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

When you decide to sell your house, your primary focus might be the listing price and how much money you can make on the sale. In reality, selling a house can be much more complicated than just getting it on the market. To get full value from your home, there are certain steps that you should take to prepare it for sale.

Many expenses are associated with selling a house in Florida. In addition to realtor commissions, you will be responsible for closing costs, relocation expenses, and the cost of getting your home ready for sale. Altogether, you may spend upwards of 10% of your home’s total purchase price to sell it.

At Eaton Realty, we work with home sellers to help them better understand what it will cost to sell their homes. Once our clients are ready, we work to help them get the best possible price for their house. If you’re interested in learning more, reach out to talk to a member of our real estate team about our services.

Want to learn even more about selling a home in Hillsborough County? Contact us to speak with an experienced Hillsborough County realtor.

 

 

Typical Costs to Sell a Home in Florida

There are a number of expenses associated with selling your house in Florida. While some of these costs are optional - such as staging your home - others, like closing costs, are unavoidable. Before listing your house, it’s smart to learn more about how much you will need to spend to sell your house.

Home Improvements Before Sale

You will need to spend some money preparing your house for sale. In a hot real estate market, you may be able to sell your home without putting in much extra effort. When the market cools off - as it has in many areas of Florida - you might have to do a bit more to find a buyer. After all, when the available inventory is greater than the demand, you will need to find ways to stand out from the competition.

These costs can vary significantly based on what you need - or want - to do to your home before listing it. Preparing your house for sale means undertaking essential home maintenance and improvement tasks. You might freshen up the paint, have the floors professionally cleaned, or have a handyman make repairs around your house. You may also spend money on plants and landscaping to increase curb appeal.

One mistake that many sellers make is to do home improvements or updates to their house before they talk to a real estate agent. Realtors know which improvements will be a good investment - and whether your style will be broadly appealing. For example, you may decide that painting your living room walls a bold color will make your house memorable - but your realtor may tell you that neutral colors are the best option to boost the price.

Staging

Staging is another option for home sellers. The cost to stage a home can vary significantly based on whether you are renting furniture, if you need to put your stuff into storage, and the size of your home. However, staging can increase the value of your home if it is done well - and often results in a faster sale.

Pre-Sale Home Inspection & Repairs

You may also choose to have a pre-sale home inspection performed, which may cost around $300 to $350. A pre-sale inspection will give you a better idea of repair items, or what concessions you may need to make to a prospective buyer. Importantly, if you learn of any significant defects during this inspection, you may be required to disclose them to buyers. Your Realtor can help you decide if it makes sense to have a pre-sale inspection performed.

These expenses can be quite significant if you haven’t kept up with basic home maintenance or have put off expensive repairs. Generally, preparing your home for sale shouldn’t cost more than 2 to 3% of the listing price. If your property requires more than this, you may want to consider whether it makes sense to list your home as-is, give the buyer a credit for requested repairs, or lower the sale price to account for these issues. An experienced realtor can help you decide the best way to handle this situation.

Realtor Commission Fees

If you are using a real estate agent, you will need to factor in commission fees, which are usually 5 to 6% of the total purchase price. It is possible to go with a low-commission realtor, a flat fee MLS listing, or even to sell your house on your own. However, looking for a cheaper option may be “penny wise and pound foolish,” as you may get far less for your house than if you had used a realtor to advise you, market your property, and negotiate a great selling price on your behalf.

Negotiable Items & Seller Concessions

Next, you should account for negotiable items and seller concessions. These concessions can include paying part of the buyer’s closing costs or giving a buyer credit for items on the inspection report. Many sellers also purchase a home warranty as an incentive for buyers, which usually costs around $500. You should expect to pay between 1 to 3% of the purchase price for these items.

Closing Costs

Finally, you will need to pay your closing costs. These expenses often add up to around 4 to 5% of the sale price. Closing costs include a title search, title insurance, taxes and fees (including a documentary stamp tax), recording fees, and attorney fees. Closing costs are unavoidable, as they cover items required to transfer property ownership to the purchaser.

Average Total Cost To Sell A Home In Florida

Altogether, you may pay between 10 and 17% of the total sale price of your home in expenses associated with the sale. The exact amount depends on factors such as how much you spent to get the house ready for sale, whether you are using a realtor, and how many concessions and credits you give to the buyer.

Most of these costs will come out of the proceeds of the sale. In other words, the commission, negotiable items and concessions, and closing costs will be deducted from the amount that you get for the sale of your house. In addition, you will be required to pay off your mortgage (if you have one) with the sale proceeds.

However, you must pay to prepare your house for sale out of your pocket. You will also need to pay for other expenses after the closing. These may include utilities, any capital gains taxes that are over a certain threshold for the sale of a primary residence, and moving costs.

Does It Make Sense to Sell Your House?

When reading through this list of expenses, you may be overwhelmed - and nervous about putting so much money into the sale of your house. If you are not required to move for a job or another reason, it is smart to think about whether putting your house on the market is a wise financial move.

Generally, if you haven’t been in your house for at least five years, then you may take a hit on the sale of your house because of all these expenses. You will also have spent a fair amount of money in closing costs when you bought the home, which can be hard to recoup unless the market is strong. That is why renting is typically a better choice than buying if you don’t plan to remain in your home for an extended time.

Before deciding to sell, you should analyze several factors:

Current interest rates

Current market demand

The amount of equity that you have in your home

Whether your home has increased in value

Your overall financial state

Your real estate agent can help you work through whether it is a smart financial decision to sell your house based on the current supply of houses on the market, buyer interest, and the value of your home. You should also consider whether you can afford to front costs for preparing your home for sale and other expenses associated with selling your home (such as relocation expenses).

If you must relocate, listing your house for sale may be your only option if you can’t afford to hang onto the property as an investment. However, if you simply want to sell your house to get a bigger place, downsize, or for another reason, you may choose to wait until you have more equity or until market conditions are more favorable.

Currently, there is still a strong seller’s market in Florida - although demand has dropped somewhat since 2021. Florida remains an attractive place to buy property for retirees, military members, and anyone sick of harsh winters. If you are considering putting your house on the market, the realtors of Eaton Realty can help you decide whether it makes sense to do so - and can shepherd you through the process.

Let Eaton Realty Help You Sell Your Home

Selling your house is a big decision. While it can be exciting to put your house on the market, you should know what it will cost to get your house ready and complete the sale. By understanding these expenses, you will better understand whether it is a good idea to list your home.

Based in Lithia, Eaton Realty represents buyers and sellers throughout Hillsborough County. We have an in-depth understanding of the local real estate market and premium marketing, which allows us to help our sellers get top dollar for their homes. If you’d like to learn more, fill out our online contact form or give us a call at 813-672-8022 to talk to a team member.