The sale price is not the amount a Tampa seller takes home. Your net proceeds are what remain after loan payoffs, listing expenses, taxes, contract-based closing charges, association items, credits, and other transaction costs are accounted for.
A good seller net sheet turns those moving pieces into one working estimate. It should be specific to the property and revised as the transaction becomes clearer. This guide shows Tampa sellers how to build one without relying on unsupported market averages.
For an overview of Eaton’s local listing choices, visit the Tampa seller page. Eaton offers 1% Full-Service representation and a $500 MLS-Only option.
What “net proceeds” means
Estimated seller net proceeds are calculated this way:
Expected sale price
minus seller debits and payoffs
plus or minus contract adjustments and prorations
equals estimated cash to seller
This is a planning estimate, not a promise. The final amount comes from the closing statement after the closing agent has the executed contract, confirmed payoffs, title information, association figures, tax data, and any later amendments or credits.
Start with the correct sale price
Before you have a contract, use a realistic planning price and create more than one scenario. A simple worksheet might include a lower, target, and higher sale-price column. Keep the same known costs in each column and recalculate percentage-based items.
Once you receive an offer, replace the planning price with the actual contract price. Then account for any seller-paid costs, financing-related concessions, personal property, repair agreements, or other terms in that offer.
Price alone does not identify the strongest net. An offer with a higher price can still produce less if it shifts more expenses to the seller or creates costly contingencies.
Listing and brokerage costs
Eaton’s 1% Full-Service plan
Under the 1% Full-Service plan, the 1% listing-side commission is due at closing only if the property sells. There is no upfront listing fee. The plan includes full seller representation, MLS exposure, showing coordination, buyer-agent follow-up, offer and negotiation help, and contract-to-close guidance.
Buyer-agent compensation, if offered, is separate and chosen by the seller. Put it on its own line so the estimate stays transparent.
Eaton’s $500 MLS-Only plan
Review the $500 MLS-Only plan payment terms. The $500 MLS-Only fee is due after the listing is live in the MLS and the seller has reviewed it. The fee is non-refundable once paid. Because that fee is paid during the listing rather than deducted only when the property sells, include it in your overall cost worksheet even if it does not appear as a debit on the final closing statement.
MLS-only does not include seller representation. The seller handles calls, showings, negotiations, contracts, disclosures, title coordination, and closing work.
Florida documentary stamp tax
Florida documentary stamp tax applies to documents that transfer an interest in Florida real property. In Hillsborough County, the state rate is currently $0.70 for each $100, or portion of $100, of consideration.
For a simple sale in which the taxable consideration equals the sale price:
- Divide the consideration by 100.
- Round a fractional unit up.
- Multiply the number of units by $0.70.
Example: if the taxable consideration is $500,000, there are 5,000 units of $100. At $0.70 per unit, the documentary stamp tax is $3,500.
Transactions involving assumed debt, unusual consideration, entity transfers, or other special facts may require a different analysis. Use the Florida Department of Revenue guidance and confirm the amount with the closing professional.
Title, settlement, and deed-related charges
Title and closing costs depend on the signed contract and the provider. Possible seller debits include:
- Owner’s title insurance if assigned to the seller by contract
- Settlement or closing services
- Title search or municipal-lien-search charges
- Deed preparation
- Recording, release, wire, courier, or similar transaction charges
Do not use a generic percentage for this category. Ask the selected title or closing company for an itemized estimate and confirm which party the contract makes responsible for each charge.
The Hillsborough County Clerk publishes current recording information. Its online deed calculator estimates documentary stamp tax and recording fees for a deed, but private title and settlement charges are separate.
Mortgage, HELOC, and other payoff amounts
Subtract all debts that must be paid or cleared at closing, including:
- First mortgage payoff
- Second mortgage or home-equity loan payoff
- HELOC payoff and any steps needed to close the line
- Recorded judgments or liens that must be resolved
- Authorized payoff, wire, or release charges
Ask each lender for its payoff procedure early. A mortgage statement shows a balance for a particular date; it may not include all interest or charges through the closing date.
You can search recorded documents through the Hillsborough County Clerk’s Official Records, but a search result is not a title opinion. Let the title company or a Florida real-estate attorney determine what must be satisfied.
Property-tax prorations and non-ad valorem assessments
Hillsborough County real-estate taxes become payable November 1 and are due in full by March 31 of the following year. Early-payment discounts apply in November through February. At a sale, the contract and closing date control how taxes are prorated or credited between buyer and seller.
For the net sheet:
- Use the best current tax information available.
- Identify whether the current bill has already been paid.
- Note non-ad valorem assessments listed on the bill.
- Have the closing agent calculate the proration specified by the contract.
Because the timing of the bill and the closing can differ, the proration may appear as a credit or debit rather than a simple reimbursement.
HOA and condominium figures
For association property, the closing file may need an estoppel certificate showing assessments and other amounts owed. Other possible items include current dues, special assessments, transfer or application charges, and building-specific move requirements.
Do not guess this line. Ask the association or manager for:
- Estoppel ordering instructions and turnaround time
- Current regular and special assessments
- Pending seller responsibilities under the governing documents
- Transfer, application, document, move, or elevator procedures
- Any approval process or required resale package
This is especially important when selling a Tampa condominium because the building’s requirements can affect cost and scheduling. The exact obligations depend on current law, the association’s governing documents, and the contract.
Repairs, concessions, and personal-property adjustments
These items usually become known after an offer is received:
- Inspection-related repairs or credits
- Appraisal-related changes
- Seller concessions allowed under the contract and financing
- Home warranty, if agreed
- Personal property or furniture addressed in the contract
- Occupancy, lease, or post-closing arrangements
Enter each item separately. A lump-sum “miscellaneous” deduction makes it harder to compare offers and understand what changed.
Permit, code, utility, and municipal items
Before listing, identify unresolved property issues that could create a closing cost or delay. Search the correct jurisdiction:
Also tell the closing professional about known code matters, utility balances, work performed without a final inspection, solar financing, leased equipment, or other property-related agreements. Whether an item must be paid, transferred, corrected, or disclosed depends on its terms and the transaction.
A Tampa seller net-sheet checklist
Gather these items before requesting a detailed estimate:
- Expected sale price or executed contract
- Chosen listing plan
- Buyer-agent compensation, if offered
- Latest mortgage, HELOC, and lien information
- Current property-tax bill and payment status
- HOA or condominium contact and assessment information
- Known repairs, credits, or concessions
- Title or closing provider’s fee estimate
- Permit, code, leased-equipment, or municipal issues
- Moving, cleaning, photography, sign, or other preparation costs
Then request net sheets at three useful moments:
- Before listing: to set a planning target.
- When comparing offers: to compare actual terms, not just prices.
- Before closing: to reconcile the nearly final figures and raise questions early.
Compare offers by net, risk, and responsibility
Net proceeds matter, but they are not the only consideration. Also review the financing, deposits, inspection terms, appraisal terms, closing date, requested personal property, seller concessions, and probability of a smooth close.
This is where the two Eaton plans differ most. 1% Full-Service includes broker help reviewing and negotiating offers and guiding the transaction. With $500 MLS-Only, the seller takes responsibility for that work.
Ready to build your Tampa selling plan?
Visit the Tampa seller guide to compare the two listing options, then gather your tax, loan, association, and title information for a property-specific estimate.
Start your listing or call or text Stephen at 561-938-0000.
This article is general educational information and is not legal, tax, title, or financial advice. The signed contract, brokerage agreement, closing documents, property facts, and applicable law control each transaction.