Who Pays Closing Costs in Florida, Buyer or Seller?

Which closing costs usually fall to me and which fall to my buyer?

Your purchase contract sets who pays closing costs, with local county custom guiding the usual split. There's a typical pattern most deals follow, but check the actual charges against your signed agreement. Closing costs are generally negotiable: either side can negotiate who pays any line, rather than simply accept the usual split.

You usually pay the documentary stamp tax on the deed, the real estate commission, and, in most counties, the owner's title insurance policy that protects your buyer. Your buyer usually pays their own lender fees, the recording fee for the new deed, and costs tied to their loan, like the appraisal.

Your contract often divides title and settlement charges between you and your buyer. Property taxes get prorated, so each side pays only for the days they owned the home that year. Keep these separate from the buyer's loan charges when you compare costs. One rule beats all the others: whatever your signed contract says, controls.

Does my county change who pays for the owner's title policy?

Owner's title insurance is the biggest swing item and the most expensive single closing line. Its usual payer changes by county, and it doesn't follow one statewide payment custom. In most Florida counties, the seller pays for the owner's policy. In several large counties, the custom flips and the buyer pays.

Miami-Dade, Broward, Sarasota, and Collier counties commonly put the owner's title policy on the buyer, while the rest of the state usually puts it on the seller, according to Marina Title. This is custom, not law.

Knowing which way your county leans helps you check whether that charge belongs on your side of the closing statement. Always confirm the local custom with your title company before you assume. The owner's policy protects your buyer; don't confuse it with the buyer's separate loan-related title work.

Can I sell with closing costs and lender-required repairs but no money to pay up front?

Yes. With Cash Flow Deals, you can sell without paying those costs up front. With a traditional MLS sale, your costs can stack up fast. A 5 to 6 percent commission, owner's title insurance, doc stamps, and often repair credits or concessions to keep a financed buyer at the table. Those costs come straight out of your net.

Cash Flow Deals gives you two choices: the Fast Cash Offer, where we buy your house as-is and close, and the Premium Cash Offer, where a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you. You choose. With Premium, your home may be listed through Silver Door Realty, a licensed Florida brokerage, with a licensed agent and scheduled showings.

We cover repair costs, and we figure out a way, so nothing comes out of your pocket. With Premium, only what your buyer's lender requires gets fixed, with those costs covered up front and settled from the sale proceeds, from our share. With Fast Cash, we buy as-is, with no repairs for you to make.

The number is agreed before any work starts, and it changes only if you agree. The one exception: if something structural surfaces that was not visible or disclosed before we signed — foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring, cast-iron drain failure — we re-cost it and bring the number back to you. You decide. You can walk away. We disclose what we know at offer time so this almost never happens.

On Premium, amounts owed are paid from the sale proceeds first, including mortgage payoff, liens, taxes and fees. You receive your agreed number, and Cash Flow Deals is paid last from what remains, as a separate line on the closing statement. Closing costs, commissions and required repairs come from our share, not your number. If your buyer's loan falls through, that is our problem, not yours. You can still take the Fast Cash Offer at its own number.

Will my sale involve two title transfers and two sets of closing costs?

Your Cash Flow Deals sale involves a single title transfer through Title Guaranty of South Florida. Some off-market transactions use a back-to-back closing, where the property sells twice in a short window. Two closings can mean two sets of title and transfer costs, which can affect what you keep.

On Premium, you first sign with us and give us permission to bring in a buyer in our place. That buyer signs a new contract directly with you, title moves straight from you to them, and their lender funds the purchase. There isn't an intermediate transfer to Cash Flow Deals on that sale. The title company handles the deed and transfer, and the closing statement shows the transaction's charges.

The title search and settlement fee are handled by the title company. Those are separate lines from the owner's title insurance policy and the documentary stamp tax on the deed. A single transfer doesn't make those charges disappear; it means your sale doesn't require a second transfer through us. To see the full closing flow and exactly what hits the statement, read how it works and what happens at closing, or call 786-891-9111 to walk through your specific numbers.

What deed transfer tax will appear on my Florida closing statement?

The documentary stamp tax is a Florida state transfer tax on the deed. The standard rate is $0.70 per $100 of the sale price in every county except Miami-Dade, where the rate is $0.60 per $100 plus a $0.45 surtax on most transfers, according to the Florida Department of Revenue, citing F.S. § 201.02(1)(a). Example: on a $300,000 sale outside Miami-Dade, the doc stamp on the deed alone runs $2,100 using that rate. The seller typically pays this cost, and it appears as its own line on the closing statement. Keep it separate from recording fees when you check the breakdown. When you sell through Cash Flow Deals, this cost and every other closing line are visible on the settlement statement before you sign.

What condition information should I provide before signing and planning my closing?

Closing costs aren't only financial. Florida sellers must disclose known material defects that affect the property's value and that a buyer can't readily observe, including on as-is sales. This disclosure duty is associated with Florida Statute § 475.278 and the Florida Supreme Court's Johnson v. Davis decision. Failing to disclose a known defect can expose you to liability after closing, a cost most sellers never account for. The disclosure is a simple written document: what you know about the home's condition, given to the buyer before the contract is signed. A title company handles the deed and the transfer, but the disclosure paperwork is your responsibility as the seller.

When you sell through Cash Flow Deals, you tell us the real condition of your home up front so your buyer can review your disclosures before signing. Clear disclosure helps reduce the risk of a later dispute. Tell us about known foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring or cast-iron drain failure rather than waiting for a walk-through or lender review to bring them up.

Cash Flow Deals' Closing Cost Process:

1. Call or start online with Cash Flow Deals at 786-891-9111 and tell us the real condition of your home, including anything you'd normally have to disclose. You get a same-day callback in business hours. A team member responds within 24 hours with your next steps.

2. Tell us your deadline before choosing between the Fast Cash Offer and Premium Cash Offer. The Fast Cash Offer has one walk-through by our team, a 15 business day inspection period and closing in 30 business days. The Premium Cash Offer has a 30 business day inspection period and closes in 45 to 60 business days, or 2 to 3 months. Premium showings are scheduled ahead with a licensed agent and take 10 to 15 minutes.

3. If you're planning around 30 to 45 days, discuss your deadline with us before choosing: that planning window isn't the same as either offer's business-day timeline. Timing depends on your offer and contract, and you help pick the date. Give everyone on the title a chance to join the call so the people involved can hear the next steps together.