Yes. Florida lets any owner sell their own home without hiring a real estate agent, and every year some sellers do it. The harder questions are the ones that follow: what you still have to pay, which disclosures Florida requires, how the buyer’s agent gets paid, and whether the fee you save survives the price you get. This guide answers each one with current rules and data, and our new FSBO vs. agent calculator runs the numbers on your own sale.
The short version: a for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) seller in Florida skips the listing-side brokerage fee but still pays the deed documentary stamp tax ($0.70 per $100 of price, $0.60 for single-family homes in Miami-Dade), usually the owner’s title policy, settlement costs and often the buyer’s agent. The seller also takes on pricing, marketing, showings, disclosures and contract deadlines. FSBO sales fell to a record-low 5% of U.S. home sales in the National Association of Realtors’ 2025 seller survey.
Before you decide either way, get the price right. Request a hand-prepared home value review from a Momentum agent; it is free, and you can use it whether you list with us or sell on your own.
How many people sell their own homes?
Fewer than ever. NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, released November 11, 2025, found that FSBO sales made up 5% of home sales, below the prior record low of 7%, and that 91% of sellers used an agent, a record high. The same survey put the median FSBO sale at $360,000 versus $425,000 for agent-assisted sales.
That $65,000 gap is often quoted as proof that selling by owner costs you 18%. It is not that simple. FSBO sales skew toward lower-priced homes, rural areas and sales to someone the seller already knows. NAR lists selling to a friend, relative or neighbor as one of the most common reasons sellers go FSBO, and those sales are often priced as a favor. The comparison mixes different homes and different buyers, so it does not tell you what your home would bring either way. What it does show is that most sellers who try the open market decide the work and the risk are worth paying someone to carry.
Step by step: selling your own house in Florida
- Set the price from recorded sales, not list prices. Pull the last 90 days of closed sales for homes like yours from the county property appraiser and public sale records, and adjust for size, condition, lot and updates. Active listings tell you what sellers hope for; closed sales tell you what buyers paid.
- Build the insurance file before you list. Florida buyers have to insure the home to close. A recent four-point inspection, a wind mitigation report, the roof’s age and permit history, and recent utility bills answer the questions that otherwise derail a contract halfway through.
- Prepare the disclosures. Florida requires several, covered in the next section. Fill them out before the first showing so every buyer sees the same facts.
- Get the home in front of buyers. Most buyers search the MLS-fed portals. A FSBO seller can pay a flat-fee MLS service to enter the listing, or rely on yard signs, social media and FSBO sites, which reach fewer buyers.
- Handle showings and questions. You schedule every showing, verify buyers are pre-approved before letting them in, and answer questions without overstating anything you cannot document.
- Negotiate a written contract. Most Florida residential sales use the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract forms. On the widely used “AS IS” form, the inspection period defaults to 15 days and loan approval to 30 days if the parties leave those blanks empty. Each deadline protects someone, so read every paragraph.
- Open escrow with a title company or real estate attorney. The buyer’s deposit should go to a neutral escrow agent, never to you directly. The title company or attorney runs the title search, clears liens, prepares the closing statement and records the deed.
- Manage the contract to closing. Inspection requests, the appraisal, the buyer’s insurance quote, any HOA or condo approval and the final walk-through all happen in the 30 to 45 days after a contract for a financed buyer.
If you list with a licensed agent, the agent handles steps 1 and 4 through 8 with you; you still own the disclosures, because they are statements about what you know.
The disclosures Florida sellers cannot skip
Selling by owner does not reduce what you have to tell a buyer. These apply to Florida residential sales whether or not an agent is involved:
- Known defects. Under the Florida Supreme Court’s 1985 Johnson v. Davis decision, a seller of a home must disclose known facts that materially affect its value and are not readily observable to the buyer. “As is” does not cancel this duty.
- Flood disclosure. Since October 1, 2025, section 689.302 of the Florida Statutes requires the seller of residential property to give the buyer a flood disclosure at or before signing the contract. It asks whether the seller knows of flood damage during their ownership, has filed a flood insurance claim (including with the National Flood Insurance Program) and has received federal flood assistance such as FEMA aid (Florida Realtors, June 25, 2025).
- Radon. Section 404.056(5) requires a radon gas notice in at least one document of a Florida sale contract.
- Property tax. Section 689.261 requires a notice that the buyer should not rely on the seller’s current tax bill, because a sale can reset the assessed value. Our after-purchase tax calculator shows how large that reset can be.
- HOA and condo. Homes in a homeowners association need the HOA disclosure summary under section 720.401. Condo resales come with the association’s governing documents and a buyer cancellation window under section 718.503, plus any milestone inspection and reserve study records buyers and lenders now ask for.
- Lead-based paint. Federal law requires a lead-based paint disclosure and pamphlet for homes built before 1978.
- Coastal construction. Property partly or wholly seaward of the coastal construction control line needs the disclosure in section 161.57.
The contract forms include several of these notices, which is one reason most FSBO sellers use them instead of writing their own. When in doubt, a Florida real estate attorney can review your disclosures for a flat fee.
Do you still pay the buyer’s agent?
Only if you agree to. Since the NAR settlement practice changes took effect on August 17, 2024, offers of buyer-agent compensation no longer appear on the MLS, and buyers working with an agent sign a written agreement that states what that agent is paid. Buyers can pay their agent themselves, ask the seller to pay as part of the offer, or negotiate a mix.
For a FSBO seller this cuts both ways. You are not required to pay a buyer’s agent. But a large share of buyers shop with one, and an offer that asks you to cover their agent is common. Turning it down can shrink your pool of buyers; accepting it means your savings is the listing-side fee only. Every commission, on either side of the deal, is negotiable. The calculator includes a checkbox for an unrepresented buyer so you can see both versions.
What a Florida seller pays with or without an agent
| Cost | Listed with an agent | Sold by owner |
|---|---|---|
| Listing-side brokerage fee | What you negotiate | None |
| Buyer’s-agent compensation | Only if you agree | Only if you agree |
| Deed documentary stamp tax | $0.70 per $100 ($0.60 Miami-Dade single-family) | Same |
| Owner’s title policy | Seller in most counties; buyer by custom in Miami-Dade, Broward, Sarasota and Collier | Same |
| Settlement, recording, estoppel | Yes | Same |
| MLS access | Included in the agent’s service | Flat-fee MLS service, if you want it |
| Contract and disclosure help | Agent, plus an attorney if you choose | Attorney or transaction service, if you choose |
| Photos, signs, marketing | Usually the agent | You |
| Carrying cost while on the market | Yes | Yes, for however long it takes |
Sources: F.S. 201.02 (deed stamps); Florida promulgated title insurance rates; county title custom as used in our seller net sheet calculator. Customs are negotiable and the contract controls.
The owner’s title policy uses Florida’s promulgated rate schedule: about $5.75 per $1,000 of price up to $100,000 and $5.00 per $1,000 from there to $1 million, before endorsements and search fees. On a $400,000 sale that is about $2,075, plus deed stamps of $2,800 in most counties.
What 1% of the price means in your county
The FSBO decision is a trade between a fee you can see and a price risk you cannot. One way to frame it is to ask what one percentage point of price is worth in your market, because every point of fee you save is lost again by every point you leave on the table. The table uses Zillow’s typical home value for September 2026 from our Florida Housing Tracker, along with the costs a seller pays at that price either way.
| County | Typical home value (Sept. 2026) | 1% of that price | Deed stamps (paid either way) | Owner’s title, if seller pays (est.) | Listings with a price cut (Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duval | $294,079 | $2,941 | $2,059 | $1,545 | 29.2% |
| St. Johns | $492,987 | $4,930 | $3,451 | $2,540 | 27.9% |
| Clay | $335,274 | $3,353 | $2,347 | $1,751 | 30.4% |
| Nassau | $484,963 | $4,850 | $3,395 | $2,500 | 27.0% |
| Orange | $400,964 | $4,010 | $2,807 | $2,080 | 28.8% |
| Seminole | $400,341 | $4,003 | $2,802 | $2,077 | 33.1% |
| Hillsborough | $375,501 | $3,755 | $2,629 | $1,953 | 32.8% |
| Pinellas | $368,917 | $3,689 | $2,582 | $1,920 | 29.1% |
| Polk | $295,509 | $2,955 | $2,069 | $1,553 | 27.3% |
| Brevard | $342,346 | $3,423 | $2,396 | $1,787 | 29.0% |
| Volusia | $324,665 | $3,247 | $2,273 | $1,698 | 27.4% |
| Lee | $334,485 | $3,345 | $2,341 | $1,747 | 20.5% |
| Sarasota | $399,023 | $3,990 | $2,793 | Buyer | 22.4% |
| Palm Beach | $475,754 | $4,758 | $3,330 | $2,454 | 21.1% |
| Broward | $422,344 | $4,223 | $2,956 | Buyer | 20.1% |
| Miami-Dade | $523,240 | $5,232 | $3,139 | Buyer | 16.5% |
Sources: Zillow Research typical home value (ZHVI) and price-cut share through September 2026, via the Momentum Florida Housing Tracker (October 19, 2026 release). Deed stamps at $0.70 per $100 ($0.60 Miami-Dade single-family rate). Title estimated from the Florida promulgated schedule; “buyer” marks counties where the buyer customarily pays. Aggregate market statistics, not a value for any specific home.
Two things stand out. First, in most of the state one percentage point of price is $3,000 to $5,000 on a typical home, which is the scale of the listing-side fee many sellers negotiate. A FSBO seller who prices 1 to 2 points high and then has to cut, or who accepts a slightly weaker offer, can give the savings back quickly. Second, about one listing in five to one in three was carrying a price cut in September. Pricing is the part of the sale where professional help most often pays for itself, and it is also the part a FSBO seller can buy separately with a value review.
The pricing risk, in our own data
Overpricing is how many sales fail whether or not an agent is involved. Our review of 2026 Florida MLS listings that expired or were withdrawn (records through August 27, 2026) found that in most large counties the typical failed listing sat about five to six months, and 40% to 61% never recorded a single price cut. Sellers held the price, and the market waited them out. A by-owner seller has no one pushing back on the price, which makes this the biggest risk to manage. Our time-to-sell analysis shows that well-priced single-family homes reached a contract in a median 47 days statewide in Q3 2026 (Florida Realtors, October 16, 2026).
Run your own break-even
The FSBO vs. agent calculator compares the two paths line by line. Enter your county, the price you expect, the fees you would negotiate, and your FSBO costs. It returns both nets and a break-even: how much lower your by-owner sale can close, and how many extra days it can sit, before listing would have netted more. Here is one example with round numbers:
- A $400,000 home in Duval County, a 2.5% listing-side fee in the listed case, and a 2.5% buyer’s-agent payment in both cases (example rates only; all fees are negotiable).
- FSBO costs of $400 for a flat-fee MLS entry, $1,500 for an attorney and $500 for marketing.
- Result: at the same price and speed, the by-owner path nets about $7,600 more. It breaks even if the FSBO sale closes about 2.0% lower (roughly $7,900), or sits about 82 extra days at a $2,800 monthly carrying cost.
Change any input and the break-even moves. If your FSBO buyer has no agent, the margin is much wider. If you would pay the buyer’s agent anyway and you are unsure of your price, it is narrow.
When selling by owner can make sense
- You already have a buyer. A tenant, neighbor or relative who has agreed on a price. Here the main jobs are the contract, disclosures and closing, which a title company and an attorney can handle.
- Your home is easy to price. A home in a large subdivision with many recent, similar closed sales is easier to price than a waterfront, rural or one-of-a-kind property.
- You have time and flexibility. No purchase depending on the sale, no move date, and carrying costs you can absorb for a few extra months.
When it usually does not
- You need to sell by a date, or you are buying another home that depends on this sale.
- The home has insurance issues (an older roof, older electrical panels) that buyers will run into during the inspection period.
- It is a condo with association approval steps, recent assessments or reserve questions, or a home with an estate, a divorce, liens or several owners on title.
- You are not comfortable telling buyers no, or reading a contract deadline by deadline.
The middle options
The choice is not only “full-service agent” or “do it all yourself.” Sellers also use flat-fee MLS listings, limited-service brokerages, or a full-service agent with a negotiated fee. Commissions are always negotiable, so ask what is included and what you would pay. If speed matters more than price, compare a cash offer honestly with our cash offer vs. listing comparison. And for the full cost picture of any sale, see what it costs to sell a house in Florida. If you sold at a large gain, check the tax side with the home sale capital gains calculator.
Your next step
Whatever you decide, start with an accurate price. Get a hand-prepared home value review from a Momentum agent, based on recent comparable sales near you. There is no cost and no obligation, and you are free to use it to sell on your own. Then run the FSBO vs. agent calculator with that number.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell my own house in Florida without a Realtor?
Yes. Florida does not require a seller to hire a real estate licensee. You still need a written contract, the disclosures Florida law requires, and a title company or real estate attorney to hold the deposit, run the title search and close the sale.
Do I need a lawyer to sell my house by owner in Florida?
Florida does not require one, but many FSBO sellers hire a real estate attorney for a flat fee to review the contract and disclosures. A title company handles the escrow deposit, title search, closing statement and deed recording either way.
What disclosures does a Florida seller have to make?
Known defects that materially affect value under Johnson v. Davis, the flood disclosure required since October 1, 2025 by section 689.302, the radon notice, the property tax notice, HOA or condo disclosures where they apply, the lead-based paint disclosure for homes built before 1978, and the coastal construction control line disclosure for property seaward of that line.
Do I have to pay the buyer’s agent if I sell FSBO?
No, not unless you agree to. Since August 17, 2024, buyer-agent pay is set in a written agreement between the buyer and their agent, and a buyer may ask the seller to cover it in the offer. You can accept, negotiate or decline. Every commission is negotiable.
How much does a FSBO seller save in Florida?
The savings equal the listing-side fee you would have negotiated, minus what you spend on a flat-fee MLS entry, legal help and marketing. Deed stamps, title, closing costs and any buyer’s-agent payment are the same either way. Whether you keep the savings depends on getting a similar price and timeline.
How do I price my house if I sell it myself?
Use recent closed sales of similar homes nearby, adjusted for size, condition and updates, rather than active list prices. A hand-prepared value review from a local agent is free at Momentum and you can use it even if you sell on your own.
Sources: National Association of Realtors, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, “FSBOs reach all-time low” (November 11, 2025); Florida Statutes 689.302 (flood disclosure), 404.056(5) (radon), 689.261 (property tax), 720.401 (HOA), 718.503 (condo), 161.57 (coastal construction control line) and 201.02 (documentary stamp tax), as published by the Florida Senate (2025); Florida Realtors, “New flood disclosure requirements” (June 25, 2025); Johnson v. Davis, 480 So. 2d 625 (Fla. 1985); Florida Realtors, 3Q 2026 single-family market detail (October 16, 2026); Zillow Research via the Momentum Florida Housing Tracker (October 19, 2026); Momentum analysis of 2026 Florida MLS expired and withdrawn listings (through August 27, 2026). MLS data deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice; consult a Florida real estate attorney about your sale.
Momentum Realty is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage. Real estate commissions are always negotiable and are not set by law. Figures are estimates and aggregate market statistics, not a valuation of any property. Equal Housing Opportunity.