You accepted an offer - congratulations. Now your phone is buzzing with paperwork, your title company is sending you a seller's estimated costs form, and suddenly you're looking at a list of fees you've never heard of. What exactly is a documentary stamp tax? Why are you paying for title insurance when you're the one selling? And how does any of this affect your actual check at the table?

I walk sellers through this every week. Here's a plain-English breakdown of every line item you can expect at a St. Johns County closing - with real numbers so there are no surprises on closing day.

The Big Ones: What Drives Most of Your Closing Costs

Florida has a few seller-side costs that are unique to our state, and they tend to surprise out-of-state sellers most. Let's start there.

Documentary stamp tax ("doc stamps"). Florida charges a transfer tax on every real estate deed, and in Northeast Florida - St. Johns County included - it's the seller's responsibility by custom. The rate is $0.70 for every $100 of the sale price. On a $600,000 sale that's $4,200; on a $750,000 sale it's $5,250. It's calculated on the full contract price, not your net equity, so plan for it accordingly. The legal authority is Florida Statute 201.02, and there are no exemptions for primary residences or length of ownership.

Owner's title insurance. Florida has state-regulated (promulgated) title insurance rates, meaning every title company charges the same premium - there's no shopping around for a discount. On a resale in Northeast Florida, the seller traditionally pays for the owner's title insurance policy that protects the buyer. The premium is $5.75 per $1,000 of coverage for the first $100,000, then $5.00 per $1,000 up to $1 million. For a $600,000 sale, the owner's policy costs approximately $3,075; for $750,000, approximately $3,825. If you purchased your home within the last three years, ask your title company about a reissue credit - you may qualify for a reduced rate.

Title Company Fees

In Florida, real estate closings are handled by a title company (not an attorney or escrow officer, as in many other states). The title company charges several service fees beyond the insurance premium itself. Based on current St. Johns County title company schedules, expect roughly:

Total title-side fees (excluding the insurance premium) typically run $700-$1,000 in St. Johns County.

Property Tax Proration

Florida property taxes are billed in November for the full calendar year, but they're assessed as of January 1. Because you've only owned the home for part of the year, you owe taxes from January 1 through your closing date - and that amount gets credited to the buyer on your closing disclosure.

St. Johns County has a combined millage rate of approximately 13.47 mills for 2025-2026, which works out to roughly $13.47 in annual taxes for every $1,000 of taxable value. If you have a homestead exemption, your taxable value is reduced by up to $50,000. On a $600,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, your taxable value is $550,000 and your annual tax bill is roughly $7,408. If you're closing on June 3, you've owned the property for 154 of 365 days - so your prorated share is about $3,124. That amount reduces your proceeds at closing.

If you bought the home recently and your assessed value hasn't caught up to market value yet, your proration will be lower. Your title company calculates this using the most recent tax bill; if the new bill isn't out yet, they'll estimate based on the prior year and adjust.

Real Estate Commission

Commission is the largest variable in your seller net sheet. Sellers pay their listing agent's fee directly from proceeds at closing. Since the NAR settlement changes that took effect in late 2024, the seller is no longer automatically required to offer buyer-agent compensation through the MLS - that's now a separate negotiation. In practice, many sellers in St. Johns County's $450K-$750K price range still offer buyer-agent compensation as a competitive tool, but the amount and structure are now explicitly spelled out in your listing agreement rather than assumed.

What this means in real dollars varies, but for a realistic scenario: a listing-side commission of 2.5-3% on a $600,000 home runs $15,000-$18,000. If you also offer buyer-agent compensation of 2-2.5%, add another $12,000-$15,000. Your agent should walk you through your net sheet in detail before you list - not after you accept an offer.

Other Potential Seller Costs

A few other line items can show up depending on your specific transaction. If your home is in an HOA or CDD community, the buyer may require an estoppel letter - a document from the association confirming your account balance and any outstanding assessments. HOA estoppel fees in Florida are capped by law at $299 for a standard request, though rush fees are higher. CDD assessments that are past due will need to be cleared at closing.

Sellers sometimes also agree to pay a portion of the buyer's closing costs as a concession - this is common in new construction communities where buyers are stretched, and in situations where negotiations call for it. A buyer home warranty, if negotiated into the contract, typically runs $400-$700 and shows up on your side of the closing disclosure.

Finally, if you have a mortgage, your lender will need a payoff statement valid through the closing date. The payoff amount - principal balance plus any accrued interest and lender fees - is the largest disbursement at closing for most sellers. It's not a closing "cost" in the traditional sense, but it's what determines your actual check.

What a Real Seller Net Sheet Looks Like

Let me pull this together with a realistic example for a $650,000 resale in St. Johns County, closing in early June with a homestead exemption in place.

Your mortgage payoff - whatever balance remains on your loan - then comes out of that $603,500. The remainder is your check. Every transaction is different, and your title company will prepare a formal closing disclosure in advance of your closing date so you know the exact number before you sit down at the table.

Tips to Protect Your Net

A few things worth knowing as you navigate this. First, the doc stamp rate and title insurance rates are fixed by Florida statute and regulation - there's no negotiating them. What you can negotiate is who pays what within the contract. In a balanced or buyer-friendly market, you may be asked to contribute to buyer closing costs as a concession; in a competitive market, buyers sometimes absorb more of their own costs. Your listing agent should help you model the impact of any concession on your actual net before you agree to it.

Second, if you've owned the home for fewer than three years, ask the title company whether a title insurance reissue credit applies. It doesn't always, but when it does it can reduce the owner's policy premium meaningfully.

Third, check your payoff amount early. Some lenders take 5-10 business days to produce a payoff statement, and if there's a discrepancy between what you expect and what the lender shows, you want time to resolve it before closing day - not during it.

I help sellers in St. Johns County, St. Augustine, Palm Coast, and the surrounding area run net sheets before they list. If you want to know exactly what you'll walk away with given your specific mortgage balance, price range, and timeline, I'm happy to run those numbers with you. There's no pressure and no obligation - just real information so you can make a confident decision.