Our in-depth guide to selling a house in Florida breaks the process into eight simple steps.
If you're selling a house in Florida now, you're facing a rising housing market. As of September 30, 2023, property values in the Sunshine State increased 0.71% over the previous year. Florida home values are projected to rise a further 6.4% over the next year.
Of course, even the best Florida home will struggle to sell for its asking price if you don't price it accurately, market it well, or negotiate properly.
Reduce the stress of selling a house in Florida with the help of a Clever agent
Clever's partner agents can hold your hand through the home-selling process. Clever will match you with a top-rated real estate agent who can expertly guide you through all the steps of your home sale.
Clever has also pre-negotiated savings on your behalf. Sellers can list their homes with a top local agent for just 1.5% commission — a fraction of the 2.5–3% listing fee most real estate agents charge.
👋 Find a great local agent, get a 1.5% listing fee with Clever
1. Find the right Florida real estate agent
If you're looking to sell your house in Florida for the best price — and minimize stress along the way — find a top-rated real estate agent in your area.
The best Florida listing agents know what local buyers want and how to reach them. They'll offer expert advice, tips for selling your home on the Florida real estate market, guidance on your list price, and support from the initial listing through closing.
Home sellers who work with real estate agents net 33% more, on average, than those who sell a house independently. For a $392,922 home — the median home value in Florida, according to Zillow — that's a premium of more than $100,000.
Connect with top local agents who can help you sell on time and for top dollar. You'll pay just a 1.5% listing fee (half the typical rate), helping you save thousands!
2. Decide when to sell
| Best month for selling a house in Florida fast | Best month for selling a house in Florida for the highest price |
| May | June |
The timing of your Florida home sale can affect the amount of time your home spends on the local market — and your home's sale price.
If you can't wait for the best time to sell your house in Florida, connect with a Clever Partner Agent. Clever has pre-negotiated listing fees of just $3,000 or 1.5% vs. the typical 2.5-3% rate. So even if you can't time the market, you can still save thousands.
Best time for selling a house in Florida fast
You'll sell a house fastest in May, according to Realtor.com data from August 2022. Homes listed in May spent 32 days on the market, which is 14 days faster than the national average.
In comparison, homes listed in January stayed on the market for 56 days.
No matter which month you sell, you'll also need to account for an additional 30–40 days to close your real estate transaction.
Best time for selling a house in Florida for price
List in June to get the highest sale price. Homes listed in June sold for a median price of $498,500, which is 11.28% more than the average sales price for the whole year.
Sellers in June made $50,542 more on their sale.
» LEARN: The best time to sell a home in Florida
3. Price your Florida home
Use a comparative market analysis (CMA) to get an accurate idea of your home's value. A CMA compares the prices of recently sold properties in your area. It takes into consideration the home's square footage, its condition, its special features, and other data points.
A comparative market analysis isn't an appraisal (more on those later). However, a CMA can help you create a strategic and realistic pricing plan for your sales goals.
Most local real estate agents will offer a free CMA during their listing consultation with you. You can also do a CMA on your own.
» MORE: How to do a CMA on your home
4. Prepare, market, and show your home
Effective marketing can improve the saleability of your home. You and your listing agent should work to get your listing in front of more home buyers by highlighting its best attributes.
Stage your home
Decorate your home with furniture and accessories that emphasize its selling points and help potential buyers envision their lives there.
» READ: How to stage a house to sell
For example, if you're trying to sell your house in Florida and believe your kitchen and dining area are its highlights, draw attention to them by staging the dining table. Buyers seeing a staged room can imagine what it would be like to live there and hold their own dinner party.
Staged homes also sell faster. The data also show staged homes spend 86% less time on the housing market than unstaged homes.
Craft a listing description
Good Florida real estate agents will highlight the best aspects of your home that aren't evident from your pictures alone. Your listing description is the first impression your home makes on potential buyers; it entices them to make an appointment for a tour.
» READ: 5 great "House for Sale" listing description examples
Set the scene for buyers, and make them feel like your home is one that they can't miss out on. Focus on your home's great location or the roof replacement you've just completed.
But never mislead with your description. Advertising your home as “fully renovated” or “immaculate” if it isn't true is morally wrong. It can also backfire. If buyers expect one thing and end up seeing something different, they may not put in an offer.
Market your home
Attract buyers by getting out the word that your home is available. The more people who know about your home, the better your chance to sell a house quickly and for more money.
While your real estate agent will handle most of the marketing, like listing your home on a multiple listing service (MLS), you should still share your real estate listing with your family, friends, and social media network.
» LEARN: What is the MLS?
Host showings and open houses
Be open and flexible to buyers stopping by to take a look at your home. It's almost impossible to sell a house in Florida without opening it to potential buyers.
If you want to make your home easily accessible for home buyers, especially those with busy schedules, consider holding multiple open houses. Although an open house may seem inconvenient, it's an effective way to ensure buyers can see your home. An open house can actually be more convenient than scheduling individual showings.
Make disclosures required by Florida
Florida home sellers must let prospective buyers know about the property's faults that can affect its material value. However, home sellers are only required to disclose defects that they're aware of.
The Florida Realtors association provides a standard disclosure form for sellers to complete. Florida sellers must answer questions about the condition of the home's major systems and appliances, and whether the home suffered previous structural damage from things like water or termites.
If you aren't sure of your seller responsibilities in Florida, ask a real estate attorney or your real estate agent for advice. They'll be able to advise you on what's expected of you and how you can avoid potential legal issues.
» LEARN: Disclosure requirements in Florida
5. Field offers and make counteroffers
Once you receive an offer on your home, unless it's for your full list price, you'll likely negotiate with the buyer to reach a final sales price.
If you plan to negotiate, first present the buyer with a counteroffer. Your real estate agent will usually make one on your behalf. A counteroffer typically includes your proposed sales terms, such as a higher purchase price, and how long the buyer has to accept your offer. Most counteroffers allow the other party at least 24 hours to respond.
Your listing agent can advise you on the best way to respond to buyer requests, just as a buyer's agent will advise their client on your counteroffers. The seller and buyer may make several counteroffers before reaching an agreement.
Once both parties agree on sales terms, they can sign the purchase agreement and proceed toward closing.
» LEARN: Real estate counteroffer etiquette
🤔 What's in a purchase agreement?
A purchase agreement is a legally binding contract that governs the entire selling process. The buyer's agent usually creates the initial agreement, which will include the sales price and other terms, including:
• Basic details of the sale. Buyer's and seller's names, property's address, purchase price, etc.
• Contingencies. Conditions that must be met to close the sale and relate to situations like buyer financing, home appraisal, and inspections.
• Earnest money. The amount of cash the buyer will pay up front for the seller to put the home under contract.
• Fixtures and appliances. The features of the house that are also included in the sale.
• Disclosures. Any issues or facts about the house the seller is legally required to reveal.
• Closing costs. A breakdown of which expenses the buyer and seller will each be responsible for at closing.
• Settlement and possession dates. The closing date and seller’s timeline for moving out.
6. Get an inspection and appraisal
A standard home-sale contract stipulates the length of the inspection period. Typically for a house in Florida, inspection periods are 14 days but can be as short as a few days or much longer if the home is particularly large or old.
Most sellers dread the home inspection, but the inspection rarely finds anything homeowners aren't already aware of. If the inspector finds new issues, the buyer may want to renegotiate for a repair or a credit at closing, assuming the purchase agreement includes the appropriate contingency. Major inspection issues in Florida include roofing problems, such as missing or damaged tiles due to extreme weather, and damage to wood from water or termites.
The appraisal process
The appraisal process begins after the inspection period. A licensed real estate appraiser provides a professional opinion of a home's market value after the inspection period.
» LEARN: Appraisal value vs. market value
The buyer's lender orders the appraisal, which helps protect the lender from giving the borrower more money than the home is worth. If your buyer is paying cash, they may not request an appraisal.
Appraisals compare your property with other recently sold homes in the area. By analyzing data points such as the square footage and condition of the homes, the appraiser aims to reach an accurate assessment of the home's value.
If the home appraises below the agreed sales price, the seller and buyer will need to negotiate once again to come to an agreement. Often both parties will meet in the middle, with the seller agreeing to a lower price and the buyer paying a larger down payment. Your real estate agent can advise you on the best approach for your situation.
» LEARN: Can the seller back out of an accepted offer?
7. Submit paperwork and required Florida disclosures
While it's good to be familiar with the documents you might need to close on your home, always consult your real estate agent or attorney before signing or filing paperwork. A licensed professional should walk you through all the paperwork and ensure you have everything you need for your situation.
Forms and documents for selling a house in Florida
| Required for all Florida real estate sales | Florida disclosure forms | Possible additional documents |
| • 2 forms of ID
• Affidavit of title • Agreement related to property taxes • Bill of sale • Closing statement • Copy of purchase agreement and any addendums • Signed deed |
• Flood zone statement
• Lead-based paint disclosure • Property tax disclosure summary • Seller property disclosure, residential |
• Closing disclosure (for certain seller concessions)
• Copies of relevant wills, trusts, or power of attorney letters • Correction statement and agreement • HOA forms and guidelines • Home inspection results • Home warranty information • Loan payoff information • Proof of repairs or renovations • Relevant affidavits (name affidavits, non-foreign affidavit under IRC 1445, etc.) • Survey results or survey affidavits |
8. Close your home sale
On the closing date, the seller legally transfers ownership of the property to the buyer. To complete the sales process, both parties must meet all the conditions stipulated in the purchase agreement, including settling all costs.
In Florida a title agent oversees most closings, which are conducted in person. The title agent records the sale and legally transfers ownership of the property. Once the parties sign all the completed legal documents, you'll hand your property to the buyer and receive your money, less the closing costs sellers pay and the payoff of your mortgage, if applicable.
Costs by local market
Costs in Florida vary between counties due to differences in recording fees and local government taxes. However, most sellers in Florida should expect to pay 1–3% of their total sales price.
If you receive the average Florida home value of $392,922, you can expect to pay around $6,268 in closing costs. This amount doesn't include real estate commission, which in Florida is typically an additional 5.40% of the sales price.
» MORE: How much does it REALLY cost to sell a house in Florida?
Next steps: Sell your Florida house and save thousands
Whether you're looking to list your Florida home immediately or 6–12 months from now, it's never too early to start looking for a listing agent, getting advice, and making a plan.
💰 Get a lower rate with a top local agent!
Clever Real Estate is here to help guide you through the home selling process — and save money along the way! Clever matches you with a good real estate agent from a trusted brokerage like Keller Williams, RE/MAX, or Berkshire Hathaway.
You'll get guaranteed full service, and you'll save up to $6,680 on a typical Florida home sale. Clever's partner agents work for a fraction of the 3% rate real estate agents typically charge. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a top local agent today!
Top ways to sell your home in Florida
- Discount real estate agents in Florida
- We buy houses for cash companies in Florida
- Flat-fee MLS companies in Florida
- iBuyers in Florida
Additional resources for Florida home sellers
- Average cost to sell in Florida
- Average time to sell in Florida
- How to sell by owner in Florida
- Transfer taxes in Florida
- Sell "as is" in Florida
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