Brevard County · Selling
Downsizing in Brevard County
See what you’d keep after selling, and plan the move to a smaller place.
Free · Agents who know Brevard County · Every step in one app
Moving to a smaller place is rarely only about square feet. You may be leaving a home full of memories, sorting through years of belongings, and wondering where everything and everyone will fit. Feeling relieved and sad in the same week is completely normal.
It can also be a real fresh start: less upkeep, lower bills, and money freed up for what matters next. The key is to know your numbers before you choose the next place, and to plan the move at a pace that works for you.
There is a clear path. First you learn what you would keep from the sale. Then you decide the order, sell and buy, or sell and rent. Then you plan one moving day, one room at a time.
What’s different for you
- See what you’d keep. Know your number before you choose the next place.
- Plan the move. One Moving Day for leaving and arriving, with movers booked in the app.
- Sell, then settle in. Every step of the sale in order, at your pace.
When you start in CloseHive from this page, your plan already includes these steps, along with the usual ones for selling in Brevard County. You always see what to do next, and your agent handles the how.
What to know
Start with what you would keep
What you keep is the sale price minus your mortgage payoff (if any), other liens and the selling costs, such as agent pay, title fees and Florida's deed tax. Outside Miami-Dade, the deed tax is $0.70 per $100 of the price. This net number sets your budget for the next home and how much you might have left over.
Bringing your property tax savings to a smaller home
If your current home has a Florida homestead exemption, portability lets you bring part of your Save Our Homes savings to a new Florida homestead. When you downsize to a home worth less, the Brevard County Property Appraiser explains that your new assessed value is figured as a share of your old one. Their example: moving from a $400,000 home assessed at $250,000 to a $275,000 home gives an assessed value of about $171,750. You file Form DR-501T by March 1.
The time limit for portability
You have from January 1 of the year you move until January 1 three years later to set up the new homestead. If you rent for a while between homes, keep this date in mind. The most that can move is $500,000.
Taxes on the sale
The IRS lets many sellers leave out of income up to $250,000 of gain from a main home, or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly, if they owned and lived in it at least 2 of the last 5 years. If you must move early for health reasons, IRS Publication 523 explains that a partial exclusion may apply, for example when you move to get or provide care for a disease or illness. A CPA can tell you how this fits you.
Florida's 2026 property tax vote
Florida voters were asked in November 2026 about Amendment 3, which would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes starting in 2027. The Hillsborough County Tax Collector explains that Save Our Homes and portability rules stay the same. Ask the Brevard County Property Appraiser which rules apply when you buy.
Selling, buying and timing
You can sell first and know your exact budget, buy first and move once, or line up both closings together. Some downsizers sell and rent for a while before choosing. Each choice trades certainty about money against the stress of moving twice.
What buyers will need from you
Florida sellers must disclose known problems that affect value and are not easy to see, answer three flood questions before the contract, and give a radon notice. For homes built before 1978, federal lead paint rules apply. Gathering repair records and permits early makes this easier.
Your options
What to gather
- A written net estimate for your current home
- Your current homestead exemption details, for portability
- A list of what matters in the next place: one level, less yard, shorter drives
- A floor plan or measurements of the next place, to decide what furniture fits
- A plan for belongings: keep, give to loved ones, sell, donate
- Repair records, permits and any past inspection or wind mitigation reports
- Moving quotes in writing
- A list of accounts and mail to switch to your new address
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing the next home before you know your net. Get your net estimate first so the next home fits your real budget.
- Missing the portability filing. Your tax savings do not move on their own. File Form DR-501T by March 1 after you set up the new homestead.
- Trying to sort a lifetime of belongings in a week. Start room by room weeks before listing. A lighter home also shows better.
- Looking only at price, not monthly cost. A smaller home can still carry high HOA fees or insurance. Compare the full monthly cost.
Brevard County in numbers
- The typical home in Brevard County is worth about $339,600, and 77% of homes are lived in by their owners.
- Typical rent here is about $1,556 a month, including utilities.
Free help
Questions people ask
Should I sell or buy first when downsizing?
Many people sell first so they know their budget; your agent helps you choose based on your plans.
Should I sell or buy first when downsizing?
Many people sell first so they know their budget, but buying first means one move. It depends on whether you can carry both homes for a while and how sure you are of the next place.
Can I keep my low property taxes when I downsize?
You may bring part of your Save Our Homes savings with portability. When you downsize, your new assessed value is figured as a share of your old one. File Form DR-501T by March 1.
Will I owe taxes when I sell the home I have lived in for years?
Many sellers can exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for many married couples filing jointly. Long-time owners sometimes have gains above that, so ask a CPA.
What costs come out of my sale?
Your mortgage payoff if any, agent pay, title and closing fees, the deed tax and your share of the year's property taxes.
Do I have to make repairs before selling?
No. Many homes sell as-is, and the price reflects condition. Small fixes and a deep clean often help most.
How long do I have to buy my next home and keep my tax savings?
Until January 1 of the third year after the year you move, according to the Brevard County Property Appraiser.