Selling a Home in Florida: 2026 Costs and Timeline

Orlando Real Estate•May 12, 2026•Florida Seller Guide

Selling a Home in Florida: 2026 Costs and Timeline

The Quick Read

• Total seller costs in Florida run 8% to 9.5% of sale price with commission; closing costs alone are 3% to 3.5%.
• Documentary stamp tax is $0.70 per $100 of sale price statewide ($2,800 on a $400K deed).
• Orlando's median sale price hit $410,000 in April 2026, up 1.2% YoY, with homes sitting 54 days on market per Redfin.
• Average Florida total commission ran near 5.5% in Q1 2026 (about 2.7% listing, 2.8% buyer); every percent is negotiable post-NAR settlement.
• Johnson v. Davis still controls disclosure: known material defects must be disclosed, even on an as-is contract.
• FAR/BAR Seller's Property Disclosure…

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Is Winter Garden Florida a Good Place to Live? 2026 Guide

Orlando Real Estate•May 11, 2026•Winter Garden Guide

Is Winter Garden Florida a Good Place to Live? 2026 Guide

The Quick Read

• Median sale price hit $626,000 in early May 2026 with 25 days on market, while Zillow's broader home value index sits at $569,335.
• The City of Winter Garden raised its operating millage rate to 4.8565 mills for fiscal 2026, up from 4.5, adding roughly $53 per year per $200K of taxable value.
• Population reached an estimated 49,415 in 2026, up 4.07% from the 46,964 counted in the 2020 census.
• The 22-mile West Orange Trail runs straight through downtown along Plant Street, which is also the city's restaurant and brewery spine.
• Median household income is $106,495, with 43.6% of adults holding a bachelor's…

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Is Celebration Florida a Good Place to Live? 2026 Honest Review

Orlando Real Estate•May 7, 2026•Celebration Guide

Is Celebration Florida a Good Place to Live? 2026 Honest Review

The Quick Read

• Median Celebration sale price near $589K in April 2026, down 10.1% year over year per Redfin
• Median price per square foot is $336, with homes sitting 81 days on market versus 56 nationally
• Property tax on a homesteaded median home runs $5,500 to $6,200, plus $500 to $1,500 in CDD non-ad valorem assessments
• CROA membership is mandatory; village-specific stacked dues land $1,200 to $4,800 per year
• Osceola County sales tax is 7.5%; Florida charges 0% state income tax
• Celebration High School ranks #5 in Osceola County and #316 statewide per Niche 2026
• Population near 11,178 (2020 census) on a…

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Is Mt Dora a Good Place to Live? 2026 Cost Breakdown

Orlando Real Estate•May 6, 2026•Mt. Dora Guide

Is Mt. Dora a Good Place to Live? 2026 Cost Breakdown

The Quick Read

• Median Mt. Dora sale price near $385K in early 2026, 6.7-month supply, Zillow values down 0.8% YoY
• Median price per square foot is $252 (Redfin Q1 2026), about 35% cheaper than Winter Park
• Annual property tax on a homesteaded $385K home lands around $4,250 at 19.0 blended mills
• Commute to downtown Orlando runs 45 to 60 minutes at 7:30 AM via SR-429 and I-4, with $4 tolls each way
• Lake County sales tax is 7.0% and Florida charges 0% state income tax
• Renninger's: 117 acres, 800+ dealers, three Extravaganzas a year, 5 minutes north on US 441

The honest answer for 2026 buyers

Is Mt. Dora actually a…

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Is Lake Mary a Good Place to Live? An Honest 2026 Buyer's Guide

Orlando Real Estate•May 5, 2026•Lake Mary Guide

Is Lake Mary a Good Place to Live? An Honest 2026 Buyer's Guide

The Quick Read

• $500K median sale price (Nov 2025, Redfin), $233/sqft up 3.3% YoY.
• Lake Mary city millage of 3.5895 is the lowest in Seminole County.
• Lake Mary High ranks #4 public high in Seminole County (Niche A-).
• Drive to downtown: 24 min off-peak, 40 to 50 in I-4 rush. SunRail: 38 min for $2 to $4.
• Heathrow HOA: $115 to $400/mo plus optional club; non-HOA pockets in same school zones.
• Top mistake: buying without pulling the prior owner's TRIM notice. Year-one tax surprise of $3,000 to $4,000.

Why Lake Mary keeps showing up on the Orlando shortlist

Is Lake Mary actually worth $500K in 2026, or are…

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Is Lake Nona a Good Place to Live? Resident's 2026 Guide

Orlando Real Estate•May 4, 2026•Lake Nona Guide

Is Lake Nona a Good Place to Live? Resident's 2026 Guide

The Quick Read

• Lake Nona's median sale price was $780,000 in November 2025 per Redfin, down 1.3 percent year over year.
• Sub-area pricing ranges from $460,000 in Lake Nona Central to $2.6M in Lake Nona Estates; Lake Nona South ran $700K in February 2026.
• Lake Nona High School holds an A grade on Niche; Northlake Park Community Elementary ranks in the top 10 percent of Florida elementary schools.
• Medical City sits on 650 acres with 5 anchor tenants and 745 plus active openings averaging $86,402 (ZipRecruiter, April 2026).
• Laureate Park HOA runs $171 per month plus a $1,385 CDD assessment, roughly $13,000 across the first ten…

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Home Staging Orlando: ROI Math and Room Priorities (2026)

Orlando Real Estate•May 1, 2026•Seller Guide

Home Staging Orlando: ROI Math and Room Priorities (2026)

The Quick Read

• $1,849 was the recent national median spend on full home staging per NAR data; Orlando vacant runs the $2,000 to $4,500 band for the first 60 to 90 days.
• 29 percent of sellers' agents reported staging lifted offers 1 to 10 percent in the 2025 NAR Profile of Home Staging.
• Buyers rank the living room first (37 percent), primary bedroom second (34 percent), kitchen third (23 percent) for staging importance.
• Occupied home staging in Orlando averages $800 to $1,200; consultation only runs $300 to $500.
• A typical Lake Nona listing under $500K with $2,200 staging shows roughly 5.85x in our model from net proceeds…

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