The very first question I hear from sellers — before we talk about pricing, staging, or timing — is always some version of: "Kim, what am I actually going to walk away with?"
It's the right question to ask first. Everything else — whether you move up, downsize, or relocate — flows from that number. And it's a number that surprises more people than you'd expect, because Florida has some specific costs that don't show up in generic national real estate articles.
So let me walk you through exactly what sellers pay at closing in St. Johns County, what drives each cost, and what a realistic net sheet looks like for homes in the $500,000–$1,000,000 range.
The Big Picture
In St. Johns County, sellers generally pay between 7% and 8.5% of the sale price in closing costs — not counting whatever mortgage balance you're paying off. On a $700,000 home, that means roughly $49,000 to $59,000 leaves the table before you ever see your net check. The spread depends mostly on your commission agreement, your closing date (which affects property tax proration), and whether your community has an HOA.
That number sounds large until you see exactly what's inside it.
Breaking Down What Sellers Pay in St. Johns County
Documentary Stamp Tax on the Deed. Florida charges a documentary stamp tax — commonly called "doc stamps" — every time a deed transfers ownership. The statewide rate is $0.70 for every $100 of the sale price (Miami-Dade uses a different formula, but that doesn't apply here in St. Johns County). By local custom, the seller pays this. It is not legally required — the purchase contract can negotiate otherwise — but in Northeast Florida, doc stamps on the deed are virtually always a seller expense. On a $700,000 sale, that's $4,900.
Owner's Title Insurance. This one surprises almost every seller I work with. In Northeast Florida, the seller pays for the buyer's owner's title insurance policy on a resale transaction. (On new construction, the buyer pays — one of the key differences I covered in detail in my post on what buyers pay at closing on new construction in St. Johns County.)
Florida uses state-promulgated (government-set) title insurance rates: $5.75 per $1,000 for the first $100,000 of coverage, then $5.00 per $1,000 for amounts above that up to $1 million. For a $700,000 sale, that works out to approximately $3,575 in title insurance premiums paid by the seller.
Title Search and Closing Fee. The title company charges separately for the title search — which confirms you have clean ownership and no unresolved liens — and the closing or settlement fee. For a seller's side, this typically runs $800 to $1,400 combined, depending on the title company and complexity of the closing. You can shop title companies in Florida, and the difference between providers can be a few hundred dollars.
Real Estate Commission. Commission is almost always the largest single cost. The statewide average in Florida runs about 5% to 5.5% of the sale price. At 5.5%, that's $38,500 on a $700,000 home.
Property Tax Proration. Florida property taxes are paid in arrears — meaning your 2026 tax bill arrives in November 2026. If you sell before that bill is due, the title company calculates a daily tax rate based on your estimated annual bill and credits that amount to the buyer at closing. If your annual taxes are $7,000 and you close at the end of April, you'd owe approximately $2,333 in proration.
HOA Estoppel and Transfer Fees. If your home is in a community with an HOA — which covers a large portion of St. Johns County, from Nocatee to Palencia to Shearwater — the HOA charges an estoppel fee to certify your account status to the title company. Florida law caps this at roughly $250–$500. Some communities also charge a separate transfer fee of $150–$500. These are the seller's responsibility.
CDD Assessments. If your home has a Community Development District assessment, the annual CDD line item is prorated at closing. The underlying CDD debt is typically assumed by the buyer, not paid off by you at closing — which differs from what many sellers expect.
A Real Net Sheet: Three Price Points
Here's how closing costs break down across three common sale prices in St. Johns County, assuming a 5.5% total commission, no HOA, and a closing at end of April.
| Cost Item | $500,000 Sale | $700,000 Sale | $1,000,000 Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doc Stamps on Deed (0.70%) | $3,500 | $4,900 | $7,000 |
| Owner's Title Insurance | $2,575 | $3,575 | $5,075 |
| Title Search + Closing Fee | $1,000 | $1,100 | $1,200 |
| Recording Fee | $77 | $77 | $77 |
| Commission (5.5%) | $27,500 | $38,500 | $55,000 |
| Property Tax Proration (est.) | $1,667 | $2,333 | $3,333 |
| Total Seller Closing Costs | ~$36,319 | ~$50,485 | ~$71,685 |
| As % of Sale Price | 7.3% | 7.2% | 7.2% |
Your actual net proceeds equal your sale price minus closing costs minus your mortgage payoff. On a $700,000 sale with $280,000 remaining on your mortgage and no HOA, you'd walk away with approximately $369,500 — before any repair credits or concessions negotiated in the contract.
The Commission Question After the NAR Settlement
In August 2024, the National Association of Realtors settlement changed how buyer agent compensation is handled. Sellers are no longer required to offer compensation to a buyer's agent through the MLS listing. Buyer agent fees are now negotiated directly between buyers and their own agents, documented in a separate buyer broker agreement.
In practice, here in St. Johns County, most competitive listings are still offering buyer agent compensation — because limiting buyer representation limits your buyer pool. But the amount is now a direct conversation with your listing agent. Before you sign any listing agreement, make sure you understand the full commission structure. I cover a few related negotiation pitfalls in my post about what not to tell your Realtor when selling your home in St. Augustine.
What You Can (and Can't) Negotiate
Most sellers zero in on commission as the negotiating lever, which is fair — it's the biggest single cost on the sheet. But there are other places where flexibility exists.
Title company selection matters more than most sellers realize. You are not locked into any particular company, and closing fees can vary by $300–$700 between providers in St. Johns County. I always recommend getting quotes from two companies before committing.
Seller concessions — credits to the buyer for closing costs or repairs — are not free money. A $10,000 credit reduces your net by $10,000 in exactly the same way a $10,000 price reduction does. Understanding this is especially important when weighing today's market conditions in St. Johns County — in a buyers' market, concession requests are common; knowing your true net helps you respond strategically.
Documentary stamp taxes and owner's title insurance are technically negotiable, but in Northeast Florida's market, pushing these toward the buyer creates friction and rarely nets you more. Save your negotiating capital for the items that actually move.
When to Ask for a Net Sheet
The best time to ask for a net sheet is before you list — not after you accept an offer. A good net sheet shows you exactly what you'll walk away with at various price points, and it lets you make informed decisions about how to price, which offers to accept, and how to respond to repair requests and concessions. I run personalized net sheets for every seller I work with before we ever go to market. It changes the conversation entirely.
If you want to see what your home could net based on current market pricing, reach out and we can build it together.
Thinking about selling — or just curious what you'd walk away with?
Download the free St. Augustine Relocation Guide and get a feel for the market before you make any decisions.
"I knew I wanted to move but wasn't sure where. I started to go on Youtube to take a look at a few places and I came upon a series of videos by Kim Devlin. The videos were super positive on St.Augustine Florida and she seemed genuinely to really love the place. Videos were very informative and convincing so I decided to give a call and to my surprise Kim picked up the phone. We chatted a bit and I decided to take a visit. Well, she showed me several properties without any pressure or hype. I bought a property that very day. We toured the neighborhood and I was told to back off and give it some thought, again no pressure - no sales hype. I made the offer and got my house in 1 day. She showed me quality properties in great areas making my choice a lot easier then expected. The process was easy. I was kept informed every step of the way. Questions were cheerfully answered and I always was made aware of what was happening. Closing went smoothly due to a very professional staff getting it done on time and at my convenience. Kim was correct...St. Augustine is a great place to live and I doubt I would have made the move here without her being so enthusiastic and convincing. You want to relocate to St. Augustine? See Kim ! She even gave me and my dog Max house warming gifts." -Mike M.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the seller pay documentary stamp tax in Florida?
By long-standing custom in Northeast Florida, yes — the seller pays the documentary stamp tax on the deed. The rate is $0.70 per $100 of the sale price. While the purchase contract can technically negotiate otherwise, it is almost always a seller expense in St. Johns County. The buyer separately pays doc stamps on the mortgage note at $0.35 per $100 of the loan amount.
Who pays owner's title insurance in St. Johns County?
On a resale transaction in St. Johns County and throughout Northeast Florida, the seller customarily pays for the buyer's owner's title insurance policy. Florida uses state-promulgated rates: $5.75 per $1,000 for the first $100,000 of coverage, then $5.00 per $1,000 above that. On new construction, the buyer pays — so if you're selling a newly built home you've owned briefly, confirm with your title company which custom applies.
How much do sellers pay at closing in St. Johns County, Florida?
Sellers in St. Johns County typically pay 7% to 8.5% of the sale price in closing costs — covering documentary stamp tax, owner's title insurance, real estate commission, title search and closing fees, property tax proration, and any HOA estoppel fees. On a $700,000 home, that's roughly $49,000 to $59,000 before mortgage payoff.
How is property tax prorated at closing in Florida?
Florida property taxes are paid in arrears, with bills arriving each November. At closing, the title company calculates a daily tax rate based on your estimated annual bill and charges you for every day you owned the property that year without having paid yet. Closing at the end of April means you owe approximately four months' worth of taxes as a credit to the buyer. If you close after the November tax bill is paid, you may receive a credit for prepaid taxes instead.
Can a seller negotiate real estate commission in Florida after the NAR settlement?
Yes. Florida real estate commissions have always been negotiable, and the 2024 NAR settlement made the structure more transparent. Sellers are no longer required to offer buyer's agent compensation through the MLS. Most competitive St. Johns County listings still offer it to maximize the buyer pool, but the amount and structure are now a direct negotiation between you and your listing agent.
What is an HOA estoppel fee and who pays it?
An HOA estoppel fee is charged by your homeowners association to certify your account status — confirming current dues, any balances owed, and any open violations — to the buyer's title company. In Florida, this fee is typically $250–$500 and is paid by the seller at closing. Some communities also charge a separate HOA transfer fee of $150–$500.
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