How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Florida? (2026)

Short answer: there is no single fixed cost to sell a Florida home. The big line items are agent compensation (fully negotiable and agreed in writing), the state documentary stamp tax on the deed ($0.70 per $100 of the sale price in every county except Miami-Dade), title and closing fees, prorated property taxes and association dues, and whatever you spend getting the home market-ready. Together they commonly add up to several percent of the sale price -- and because several of the pieces are negotiable, two identical sales can net very different numbers.

Below is each cost, who customarily pays it in Sarasota and Manatee counties, and where you have room to negotiate. For your own numbers, run the seller net sheet on my calculators page -- or ask me for a written net estimate, which I prepare before we ever talk about listing.

Agent compensation: negotiable, and in writing

Real estate commissions are not set by law and never have been -- they are negotiated between you and your listing brokerage and spelled out in your listing agreement. Since the industry-wide rule changes that took effect in August 2024, offers of compensation to a buyer's agent are no longer published on the MLS. Whether to offer anything toward the buyer's agent -- and how much -- is now a strategic decision you and your agent make together, and buyers can also ask for seller concessions directly in their offer.

For scale: every 1% of a $500,000 sale is $5,000, so this is the line worth the longest conversation. But the number that actually matters is your net. Pricing, preparation, and negotiation can swing your proceeds by more than the commission difference between two agents -- which is why I would rather show you my marketing and pricing plan than win a listing on a discount.

Documentary stamp tax: Florida's transfer tax

Florida charges a documentary stamp tax on the deed of $0.70 per $100 of the sale price everywhere except Miami-Dade County. That is $2,800 on a $400,000 sale and $4,200 on a $600,000 sale. In this market the seller customarily pays it, though -- like most closing costs -- the contract controls.

Title insurance and closing fees

The owner's title insurance premium follows a state-promulgated rate formula that scales with the sale price. Who pays it varies by county custom: in much of Southwest Florida, including the Sarasota-Manatee market, the seller customarily pays for the owner's policy and selects the closing agent -- but this too is negotiable and set in the contract.

On top of the premium, expect a settlement or closing fee, a lien search, recording fees, and small administrative charges (courier, wire, payoff processing). Each of these is typically measured in hundreds of dollars, not thousands, but they add up -- your net sheet should list every one.

HOA, condo, and CDD fees at closing

If your home is in an association, the closing agent orders an estoppel certificate -- an official statement of your account showing dues and any amounts owed. Florida law caps what an association can charge for it (a few hundred dollars at most). Your regular dues are prorated between you and the buyer as of the closing date.

If your community has a CDD, the annual assessment rides on your property-tax bill, so it prorates the same way taxes do. Buyers in this market increasingly ask about CDD balances up front -- I publish the fee estimates for communities across the region on my community fees pages, and I put your community's real numbers in front of buyers before they ask.

Property taxes: paid in arrears, settled at closing

Florida property taxes are paid in arrears -- the bill for the current year arrives in November. At closing, you credit the buyer for the portion of the year you owned the home. This is not an extra fee; it is simply settling your share of a bill that has not arrived yet. If you have a homestead exemption, remember it does not transfer to the buyer, and your own next home has its own filing deadline.

Getting the home market-ready

Prep costs vary too much to generalize honestly -- one home needs paint and mulch, another needs a roof conversation. My rule is simple: spend only where the comparable sales show the market actually pays you back. When I walk your home, I will tell you which projects matter here, which to skip, and which issues to disclose and price around instead of fixing. That conversation regularly saves sellers more than any single line item on this page.

What about capital gains tax?

Florida has no state income tax, so there is no state capital gains tax on your sale. Federally, if the home was your primary residence for at least two of the past five years, you can generally exclude up to $250,000 of gain if single or $500,000 if married filing jointly. Second homes, investment properties, and recently converted rentals follow different rules, and investment property owners sometimes use a 1031 exchange to defer gains. I am not a tax advisor -- confirm your specific situation with a tax professional before you list.

The bottom line: get a written net sheet first

Every cost above is knowable before you list. The right order of operations is: get an honest, comparable-based valuation, put every line item on paper, and decide with the real number in front of you. Start with a free valuation on my home value page, or run the quick seller net sheet on the calculators page -- and when you want the full written version, that is exactly what I prepare at a listing consult.