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How a home buyer rebate works in Florida
From the first call to the credit on your settlement statement, here is exactly what happens and where your money comes from.
Reviewed by Bryan Berns, Florida real estate broker (License BK3659524), licensed since 2011 · Updated October 20261
Sign a buyer agreement with the rebate in writing
Florida requires a written agreement before touring. Ours states your 50% rebate and how it's paid.
2
Tell your lender early
We send your loan officer a rebate letter so the credit is built into your loan approval, with no surprises at closing. Get pre-approved.
3
Find, tour and negotiate
Resale showings in our service areas, builder visits anywhere in Florida. We write and negotiate every offer.
4
Contract to close
Inspections, appraisal, title and deadlines, handled by your licensed Firelight Realty Group agent.
5
Your closing cost rebate
We instruct the title company to credit 50% of our commission to you on the settlement statement. Paying cash? It reduces your funds to close.
Where the money comes from
The seller or builder pays the buyer-agent commission at closing, as they would with any agent. We keep half for our work and credit half to you. Nothing comes out of the seller's net or your offer price.
Ready to see your number?
A full example, from first call to closing
| Step | What happens | Money |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | You call or submit the form. We confirm the commission on the homes you're considering and send a written estimate. | Estimate: $6,750 on a $450,000 home at 3% |
| Week 1 | You sign a buyer agreement with the 50% rebate written in, and tell your lender about it. | No cost to you |
| Weeks 2–6 | We register you with builders, tour homes, write the offer and negotiate. | Seller or builder agrees to pay buyer-agent compensation |
| Under contract | Inspections, appraisal and loan approval. The rebate is disclosed on the closing documents. | Lender approves the credit |
| Closing day | The rebate appears as a credit on your settlement statement. | $6,750 less cash to close |
Hypothetical example. Commissions are negotiable and every transaction is different; your rebate is 50% of the compensation actually received.
New construction vs. resale: how the rebate differs
| New construction | Resale | |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays the commission | The builder, from its marketing budget | Usually the seller, or as negotiated in your offer |
| Biggest rule | Register your agent before your first visit | Sign the buyer agreement before touring |
| Where we offer it | Anywhere in Florida | Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Volusia, Flagler and Brevard counties |
| Stacks with | Builder incentives, within loan limits | Seller credits, within loan limits |
What can reduce or block a rebate
Visiting a builder without your agent
Many builders won't pay an agent who wasn't registered at your first visit.
Loan program limits
FHA, VA and conventional loans cap total credits. A rebate larger than your allowable closing costs may be reduced.
An existing buyer agreement
If you've signed with another agent, that agreement may need to end first.
No buyer-agent compensation
If the seller or builder pays nothing and you don't negotiate it, there's nothing to share.
How it works: common questions
When do I get the rebate?
At closing, as a credit on your settlement statement. It lowers the cash you bring.
Can I get it as a check after closing?
Usually the rebate is credited at closing so your lender can approve it. Cash buyers generally have the most flexibility.
What if my rebate is more than my closing costs?
Lenders typically won't let credits exceed allowable costs. We plan around that, for example by applying the credit to prepaid items where allowed.
Does the rebate work with FHA or VA loans?
Usually yes, within each program's limits. See our guide to loan limits on rebates.
Is anything different for cash buyers?
Cash purchases have no lender limits, so the full rebate typically reduces your funds due at closing.
Can I use my rebate toward my down payment?
Usually not when you finance. Lenders typically let a rebate credit go toward closing costs and prepaid items, not your down payment. If you pay cash, the rebate simply lowers the funds you bring to closing. Your lender makes the final call.
Does a rebate affect my appraisal?
No. The appraisal is based on the home's market value. Your rebate is disclosed to your lender and shown as a credit on your closing documents; it doesn't change the appraised value.
How long does it take to get my rebate?
You receive it at closing, as a credit on your settlement statement, the same day your purchase closes.
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