Merritt Island · Selling guide
Selling a home in Merritt Island
What happens, in order, and what it costs. No jargon.
Free · Agents who know Merritt Island · Every step in one app
Merritt Island sits between the Indian River and the Banana River. It is a community, not a city, so county rules apply.
The steps
- Know your number. Your agent compares recent Merritt Island sales to set a price. Check what you still owe on your mortgage, so you know what you'd keep.
- Get the home ready. Fix small things buyers notice: leaks, lights, paint. Many homes here are older, so a pre-listing roof check can prevent surprises.
- Tell the truth about the home. Florida requires sellers to share known problems that affect the value and aren't easy to see. Homes built before 1978 also need a lead paint disclosure.
- List it and show it. Photos, listing, showings. In CloseHive you see every showing and can block times that don't work.
- Choose an offer. Look at more than the price: the loan type, the inspection period and the closing date. CloseHive lays offers side by side, with what you'd keep from each.
- Inspection and appraisal. The buyer inspects; the lender's appraiser checks the price. Repairs or credits get agreed in writing.
- Closing day. The title company pays off your mortgage, pays the costs, and sends you the rest.
Merritt Island in numbers
- The typical home here is valued at about $402,900, which is 19% higher than Brevard County as a whole ($339,600).
- About 59% of homes were built before 1980. Many insurance companies ask for a 4-point inspection (roof, electrical, plumbing, heating and air) on older homes, so plan for it early.
- 80% of homes are lived in by their owners, close to the county's 77%.
- Owners with a mortgage pay about $2,070 a month in housing costs, $629 more than typical rent ($1,441). Many of those owners bought years ago at lower prices, so today's buyers often pay more.
At a typical Merritt Island price of about $405,000, Florida's deed tax is $2,835 and the owner's title policy is about $2,100. Typical value here is 4.3 times the typical household income, compared with 4.3 for the county.
Merritt Island next to its neighbors
Of its closest neighbors, Rockledge is valued lower than Merritt Island.
Florida costs, in plain words
- Deed tax (documentary stamps): 70 cents per $100 of the price. In Brevard County the seller usually pays it.
- Owner's title insurance: protects the buyer if someone later claims the home. Florida sets the price. In Brevard County the seller usually pays it.
- Agent pay: what you pay agents is always negotiable. You agree to it in writing before you list.
- Property taxes: Florida bills them at the end of the year, so you credit the buyer for the days you owned the home this year.
Questions sellers ask
Who pays closing costs when selling a home in Merritt Island?
In Brevard County the seller usually pays the deed tax (70 cents per $100 of the price) and the buyer's owner's title insurance policy. The buyer usually pays their loan costs. Everything is negotiable in the contract.
How much is the deed tax on a $405,000 home in Florida?
Florida's documentary stamp tax on a deed is 70 cents per $100 of the price, so about $2,835 on a $405,000 home.
Do I have to tell buyers about problems with my home in Florida?
Yes. Florida law requires sellers to tell buyers about known problems that materially affect the value and are not easy to see. Homes built before 1978 also need a federal lead paint disclosure.