{"id":21423,"date":"2021-01-27T16:00:53","date_gmt":"2021-01-28T00:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=21423"},"modified":"2026-03-26T19:45:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T02:45:00","slug":"selling-a-house-in-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/selling-a-house-in-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Rules for Selling a House in Florida As Buyers Flock South"},"content":{"rendered":"

Home to sugar sand beaches<\/a>, the Everglades, Art Deco, and rocket launches<\/a>, Florida offers quite a few sights that are out of this world. Thanks to its theme parks and landmarks such as the \u201cWorld\u2019s Largest Orange<\/a>,\u201d the Sunshine State also has a reputation for being a bit wacky, including having real estate laws and disclosures you might not encounter elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Florida closed 293,325 real estate sales<\/a> in 2019 (an increase of 5.6% from 2018), with a median sale price of $264,500, according to statistics from the trade association Florida Realtors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic<\/a>, new contracts for single-family homes and condominiums rose in five Florida counties<\/a> as of September 2020, with gains at the higher price points in Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, and Pinellas counties, market reports say.<\/p>\n

Real estate agents told The New York Times<\/i><\/a> that many of these recent buyers relocated from northern cities, adding to the estimated 900 people that one industry report estimates move to Florida each day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Selling a house in Florida<\/a> for the best price involves knowing the best time to list, how to market your Florida home, and the particular fees and requirements you might face. Let\u2019s kick off our flip-flops and take a look at some of these.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> Source: (Pedro Bariak \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Time your sale from December to April for the best results.<\/h2>\n

Florida has the fourth largest economy in the nation<\/a>, with tourism and agriculture among its major industries. Walt Disney World\u2019s Magic Kingdom in 2019 hosted 20.96 million visitors<\/a>, making it the most visited theme park in the world, according to an industry report. <\/i><\/p>\n

That\u2019s nearly the population of the entire state<\/a>. So to get the most eyes on your property, real estate agents recommend timing your sale with the state\u2019s tourist season from December to April<\/a>, particularly to appeal to \u201csnowbirds,\u201d people who migrate south each year as for a toasty refuge from the winter chills in the North and the Northwest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s our peak season,\u201d says Priscilla Arzivian<\/a>, a veteran real estate agent in Daytona Beach, Florida, who sells properties in that area more than 37% quicker than the average agent. \u201cFolks come down; they want to purchase real estate, escape the cold. I put two homes on the market in the past week just because of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

HomeLight\u2019s Best Time to Sell data<\/a> bears out this theory, showing that if you list a home in Tampa in March, you could fetch a closing price by June that\u2019s 9.53% higher<\/a> than the annual average in that city.<\/p>\n

To close at about 5.89% higher<\/a> than the annual average in Miami, put your home there on the market in March as well. As for Jacksonville, housing transaction data for that city shows December as the hottest month, so to close at about 6.29% higher<\/a>, list your home there in September.<\/p>\n

2. Market your home to Florida buyers.<\/h2>\n

The typical Florida homebuyer<\/a> in 2019 was 37 years old and had a median income of $86,000 \u2014 about a decade younger and earning about $7,000 less than the average buyer nationwide<\/a>, according to statistics from Florida Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.<\/p>\n

Jill DiDonna, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Florida developer GL Homes<\/a>, told The New York Times<\/i><\/a> that buyers like Florida for its tax advantages \u2014 no state income or estate tax, and a homestead exemption of up to $50,000 on a primary residence. But she also attributed the 2020 uptick to the \u201cdesire to escape urban areas\u201d and find more space for home offices, in-home dining, home gyms, and private pools.<\/p>\n

Aside from a neutral gray palette and wood-like tile, buyers appreciate a screened-in porch; landscaping with tropical plants such as palm trees, hibiscus, and bougainvillea; and a fenced-in yard with a pool or room for a pool, Arzivian says. \u201cThat\u2019s a very Florida thing,\u201d she says, noting that a saltwater pool<\/a> more gentle on swimmers\u2019 skin has added appeal.<\/p>\n

Volusia County, where Daytona Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea are, is known for its archaeological sites, beaches, and rivers for canoeing and kayaking, Arzivian says. \u201cA lot of people say, \u2018I\u2019d like to be 15 or 20 minutes from the beach.\u2019 If they don\u2019t want to be near the water, we go inland.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Disclose what the state of Florida requires.<\/h2>\n

Florida has a number of standard real estate disclosures<\/a>. The state requires sellers to note the presence of lead-based paint<\/a>, asbestos<\/a>, mold<\/a>, or radon<\/a> gas. But the Sunshine State also has disclosures that address particular environmental conditions.<\/p>\n

For instance, the \u201cAS IS\u201d Residential Contract For Sale And Purchase\u201d<\/a> from the Florida Realtors and the Florida Bar states that buyers must receive a Florida Energy-Efficiency Rating Information Brochure, verify the property\u2019s elevation, and check whether it requires flood insurance.<\/p>\n

The Florida Realtors residential seller\u2019s property disclosure form<\/a> also asks questions related to the following:<\/p>\n