Did you know Florida has some of the highest closing costs in the country? Whether you want to buy or sell a property, you need to take into consideration closing costs. These costs vary according to the type of property and its location. Let’s take a look at how much are the closing costs in Florida.
Key Takeaways
- Closing costs or “settlement costs” are a set of final expenses paid for completing a real estate transaction.
- The seller and the buyer both pay closing costs in Florida.
- The 3 major Seller Closing Costs in Florida are:
- 1. REALTOR Fee
- 2. Recording Fee
- 3. Escrow Fee
- The 3 major Buyer Closing Costs in Florida are:
- 1. Loan Origination Fee
- 2. Escrow or Impound Account
- 3. Appraisal Fee
- In Florida, real estate transactions are usually closed by real estate attorneys and title companies.
💰 CLOSING COST CALCULATOR FLORIDA
What are Closing Costs in Florida?
Closing costs include fees, taxes, and charges you need to pay when conducting a real estate transaction. These costs vary according to the location, size, and type of property.
Different counties in Florida may have distinct regulations that you must consider while calculating closing costs.
For example, the sellers pay the title insurance costs and choose the title insurance company in Miami-Dade, while buyers pay the title insurance and choose the company in Bradford.
There are no standard rates for closing costs in Florida. Brokers, lawyers, inspectors, and housing associations will all charge different fees. Some costs are applicable even if the home sale doesn’t go through.
Who Pays Closing Costs in Florida: Buyer or Seller?
Both sellers and buyers need to pay different kinds of fees and taxes as closing costs in FL. For example, the seller has to clear their HOA and mortgage dues, while the buyer is obligated to pay mortgage origination fees and title fees.
Depending upon the condition of the Florida real estate market, the buyer or the seller can negotiate their share of the closing costs. For example, in a buyer’s market, the seller may have to bear a portion of the buyer’s closing costs.
Who Pays Closings Costs in FSBO?
For Sale By Owner sellers can save a significant amount of seller closing costs on agent fees, especially if they sell their Florida home with a flat fee MLS. Nonetheless, they have to pay other typical closing costs in Florida when they make a sale. Some of these are:
1. Documentary Stamp Tax
Documentary stamp tax or transfer tax is levied to transfer ownership of the house from the seller to the owner. The documentary stamp tax rate in Florida is $0.70 per $100 of the property value.
Depending on the negotiations, the transfer tax can be paid by either seller or buyer. In some cases, the tax is split between the parties.
2. Pre-listing Appraisal
FSBO sellers may have to invest in the pre-listing appraisal, as it would help them find an appropriate buyer in less time. This will, in turn, lower the number of days on the market and make the sale faster.
» Home Appraisal Fee Florida: Read more about this Florida closing cost.
3. Seller’s Attorney Fees
The law in Florida does not mandate the presence of an attorney for FSBO real estate transactions. However, it is highly advised to hire a real estate attorney for FSBO deals to avoid any type of legal risk.
A real estate attorney guides the owner in preparing the necessary documents like the seller’s disclosure in Florida and drafts of other legal paperwork.
Florida real estate attorney fees ranges from $150-$400.
» Sell My House on My Own Florida: Here’s how to sell a house without a realtor in Florida.
How Much are the Closing Costs in Florida?
The closing cost in Florida for sellers is approximately 8%–10% of the home’s agreement value, while the buyers are expected to pay around 2%–5% of the home’s purchase price.
Let’s put this in perspective! The median home value in Florida is $408,988. So, if you are selling a house in Florida, you may have to pay $32,000 to $41,000. On the other hand, if you are buying a house, your closing costs may range between $8,100 to $20,500.
How Much are Sellers Closing Costs in Florida?
As mentioned above, when selling a house in Florida, you will have to pay some closing costs to transfer the house ownership to the buyer legally. These costs include several fees that need to be paid over and above the net price of the property.
Some seller closing costs are negotiable. Real estate agents in Florida usually have information about who pays what at closing and can help you save on closing costs.
Here are some of the prime seller closing costs in Florida.
1. REALTOR Fee
The seller pays real estate commissions to both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent.
So, how much are realtor fees in Florida? Florida real estate commissions usually amount to 5%-6% of the agreement value, i.e., $20,000- $25,000.
» How To Negotiate Real Estate Commission: Check out this blog to find how to negotiate REALTOR commissions like a pro!
2. Recording Fee
The recording fee is paid by the seller to make the real estate transaction a matter of public record. The average recording fee in Florida is 0.02% of the property value.
3. Escrow Fee
An escrow agent is an unbiased third party who helps you and the buyer complete the transaction. They clear the house for sale, transfer the ownership to the buyer, and the respective funds to the seller.
The escrow fee is the remuneration charged by the escrow agent for their services. Escrow companies in Florida may charge $500-$800 for settlement.
4. Home Inspection Fee
Sellers can opt for a home inspection to identify any major defects and issues, like plumbing issues, water damage, mold, appliance malfunction, etc., in the house that they must resolve before selling.
This can be done before the property is listed on the market (pre-inspection) or just before the closing. The average home inspection cost in Florida is around $350.
Buyers can also undertake home inspections. However, if the Florida home inspector finds undisclosed defects, it might give the buyer an upper hand during negotiations, or they may back out of the deal.
» How Much are Sellers Closing Costs in Florida: Get a detailed overview of closing costs for sellers in Florida.
How Much are Buyers Closing Costs in Florida?
These are the closing costs in Florida for buyer while acquiring the property ownership from the seller. Like seller closing costs in Florida, these too are negotiable. Hence, hiring a buyer’s agent can help you save on closing costs.
We have listed some of the typical closing costs for buyer in Florida.
1. Loan Origination Fees
Some Florida mortgage lenders charge buyers a loan origination fee to execute the loan with other respective documentation and legal formalities. The loan origination fee in Florida usually amounts to 0.5%-1% of the mortgage loan amount.
2. Mortgage Escrow Account/ Impound Account
The mortgage lender reserves a part of the buyer’s monthly mortgage payments in an escrow or impound account. This reserve is maintained to pay the property tax and homeowners insurance premiums.
A mortgage servicer manages the mortgage escrow account and makes the payments on behalf of the buyer.
3. Title Insurance
A title company offers title insurance to protect the insurer against any type of loss with respect to any outstanding taxes, unpaid dues, default in the title, or any violations. A policy of title insurance in FL costs $5.75 per $1000 of property value for properties under $100,000. For properties over $100,000, the title search and insurance cost $5 per $1000.
» How is Title Insurance Calculated in Florida: Find out more about this closing cost to protect your investment in FL.
4. Appraisal Fee
Appraisal fees are paid to the professional appraiser who assesses the home value and ensures you get the best competitive price.
Florida home appraiser charges between $300 and $500, depending on the property characteristics like its actual saleable area and its geographical location.
» Average Closing Cost in Florida for Buyer: Here is a detailed breakdown of closing costs for buyer in Florida.
How to Calculate Closing Costs in Florida?
It is important to calculate closing costs while selling a house or buying one.
The estimated closing costs give sellers an idea about the home equity they will have after the sale and helps buyers find out the amount they will have to pay over and above the agreement value of the house.
» Closing Cost Calculator: Check out the closing costs calculator for calculating the closing costs for your real estate transaction.
How to Calculate Closing Costs for Seller?
Houzeo’s Home Sale Calculator helps calculate closing costs for sellers in Florida with a swish and a click! All the sellers have to do is enter their property location, home sale price, mortgage payoff, seller agent commission, and buyer agent commission, and voila!
The Florida Seller Closing Costs Calculator even gives sellers an estimate of their home inspection fee and home warranty fee. With the help of this seller net proceeds calculator in Florida, sellers can find out their home equity and be prepared for closing.
» Florida Seller Closing Cost Estimator: Check out the cost of selling a house in Florida calculator for estimating the closing costs for seller.
How to Calculate Closing Costs for Buyer?
Houzeo’s Buyer Closing Cost Calculator helps calculate closing costs for buyers in Florida. To find the estimated buyer closing costs, the buyers have to add the property location, home purchase price, and the down payment in the buyer closing cost estimator.
The closing cost calculator for buyer gives a detailed list of the buyer’s estimated closing costs.
Home buyers can find out everything right from origination fee, appraisal fee and survey fee to title search, attorney fee, recording fee, prepaid interest charges, escrow property taxes, and owner’s title insurance.
The Buyers Closing Cost Florida Calculator even shows which fees have to be paid before closing and which ones have to be paid at closing while buying a house in Florida.
» Buyer Calculate Closing Costs in Florida: Check out the buyer closing cost estimator Florida for calculating the closing costs for buyer.
Closing Costs in FL for Refinance
Many homeowners will refinance to get better terms and interest rates. Before understanding the related closing costs, let’s explore what refinancing is.
What is Refinancing?
Refinancing is the process of taking on a loan with attractive interest rates and terms to pay off your old loan. It can help you save hundreds of dollars.
How Much Are Closing Costs in Florida for Refinancing?
To refinance, you will need to pay the fees for closing your old loan, which can be about 3%-5% of your loan amount. You close the old account after applying for the new loan, which requires standard processing documents like inspection reports, property valuation, title documents, and more.
Junk Costs to Be Wary Of
Not all costs are unavoidable. There are some costs you can skip with some savvy negotiating skills. These vary from one county to another. Examples of junk costs include:
- Mortgage Rate Lock Fee – This is the fee you pay to the lender if you want to lock a specific interest rate for a fixed period in your mortgage timeline.
- Application Fee – Lenders charge an application fee when buyers apply for a mortgage.
- Loan Processing Fee – A lender may charge a loan processing fee to process your mortgage application.
- Underwriting Fee – Lenders will charge an underwriting fee to evaluate your loan application for approval.
Look at which junk costs apply to your region or property to help save some money.
Conclusion
The average closing costs in Florida can range between 2%-5%. Many of the costs included are mandatory and can’t be included in your mortgage. Closing costs are a burden every home buyer and seller must bear, but there are ways to save money on these charges.
Hopefully, this answers the ‘How much are closing costs in Florida’ question! Stick around and explore our blog if you want to know more about real estate transactions.
If you have just started planning to sell a house and are considering FL For Sale By Owner, we encourage you to get in touch with us. Houzeo.com is the best and most advanced flat-fee MLS service that can help you get eyes on your listing without the need for an agent.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much are closing costs in FL?
The closing costs in Florida range between 2%-5% of the agreed property cost. Average residents of Florida pay approximately $8,213.
2. What are typical closing costs for seller in Florida?
The typical closing costs for sellers in Florida include - broker fees, title search, title insurance, municipal tax, recording fees, document preparation, doc stamps, HOA fees, attorney fees, pending mortgage balance, real estate tax, and condominium fees if applicable.
3. How much are closing costs in FL for buyer
Buyers end up paying 3%-4% of the property value as closing costs. The costs include appraisal fees, recording fees, inspection fees, permit searches, credit reports, title search and insurance, pest inspections, flood certification, HOA fees, lender attorney's fees, environmental certification reports, mortgage insurance, real estate tax, attorney fees, and homeowner's insurance.
4. Who pays transfer taxes in Florida?
Documentary stamp tax or transfer tax is usually paid by the seller in Florida. However, it depends on the negotiations and can be paid by either party.
5. Who pays for title search in Florida?
The seller usually pays for title searches in Florida.
Also Read
- Who Pays Closing Costs When Selling a Home in Florida: Closing costs vary according to the type of real estate deal. Find out which FL closing costs you are liable for.
- How Long Does a Foreclosure Take in Florida: Here is ALL you need to know about foreclosures in Florida.
- Florida Certified Home Inspections: Home inspection is a crucial step in real estate transactions. Read to know more.
- Low-Commission Broker: Lower your costs by opting for a low-commission broker in Florida.
Additional Resources
- Sell a Home Florida: Here is a comprehensive guide on how to sell a house in Florida.
- Buy Houses in Florida: Becoming a homeowner is a dream for many. Here’s how to make it come true.
- Florida Flat Fee MLS Listing Service: Save money on your closing costs by using a flat fee MLS company in Florida.
- How to Flip a House in Florida: If you want to flip houses and make a profit in Florida, we explain what you need to know.
- REALTORS in Florida: Looking for Realtors in Florida? We have the ten best options in 2023 ready for you.
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» NEED MORE CLARITY? Read these exclusive Houzeo reviews and learn why it is one of the best website For Sale By Owner in America.
