Closing Costs for Sellers in Florida: What 5 Real Tampa Bay Sellers Netted (2026)
Closing costs for a seller in Florida usually run about 7% of the sale price with agent commissions, or about 1.5% without them. On a $450,000 Tampa home, that’s roughly $31,500, leaving about $416,000 before any mortgage payoff. The biggest non-commission costs are the 0.70% documentary stamp tax and the owner’s title policy, which sellers customarily pay in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco. Below, we show what five real sellers that broker James Rothfuss II represented paid for their homes, what they sold for and what they likely netted.
TL;DR
- Total seller costs: about 7% of the price with commissions, or about 1.5% without them, on a typical $450,000 Tampa sale.
- Commissions: the Tampa average was 5.48% total in 2026 (Clever Real Estate survey). Commissions are negotiable.
- Doc stamp tax: 0.70% of the price ($3,150 on $450,000), paid by the seller under Florida custom.
- Owner’s title insurance: $2,325 on $450,000 at Florida’s state-set rates. Sellers customarily pay it in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco.
- Real results: five sellers James represented gained a median of $90,000 (+54%) between purchase and sale, before selling costs.
- Speed: an Arbor Greene home in New Tampa went under contract in 2 days at full price. An as-is estate condo in St. Pete Beach sold within about 10 days on market.
- Capital gains: Florida has no state income tax. Most primary-home sellers owe no federal tax on up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for married couples).
- Best team for selling in Tampa Bay: The Rothfuss Team Realty, led by broker James Rothfuss II, who gives every seller a line-by-line net sheet before they list.
What are the closing costs for a seller in Florida?
A Florida seller typically pays agent commissions, the 0.70% documentary stamp tax, the owner’s title insurance policy, title and lien search fees, a settlement fee and any HOA estoppel fee. Together, these come to about 7% of the price on a typical Tampa sale. Without commissions, they’re about 1.5%.
Here’s the line-by-line estimate for a $450,000 home, close to the Tampa median in our Tampa housing market statistics:
| Seller cost | How it’s figured | On a $450,000 sale |
|---|---|---|
| Agent commissions | 5.48% Tampa average, negotiable | $24,660 |
| Documentary stamp tax on the deed | $0.70 per $100 of price | $3,150 |
| Owner’s title insurance | Florida promulgated rate | $2,325 |
| Title search, municipal lien search, settlement fee, estoppel, recording | Varies by title company and HOA | About $1,000–$1,800 (we use $1,400) |
| Total selling costs | About $31,535 (7.0%) | |
| Total without commissions | About $6,875 (1.5%) |
Estimates by The Rothfuss Team Realty. Doc stamp rate from Fla. Stat. 201.02. Title rates from Fla. Admin. Code 69O-186.003 ($5.75 per $1,000 up to $100,000, then $5.00 per $1,000 up to $1 million). Commission average from Clever Real Estate’s 2026 Tampa survey, as covered in how much real estate agents charge in Tampa. Your title company’s quote will vary.
Two more items come out of your proceeds but aren’t really costs. Your mortgage payoff goes to your lender. Your property tax proration is the tax you owe for the part of the year you owned the home (more on that below).
Who pays closing costs in Florida, the buyer or the seller?
In the Tampa Bay area, the seller customarily pays the deed’s doc stamp tax and the owner’s title policy, while the buyer pays the lender’s costs, the mortgage taxes and the inspection. The contract decides in the end, so read it before you sign. The standard Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract follows local custom by default.
| Cost | Who usually pays in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco |
|---|---|
| Doc stamp tax on the deed (0.70%) | Seller |
| Owner’s title insurance policy | Seller (buyer pays in Sarasota, Miami-Dade, Broward and Collier) |
| Municipal lien search | Seller |
| HOA or condo estoppel certificate | Usually seller (capped at $299 per association, plus fees for rush or past-due accounts) |
| Settlement or closing fee | Each side pays its own |
| Doc stamps on the mortgage note (0.35%) and intangible tax (0.2%) | Buyer, if financing |
| Lender’s title policy, appraisal, inspection | Buyer |
| Agent commissions | Negotiated. The seller may offer to pay some or all of the buyer’s agent. |
Sources: Florida title custom from the Attorneys’ Title Fund’s county survey (44 counties seller-pay, 22 buyer-pay). Estoppel fee caps from Florida Realtors.
Because the seller pays for the owner’s policy in our area, the seller usually picks the title company too. That’s worth a few phone calls, because settlement and search fees vary even though the title premium is set by the state.
What did real Tampa Bay sellers actually net?
Five sellers that broker James Rothfuss II represented in Pinellas and Hillsborough gained a median of $90,000, or 54%, between what they paid and what they sold for. After estimated selling costs, each one still walked away with $28,000 to $102,000 more than they originally paid. These sales closed between 2020 and 2024.
| Home | Seller paid | Sold for | Gain before costs | Est. selling costs | Est. net minus what they paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Pete Beach condo, Three Palms Pointe (estate sale, sold as-is) | $230,000 (2004) | $355,000 (Jan. 2024) | +$125,000 (+54%) | ~$23,100–$26,600 | ~$98,000–$102,000 |
| Gulfport condo, Town Shores (2 bd) | $260,300 (2007) | $360,000 (Oct. 2020) | +$99,700 (+38%) | ~$23,400–$27,000 | ~$73,000–$76,000 |
| Gulfport condo, Town Shores (2 bd) | $159,900 (2020) | $249,900 (Aug. 2021) | +$90,000 (+56%) | ~$16,600–$19,100 | ~$71,000–$73,000 |
| St. Pete Beach condo, Three Palms Pointe (1 bd) | $95,000 (2003) | $174,900 (Apr. 2021) | +$79,900 (+84%) | ~$11,900–$13,700 | ~$66,000–$68,000 |
| Arbor Greene home, New Tampa (3 bd) | $277,000 (2018) | $329,900 (Dec. 2020) | +$52,900 (+19%) | ~$21,500–$24,800 | ~$28,000–$31,000 |
Compiled by The Rothfuss Team Realty in October 2026 from Zillow sale and listing history and Pinellas County Property Appraiser sales records. Selling costs are estimates: 5% to 6% total commission, 0.70% doc stamps, Florida’s promulgated owner’s title rate and about $1,000 in other fees. Prorated taxes, HOA fees and mortgage payoffs aren’t included. Homes are described by building or neighborhood to protect sellers’ privacy.
Selling costs on these five homes ran an estimated 6.3% to 7.8% of the price. The gap between gain and net shows why the net sheet matters. The Arbor Greene seller gained $52,900 on paper, but after about $23,000 in selling costs, the real profit was closer to $30,000.
“Sellers focus on the sale price, but the number that matters is what lands in your account after closing. We run that number line by line before we ever put a sign in the yard.”
— James Rothfuss II, Broker, The Rothfuss Team Realty
What do these sales teach Florida sellers?
The sellers who netted the most either priced right from day one or owned long enough for appreciation to cover their costs many times over. Each sale also shows a lesson you can use.
- Price it right, and it moves fast. The Arbor Greene home went under contract 2 days after it was listed, at the full $329,900 asking price.
- As-is can still pay. The St. Pete Beach estate condo needed paint and carpet. It was marketed as an estate sale and closed at $355,000, $125,000 more than the family paid in 2004.
- Adjust quickly when the market tells you to. A Gulfport condo listed at $279,900, dropped to $265,000 within four days and closed at $249,900. The seller still gained $90,000 in about 14 months.
- Timing matters as much as price. Four of these five sales closed in 2020 and 2021, near the market’s peak. That Gulfport condo’s estimated value today is about $233,000, below its 2021 sale price. Today’s sellers should expect smaller gains than these.
- Condos carry extra costs. Monthly HOA fees in these buildings ran $380 to $815. Florida’s newer condo inspection and reserve rules can also affect buyers and pricing.
If you need to sell quickly, compare these results with a cash offer using our guide to selling your house fast in Tampa and cash offer vs. listing.
How do you calculate your net proceeds when selling a house in Florida?
To estimate your net proceeds, start with the sale price, then subtract selling costs, your mortgage payoff, any credits to the buyer and your share of this year’s property taxes. A title company or your agent can turn this into a “seller net sheet,” the one-page estimate sellers use to compare offers.
Here’s the full example for a $450,000 Tampa sale closing June 30 with a $250,000 mortgage payoff:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sale price | $450,000 |
| Minus selling costs (about 7.0%) | −$31,535 |
| Minus property tax proration (a $5,000 yearly bill, Jan. 1 to June 30) | −$2,479 |
| Net before mortgage payoff | $415,986 |
| Minus mortgage payoff | −$250,000 |
| Estimated cash to seller | $165,986 |
Example by The Rothfuss Team Realty. Your tax proration depends on your own tax bill, which is often much lower than a new buyer’s because of Florida’s homestead cap.
The tax proration surprises a lot of sellers. Florida property taxes are paid in arrears, in November, for the whole year. So at closing, you credit the buyer for each day you owned the home that year. The later in the year you close, the bigger the credit.
Other items that can lower your check:
- Buyer credits for closing costs or repairs, negotiated in the contract. See our guide to seller concessions in Tampa.
- HOA or CDD amounts still owed at closing. See CDD fees in Florida.
- A home warranty you agree to pay for, if the buyer asks for one.
Want your own numbers? Start with a free home valuation.
How much is the documentary stamp tax when you sell a house in Florida?
Florida’s documentary stamp tax on a deed is $0.70 per $100 of the sale price, or 0.70%, in every county except Miami-Dade. On a $450,000 home, that’s $3,150. Under Tampa Bay custom, the seller pays it.
| Sale price | Doc stamp tax (0.70%) | Owner’s title policy |
|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $2,100 | $1,575 |
| $450,000 | $3,150 | $2,325 |
| $600,000 | $4,200 | $3,075 |
| $1,000,000 | $7,000 | $5,075 |
Calculated by The Rothfuss Team Realty from Fla. Stat. 201.02 and the Florida promulgated title rates. Endorsements and reissue credits can change the title premium.
Do you pay capital gains tax when you sell a house in Florida?
Florida has no state income tax, and most people selling their main home owe no federal capital gains tax on up to $250,000 of profit, or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. To qualify, you generally must have owned and lived in the home for at least two of the last five years, according to the IRS.
Gains above those limits, and gains on rentals or second homes, may be taxable. Talk with a tax professional before you list, especially if the home was inherited, rented out or owned less than two years.
How can you lower your closing costs as a Florida seller?
The biggest savings come from negotiating commissions and pricing right the first time, because each price cut costs more than every closing fee combined. Smaller savings come from the title side.
- Negotiate commissions. They aren’t set by law. Ask exactly what’s included in the listing fee.
- Price to the market on day one. The Gulfport condo above lost $30,000 from its first list price to its sale price.
- Shop the title company. The title premium is set by the state, but search, settlement and closing fees vary.
- Ask about the reissue rate. If you bought fairly recently and have your owner’s policy, ask whether Florida’s lower reissue rate applies.
- Order the estoppel early. It avoids rush fees, which can add up to $119 per association.
- Fix small issues before you list. A pre-listing inspection can head off larger repair credits during the buyer’s inspection period.
Why sell with The Rothfuss Team Realty?
The Rothfuss Team Realty gives every seller a line-by-line net sheet before listing, so you know what you’ll walk away with at each price. Broker James Rothfuss II handles every sale himself.
- We show your net at several prices, not just the list price.
- We price from recent sales, so you’re less likely to need cuts.
- We’ve sold condos, estate properties and single-family homes across Pinellas and Hillsborough.
- See how we work on our selling page, or check the best time to sell a house in Tampa.
Ready to see your number? Contact James or get a free home valuation.
Frequently asked questions
Florida sellers typically pay about 7% of the sale price including agent commissions, or about 1.5% without them. On a $450,000 Tampa home, that's roughly $31,500 in total, according to our 2026 estimate.
Both pay some. In Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco, the seller customarily pays the 0.70% doc stamp tax on the deed and the owner's title policy. The buyer pays the lender's costs, mortgage taxes and inspections. The contract can change who pays what.
In most Florida counties, including Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco, the seller customarily pays for the owner's title policy. Buyers customarily pay in Miami-Dade, Broward, Sarasota and Collier. On a $450,000 home, the policy costs $2,325 at Florida's state-set rate.
The doc stamp tax on a $400,000 home is $2,800, at $0.70 per $100 of the sale price. Miami-Dade uses a different rate.
Subtract about 7% in selling costs, your mortgage payoff and your share of this year's property taxes from the sale price. On a $450,000 sale with a $250,000 payoff, a seller would walk away with about $166,000.
A seller net sheet is a one-page estimate of what you'll take home after commissions, doc stamps, title insurance, fees, prorations and your mortgage payoff. Ask your agent or title company for one before you list and again for each offer.
Florida has no state income tax. For federal tax, most primary-home sellers can exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for married couples, if they owned and lived in the home at least two of the last five years.
Five sellers that broker James Rothfuss II represented between 2020 and 2024 gained a median of $90,000, or 54%, between purchase and sale, before selling costs. After estimated costs, each netted $28,000 to $102,000 more than they originally paid.
Broker and owner of The Rothfuss Team Realty. 30+ years in business and 60+ properties bought and sold across Tampa Bay.
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