If you’re searching “sell my home in Miami,” most of what comes up is cash buyers promising a quick offer. Sometimes that’s the right call. But for most homeowners, a well-priced, well-marketed listing puts more money in your pocket. I’ve been a Florida real estate agent since 2006, and this is the plan I use with my own sellers, step by step.
Step 1: Decide what “sold” needs to look like for you
Before talking price, get clear on three things:
- Your timing. Do you need to be out by a certain date (a new job, a school year, a purchase you’re closing on)? Or can you wait for the right buyer?
- Your bottom line. Ask your lender for a written payoff estimate, so we know your mortgage balance down to the dollar.
- Where you’re going next. If you’re buying in Florida, you may be able to take part of your homestead tax savings with you (more on that below).
Those answers decide everything else: how we price, how much prep makes sense, and whether a traditional listing or a cash offer fits better.
Step 2: Price it from real sales, not wishful thinking
Pricing is the single biggest factor in how fast a home sells and for how much. A good price comes from recent closed sales of similar homes nearby, adjusted for size, condition, view, lot, parking and, for condos, the building itself (fees, reserves, assessments, rental rules).
A few things that are not your market value:
- The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser’s “market value” on your tax bill. It’s a mass-appraisal figure for taxes, not what a buyer will pay.
- An online estimate. Automated values can’t see your renovated kitchen, your water view, or the special assessment your building just passed.
- What your neighbor listed for. Asking prices aren’t sales.
I go deeper in how home values really work in Miami-Dade. Or skip the reading and get a free home value from me.
Step 3: Get the home ready (and skip what doesn’t pay)
Buyers decide in the first few photos. The basics almost always pay for themselves:
- Declutter and depersonalize, room by room
- Deep clean, including windows, grout and the A/C vents
- Fix the small stuff: drips, sticky doors, burnt bulbs, chipped paint
- Fresh, neutral paint where it’s tired
- Curb appeal: trimmed landscaping, a clean entry, pressure-washed driveway
In South Florida, buyers (and their insurance companies) also care about the roof’s age, the A/C, impact windows or shutters, and the electrical and plumbing. If you have a recent 4-point inspection or wind-mitigation report, or receipts for a new roof or windows, gather them now. They answer questions before a buyer asks.
Big renovations right before selling rarely return their full cost. I’ll tell you honestly which fixes move the price and which don’t.
Step 4: Florida disclosures and paperwork
Florida sellers have real disclosure duties. In plain English:
- Known defects. Florida courts have long required sellers of homes to disclose known facts that materially affect value and aren’t readily observable (the Johnson v. Davis rule). When in doubt, disclose.
- Flood disclosure. Florida law now requires sellers of residential property to give buyers a flood disclosure at or before signing the contract: whether you know of flooding that damaged the home while you owned it, and whether you filed a flood insurance claim or got federal assistance for flood damage (Fla. Stat. 689.302).
- Radon. Florida contracts must include the state’s radon gas notice (Fla. Stat. 404.056).
- Condos and HOAs. Condo sellers must provide the association documents, including the milestone inspection summary and the latest reserve study where they apply (Fla. Stat. 718.503). See my condo selling guide.
Also check early for open or expired permits. Old permits that were never closed out are common in Miami-Dade and can hold up a closing. It’s much easier to clean them up before you have a buyer waiting.
Step 5: Marketing that actually reaches buyers
Putting a home on the MLS is the minimum. What gets it sold is how it shows up everywhere buyers look:
- Professional photos, video and a floor plan
- A listing description written for the buyer who’ll love this home
- Targeted online ads to people actually shopping in your area and price range
- Fast responses to every inquiry and showing request
I spent about 20 years in tech, so this is where I put a lot of energy: data-driven pricing and marketing that keeps your home in front of the right buyers around the clock.
Step 6: Showings, offers and negotiation
When offers come in, price is only part of the story. Compare:
- Financing: cash, conventional, FHA/VA. Is there a pre-approval letter from a real lender?
- Deposit: how much, and when it goes to escrow
- Inspection period and contingencies: shorter and fewer is stronger
- Closing date: does it match your plans?
Since the 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement, how buyer’s agents get paid is spelled out in writing and negotiated deal by deal. It’s one more line item to weigh when comparing offers, and I’ll walk you through it.
Step 7: Under contract to closing
A typical financed sale takes roughly a month to six weeks from signed contract to closing; cash can be faster. Along the way: the buyer’s inspection, possible repair requests, the appraisal, loan approval, title work, and (for condos and many HOAs) the association’s approval of the buyer. At closing you sign the deed, the title company pays off your mortgage, and you get your proceeds.
What it costs to sell, and the taxes
Your biggest costs are usually the commission and the Florida documentary stamp tax on the deed. In Miami-Dade the deed tax is $0.60 per $100 of the price for a single-family home or a condo unit, and $1.05 per $100 for other property such as a duplex (Fla. Stat. 201.02 and 201.031). Everywhere else in Florida it’s $0.70 per $100. On a $600,000 Miami-Dade house that’s $3,600. The full list is in my guide to seller closing costs in Florida.
On taxes: Florida has no state income tax. For federal tax, if the home was your main home for at least two of the last five years, you can generally exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for married couples filing jointly) (IRS Topic 701). Sellers who are foreign persons may face FIRPTA withholding at closing. Talk to your CPA about your situation; I’m not a tax advisor.
Buying again in Florida? Homestead “portability” can let you move up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes savings to your next homestead if you set it up in time (Fla. Stat. 193.155).
Listing vs. a cash offer
Cash buyers trade price for speed and certainty. That can make sense for an inherited home that needs major work, a tight deadline, or a property that won’t qualify for financing. If you’re considering it, let me run the numbers both ways: a realistic list price minus costs, next to the cash offer. Then you decide with real figures in front of you.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to sell a house in Miami?
It depends on price, condition and the season. Once you accept an offer, a financed sale usually takes about 30 to 45 days to close; a cash sale can close faster. Time on the market before an offer varies a lot by neighborhood and price range, so ask me for the current numbers for your area.
Do I have to disclose problems with my house in Florida?
Yes. Florida sellers must disclose known facts that materially affect the home's value and aren't readily observable, and Florida law now requires a written flood disclosure at or before the contract is signed (Fla. Stat. 689.302).
How much are seller closing costs in Miami?
The main items are the commission (always negotiable) and the documentary stamp tax on the deed, which in Miami-Dade is $0.60 per $100 of the price for a single-family home or condo unit. Add title-related fees, any HOA or condo estoppel fee, prorated property taxes and your mortgage payoff.
Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my home in Florida?
Florida has no state income tax. For federal tax, if the home was your main home for at least two of the last five years, you can generally exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. Check with your CPA.
Sources
- Florida Dept. of Revenue: Documentary Stamp Tax
- Fla. Stat. 201.031 (Miami-Dade surtax; condo units count as single-family)
- Fla. Stat. 689.302 (seller flood disclosure)
- Fla. Stat. 404.056 (radon disclosure)
- Fla. Stat. 718.503 (condo resale disclosure)
- Fla. Stat. 193.155 (Save Our Homes cap and portability)
- IRS Topic 701: Sale of your home
- IRS: FIRPTA withholding
- National Association of Realtors: settlement facts
- Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Laws and fees change; check the sources above and talk to your attorney or CPA about your situation.