FL · #3 by population

Buying a home in Florida

In Florida, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $396,700 (Census ACS 2025); the state tax on the sale comes to $2,777, and owners pay a median $2,730 a year in property tax (0.76% effective rate).

In short

Florida taxes property sales through its documentary stamp tax on deeds, does not require an attorney at closing and imposes only limited seller disclosures. It forecloses through the courts and lets couples opt in to community property. Deadline to appeal a property tax assessment: 25 days after the TRIM notice is mailed (mailed each August).

Key figures for Florida

  • Median home value: $396,700, owner-occupied homes, Census ACS 2025; $648,300 in the city of Miami. Compare
  • Price trend: The FHFA House Price Index shows Florida prices up 1.0% and Miami–Miami Beach–Kendall prices down 0.3% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.
  • State transfer tax: $0.70 per $100 of consideration, or fraction of $100 (Miami-Dade: $0.60 per $100); $2,776.90 on $396,700. Compare
  • Median property tax paid: $2,730 a year, 0.76% of the median value (U.S.: 0.94%), Census ACS 2020-2024. By county
  • Cities covered by Payotte: 41 in Florida.

Calculate for Florida

If you buy

Florida state transfer tax

Documentary stamp tax on deeds: $0.70 per $100 of consideration, or fraction of $100 (Miami-Dade: $0.60 per $100). Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$396,700
State transfer tax$2,776.90
Share of the price0.7% of the price
Who paysSet by the purchase contract

Default price: the Florida median value of owner-occupied homes, $396,700 (Census ACS 2025). Rule: Divide the consideration by $100, round up to the next whole unit, multiply by $0.70. Consideration includes any mortgage balance on the property, whether or not assumed. Miami-Dade uses $0.60. Who pays: The law makes all parties liable regardless of which agrees to pay; the purchase contract allocates the cost. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, the tax on the mortgage, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Florida transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Florida state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Cities in Florida

  • Miami main city of Florida on Payotte, 6th largest U.S. metro area
  • Tampa 17th largest U.S. metro area
  • Orlando 20th largest U.S. metro area
  • Jacksonville 38th largest U.S. metro area
  • North Port 61st largest U.S. metro area
  • Cape Coral 72nd largest U.S. metro area
  • Lakeland 73rd largest U.S. metro area
  • Deltona 83rd largest U.S. metro area
  • Palm Bay 90th largest U.S. metro area
  • St. Petersburg 267,102 residents, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area (17th largest)
  • Port St. Lucie 258,575 residents, Port St. Lucie, FL metro area (106th largest)
  • Hialeah 235,388 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Tallahassee 205,089 residents, Tallahassee, FL metro area (141st largest)
  • Fort Lauderdale 190,641 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Pembroke Pines 179,326 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Hollywood 159,073 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Gainesville 148,720 residents, Gainesville, FL metro area (157th largest)
  • Miramar 143,242 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Coral Springs 140,808 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Lehigh Acres 132,353 residents, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area (72nd largest)
  • West Palm Beach 127,744 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Spring Hill 119,983 residents, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area (17th largest)
  • Brandon 119,767 residents, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area (17th largest)
  • Pompano Beach 118,104 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Clearwater 116,811 residents, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area (17th largest)
  • Miami Gardens 116,173 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Riverview 113,697 residents, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area (17th largest)
  • Davie 112,052 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Palm Coast 106,729 residents, Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL metro area (83rd largest)
  • Boca Raton 102,238 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Plantation 100,694 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Sunrise 100,128 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Fort Myers 99,918 residents, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area (72nd largest)
  • Alafaya 92,449 residents, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area (20th largest)
  • Deerfield Beach 90,507 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Melbourne 87,561 residents, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metro area (90th largest)
  • Daytona Beach 86,015 residents, Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL metro area (83rd largest)
  • Town 'n' Country 85,928 residents, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area (17th largest)
  • Homestead 85,796 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)
  • Kissimmee 84,756 residents, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area (20th largest)
  • Doral 83,625 residents, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area (6th largest)

Sectors of Miami

How Miami is divided: 10 most populous of 11 NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) areas.

Buying in Florida: frequently asked questions

What is the median home value in Florida?

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Florida is $396,700 (Census ACS 2025), and $648,300 in the city of Miami. These are owner estimates, not sale prices. The FHFA House Price Index shows Florida prices up 1.0% and Miami–Miami Beach–Kendall prices down 0.3% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.

Median home value in all 50 states

Is there a real estate transfer tax in Florida?

Florida's transfer tax is the documentary stamp tax on deeds, 70 cents per $100 of price in every county except Miami-Dade, where it is 60 cents per $100. A mortgage adds 35 cents per $100 and a 0.2% intangible tax.

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

How much is the state transfer tax on a $396,700 home in Florida?

On $396,700, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Florida (Census ACS 2025), the state documentary stamp tax on deeds comes to $2,776.90 ($0.70 per $100 of consideration, or fraction of $100 (Miami-Dade: $0.60 per $100)). County and city taxes are not included.

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

What closing costs does Florida law set?

Florida has no official typical closing-cost total. The deed carries documentary stamp tax of 70 cents per $100 (60 cents in Miami-Dade), a new mortgage adds 35 cents per $100 and a 2-mill intangible tax, and the owner's title premium is $2,575 at $500,000.

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

How is property tax calculated in Florida?

Florida taxes a home's assessed value minus exemptions at local millage rates. The 2026 homestead exemption removes $25,000 from all taxes plus up to $26,411 from non-school taxes, and Save Our Homes caps yearly assessment increases at the lower of 3% or inflation (2.7% for 2026).

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

How much property tax do homeowners pay in Florida?

Owner-occupants in Florida pay a median $2,730 a year in property tax on a median home value of $359,000, an effective rate of 0.76% (U.S.: $3,119, 0.94%), per Census ACS 2020-2024 estimates.

Property tax by county in Florida

What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in Florida?

In Florida, file a petition with the county Value Adjustment Board within 25 days after the August TRIM notice is mailed (Fla. Stat. 194.011(3)(d)). You can first ask the property appraiser for an informal conference.

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Florida?

No. As of October 2026 no Florida statute requires a lawyer at a home closing. A title insurance agent licensed by the Department of Financial Services can close and hold escrow funds (Fla. Stat. 626.8417, 626.8473).

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

What must a home seller disclose in Florida?

Florida has no statewide seller condition form, but a 1985 Florida Supreme Court ruling (Johnson v. Davis) requires sellers to disclose known, hidden facts that materially affect value. Statutes add written notices, including a flood disclosure under 689.302 required since October 1, 2024.

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

How does foreclosure work in Florida?

Florida forecloses only through the courts: the homeowner has 20 days to answer, and the clerk sells the home 20 to 35 days after final judgment.

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

What first-time home buyer programs does Florida offer?

In Florida, Florida Housing's Hometown Heroes gives eligible workers 5% of the loan amount, from $10,000 to $35,000, and FL Assist gives up to $10,000, both as 0% deferred loans. In Miami-Dade, the county adds up to $35,000 and the City of Miami offers up to $130,002.

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

Is Florida a community property state?

Florida is not a community property state. Married buyers usually take title as tenants by the entirety, and couples can opt in to community property through a community property trust available since 2021.

Full Florida guide · Compare all 50 states

How are title insurance rates set in Florida?

In Florida, the Financial Services Commission sets title insurance premiums by rule and they apply statewide (Florida Statutes 627.782). Under Rule 69O-186.003 an owner's policy costs $2,075 at $400,000 and $2,575 at $500,000.

Full Florida guide

Which natural hazards affect home insurance in Florida?

A Florida homeowners policy must offer hurricane deductibles of 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit (s. 627.701), and Citizens requires flood coverage on all its homeowners policies with wind coverage by January 1, 2027.

Full Florida guide

How much tax when you sell a home in Florida?

The federal rule is the same in Florida as in every state: if you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain is excluded, $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly (Section 121, IRS Publication 523). Bought $400,000, sold $750,000: a single owner has $100,000 of taxable gain, $15,000 of federal tax at the 15% long-term rate; a couple filing jointly owes nothing. Florida income tax on the gain is not computed here.

Capital gains on a home sale

Florida guides

Professionals in Florida

Sources

Data as of . Figures are computed from these sources.

All states · Federal guides