What should a listing agent give you in writing before you sign?
Three pages, from every agent you interview, so you can lay them side by side. If an agent will not put one of them in writing, that tells you something too.
| Ask for | Why it matters here | What Brent gives you |
|---|---|---|
| The price, and why | In September 2026 the median St. Lucie County seller received 95.7% of the original asking price, so the first price shapes the whole sale | The Sharp Number: 3 closed sales and 3 active listings, his notes on each, and the adjustments, usually within 48 hours. A broker's opinion of value, not an appraisal. |
| Your net at three prices | The fee, the deed stamps, the title policy, credits and the payoff all come out of the same check | His fee and your seller costs in writing before you sign, so you can see what you would walk away with |
| The weekly plan and the term | Silence after signing is the most common complaint sellers make about agents; Florida requires every listing agreement to carry a definite end date | A written owner report at least every 7 days, and the listing term stated in plain words before you sign |
None of it costs you anything, and none of it obligates you to list. Some owners use the Sharp Number as a second opinion before they sign with another agent, and that is fine.
Should you hire the listing agent who suggests the highest price?
No. Ask each agent which sales their price rests on, then check whether those sales match your home's size, lot, roof year, flood zone and fees. A price that only the active listings support is a hope: active listings show what buyers will compare your home against, not what it is worth.
Overpricing costs real time here. In September 2026, St. Lucie County single-family homes took a median 52 days to go under contract, up from 44 a year earlier, with 5.2 months of supply. Homes priced from $400,000 to $599,999 slowed the most, at 66 to 80 days to contract. In Port St. Lucie, 37.6% of homes for sale showed a price drop. Each cut sits in the public price history where every buyer's agent can read it.
That is the trap in hiring on the biggest number: the agent who says $450,000 when the sales say $415,000 may get the listing and then the price cut. Brent would rather tell you $415,000 and show you the six homes behind it.
What does a listing agent cost in Port St. Lucie?
Real estate commission in Florida is negotiable and not set by law. Every 1% of a $400,000 price is $4,000, so ask each agent to put their fee in dollars on the same net sheet. Since August 17, 2024, buyers who work with an agent sign their own written agreement saying what that agent is paid; as the seller, you decide in writing whether to offer anything toward a buyer's agent, and you can decide when an offer comes in.
Two other seller costs are set by Florida, not by any agent: the documentary stamp tax on the deed, $0.70 per $100 of price ($2,800 on a $400,000 sale), and by local custom the owner's title insurance policy ($2,075 at the state-promulgated rate on $400,000). The full cost table is in our guide to selling a house in Port St. Lucie.
Brent explains his fee in writing before you sign anything. If any line does not make sense, you stop and go through it together.
What should you ask a listing agent in the interview?
Which sales is your price built on?
Ask to see them, with the adjustments. "The market supports it" is not an answer.
Who handles my listing day to day?
On a team, the person you interview may not be the person who calls you back.
How often will I hear from you, and in what form?
Get the answer in writing: showings, feedback, and what sold or came on the market near you.
What is the listing term, and how do I end it?
Florida requires a definite expiration date in every listing agreement (s. 475.25(1)(r)). Read the cancellation terms before you sign.
What happens if there are no offers in the first few weeks?
Ask for the plan in advance, not after the fact.
What will you need from me?
Your roof permit date, any wind mitigation report, HOA documents, and the flood disclosure Florida requires at or before contract (s. 689.302). A buyer's insurance quote depends on them.
Can you show me your recent seller-side sales near me?
A fair question for any agent. Brent will show you his and tell you straight how they compare with what you are looking for. His deepest record is pricing: more than 12,000 broker price opinions and property valuations across St. Lucie and Martin County for lenders, loan servicers and investors, documentation available on request.
What does Brent do while your home is listed?
- Launches at the number, with professional photography, aerial coverage and a listing film, plus the home's own page on sharprealestategroup.com.
- Answers buyer inquiries, usually within minutes, so a buyer's question does not wait until Monday.
- Sends you a written owner report at least every 7 days: showings, feedback, ad reach, and what sold or came on the market near you, even in a quiet week.
- Negotiates on your net, not only the headline price: credits, financing and the closing date.
- Works with owners who are not here: showings coordinated locally and a remote closing through a Florida title company or attorney.
The whole process, step by step, is in our seller guide. You hear from Brent personally, usually within 5 minutes during business hours.
Selling in Tradition, St. Lucie West or Stuart?
The comparables change by place. In Tradition and St. Lucie West many homes sit inside a community development district or a similar special district billed on the county tax bill, so two identical houses with different fees do not sell for the same price. Brent counts the fees when he picks the sales; the factors are in the Port St. Lucie home value guide.
Martin County is a different market: in September 2026 its single-family median was $600,000, up 5.3% from a year earlier, with 39 days to contract and 3.6 months of supply. Brent lists in Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Port Salerno and Hobe Sound and prices Martin homes against Martin sales. Monthly numbers for both counties are in the TC Pricing Report.
When is listing with an agent not the right call?
When the date matters more than the price, a cash offer can be the better trade, as long as you see both numbers on paper. Our as-is, repairs or cash offer comparison shows how. If the home came to you through an estate, start with what to do first with an inherited house. If your listing already ran and ended, read what to do after a listing expires before you sign again.
Before you sign any listing agreement
Get the price, the net and the plan in writing
- The Sharp Number: 3 closed sales, 3 active listings, Brent's notes. A broker's opinion of value, not an appraisal.
- His fee and your seller costs, in writing
- Free. No obligation to list, now or later.
Brent Sharp, Broker / Owner
Call or text (772) 272-9571 Get My Sharp Number Text Brent
Licensed Florida real estate brokerage, DBPR license CQ1051669. Port St. Lucie, FL.
Questions sellers ask about listing agents
How do I choose a listing agent in Port St. Lucie?
Interview two or three agents and ask each for the same three things in writing: the list price with the sales behind it, your net after every cost, and what they will do every week the home is listed. Hire the one whose numbers hold up when you check them.
Should I pick the agent who suggests the highest list price?
Not without seeing the sales behind it. In September 2026, 37.6% of Port St. Lucie homes for sale showed a price drop (Redfin), and each cut shows in the public price history. The right price is the one the closed sales support.
Is the listing commission negotiable in Florida?
Yes. Commission in Florida is negotiable and not set by law. Ask each agent to show the fee in dollars on a net sheet; every 1% of a $400,000 price is $4,000. Whether you offer anything toward a buyer's agent is your decision, in writing.
How long is a listing agreement in Florida?
As long as you and the broker agree in writing. Florida requires every listing agreement to include a definite expiration date (section 475.25(1)(r), Florida Statutes). Read the term and the cancellation terms before you sign.
Can I get a second opinion on price before I sign with another agent?
Yes. Brent Sharp prepares a free written Sharp Number from 3 closed sales and 3 active listings, usually within 48 hours, with no obligation to list. It is a broker's opinion of value, not an appraisal. Call Sharp Real Estate Group LLC or text (772) 272-9571.
Does Brent Sharp list homes in Martin County?
Yes. Sharp Real Estate Group LLC lists homes across St. Lucie County and Martin County, including Port St. Lucie, Tradition, St. Lucie West, Fort Pierce, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Port Salerno and Hobe Sound.
Is Brent Sharp an appraiser?
No. Brent Sharp is a licensed Florida real estate broker and a valuation expert. The Sharp Number is a broker's opinion of value, not an appraisal (section 475.612, Florida Statutes). If you need an appraisal for a loan, your lender orders one.
Sources
- Florida Realtors, Monthly Market Detail, September 2026, Single-Family Homes, St. Lucie County, published by Miami Realtors, released October 16, 2026 ($395,000 median, 52 days to contract, 5.2 months of supply, 95.7% of original list price received, price-band days to contract). Read October 21, 2026.
- Florida Realtors, Monthly Market Detail, September 2026, Single-Family Homes, Martin County, published by Miami Realtors, released October 16, 2026. Read October 21, 2026.
- Redfin, Port St. Lucie, FL housing market, September 2026 data (homes for sale with a price drop). Accessed October 21, 2026.
- National Association of Realtors, Consumer Guide to Written Buyer Agreements (practice changes effective August 17, 2024). Accessed October 8, 2026.
- The Florida Statutes: section 475.25(1)(r) (definite expiration date in listing agreements), section 201.02 (documentary stamp tax), section 689.302 (seller flood disclosure), section 475.612 (broker price opinions). Florida Administrative Code Rule 69O-186.003 (title insurance premium rates). Accessed October 8, 2026.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Your title company's written estimate is the number to rely on for closing costs.
Last updated · Reviewed by Brent Sharp, Broker