For Sale By Owner

Yes. There are no FL laws or regulations stating you have to use a Realtor.  If you decide not to use one, you’ll most likely need help with a contract. Too many times we’ve seen a client commit to a price and contract, sign the documents, and then realize afterwards they’ve undervalued their home. When they try to get out of the contract, they can’t. You should definitely seek legal advice when it comes to this. We also recommend that you hire an appraiser to find out what your home is worth. For about $300-$400 you can get a legal, documented value of your home. For the record, don’t rely on Zillow and Trulia for an accurate home valuation. Studies show they are 10% under or overvalued over 85% of the time.

Sellers need to compare the savings in commissions to their own willingness to do the work, and their own ability to market the property and get the highest price for it. It can also depend on the type of market you’re in. In a Seller’s market it can be easier to sell your home on your own (with the help of an Appraiser and Title Company/Attorney). Hiring a Stager is also never a bad idea to make sure your home shows the best it possibly can.

In most of Florida (except in Miami-Dade, Broward, Sarasota and Collier Counties where Buyer usually pays for Title Insurance), Sellers typically pay the title insurance premium and fees. It is generally .0039 x Sales Price on homes owned less than 3 years, and .0055 x Sales Price otherwise. Sellers also typically pay Documentary Stamp Tax on the deed which is .007 x Sales Price, along with Title Search and Closing Fees (usual range $500-800).

Anything is negotiable, but it is not usually worth the risk of losing a potential sale. Hire an appraiser to get an idea of the true value of your property, and negotiate from there.

A FL Real Estate transaction will ALWAYS require a Title Company /
Law Firm to clear title and issue title insurance, hold escrow deposits, perform title and lien searches, collect all executed documents and the buyer’s money, and finally close and distribute the money and record the documents.

In most of Florida, the Seller typically chooses the Title Company and pays for the Title Policy Premium (and related fees). In Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier and Sarasota Counties, the Buyer typically chooses the Title Company and pays for the Title Policy Premium (and related fees). Typically, whoever picks the Title Company pays for the owner’s title insurance, although there is no rule or law in place for this – either party can negotiate and agree on something different. 

This really depends on how soon you need to sell your house. The main things you need to get right when you don’t want your house to sit for a long time are this – pricing it right and marketing it well (letting potential buyers know it’s for sale). Also, there are now services that can help you list your house on MLS without a Realtor, which can help get your house in front of more Buyers. If it’s been 120+ days (for median house prices) and it hasn’t sold, or if you’re getting showings but no offers, then it’s usually your price is wrong, your marketing is off, or you need some help staging it to make it more pleasing to potential Buyers.

Yes. If they are able to bring you a qualified buyer with qualified financing in place, or proof of cash funds, you should pay them. Commission shouldn’t exceed 3% and can often be negotiated.

Lenders will give their clients a pre-approval letter that shows the amount of $ they are able to borrow. You can also ask the Buyer to call their Lender, and they can verbally tell you that the Buyer is approved. If it’s a cash transaction, you can ask the Buyer for proof that they have the amount of money they are offering. It’s your right to have this information before you get into a contract with a Buyer. DON’T make the mistake of assuming they have the money, or that it’s too personal of a question to inquire about it.

Once again, everything is negotiable. Typically, Sellers will always fix things that are dangerous or a potential health threat. Things like Electrical, AC, Roof, and Plumbing are typically things that the Buyer (and Buyer’s Inspector) will look to be in good working order. If a Buyer wants new carpet or flooring, or doesn’t like the color of the paint, these cosmetic issues are more negotiable and don’t always end up being things the Seller does. This, of course, varies from contract to contract. Make sure to keep all receipts and contact info of all repairs that are done.