Homes typically stay on the Florida market for around 70 days. But here’s the twist: the median sale price has risen to $410,800. How? Well, blame it on the sunshine, zero income tax, and the Florida lifestyle that keeps buyers coming back for more.
Want to sell your Florida home? Now is the time! With spring around the corner, selling in the Sunshine State can be as smooth as a sunny cruise to Key West Port.
Steps for Selling Your Home in Florida
Your upcoming home sale will be easier if you follow this step-by-step guide on how to sell a house in Florida:
1. Prep Your Home for Sale
First impressions matter—especially in Florida, where homes compete against tropical landscapes and beachfront properties. A better curb appeal can make your home look more presentable. Here are a few tips to make your FL home stand out:
- Redo the Landscaping: Redesign your front and back yards to give them a fresh and lush appearance. Plant shrubs and trees are native to Florida, like bougainvillea, hibiscus, and palm. Maintain this space well.
- Repaint the House: A fresh coat of Florida-themed paint can make your house stand out. Use colors inspired by the coast, like soft blue, sandy beige and pastel yellow.
- Highlight the outdoor spaces: Stage your porch, pool, patios and balconies with stylish outdoor furniture and decor. Since homebuyers in Florida generally love outdoor living, aim to make a powerful first impression.
2. Stage Your Home and Click Good Pictures
A well-staged home can shine like the Florida sun and attract buyers like tourists. Traditional home staging helps you make your home presentable. Virtual home staging lets you stage digitally. Follow these tips to stage your home for sale and make your home stand out:
- Declutter and Clean the House: The cleaner your home looks, the better. Empty the garage, clean the roof and pressure-wash the driveway to achieve this look.
- Showcase the Practical Features: Homebuyers in FL prioritize safety and sustainability. So, highlight the hurricane-resistant windows, impact doors, or energy-efficient appliances.
- Focus on the Spacious Living Spaces: Buyers prefer large windows, natural lighting and airy rooms. If your home offers these features, make sure to highlight them during the staging.
3. Decide How to List Your House
If you are wondering how to list your house on MLS in Florida, you have multiple options. Here are 4 common alternatives sellers go for when they want to list on MLS in Florida:
- Full-Service Realtors: They provide various services from listing to closing, but charge a hefty 5% to 6% real estate commission in FL.
- Flat Fee MLS: You can list your home on MLS in Florida for a flat fee, especially if you want to sell your home yourself. With Houzeo, your home will be on the MLS for just $249 and will appear on Florida’s top FSBO sites too.
- Discount Real Estate Brokers: They charge a lower fee than the traditional agents and offer services like contract reviews and negotiation assistance. Discount real estate brokers in Florida charge between 0.5% and 2% as commission.
- Cash Buyer Companies: You can sell to an iBuyer or a cash buyer if selling a house as is in Florida is your priority. However, they give offers that range between 30% and 70% of your home’s Fair Market Value (FMV).
Step 4: Price Your Home Competitively
In Jan 2025, 21.7% of homes in Florida sold after price drops. Inaccurate pricing probably forced them to stay longer on the market. To understand how to price your home, you must know whether it’s a buyer’s or a seller’s market.
Consider these tips to ensure that you don’t overprice your home:
- Check Florida Housing Market Trends: Homes in Horizon West are valued more ($571,000) than the homes in Deltona ($300,000). Ensure that you know the real estate trends in your locality before you price your home.
- Use Online Home Valuation Tools: A home worth calculator can tell you approximate value of your home. You can use this number to price your home accurately.
- Consult a Real Estate Professional: Ask them for a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). This study, accompanied by their guidance, can help you quote the right price.
Step 5: Handle Showings and Host Open Houses
Once your home listing is active on the MLS, buyers and agents will want to see your home in person. There are two common ways to let buyers tour your Florida home on sale:
- Schedule Showings: Buyers and agents can coordinate with you to decide their time of visit. You can schedule one home showing at a time to avoid date and time clashes.
- Host an Open House: If you want potential buyers to visit your home at their convenience, announce an open house. You simply need to mention the dates or times for which your house would be open for buyers!
Consider effective ways of marketing your house if it isn’t getting enough showing requests. A good marketing strategy will ensure that your home listing doesn’t get lost like shells in the sands of Clearwater Beach. You can consult a real estate expert for guidance.
Step 6: Review Offers and Counter Them
Your active home listing on the Florida MLS will soon get offers. You will then have to deal with either of the two cases:
- Single Offer: In case you get a single offer, the buyer will have more power. While you can counteroffer, you might have to finally reduce your asking price.
- Multiple Offers: If multiple buyers show interest in your home, you can either negotiate or choose the highest and best offer.
Step 7: Appraisal and Inspection
A home appraisal is the fair valuation of a house. Buyers conduct your home’s appraisal to ensure that they aren’t paying you more than your home’s FMV.
Your home’s condition largely affects your home’s appraisal. Buyers conduct a home inspection to examine the structural and functional aspects of your home. These are some of the tests home inspectors conduct:
| Type of Inspection | What Is Inspected? |
| Roof Inspection | This inspection helps to examine mold, water leakage, structural damage, etc. |
| HVAC Inspection | Heat, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are tested in this inspection. |
| Plumbing Inspection | It involves the inspection of pipelines, sewage lines, sinks, toilets, and more. |
| Electrical Inspection | It identifies faulty electrical wiring, overloaded circuits, or a lack of earthing. |
| Foundation Inspection | This inspection includes checks for cracks, mildew, damaged floorboards, etc. |
| Mold Inspection | It looks for the presence of mold in the house, identifies what type it is, and suggests ways to deal with it. |
Step 8: Gather All Paperwork
When you are ready to sell a house in Florida, keep all the required documents ready. Here’s a list of paperwork for selling a house by owner which you must submit at closing:
- Affidavit of Title
- Deed
- Purchase Agreement
- Tax Records
- Settlement Statement
- 1099-S Tax Form
Other documents needed to sell a house in Florida include utility bills, maintenance service records, and a certificate of occupancy.
Step 9: Close the Deal
The cost of selling a house in Florida includes taxes on selling a house as well as other costs like:
- Transfer Tax: This is a one-time fee you pay when transferring ownership. The transfer tax generally costs less than 1%.
- Property Tax: In general, you pay approximately 1% of the total home sale value as property tax. You can also claim a rebate if you have paid your property tax a year in advance.
- Closing Costs: You and the buyer pay separate closing fees. The closing costs for sellers in Florida include HOA, real estate attorney, and home warranty fees.
Step 10: Close and Transfer Ownership
You must sign the escrow paperwork, title deed, and other documents to transfer ownership to the buyer. Once these formalities are complete, the buyer transfers all the funds to the title company or escrow, and they transfer the funds to you.
The process of selling property in Florida officially concludes when the buyer’s name is registered in the public record.
Selling a Home in Florida Near You
| City | Selling a House in Florida Near You |
| Jacksonville | Sell My House in Jacksonville |
| Miami | Sell My House in Miami |
| Tampa | Sell My House in Tampa |
| Orlando | Sell My House in Orlando |
| Fort Lauderdale | Sell My House in Fort Lauderdale |
Should I Sell My Florida Home Now?
Yes! If you follow the right process and use the right strategies, you can successfully sell a house in Florida. If you stage it well, choose to sell it for a flat fee, and price it rightly, you are all set for a good home-selling experience!
Remember, selling a house in Florida can be exciting, rewarding, and worth the planning—just like a day trip to Disneyland!
