What It Costs to Sell a Home on St. Pete Beach
Selling a home on St. Pete Beach costs the seller five main things: the commission you negotiate, Florida’s documentary stamp tax on the deed at 70 cents per $100 of the price, the owner’s title insurance policy that Pinellas County sellers customarily pay for, a credit to the buyer for your share of the year’s property taxes, and, for a condo, the association’s estoppel certificate fee. Team BeachSide’s net sheet lists each of these for your own home before you sign a listing agreement, so the number you plan around is the one you take home.
The seller’s main costs, line by line
Real estate commission. The National Association of Realtors states that compensation for your agent remains fully negotiable and that you still have the choice of offering compensation to buyer brokers; such an offer cannot appear on the MLS. We do not quote a typical rate; it is whatever you and your listing agent agree to in writing. On a $450,000 sale, each percentage point of commission is $4,500.
Documentary stamp tax on the deed. Section 201.02(1)(a), Florida Statutes, sets the tax on deeds at 70 cents for each $100 of consideration; in an ordinary sale that is the sale price. It is paid to the county clerk when the deed is recorded, and in Pinellas County the seller customarily pays it. On a $450,000 sale the tax is $3,150.
Owner’s title insurance policy. Florida sets title premiums by rule (Florida Administrative Code 69O-186.003): $5.75 per $1,000 of coverage up to $100,000, then $5.00 per $1,000 up to $1 million, then $2.50 per $1,000 up to $5 million. A Pinellas County closing cost guide published by a local title company states that Pinellas is a seller-pays county for the owner’s policy by long-standing custom, as in most Florida counties, and that the contract can assign the cost either way. On a $450,000 sale the premium is $575 plus $1,750, or $2,325. The title company’s settlement, lien search and courier fees are unregulated and vary, so ask for a quote.
Property tax proration. The Pinellas County Tax Collector’s tax year runs from January 1 to December 31, and notices are mailed by November 1. Because Florida taxes are paid in arrears, the title company credits the buyer at closing for the seller’s share of the current year, using the prior year’s bill as the estimate when the new bill is not out. Close on June 30 with a $5,000 prior bill and the credit is about $2,500.
Condo or HOA estoppel certificate. Under section 718.116(8), Florida Statutes, a condominium association must issue an estoppel certificate within 10 business days of a request. The statute caps the fee at $250, plus up to $100 for three-day delivery and up to $150 if the unit is delinquent, adjusted for inflation every five years by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; after the 2022 adjustment the caps are $299, $119 and $179 (Stewart Title bulletin, September 8, 2022). Homeowners’ associations follow the same figures under section 720.30851. Our guide to selling a condo on St. Pete Beach covers the rest of the condo paperwork.
Payoff, liens and repairs. Your lender’s payoff and anything a municipal lien search turns up come out of the proceeds. Repairs are negotiated; our St. Pete Beach home value guide lists what beach buyers ask about first.
FIRPTA for foreign sellers. The IRS generally requires the buyer to withhold 15 percent of the amount realized when a foreign person sells U.S. real property; exceptions apply at $300,000 or less when the buyer will live there, and Form 8288-B requests reduced or no withholding. See selling a Florida beach home from Canada for the timing. We are not tax advisors; consult a qualified cross-border tax professional.
A worked example (example only)
In the 12 months to September 30, 2026, the median sale price in St. Pete Beach was $432,500 for condos and $845,500 for single-family homes, according to Team BeachSide calculations from Stellar MLS. So take a $450,000 condo closing June 30 with a $200,000 mortgage and a $5,000 prior-year tax bill:
- Documentary stamp tax on the deed: $3,150
- Owner’s title policy at the state rate: $2,325
- Estoppel certificate: $299 (up to $418 if expedited)
- Property tax credit to the buyer: about $2,500
- Commission: $4,500 for each percentage point you agree to
- Settlement fee, lien search and courier: the title company’s quote
- Mortgage payoff: $200,000
Before commission and the title company’s own fees, the fixed items come to about $8,300, a little under 2 percent of the price.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to sell a house in St. Pete Beach, FL?
Add the commission you negotiate to the documentary stamp tax (70 cents per $100), the owner’s title policy at Florida’s state rate, a property tax credit to the buyer, any estoppel fee and the title company’s charges. Team BeachSide prepares a net sheet with each line for your home before you list.
Who pays documentary stamps in Pinellas County?
The seller, by custom, at 70 cents per $100 of consideration under section 201.02. The contract can assign it differently.
Who pays for title insurance in Pinellas County?
The seller, by local custom, as in most Florida counties. The contract can shift the cost if both sides agree.
Is real estate commission negotiable in Florida?
Yes. The National Association of Realtors states that compensation is fully negotiable and that sellers choose whether to offer buyer-broker compensation.
How much do I net on a $450,000 sale?
Subtract the mortgage payoff, the documentary stamp tax ($3,150), the owner’s title policy ($2,325), any estoppel fee, the tax proration credit, the title company’s fees and the commission you agreed to. Your payoff, closing date and listing agreement decide the result.
Request a St. Pete Beach home valuation and ask for the net sheet, or contact Team BeachSide, John and Nicole with LoKation Real Estate, at (727) 955-1222.
