How Much Will You Net Selling Your Home in Fort Lauderdale?

How much do Fort Lauderdale sellers typically net after closing costs?

Fort Lauderdale sellers typically net 90%–93% of their sale price after all closing costs and commissions. On a $1 million sale, that means walking away with roughly $900,000–$930,000 after paying approximately $55,000–$70,000 in combined realtor commission, documentary stamp taxes, title insurance, and title company fees. The exact number depends on your price point, whether you offer buyer concessions, and any outstanding liens, HOA balances, or repair credits negotiated during the sale. Before you decide what to list for — or whether to list at all — you need your actual net sheet.

By Scott Morreau | April 24, 2026

Every seller I talk to has a number in their head. A price they think they'll walk away with. And almost every time, that number is higher than reality — not because the home is worth less, but because closing costs add up in ways that don't show up on Zillow.

If you're thinking about selling your Fort Lauderdale home, this is the conversation to have before you list — not after you're in contract.

Here's what actually comes out of your proceeds.

The Big Four: What Sellers Pay at Closing in Fort Lauderdale

1. Realtor commission

The largest single line item. In Florida, total commission typically runs 5%–6% of the sale price, split between your listing agent and the buyer's agent*.

On Fort Lauderdale homes in the $750,000–$3,000,000 range, that looks like this:

• $750,000 sale: $37,500–$45,000 in commission
• $1,000,000 sale: $50,000–$60,000
• $2,000,000 sale: $100,000–$120,000
• $3,000,000 sale: $150,000–$180,000

* Post-NAR settlement (effective August 2024), the structure of how buyer's agent compensation is handled has shifted. You're not required to offer a specific buyer's agent commission in the MLS, but the practical reality in Broward County is that most competitive offers still involve some form of buyer's agent compensation — either negotiated directly or structured as a seller concession at closing. Your agent can walk you through how to handle this strategically in the current market.

2. Documentary stamp tax (doc stamps)

Florida charges a documentary stamp tax of $0.70 per $100 of the sale price on the deed. By long-standing custom in Broward County, the seller pays this. It's non-negotiable — the state mandates the rate, and it applies to every sale.

Here's what that means in real dollars at typical Fort Lauderdale price points:

• $750,000 sale: $5,250 in doc stamps
• $1,000,000 sale: $7,000
• $1,500,000 sale: $10,500
• $2,000,000 sale: $14,000
• $3,000,000 sale: $21,000

This is the number most sellers don't think about until they see the settlement statement. It comes straight out of your proceeds at closing.

3. Title insurance (owner's policy)

In Broward County, it's customary for the seller to pay for the owner's title insurance policy — which protects the buyer against title defects. The premium is set by the state of Florida and is based on the sale price. On a $1 million sale, you're typically looking at approximately $5,750 in title insurance. The title company (often attorney-owned in South Florida) coordinates the closing and charges separate fees for the closing service itself, typically $500–$900.

4. Prorated property taxes and HOA items

Florida's property tax year runs January 1 through December 31. If you close mid-year, you'll owe a prorated share of that year's taxes at closing — even if the bill hasn't come yet. On a $1 million home with a typical Broward County millage rate, that can be $5,000–$10,000 or more depending on your assessed value and timing.

If you have an HOA, expect to pay any outstanding dues, transfer fees, and estoppel fees. Estoppel fees in Florida typically run $100–$500 and are paid by the seller.

The Seller Concession Factor

In today's Fort Lauderdale market, this one matters more than it used to.

Fort Lauderdale is running at roughly 104 days on market right now, with about 27% of listings taking a price reduction before they sell. Buyers have more leverage than they've had in years — and many are using it to ask for closing cost credits, interest rate buydowns, or repair credits after inspection.

The average seller concession in Florida right now is approximately $7,455 — around 2% of the sale price. On a $1 million home, that's $20,000 off your net if the buyer negotiates hard. On a correctly priced, well-prepared listing, you may not need to offer anything. But it's a number worth building into your planning.

I've seen sellers walk into listing appointments expecting to net $950,000 on a $1 million home. By the time we added commission, doc stamps, title, taxes, and a modest repair credit, the real number was closer to $880,000. That's not a bad outcome — but it's a very different conversation than what they were expecting.

What This Looks Like in Total

Here's a realistic seller cost estimate at three Fort Lauderdale price points — using 5.5% commission, standard doc stamps, title insurance, and a modest concession:

$750,000 sale:

• Commission (5.5%): $41,250
• Doc stamps: $5,250
• Title insurance + closing fees: ~$4,900
• Prorated taxes / HOA: ~$3,500
• Seller concession: ~$7,500
• Estimated net: ~$688,000 (91.7% of sale price)

$1,000,000 sale:

• Commission (5.5%): $55,000
• Doc stamps: $7,000
• Title insurance + closing fees: ~$6,200
• Prorated taxes / HOA: ~$5,000
• Seller concession: ~$10,000
• Estimated net: ~$916,800 (91.7% of sale price)

$2,000,000 sale:

• Commission (5.5%): $110,000
• Doc stamps: $14,000
• Title insurance + closing fees: ~$10,500
• Prorated taxes / HOA: ~$8,000
• Seller concession: ~$15,000
• Estimated net: ~$1,842,500 (92.1% of sale price)

These are estimates. Your actual number depends on your negotiated commission rate, the specific title company you use, your current HOA balance, and what comes up during inspection. That's what a net sheet is for.

What Is a Seller's Net Sheet?

A net sheet is a one-page breakdown of your projected proceeds — built specifically for your home, your price, and your situation. It accounts for everything described above, plus any mortgage payoff balance you may have, and gives you a clear picture of what you'll actually walk away with at closing.

This is the first thing I put together for every seller I work with — before we ever talk about list price, before we talk about marketing, before we set a timeline. Because if the number doesn't work for you, the rest of the conversation doesn't matter.

If you've built equity in your Fort Lauderdale home over the last several years — and most sellers in this market have — the net sheet almost always tells a better story than sellers expect. Fort Lauderdale home values have climbed meaningfully over the past decade, which means most long-term owners are sitting on significant equity even after accounting for all selling costs.

That said, you want to know your real number before you commit to anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the documentary stamp tax in Broward County, and who pays it?

The documentary stamp tax in Florida is $0.70 per $100 of the sale price, charged on the deed. In Broward County, the custom — and the standard contract language — places this cost on the seller. On a $1 million sale, that's $7,000. On a $3 million sale, it's $21,000. This is separate from the mortgage note doc stamps and intangible tax, which the buyer pays on their loan amount. The tax is paid at closing through the title company and comes directly out of seller proceeds.

Who pays for title insurance in Fort Lauderdale?

In Broward County, it's customary for the seller to pay for the owner's title insurance policy. This protects the buyer against any title defects, liens, or claims that surface after closing. The premium is regulated by Florida and based on the sale price — roughly $5,750 on a $1 million sale. The buyer typically pays for the lender's title insurance policy separately (required by their mortgage lender). Title fees and which party pays what are negotiable in the contract, but the Broward County custom strongly favors seller-pays-owner's-policy.

Do I have to offer a buyer's agent commission?

Since the NAR settlement took effect in August 2024, sellers are no longer required to offer buyer's agent compensation in the MLS. However, in practice, most transactions in the Fort Lauderdale market still involve buyer's agent compensation — either negotiated directly between the buyer and their agent (and potentially structured as a seller concession at closing) or offered proactively by the seller to attract more buyers. How to handle this strategically depends on your price point, the competitiveness of your listing, and current market conditions.

What are typical seller concessions in the Fort Lauderdale market right now?

With Fort Lauderdale averaging 104 days on market and about 27% of listings taking price reductions, buyer leverage is real in 2026. The average seller concession in Florida right now runs approximately $7,000–$10,000 on homes in the $750,000–$1,000,000 range — typically used toward buyer closing costs, interest rate buydowns, or repair credits after inspection. Correctly priced homes in good condition can and do sell without concessions. But building a realistic concession estimate into your net sheet is smart financial planning.

How do I get my actual net sheet before I list?

Ask your listing agent to prepare one. A good net sheet is specific to your address, your projected price, your mortgage payoff (if any), and your HOA situation — not a generic percentage estimate. It should be updated any time your list price changes or new information comes in during the transaction. If an agent won't provide a net sheet before you list, that's a signal worth paying attention to.

The bottom line on selling in Fort Lauderdale is this: your proceeds will be real and, for most long-term homeowners, meaningful. But the gap between your list price and your net check is wider than most sellers expect — typically 7%–10% of the sale price when you add everything up.

Knowing your real number before you list isn't pessimistic. It's the difference between a transaction that works for your life and one that surprises you at the closing table.

If you're thinking about listing in Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, or anywhere in Broward County and want to see what you'd actually walk away with, I'm happy to put together a net sheet for your specific home. No pressure, no commitment — just the real numbers. Reach out at scottsellsfl.com or schedule a call directly.

 

About Scott Morreau
Scott Morreau, PA is a top-rated Realtor® and Broker Associate with Real Broker, LLC, specializing in residential real estate across Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Pompano Beach, Dania Beach, and Broward County. Licensed since 2001 and active in South Florida since 2006, Scott has closed over $52 million in Florida real estate — including $7.1 million in the past year — and is ranked among the top 500 agents in the region with 70+ five-star reviews. Scott specializes in luxury and waterfront homes, investment properties and 1031 exchanges, relocation to and from South Florida, and serving LGBTQ+ clients, and is known for his concierge-level preparation and client-first philosophy he calls A Better Real Estate Experience.