Florida Seller Closing Checklist: Documents, Utilities, Keys and Who Attends

A seller closing checklist keeps the last few weeks of a Florida home sale calm instead of rushed. Once you sign a contract, a lot happens at once: the title company orders documents, the buyer's lender sets deadlines, and you start planning a move. Missing one item, like an HOA estoppel or a loan payoff letter, can push back the closing date. This guide walks Palm Beach County sellers through each step, from the signed contract to handing over the keys.

Key takeaways

• Order the HOA or condo estoppel early. Florida associations have 10 business days to issue it, and it stays valid for 30 days if sent by email or hand delivery.
• Ask the title company to request your payoff letter from each lender, including any home equity line.
• Check for open or expired permits now. They can delay a closing or show up as a buyer demand.
• Most sellers do not need to sit at the table with the buyer. Florida allows remote online notarization, and many title firms let sellers sign ahead.
• Set utility stop dates for the day after closing, not before. The buyer will want power and water for the final walk-through.

Week one: start your seller closing checklist after the contract

The first days after the effective date set the pace for the whole deal. Here is what to do right away:

• Send the signed contract to the title company or closing attorney named in it.
• Make sure the buyer's deposit reached escrow on time.
• Give the title company your full legal name, a phone number and an email address.
• Tell them about every loan on the home, including a second mortgage or line of credit.
• List any liens, judgments or unpaid code fines you know about.
• Write down every contract deadline, such as the inspection period, loan approval and closing date.

Also share your HOA or condo contact. The title company will need it to order the estoppel. If the home has a rental, a solar lease or a security system contract, mention those as well.

HOA and condo estoppel certificates

If you live in a community with an association, the estoppel certificate is one of the most important papers in the file. It shows what you owe the association and confirms the dues are current. The buyer's title company relies on it to collect the right amount at closing.

Florida law sets the rules. Under section 720.30851 for HOAs, and the matching condo statute, the association must issue the estoppel within 10 business days of a request. It stays valid for 30 days if sent by email or hand delivery, or 35 days if mailed. The base fee in the statute is up to $250, plus up to $100 for a rush within 3 business days. An association can add up to $150 if your account is past due. These caps are adjusted for inflation every five years.

So timing matters. If you order it too early, it may expire before closing. If you order it too late, you may pay the rush fee. Ask your title company when it plans to order yours.

Association approval and gate access

Many Palm Beach County condos and some HOAs must approve the buyer before closing. Check your documents for an approval process and how long it takes. Then make sure the buyer applies early. Also plan to hand over gate cards, fobs, mailbox keys and parking stickers, or tell the buyer how to get new ones.

Payoff letters and liens on your seller closing checklist

The title company will ask each lender for a payoff letter. It shows the exact amount needed to pay off the loan on the closing date, plus daily interest. You may need to sign an authorization so the lender will talk to the title company.

• Keep making your mortgage payments until closing. A missed payment adds late fees to the payoff.
• If you have a home equity line, the title company will ask the lender to freeze and close it.
• Pay or settle any judgments or liens the title search finds.
• Check for unpaid utility bills or code fines that can become liens.

Our guide on selling a house with a lien explains how these get cleared at closing.

Foreign sellers and FIRPTA

If you are not a U.S. citizen or resident for tax purposes, the buyer may have to withhold part of the price for the IRS. Under the FIRPTA rules, the usual rate is 15% of the amount realized. Some exceptions apply, including one for a buyer who will live in the home when the price is $300,000 or less. Tell the title company early, and talk with a tax pro.

Permits, repairs and the final walk-through

Open or expired permits can stall a closing, especially on older homes. Ask your city or county building department to check the address. Then close out what you can. For example, a water heater or roof job that never got its final inspection is common.

Next, finish any repairs you agreed to in writing. Use licensed contractors, and keep the receipts, permits and warranties. Give copies to the buyer's agent before the walk-through.

The buyer usually does a final walk-through a day or two before closing. They will check that the home is in the agreed condition, the repairs are done, and the items that stay with the home are still there. So leave the home clean, with lights, appliances and the AC working.

Utilities and services for your seller closing checklist

Schedule stop or transfer dates for the day after closing. That way the buyer can run the water, test the AC and turn on lights during the walk-through.

• Electric. Most of the area is served by FPL. You can stop or move service online on the FPL stop service page.
• Water and sewer. Call your city or county utility, and ask for a final meter reading on closing day.
• Trash and recycling, if billed apart from water.
• Internet, cable and alarm monitoring.
• Lawn, pool and pest control contracts.

Also file a change of address with the post office, and update your bank and insurance. Do not cancel your homeowners policy until the sale has closed and funded.

Documents and ID on your seller closing checklist

Gather these well before the closing date:

• A current government photo ID for every person on the deed.
• Any power of attorney, trust papers or death certificates that affect who can sign.
• Your loan account numbers and lender contact details.
• HOA or condo contacts, rules and any approval letters.
• Receipts, permits and warranties for recent work.
• Wiring instructions for your proceeds, confirmed by phone with the title company.

Be careful with wire fraud. Scammers send fake emails that look like they come from the title company. Always call a number you already know to confirm wiring details before you send or accept money.

Your closing costs and net proceeds

Ask the title company for a draft settlement statement a few days before closing. In most Florida counties, sellers often pay the documentary stamp tax on the deed. Outside Miami-Dade, the Florida Department of Revenue sets that tax at 70 cents per $100 of the price. Other common costs include commissions, the owner's title policy where local custom puts it on the seller, prorated property taxes and HOA dues. Our seller closing cost guide breaks these down.

Who attends a Florida closing?

In Florida, closings usually happen at a title company or an attorney's office. However, the buyer and seller often sign at different times. Many sellers sign their papers a day or two early, or sign by mail with a notary.

Remote signing is also an option. Under section 117.265, a Florida online notary can notarize by live video, even if the signer is in another state. Ask your title company early whether it offers remote online notarization and whether every party will accept it.

Every owner on the deed must sign, or have someone sign for them under a valid power of attorney. Your agent may attend, but the title agent runs the closing.

The last seller closing checklist item: keys and codes

The last step is the handoff. Leave all keys, garage remotes, gate cards, mailbox keys and pool keys in one labeled bag. Also write down the alarm code, the Wi-Fi details if you leave the router, and any smart lock codes. Then leave manuals and warranties in a kitchen drawer. Your agent will usually pass these to the buyer's agent once the deal funds.

A quick timeline you can print

If you only want the short version, use this order. Your own dates will depend on the contract.

1. Days 1 to 3: send the contract to title, confirm the deposit, and list your loans and liens.
2. Week 1 to 2: check permits, start the HOA approval, and book any agreed repairs.
3. Three to four weeks out: confirm when the estoppel and payoff letters will be ordered.
4. Two weeks out: set utility stop dates and book movers.
5. A few days out: review the draft settlement statement and confirm wiring by phone.
6. Closing day: sign, hand over keys, and keep copies of every document.

Then keep your closing package in a safe place. You will need it at tax time, and it helps if a question comes up later about the sale.

Frequently asked questions

When should I start my seller closing checklist?

Start the day you sign the contract. Order the estoppel and payoff letters early, and set utility dates about two weeks out.

Do I have to attend closing in Florida?

Usually not in person. Many sellers sign early, sign by mail, or use remote online notarization. Ask your title company which options it offers.

How long is an estoppel certificate good for?

It stays valid for 30 days if delivered by email or by hand, or 35 days if mailed. If closing slips past that date, the title company may need an update.

When do I get my money after closing?

Once the deal funds and documents are signed, the title company sends your proceeds. A wire usually arrives the same day or the next business day.

Sources

• Florida Statutes, s. 720.30851 (estoppel certificates)
• Florida Statutes, s. 117.265 (online notarization)
• Florida Department of Revenue, documentary stamp tax
• IRS, FIRPTA withholding
• FPL, stop service

Getting ready to sell? Request a personalized seller net-proceeds sheet from Pure Equity. We will estimate what you keep after costs and map out each step to closing. Talk with our team. Buying instead? Our agents can guide you from offer to keys, too.