
• A seller’s disclosure statement, if applicable to your situation
• Appraisal from when you purchased the home
• Statement showing your mortgage payoff amount
• Your homeowners insurance and tax records
• Homeowners Association (HOA) docs, if applicable
• Any relevant major home repair or maintenance records
• Receipts for significant capital improvements
• House manuals and warranties

Your listing agent or title company can help you gather and organize these documents to ensure everything is in order before your closing date.

A Top Florida Agent Can Help Reduce Your Costs

Partner with a top Florida agent who can help you navigate your selling journey and reduce the final amount you’ll pay at closing. We analyze over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to determine which agent is best for you based on your needs.

Step 1: Talk to an Expert

How should I prepare my Florida home for sale?

In the real estate world, you hear a lot of talk about curb appeal — that first impression you need to make when a potential buyer pulls up to your home for a showing. Those first few minutes can literally make or break a deal, so preparing your house for sale is a must. Here is a brief overview of preparations to make on your Florida home:

1. You can start with simple exterior upgrades, such as fresh landscaping, a fresh coat of paint on the front door, or updated light fixtures.
2. Inside, you should declutter and deep clean each room. Then, neutralize your space by removing personal items and any bold decor. This will allow potential buyers to envision themselves living in the house.
3. Make any necessary repairs, such as fixing leaky faucets, patching up holes in walls, or replacing broken tiles.
4. If your budget allows, consider minor renovations like updating outdated kitchens or bathrooms.

Shaver cautions that many Florida home sellers go too far with upgrades. “Sellers often believe that remodeling the whole house is wise before you sell, but that’s a myth. For example, kitchen remodels and bathroom remodels can be bad investments for ROI.”

For the best return on your investment, Shaver recommends you consult with a top agent before starting any repairs or upgrades.

“Professional photography is also huge,” he adds. “There are still a lot of agents who like to take photos with their iPhones. They’ll take them in portrait [vertical orientation] instead of landscape [horizontal orientation], and that hurts the listing. Buyers want bright photos, and they want to see spacious rooms.”

To learn more, see our post: 11 Things to Do Before Listing Your Home.

What if my Florida home needs repairs I can’t afford?

If your home requires more repairs than you can afford, here are some options to consider:

• Sell your home as-is with an agent: Listing your home as-is means you’re telling potential buyers you won’t be making any repairs. This route will likely mean you’ll receive low-ball offers, which may come from cash buyers or investors. While you’ll skip a lot of preparation time and expense, be prepared to sell at a lower price compared to a repaired, move-in-ready home.
• Sell to a cash home buyer: If you need a quick, convenient sale and don’t want to deal with the listing process, you can sell to a house-buying company. These groups often specialize in purchasing homes that need work and can close a sale fast, sometimes in as little as a week or two. However, cash offers like these are lower than offers from traditional homebuyers.

Expert tips for selling a home in Florida

When it comes to selling your home in Florida, following a few expert tips can help you get the best deal. Here are a few top tips from real estate professionals:

• Price it right from the start: Overpricing can cause your home to sit on the market, leading to price cuts and fewer proceeds. A top agent can provide a comparative market analysis (CMA) to set a market-appropriate price that reflects current local selling conditions.
• Stage your home to add appeal: Staging helps buyers envision themselves in the house. Even simple changes like rearranging furniture, adding bright flowers, or painting can make a huge impact.
• Market your home effectively: Your agent should have a strong marketing plan for your Florida home. This should include high-quality photos, virtual tours, and targeted social media exposure. Highlight buyer-coveted features that make your home stand out, like a fenced backyard or proximity to highly rated schools, shopping, or local attractions.
• Be flexible with your showing times: Buyers may want to see your home at different times, including evenings or weekends. The more flexible you can be with showings, the more buyers you can attract, which can lead to more offers and a faster sale.

Of all these selling tips, Shaver reemphasizes his earlier advice about not overpricing — and what can happen to your listing if you do.

“Sellers believe that people are going to come with cash after selling a similar home [in another state]. For example, a $400,000 home in Florida might cost you $800,000 in California. So, Florida sellers sometimes believe that if these buyers come to Florida with $800,000, that they will spend $800,000 for that house — that they won’t look at any other homes and realize that it’s only $400,000 here.”

This results in overpriced homes that sit unsold on the market, which can cause buyers and their agents to label a property.

“When a home has been on the market a long time, buyers then start to believe that nobody wants the home,” Shaver explains. “They [reason that] nobody else wants it at this price, so I’ll offer a lower price. Maybe they’ll take it. So mispricing is costing sellers money.”

How to buy a house before you sell in Florida

Top agents like Shaver also have modern tools that can help homeowners buy before they sell, so you can sell your Florida house vacant, essentially opening up a 24-hour store.

HomeLight’s innovative Buy Before You Sell program unlocks your existing home equity to streamline the entire buy-sell process. You can make a non-contingent offer on your next house and only move once. See the short video below to learn more

Ready to sell your home in Florida?

Selling your Florida home doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding the market, pricing your home right, and preparing it properly for potential buyers, you can have a successful and profitable sale.

When you’re ready to take the next step, HomeLight is here to help. Our tools and services are all designed to make your real estate transaction simple, certain, and satisfying. For more tips, visit our Florida Seller Resource Center.

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