Congratulations! You’ve almost made it through the entire homebuying process. But before you can officially close, there’s one last step: pay closing costs.
Closing costs are the taxes and fees associated with the purchase and sale of a home, such as title insurance and lender fees. To help prepare you for the final steps of the homebuying process, this Redfin article will break down how much closing costs are in Florida, who pays for them, and what costs you can expect to pay as a buyer and as a seller.
How much are closing costs in Florida?
In addition to the down payment, homebuyers will also need to pay closing costs before securing the keys to their new home. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect closing costs in Florida to add up between 2%-5% of the purchase price. But it’s important to remember that this is just a range and the total amount will depend on numerous factors, such as the buyer’s loan program or negotiations made with the seller.
Let’s say you’re buying a home in Jacksonville, where the median home sale price is $315,000. Based on this, you could expect closing costs to be between $6,300 and $15,750. Whereas if you’re buying a home in Palm Beach, which has a median sale price of $2,450,000, closing costs could be anywhere from $49,000 to $122,500.
Who pays closing costs in Florida?
In most areas, including Florida, both the buyer and the seller will pay closing costs. But, each party’s closing costs amount will vary depending on what they are required to pay. Keep in mind that it’s common for the buyer to pay closing costs out of pocket, while the seller’s closing costs are usually deducted from the home sale proceeds.
Buyer closing costs in Florida
For homebuyers in Florida, you can expect to pay between 2%-5% of the purchase price. If you paid earnest money, this amount will be subtracted from your closing costs, which will reduce the total amount you owe at closing. Earnest money is typically between 1%-3% of the home’s price. Below are some of the common closing costs paid for by the buyer:
- Appraisal fee: Home appraisals, which typically range from $300 to $500, are usually paid for separately at the time of the service. However, if not, you’ll need to pay for this at closing.
- Inspection fee: Although not required, a home inspection is highly recommended. Home inspections generally range from $300 to $500 in cost and are usually paid at the time of service. However, if not, it will need to be paid at closing.
- Loan origination fee: Some lenders charge a fee for creating your loan. As you shop around for lenders, inquire about what it covers and whether it’s negotiable to avoid high fees.
- Loan processing fee: Lenders may also charge a loan processing fee, covering underwriting and related services. Similar to the origination fee, check with your lender to understand its purpose and possible waivers.
- Loan discount points: If you’ve purchased points to lower your interest rate, you’ll usually pay a one-time fee at closing. Each point can lower your rate by 0.25% to 0.5%. Consider your long-term plans, such as how long you plan to own the home or if you plan to re-finance, before purchasing points.
- Private mortgage insurance (PMI): Required for down payments under 20%, PMI might involve an upfront fee at closing, depending on the loan type. It’s usually part of your monthly payment, but some loans offer the option to pay it as a one-time fee.
- Title insurance: Title insurance is a one-time fee paid as part of closing costs. Buyers typically cover both lender and owner title insurance policies.
- Homeowners insurance: In Florida, your annual homeowner’s insurance premium may be part of your closing costs.
- Homeowners Association dues: For homes in HOA-managed communities, you might have to pay one month’s dues at closing, which can vary depending on the property and covers maintenance and operational expenses.
- Property taxes: Buyers may have to prepay property taxes as part of their closing costs in Florida.
Seller closing costs in Florida
How much closing costs are in Florida for sellers will vary between each transaction, but here are a few common closing costs that sellers pay for:
- Real estate agent commission fees: These fees can be a significant cost for sellers. Commission fees may vary and are subject to negotiation. Sellers should discuss their options with their agent.
- Homeowners Association fees: If the property is part of a homeowners association, sellers are usually responsible for settling any outstanding HOA fees or assessments up to the date of closing. Additionally, sellers may need to provide certain HOA documents to the buyer as part of the sale.
- Property taxes: Any outstanding property taxes will be due at this time. However, if the seller has prepaid property taxes for the period that extends beyond the closing date, they may be credited back for the portion they’ve paid but won’t use.
- Title insurance: As part of closing costs for sellers in Florida, sellers may pay for owner’s title insurance. Typically, this cost is based on the property’s sale price.
- Transfer taxes: In Florida, sellers are responsible for paying state and possibly local transfer taxes. These taxes are typically a percentage of the property’s sale price and can vary widely by jurisdiction.
Median home sale price data from the Redfin Data Center during July 2024.
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