Quick Answer
Your net proceeds are your sale price minus your loan payoffs and selling costs. In Southwest Florida, the selling costs that catch people off guard are Florida's documentary stamp tax on the deed ($0.70 per $100 of the price), the owner's title insurance policy (customarily paid by the seller in Lee County and by the buyer in Collier County), HOA estoppel letters (about $299 per association), and the property tax proration you credit the buyer because Florida taxes are paid in arrears.
Why is my number different from my neighbor's in the next county?
Mostly because of title insurance. In Lee County, local custom has the seller pay for the buyer's owner's title policy and choose the title company. In Collier County, the buyer usually pays and chooses. Florida sets title insurance premiums by law, so the policy costs the same at every title company: $5.75 per $1,000 on the first $100,000 and $5.00 per $1,000 up to $1 million. On a $600,000 sale, that's $3,075 that a Lee County seller usually pays and a Collier County seller usually doesn't. It's a custom, not a law, so it can be negotiated either way.
What are doc stamps, and why do I pay them?
Florida charges a documentary stamp tax when a deed is recorded: $0.70 for every $100 of the sale price, rounded up to the next $100. By custom, the seller pays it. On a $600,000 sale, that's $4,200. There's no negotiating it away with the state, but it can be shared through the contract.
Why do I owe property taxes at closing?
Florida property taxes are paid in arrears. This year's bill arrives in November and is due by March of next year. If you sell before that bill is paid, you credit the buyer for each day you owned the home this year, and the buyer pays the full bill when it arrives. If you've already paid this year's bill (a late-year closing), it flips: the buyer credits you for the rest of the year. The calculator handles both.
How many estoppel letters will I need?
One for each association you belong to. Florida caps the standard estoppel fee at about $299 per association, with extra charges for rush service or a delinquent account. In many gated Southwest Florida communities, a master association plus a neighborhood association means two letters, so order them early. Late estoppels are one of the most common reasons closings slip. See our guide to HOA rules and fees when selling.
How do I net more, not just pay less?
This is where the right listing team earns its fee. The biggest swing in your net isn't a closing cost. It's the price your home sells for and how long it takes to get there. A home priced right and launched well sells closer to its asking price and sooner, which means fewer price cuts, fewer months of mortgage, insurance and HOA payments, and stronger negotiating leverage on repairs and concessions. Mark walks every listing the way a builder would, so problems get fixed or disclosed before a buyer's inspector finds them. Dawn tracks every deadline, estoppel and payoff letter, so nothing delays your closing or chips away at your proceeds. Read our top strategies to maximize your net proceeds and what overpricing really costs.