The Complete Guide to Closing Costs for Florida Home Sellers

If you’re looking to sell your home in Florida it makes sense that you also want to get an idea of the amount you’re going to walk away with or your “net profit”. So, you’re probably already for budgeting for items such as, commissions (if you’re selling your house with a realtor), taxes, and other closing costs. At times it can feel like you’re counting every penny. Then closing day arrives and you’re shocked at what you see. That number has drastically been reduced. What happened? Where did all your money go? Surely the title company has made a mistake?!

In this guide I’m going to break down every major cost Florida sellers face, give real-life examples from our own Central Florida deals, and even include a calculator to help you estimate your bottom line for next sale. Knowing your numbers in real estate is a game changer. You have to know your bottom dollar net sale price so that you can work your way backwards and calculate all the fees that goes into selling a property.  This helps eliminate sticker shock, makes your negotiations smoother, and lets you price your property more accurately. Lets dive in.

What Are Closing Costs?

“Closing costs” are the fees and taxes that must be paid to transfer property ownership. Some are negotiable, some are fixed by law, and some vary based on your home’s value or the timing of your sale.

Fixed Closing Costs

These are charges that are set by law, regulation, or unavoidable third-party requirements.
You can’t talk the price down because everyone pays the same rate.

Common Fixed Costs for Florida Sellers

Item	Why It’s Fixed	Typical Example
Documentary Stamp Tax	Florida statutes set the rate at $0.70 per $100 of the sale price (except Miami-Dade, which is slightly different).	$300,000 home = $2,100 in doc stamps.
Recording Fees	Counties charge standard fees to record the deed.	Orange/Seminole/Brevard: usually $10–$20 for first page + a small per-page fee.
Property Taxes for the Portion of the Year You Owned	Prorated based on time; you owe it whether you like it or not.	If you sell in September, you reimburse the buyer for Jan–Sept taxes.
HOA/Condo Estoppel Fee	Set by the association or state maximums.	Often $150–$500.
Title Search & State Transfer Fees	Title company and state filing requirements.	$300–$600 typical.

Negotiable Closing Costs

These are market-driven or service-driven fees—you can negotiate them with the other party or the service provider.

Item	Why It’s Negotiable	Example of Flexibility
Real Estate Commission	Set by agreement between you and your listing broker.	Standard 6%, but some sellers negotiate 5% or offer tiered rates for quick cash buyers.
Owner’s Title Insurance Premium	Customarily paid by the seller in Central Florida, but the contract can shift it to the buyer.	In a buyer’s market you may need to cover it; in a hot market you can ask the buyer to.
Home Warranty	Optional service you may offer to sweeten the deal.	You can skip it or ask the buyer to pay.
Seller Concessions / Buyer Credits	Voluntary credits toward the buyer’s closing costs.	You might offer a dollar amount toward buyer fees if repairs are needed.
Repair Costs After Inspection	Based on negotiation after buyer’s inspection.	Could be $0 if you sell “as-is.”

Typical closing cost range for Florida sellers is 6–10% of the sale price. I recommend budgeting on the higher end so you don’t have too many surprises. If you are terrible at math and/or have no idea how to calculate this stuff you can always ask the title company you are working with or realtor to give you an estimate of costs by way of a “net sheet”. This sheet will break everything down for you and show you line by line what you and the seller are paying for. *Remember NEVER close on any piece of real estate without a reputable title company or real estate attorney

Core Seller Closing Costs in Florida

Cost	Typical Range	Who Gets Paid	Local Notes
Real Estate Commission	~5-6% of sale price (often split 50/50 between listing & buyer’s agent)	Your agent & the buyer’s agent	Competitive markets like Orlando often stay near 6%. Investors buying cash may negotiate lower.
Documentary Stamp Tax	$0.70 per $100 of sale price (most counties)	Florida Dept. of Revenue	Most of Florida uses this rate. Miami Dade is the exception. Example: $300,000 sale = $2,100 doc stamps.
Owner’s Title Insurance	~0.5% of price (varies)	Title company	Customary for the seller to pay in most of Central FL.
Title Search & Settlement Fees	$300–$600	Title/closing company	Covers research & closing agent work.
Prorated Property Taxes	Varies by closing date	Buyer (reimburses county)	Explained below—timing matters!
HOA/Condo Fees & Estoppel	$150–$500	HOA/Management	Required to verify no outstanding dues.
Municipal Lien & Utility Payoffs	Varies	City/county & utilities	Unpaid water, sewer, code violations.

Timing Trick: How to Minimize Prorated Taxes & Fees

Florida property taxes are paid in arrears, meaning you owe taxes for the portion of the year you owned the home.

Example:

If your annual tax bill is $4,800 ($400/month). And you close on March 31. You’ve owned the home for 3 months in the tax year (Jan–Mar). So at closing, you credit the buyer $1,200 (3 × $400) because they’ll pay the full bill when it comes due. Basically you are paying for the three months that you owned the home. If you close later in the year, let’s say October, you might owe around $4000 (10 x $400) (January- October) because those are the months you owned the home. Title companies will calculate this cost for you because the numbers are ran down to the day. So long story short the earlier in the year you sell the less taxes you owe. If you sell towards the end of the year the more property taxes you will owe. Hopefully this makes sense.

Other time-based costs:

• HOA dues (monthly/quarterly)
• Interest on your mortgage payoff (interest accrues daily until the lender receives funds)

If you can choose between, say, the 30th or the 5th of the next month, that small shift can shave off extra days of interest and HOA proration. Again, always ask the title company or closing attorney to explain if you have questions.

Closing Cost Fees

As explained up in the table, for most of Florida the fees are $0.70 per $100 of the sale price for real estate deeds and $0.35 per $100 for mortgages or promissory notes. You can use the Orange County Comptroller’s calculator to determine the exact amount for your specific document. Im sure other counties have something similar-this is just an example for Orange County.

Miami Dade County the rate varies depending on the property type.

Single-family homes: $0.60 per $100 of the total value.

Other properties: $0.60 per $100, plus an additional $0.45 surtax per $100. 

Typically, the buyer pays the doc stamps on the mortgage, and the seller pays the doc stamps on the deed. 

Closing Cost Calculator

Closing Cost Examples

1. Home Price: $350,000
   Buyer is financing with a conventional mortgage

Buyer Closing Costs

Item	Approx. Cost
Loan origination fee (1%)	$3,500
Appraisal	$550
Credit report & underwriting	$150
Lender’s title insurance policy	$1,200
Owner’s title insurance (optional, but common)	$1,800
Recording fees & doc stamps on mortgage ($0.35 per $100)	$1,225
Survey	$400
Prepaid taxes & insurance escrow (2 months each)	$2,000
Total (Buyer)	≈ $10,800

Seller Closing Costs

Item	Approx. Cost ($)
Owner’s title policy (if negotiated)	1,800
Documentary stamp tax on deed ($0.70 per $100)	2,450
Realtor commissions (6% total split)	21,000
HOA estoppel & closing fee	400
Total Seller Costs	~ $25,650

Example 2) Home Price: $500,000
Buyer uses FHA loan

Seller Closing Costs

Item	Approx. Cost
Owner’s title insurance (if negotiated to seller)	~ $2,500
Documentary stamp tax on deed ($0.70 per $100)	~ $3,500
Realtor commissions (6% total split)	$30,000
HOA estoppel & closing fee	~ $500
Total (Seller)	≈ $36,500

* All numbers and calculations are for educational purposes only. Please consult with your trusted title company or real estate attorney for actual numbers

Now that you have an idea how much sellers pay with selling their house the traditional way, lets compare those numbers to selling to Cash Home Buyer like Particular Properties. Not all Cash Home Buyers are equal. Make sure to get your three quotes when shopping!

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Closing Costs When You Sell to a Cash Home Buyer Like Particular Properties.

Example 1 – Typical Single-Family Home

Scenario:
3-bed/2-bath house in Sanford, FL
Agreed Cash Price: $220,000
Buyer: Particular Properties

Seller’s Closing Costs

Fee	Approx. Amount	Why It’s Needed
Documentary Stamp Tax on Deed	$0	Florida charges $0.70 per $100 of sale price.
Title Search & Owner’s Title Policy	$0	Buyer customarily pays when selling to a cash investor like Particular Properties.
Recording/Notary Fees	$0	To record the deed with the county.
Prorated Property Taxes	$0	Seller reimburses buyer for the portion of the year seller owned the home.
HOA Estoppel/Transfer Fee (if applicable)	$0	Only if the property is in an HOA.
Total Estimated Seller Costs	≈ $0

 Net to Seller: About $220,000 (minus any unpaid mortgage balance or liens).

 Example 2 – Inherited Property With LiensLiens

Scenario:
Probate property in Cocoa, FL
Agreed Cash Price: $310,000
Buyer: Particular Properties

Seller’s Closing Costs

Fee	Approx. Amount	Notes
Doc Stamp Tax on Deed	$0	0.70 per $100 of sale price.
County Recording/Notary	$0	Standard fee to record the deed.
Prorated Property Taxes	$0	Covers seller’s share of annual taxes up to closing date.
Outstanding Liens or Judgments	$4,000	Paid by Particular Properties.
Probate/Attorney Fee (if required)	$2,500	Only if the estate needs legal filings. Sellers are responsible for their own attorney fees.
Total Estimated Seller Costs	≈ $2500

Net to Seller: About ~$307,500 (before mortgage payoff, if any).

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Key Takeaways

• Budget 6–10% of the sale price for total closing costs in Central Florida.
• Whoever you are working with, whether it’s a realtor, cash home buyer, title company or real estate attorney get a net sheet for the most accurate breakdown of costs.
• Closing earlier in the tax year can reduce prorated taxes and interest.
• Negotiate commissions if you’re selling with a realtor. Even if you choose to list your house FSBO, For Sale By Owner, you’ll most likely pay the buyer’s agent that brings you a buyer. This commission is negotiable, but plan around 2-3% of the sale price. Skip commissions all together and sell to a cash home buyer or investor.
• Use a calculator (like the one above) for a quick snapshot, then confirm with your title company for exact figures.

Thank you for reading! I hope this article gives you a little clarity on what closing costs are, how they are calculated and who pays them. I know this topic can be very boring and confusing for the average homeowner. So please make sure you are working with a professional when you are selling/buying real estate. Never forgo closing with a title company and/or a real estate attorney. As always if you have any questions or just want to reach out we would to hear from you!