Calculator
Cash offer or list with an agent? Compare what you would keep
Put in your numbers and see both sides at once. Listing usually brings a higher price. A cash sale skips repairs, commission and months of carrying costs. Which leaves you with more depends on your house.
By Matan, owner of Tao Home Buyers. Last reviewed . General information, not legal or tax advice.
Difference
Listing keeps you about $40,650 more
Listing takes about 5 months. A cash sale takes about 0.5 months.
List with an agent
- Sale price
- $350,000
- Repairs before listing
- -$30,000
- Agent commission
- -$19,250
- Credits to the buyer
- -$3,500
- Deed tax (doc stamps)
- -$2,450
- Owner's title policy
- -$1,825
- Other closing costs
- -$1,200
- Holding costs (5 mo.)
- -$6,000
- Mortgage and liens paid off
- $0
- What you keep
- $285,775
Sell for cash, as-is
- Cash offer
- $250,000
- Deed tax (doc stamps)
- -$1,750
- Owner's title policy
- -$1,325
- Other closing costs
- -$1,200
- Holding costs (0.5 mo.)
- -$600
- Mortgage and liens paid off
- $0
- What you keep
- $245,125
Estimates only. Doesn't include property tax proration, HOA estoppel fees, income taxes or repairs a buyer might ask for after inspection. Your title company gives the exact numbers before closing. Want our offer? Tell us about the house.
What the calculator counts
Deed tax (documentary stamps). Florida charges 70 cents for every $100 of the price, or part of $100, when a deed is recorded. Sellers usually pay it. The calculator figures it from the price you enter.
Owner's title policy. Florida sets title insurance rates by rule, so every title company charges the same premium: $5.75 per $1,000 for the first $100,000 and $5.00 per $1,000 up to $1 million, with a $100 minimum. Who pays for it is set by your contract. Uncheck the box if the buyer is paying.
Commission. Commissions are negotiable. Enter the total your agent quotes, including any part offered to the buyer's agent.
Repairs and holding costs. These are usually the numbers that decide it. Every month the house sits, you keep paying the mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep.
When does each choice usually win?
- Listing usually wins when the house needs little work, can get insured and financed, and you have time to wait.
- Cash usually wins when the house needs major repairs, has storm or flood damage, can't pass a 4-point inspection, or when a sure closing date matters more than the last dollar.
Want to see how a cash buyer gets to a number? Read how we calculate your offer. We show you every number behind ours.
Sources
FAQ
Questions about cash offers and listing
Is it better to sell to a cash buyer or list with a realtor?
For a house in good shape, listing usually leaves you with more money. A cash sale tends to win when the house needs a lot of work, can't be insured or financed as it is, or when a sure, fast closing date is worth more to you than the extra money.
Who pays closing costs when you sell a house in Florida?
It depends on the contract. Sellers commonly pay the deed tax (documentary stamps) and often the owner's title policy, while buyers pay their loan costs. Some cash buyers pay the seller's closing costs, so check your written offer.
How much is the documentary stamp tax when selling a house in Florida?
70 cents for every $100 of the sale price, or part of $100, under Florida Statute 201.02. On a $300,000 sale that is $2,100.
How much does title insurance cost in Florida?
Florida sets the rates by rule. For an owner's policy it is $5.75 per $1,000 for the first $100,000 and $5.00 per $1,000 from $100,000 to $1 million, with a $100 minimum. On a $300,000 sale that comes to about $1,575.
How long does it take to sell a house with an agent versus for cash?
With an agent it often takes a few months once you count repairs, time on the market and the buyer's loan approval. A cash sale can close in weeks or less when the title is clear. We can close in as few as 10 days, and you pick the date.
Find out what we'd pay. No pressure, no obligation.
We buy houses in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Tampa, Brandon, Plant City, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.