Selling in Miami takes preparation, positioning, disclosure, negotiation, and steady execution. Eric Broad helps sellers move from strategy to closing with confidence.
Strong Results Start Before the Listing Goes Live
The best sales are rarely accidental. They come from preparation, accurate pricing, thoughtful presentation, qualified exposure, and careful management once the property is under contract.
Eric guides sellers through each stage of the process with local market insight and a high-touch approach. Whether you are selling a condo, single-family home, waterfront property, investment property, or residence with association requirements, the goal is to position the property clearly, reduce avoidable friction, and protect your interests through closing.
Important Seller Note
This guide is intended as general information for Miami-area sellers. It is not legal, tax, accounting, insurance, or title advice. Listing documents, contract terms, disclosures, association requirements, FIRPTA, closing costs, and Florida law can change. Sellers should review their specific situation with the appropriate licensed professionals.
The 14-Step Selling Process
From preparation to funding, here is how Eric helps sellers move through a Miami sale with clarity and control.
Step
What Happens
1. Prepare the Property
Review repairs, paint, decluttering, staging, landscaping, lighting, cleaning, permits, systems, documents, and tenant status.
2. Determine Market Value
Study recent closed sales, active competition, pending sales, condition, view, renovations, insurance, assessments, and days on market.
3. Sign Listing Documents
Complete the listing agreement, seller disclosures, flood disclosure, lead-based paint disclosure if applicable, compensation forms, and association documents.
4. Complete Required Disclosures
Disclose known material issues, flood history, leaks, roof issues, mold, unpermitted work, claims, code violations, assessments, and litigation.
5. Launch Marketing
Use professional media, MLS exposure, social media, email marketing, broker outreach, open houses, digital ads, and neighborhood targeting.
6. Manage Showings and Feedback
Keep the property clean, make access easy, secure valuables, remove pets when possible, and give buyers room to speak honestly.
7. Review Offers
Look beyond price and compare deposit strength, financing risk, inspection period, appraisal risk, closing date, contingencies, and proof of funds.
8. Negotiate Terms
Negotiate price, deposit, inspection period, closing date, included items, repair credits, appraisal gap, financing, occupancy, assessments, and title terms.
9. Go Under Contract
Calendar deadlines, confirm escrow receipt, provide documents, order estoppel, prepare for inspections, and coordinate payoff statements.
10. Inspection Period
The buyer may accept the property, request repairs, ask for a credit, cancel if protected, or move forward without changes.
11. Appraisal and Financing
For financed buyers, expect appraisal access, possible lender repair requests, condo questionnaire, insurance review, loan approval, and clear-to-close.
12. Title, Lien, and Association Work
Address payoff, estoppel, permits, violations, municipal liens, judgments, assessments, tax prorations, and title requirements.
13. Prepare for Closing
Schedule move-out, organize keys and access items, review the closing statement, confirm wire instructions safely, and prepare ID for signing.
14. Closing and Funding
Seller signs deed and closing documents, buyer funds, payoff is sent, deed is recorded, proceeds are delivered, and possession transfers per contract.
Step 1: Prepare the Property
Before listing, Eric helps sellers look at the property through a buyer’s eyes. The goal is not always to fix everything. The goal is to remove avoidable friction, reduce red flags, and decide what should be repaired, disclosed, cleaned up, or priced into the strategy.
Preparation Checklist
- Repairs
- Paint
- Decluttering
- Staging
- Landscaping
- Lighting
- Deep cleaning
- Permit issues
- Roof, plumbing, and electrical concerns
- Condo or HOA documents
- Tenant status, if leased
Seller Question: Should I fix everything before listing?
Not always. Sometimes strategic repairs help value. Other times, it is better to disclose and price accordingly. The fewer red flags a buyer sees, the cleaner the path to a serious offer.
Step 2: Determine Market Value
Pricing is one of the most important decisions a seller makes. The right strategy balances recent data, current competition, buyer psychology, property condition, and the seller’s timeline.
Pricing Should Consider
- Recent closed sales
- Active competition
- Pending sales
- Condition
- View
- Floor height
- Lot size
- Renovations
- Building condition
- Insurance challenges
- Assessments
- Days on market
Seller Question: Should I price high to leave room to negotiate?
Usually not too high. Overpricing can cause the listing to sit, lose momentum, and require reductions later. A property is usually strongest when it is positioned correctly from the beginning.
Disclosure Matters, Even in an AS IS Sale
Florida sellers should be prepared to disclose known facts that materially affect the value of the property and are not readily observable to the buyer. An AS IS contract does not give a seller permission to hide known material defects. Clear disclosure helps protect the transaction and reduces surprises once a buyer begins due diligence.
Steps 3 and 4: Listing Documents and Required Disclosures
Once the pricing and preparation strategy is set, sellers complete the documents needed to bring the property to market properly. Eric helps keep this process organized so buyers can receive the information they need without unnecessary delay.
Seller Documents May Include
- Listing agreement
- Seller disclosure
- Flood disclosure
- Lead-based paint disclosure, if the property was built before 1978
- Condo or HOA disclosures, if applicable
- Compensation forms
- Association documents, if needed
Important Florida and Miami Disclosures May Include
- Known material defects
- Past or current leaks
- Roof issues
- Mold history
- Unpermitted work
- Flooding history
- Insurance claims
- Code violations
- Open permits
- Special assessments
- Condo litigation
- Lead-based paint for older properties
Florida also requires flood-related disclosure for residential sales, including whether the seller has knowledge of flood damage, filed flood claims, or received assistance for flood damage.
Seller Question: If I sell AS IS, do I still have to disclose defects?
Yes. AS IS does not allow a seller to hide known material defects.
Steps 5 and 6: Launch Marketing and Manage Showings
A strong Miami listing campaign should create the right first impression and reach qualified buyers through multiple channels. Once the property is live, access and presentation become critical.
A Strong Listing Campaign May Include
- Professional photography
- Video
- Floor plan
- Drone, if appropriate
- MLS and MLX exposure
- Social media
- Email marketing
- Broker outreach
- Open houses
- Digital ads
- Neighborhood targeting
- Signage, if allowed
Showing Best Practices
- Keep the property clean
- Allow reasonable showing windows
- Secure valuables
- Remove pets when possible
- Prepare condo access instructions
- Provide parking instructions
- Have disclosures ready
- Avoid attending showings so buyers can speak freely
Buyers need room to ask honest questions and imagine themselves in the property. A smooth showing experience can make a meaningful difference.
Steps 7 and 8: Review Offers and Negotiate Terms
Price matters, but it is not the only term that matters. Eric helps sellers compare the full strength of each offer, including risk, timing, certainty, and the buyer’s ability to close.
Important Offer Terms to Review
- Purchase price
- Deposit amount
- Cash versus financing
- Inspection period
- Financing contingency
- Appraisal risk
- Closing date
- Condo approval timeline
- Requested credits
- Contingencies
- Proof of funds
- Pre-approval strength
- Post-closing occupancy needs
Seller Question: Is the highest offer always the best offer?
No. A cleaner cash offer with fewer contingencies may be stronger than a higher financed offer with appraisal or loan risk.
Common Negotiation Points
- Price
- Inspection period
- Deposit
- Closing date
- Included items
- Repair credits
- Appraisal gap
- Financing contingency
- Post-closing occupancy
- Assessment responsibility
- Title or closing agent
Cash vs. Financed Buyer Considerations
Every transaction is different, but sellers should understand how buyer structure can affect risk and timing.
Cash Buyer Example
A seller may prefer a shorter inspection period, larger deposit, and faster closing. Cash can reduce lender-related risk, but the full offer still needs to be evaluated carefully.
Financed Buyer Example
A seller should review the loan type, down payment, appraisal risk, loan approval deadline, buyer qualifications, and overall strength of the pre-approval.
Steps 9 and 10: Under Contract and Inspection Period
Once the property is under contract, the work shifts from marketing to execution. Deadlines matter. Documents matter. Access matters. Eric helps sellers stay organized and ahead of the next step.
Once Fully Executed, Sellers Should Immediately
- Calendar deadlines
- Confirm escrow deposit receipt
- Provide condo or HOA documents
- Order association estoppel
- Provide seller disclosures
- Prepare for inspections
- Resolve open permits or violations
- Coordinate payoff statements
During the Inspection Period, the Buyer May
- Accept the property AS IS
- Ask for repairs
- Ask for a credit
- Cancel within the inspection period, if protected by the contract
- Move forward without changes
Seller Question: Does the seller have to make repairs?
Under many AS IS contracts, generally no, unless otherwise agreed. However, the buyer may have the right to cancel during the inspection period if properly done under the contract terms.
Steps 11 and 12: Appraisal, Financing, Title, Liens, and Association Work
For financed buyers, the seller should expect appraisal access, possible lender repair requests, and financing-related deadlines. For condos, the process may also involve association documents, insurance review, and lender questionnaires.
Financed Buyer Items May Include
- Appraisal appointment
- Possible lender repair requests
- Condo questionnaire, if applicable
- Association insurance review
- Loan approval deadline
- Final clear-to-close
Seller Items to Address Before Closing
- Mortgage payoff
- HOA or condo estoppel
- Open permits
- Code violations
- Municipal liens
- Judgments
- Outstanding assessments
- Property tax prorations
In Miami-Dade, sellers commonly pay deed documentary stamp taxes and often the owner’s title insurance policy in resale transactions, though contract terms control.
Steps 13 and 14: Prepare for Closing, Sign, and Fund
As closing approaches, the seller should prepare the property, review closing documents carefully, and confirm wire instructions through safe, verified channels.
Seller Closing Preparation
- Schedule move-out
- Cancel utilities after closing
- Gather keys, fobs, remotes, and mailbox keys
- Leave manuals and warranties
- Confirm repairs, if any
- Review closing statement
- Confirm wire instructions safely
- Bring ID if signing in person
At Closing
- Seller signs deed and closing documents
- Buyer funds purchase
- Mortgage payoff is sent
- Deed is recorded
- Seller receives net proceeds
- Buyer receives possession per contract
Common Florida and Miami Seller Questions
These are some of the questions Eric helps sellers think through before and during the listing process.
Do I need an attorney to sell in Florida?
Florida does not require every seller to hire an attorney, but legal guidance can be helpful for estates, trusts, divorces, tenants, title issues, FIRPTA, unpermitted work, or disputes. Eric often recommends that sellers consider their own attorney when the situation calls for it.
Who pays transfer taxes in Miami-Dade?
Customarily, the seller pays documentary stamp tax on the deed. Contract terms control.
What is the biggest mistake sellers make?
Overpricing, failing to disclose known issues, limiting access, and not preparing for inspection or condo document review.
What should condo sellers prepare before listing?
Budget, reserves, assessments, FAQ sheet, application process, rules, rental policy, pet policy, insurance information, milestone inspection, and SIRS information. Buyers will ask for these documents, and delays can create risk.
Can a seller accept another offer after going under contract?
Generally, no, unless the first contract is properly cancelled or a backup offer is accepted subject to the first contract failing.
Eric’s Role Throughout the Sale
Eric helps sellers prepare the property, understand value, price strategically, launch a focused marketing campaign, evaluate offers, negotiate terms, track deadlines, coordinate documents, and move toward closing with a clear plan. The goal is simple: protect the seller’s position while creating a polished, efficient sale from start to finish.
Connect With Eric
Selling in Miami?
Eric Broad can help you prepare, price, market, negotiate, and close with confidence.
