1.     Cost of the survey. In Florida who pays for the survey is negotiable. The price for a plat of survey can range from $150 to $600.  A current survey will show any easements or encroachments on the property you are buying, such as neighboring fences, drainage easements, utility easements, etc.  It will also reveal if the property you are purchasing has encroachments to setback lines a fence on the neighbor's land. 

2.     Recorded release of mortgage. Verifies that your mortgage has been completely paid off by the sale proceeds and is usually $20 to $150.

3.     Courier fee to pay off loan. The cost is generally between $10 to $50.

4.    Title insurance. In Florida the seller must provide a policy of title insurance for the buyer. The cost of the policy depends on the sales price of the home and its cost can vary from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Some title companies have additional fees – for example "update fees" and "policy issuance fee." Some fees are as low as a couple of dollars and others up to $100.

5.     Local city or town property transfer tax; county transfer tax, state transfer tax, state capital gains tax. In general, property transfer taxes can range from nothing to $10 per $1,000 of the sales price or more, or you may be assessed a flat fee. In some places, you have to pay a tax on the capital gains generated by the sale of your home.

6.     Documentary stamp tax on the deed.  A Florida tax on the sale of real estate and is based on the purchase price.  The rate is $.70 per $100 or fraction thereof.  For example, on a $250,000 sale, the tax would be $1,750.

7.     Documentary stamp tax on the mortgage. A Florida tax on new and assumed mortgages, based on the amount of the mortgage.  The rate is $.35 per $100 or fraction thereof.

8.     Intangible tax on the note. Tax charged on all new loans.  The rate is $.20 per $100.  The $200,000 loan would also be taxed an intangible tax of $400.

9.     Credit to the buyer of unpaid real estate taxes. Depending on how and when property taxes are billed in your state, it's possible that you will have to credit the buyer for real estate taxes that were for the time period you owned the home but will be billed after the closing date of the sale of your home.

10.  Attorney fees. If you choose to use an attorney, you'll either pay a flat fee starting around $350 or by the hour.

11.  FHA fees and costs. All FHA fees used to be the responsibility of the seller, but they are now negotiable. But if the buyer can't pay the fees, and the seller refuses to pay, the lender may not fund the loan.

12.  VA funding fee. A buyer cost. For buyers who qualify for and choose to get a VA loan, a funding fee applies, which can be rolled into the loan.  VA buyers can borrow 100% of the property value and roll the funding fee into the loan, or pay the fee at closing.  The funding fee for first time users who do not make a down payment is around 2.2% and is 3.3% thereafter.  Discounts on these fees may apply for some veterans. 

13.  Condo/co-op move-out fee. A building charge that can range from nothing to more than $400. Some co-operative buildings can charge a percentage of the sales price to permit the sale of the co-op. In some instances these fees can be as much as 3% of the sales price.

14.  Association transfer fees. Often required for condominium and townhouse buyers. Sellers usually are stuck with some of these fees as well. Some of the fees are for processing the sales papers, move-out deposits, preparation of closing documents and even inspection fees. These fees can range from a low of $25 to as high as $500 or more.

15.  Paid utility bills. In many areas, local municipal officials will not let you close until you have proven that you are current on your utility bills. The charge for each copy of a paid utility bill, including water, sewer, garbage or electricity is $10 to $50. In some cases, companies can assist a seller in obtaining the proper documentation for the sale and can charge up to $150 to assist in obtaining the documents from the local governmental offices.

16.  Home inspection fees. In some areas, local custom dictates that the seller pay for pest, radon and other inspections, which can range from $25 to $500 each. If there are problems with the home, you may have to fix the problems at a substantial cost. (While some home inspectors will bundle all of the services together and the buyer usually has to pay for the home inspection, other home inspectors will charge a basic fee of a couple of hundred dollars and then you can add on the cost of a pest, radon and other inspections.) Many home inspectors will charge based on the sales price for the home, while other home inspectors charge depending on the size and type of home. If you are a seller, you may find that using the services of one company to perform any home inspection needs you have to sell the home may be cheaper than hiring various companies to perform the various inspections required by your sales contract.

17.  Home warranty. The cost for a home warranty starts around $350-$600 and can increase as additional option items are added and the size and type of the home.

18.  Association reserves. In some areas, the reserves held by condominium or homeowner association are credited to the seller on the basis of the seller's percentage of ownership in the association. Fortunately, for the seller, this is one of the few instances of money coming back to the seller rather than a payment by the seller.

19.  Special assessments to associations. In many associations, if a special assessment has been levied, even if it can be paid over many years, the association will require that the assessment be paid in full at the closing.

20.  Other credits to the buyer. Occasionally sellers will give a credit to the buyer for things that don't work in the house. For example, if the buyer's inspector finds something wrong in the house, a negotiated credit to the buyer will be paid at closing.

21.  Unpaid mortgage or home line of credit or equity loan. At closing the seller must pay off any mortgage and/or home equity line of credits that pertain to the house being sold. The seller must remember that the prior month's statement for the mortgage or home equity line of credit will not include the interest that is owed on the loan from the last payment date. Since almost all mortgages are paid in arrears (last month's interest is paid in the current month), you will still owe interest for the current month until the loan is paid off.

22.  Upside down loans. That is, the amount owed on the mortgage is more than the house is worth. If the amount the buyer is paying for the house will not entirely pay off the mortgage, home equity loan or line of credit, you'll have to come to the table with cash in hand. If the lender "forgives" your loan, the IRS may consider that as income to you, and you'll be taxed on the phantom income as if you actually earned it, at your marginal tax rate. Speak to your CPA for additional details.

23.  Brokerage fees. Also called a sales commission, this fee is agreed upon between the seller and the sales associate representing the brokerage at the time the property is listed. 

Use this information only as a guide in determining buyer or seller closing costs when planning for your home purchase or sale. Keep in mind that some of these costs may change from county to county, depending on the custom in each county. For more information, you can call a title insurance company in your area and ask them to tell you who typically pays for these expenses in your area or talk to a real estate attorney in your community.