How much does it cost to sell a house in Palm Beach County?

Doc stamps on the deed

$0.70 per $100

Owner’s title policy at $515,000

$2,650

Brokerage fees

Negotiable

A worked example at the county median

A $515,000 sale, the median price of the 5,369 Palm Beach County homes that closed June 29 – September 26, 2026. The listing fee below is an example rate, not a standard one.

Not included: your prorated property taxes, any HOA or condo estoppel and transfer fees, your mortgage payoff, repairs or credits you agree to, and buyer’s agent compensation if you choose to offer it (each 1% of this price is $5,150). The seller closing cost calculator uses the same math and lets you enter your own numbers.

Commission: negotiable, and paid only as agreed

No law or Realtor® rule sets commissions. Your listing agreement states what your brokerage is paid, and that fee is negotiable. Since August 17, 2024, when the practice changes from the National Association of Realtors® settlement took effect, offers to pay the buyer’s agent can no longer be advertised on the MLS, and buyers who work with an agent sign a written agreement before touring that states what their agent will be paid. A seller can still agree to pay some or all of it, directly or as a credit in the purchase contract. Many buyers ask for that help because they can’t pay an agent in cash on top of a down payment.

Florida’s documentary stamp tax on the deed

Florida taxes deeds at $0.70 for each $100 of the price, or fraction of $100 (Fla. Stat. § 201.02). Miami-Dade County has its own rate; Palm Beach County uses the statewide one. The tax is paid when the deed is recorded, and in Palm Beach County the seller customarily pays it. The standard Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract assigns it to the seller unless the parties agree otherwise.

Owner’s title insurance

The owner’s title policy protects the buyer against covered defects in title. In Palm Beach County the seller usually pays for it and chooses the title agent, though the contract can shift that to the buyer. Florida sets the premium by rule (Fla. Admin. Code R. 69O-186.003): $5.75 per $1,000 of coverage up to $100,000 and $5.00 per $1,000 from $100,000 to $1 million, with lower rates above that and a $100 minimum. Coverage normally equals the sale price. The premium is the same at every title company, though a reissue discount may apply if you have the owner’s policy from when you bought; settlement, search and closing fees vary, so compare them.

Property taxes are settled at closing

Florida property taxes are billed in arrears: the bill for a calendar year arrives around November 1 and is paid that winter. If you sell before this year’s bill is paid, you credit the buyer for the days you owned the home, based on this year’s tax if it can be figured or last year’s bill if not, less the maximum early-payment discount. If you close after paying it, the buyer credits you. Your settlement statement shows the exact figure.

HOA and condo estoppel fees

If the home is in a condominium or homeowners’ association, the title agent orders an estoppel certificate showing what you owe the association, including any special assessments. The association must deliver it within 10 business days of the request. Florida law caps the fee (Fla. Stat. §§ 718.116(8) and 720.30851), and under the inflation adjustment the state regulator has published, the cap is currently $299, plus $119 for delivery within three business days and up to $179 more if the account is delinquent. The standard Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract lists the estoppel fee as a seller cost; association application and transfer fees fall on the buyer. Unpaid dues and assessments are paid from your proceeds at closing.

Other costs that can come up

• Mortgage and lien payoffs. Your lender’s payoff, any home equity line and any recorded liens are paid from your proceeds at closing.
• Recording fees to clear title. The seller pays to record documents that clear title, such as a satisfaction of mortgage. Florida’s recording fee is $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page (Fla. Stat. § 28.24).
• Municipal lien search. Under the standard contract the seller usually pays for the search for open permits, code liens and utility balances. Prices vary by provider.
• Repairs and credits you agree to after the buyer’s inspection.
• Foreign sellers: under the federal FIRPTA rules the buyer generally must withhold 15% of the amount realized, usually the sale price, for the IRS, with reduced rates of 0% or 10% on some sales of homes the buyer will live in.
• Income tax on your gain. Florida has no state personal income tax, but federal capital gains tax can apply. Ask your tax adviser about the home-sale exclusion.

Frequently asked questions