Name the setup
Say the math family before calculating: commission, proration, doc stamps, cap rate, GRM, LTV, PITI, seller net, area, or appraisal.
Printable formula sheet
Florida real estate exam math cheat sheet
A last-minute review page for the formulas, rates, and setup reminders Florida sales associate candidates mix up most often.
Convert rates
Turn percent rates into decimals and translate mills, points, and per-$100 taxes before multiplying.
Check units
Make sure annual, monthly, daily, square feet, acres, price, value, gross rent, and NOI are not being mixed.
Commission
CommissionSale price x rate
Sale priceCommission / rate
Agent shareCommission x split
Proration
Daily rateAnnual amount / 365
Party shareDaily rate x party days
Monthly itemMonthly amount / days in month
Doc Stamps
Deed stamps*Round up (price / 100) x $0.70
Mortgage stampsRound up (loan / 100) x $0.35
Intangible taxLoan x 0.002
Tax and Price
Taxable valueAssessed - exemptions
Property taxTaxable / 1,000 x mills
Price / sq ftPrice / square feet
One mill$1 per $1,000
Mortgage
LTVLoan / value
Down paymentValue - loan
PITIP&I + taxes + insurance
Housing paymentPITI + HOA if given
Ratios
Front-endHousing / gross monthly income
Back-end(Housing + debts) / gross monthly income
PointsLoan amount x points %
Income Math
Cap rateNOI / value
ValueNOI / cap rate
NOIValue x cap rate
RateNOI / value
GRM
GRMPrice / gross annual rent
PriceGRM x gross annual rent
Gross annual rentPrice / GRM
Area
AreaLength x width
AcresSquare feet / 43,560
Section640 acres
Township36 sections
Seller and Equity
Seller netPrice - payoff - seller costs
Required price(target + payoff + fixed) / (1 - % costs)
EquityCurrent value - loan balance
Profit/lossSale price - cost basis
Profit and Value
ProfitSale price - cost basis
Profit %Profit / stated base
AppreciationCurrent value - purchase price
DepreciationPurchase price - current value
Appraisal
Inferior compComp price + adjustment
Superior compComp price - adjustment
Annual depreciationImprovement value / useful life
Depreciated costCost new - depreciation
Simple Interest
InterestPrincipal x rate x time
Loan constantAnnual debt service / loan amount
Monthly factorLoan / 1,000 x factor
Formula in action
One stem can need more than one setup.
A property sells for $410,000. The seller owes a $255,000 loan payoff, pays 6% commission, and pays $2,870 in deed stamps. What is seller net before other closing costs?
Name setupSeller net, not equity
Commission$410,000 x 0.06 = $24,600
Stack$410,000 - $255,000 - $24,600 - $2,870 = $127,530
Quick self-test
Can you choose the setup cold?
Cover the answer key first. If you miss two or more, do not reread the whole sheet. Drill the setup family that caused the miss.
- 1Warm-up
A property sells for $480,000 at 6% commission. Find total commission.
- 2Doc stamp
Outside Miami-Dade, find deed stamps on a $360,000 sale.
- 3Ratio
A $320,000 loan is made on a $400,000 value. Find LTV.
- 4Trap-aware
A property sells for $450,000, was appraised at $470,000, and rents for $36,000 per year. Find GRM.
- 5Multi-stack
A seller gets $500,000, pays a $300,000 payoff, 5% commission, and $3,500 deed stamps. Find seller net before other costs.
Answer key: setup and math
- 1Setup: Commission
$480,000 x 0.06 = $28,800
- 2Setup: Doc stamps
$360,000 / 100 x $0.70 = $2,520
- 3Setup: LTV
$320,000 / $400,000 = 80%
Trap watch: down payment would be 20%.
- 4Setup: GRM
$450,000 / $36,000 = 12.5
Trap: appraisal value is a distractor. GRM uses price.
- 5Setup: Seller net
$500,000 - $300,000 - $25,000 - $3,500 = $171,500
Trap watch: this is not equity.
Try the setup
Use the calculators when a formula still feels slippery.
Check the $100 rounding step in the documentary stamp tax calculator, then try the mixed math drill without a formula label. Use the full formula reference when you need an explanation.
Key Florida Numbers
- * $0.70 deed stamps per $100 outside Miami-Dade
- $0.60 Miami-Dade deed rate per $100
- $0.45 Miami-Dade surtax per $100 if non-single-family
- $0.35 mortgage stamps per $100
- $2,450 cap on notes; no cap on recorded mortgages
- Intangible tax: 2 mills = 0.002
- 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft
- 1 section = 640 acres
Last-Minute Checks
- Label the setup before touching the calculator.
- Turn percent rates into decimals before multiplying.
- Use gross rent for GRM and NOI for cap rate.
- Round doc stamp taxable units up to the next $100.
- PITI excludes HOA unless the stem asks for total housing payment.
- Equity is not seller net because selling costs still matter.
- Required price must divide out percentage selling costs.
- If a stem gives both price and appraisal, follow the value rule in the question.
Optional email copy
Want this on your phone for exam morning?
We will email you the math cheat sheet link, the setup rule, and the top formula traps. Downloading the PDF does not require an email.
After the PDF
Use the sheet for review, then drill the skill.
Printable PDFs are good for setup and recall. The app is where you turn those setups into mixed Florida-specific practice with Math Coach, Trap Library, and Confidence Calibration.
1,142 questionsMath CoachTrap Library$39.99 once
Exam prep only. Not a substitute for the 63-hour course, DBPR steps, or Pearson VUE scheduling.
FAQ
Math cheat sheet questions
How many math questions are on the Florida real estate exam?+
The official DBPR outline assigns 6% to Real Estate Related Computations and Closing of Transactions. Calculations also appear within other content areas, including financing, appraisal and taxation. That 6% is not a fixed total count of all math questions on your exam. Practice choosing formulas across topics.
What math is on the Florida sales associate exam?+
Expect formulas around commission, proration, documentary stamps, property tax and millage, seller net, LTV, PITI, qualifying ratios, cap rate, GRM, area, acreage, appreciation, depreciation, profit, equity, and appraisal adjustments.
What is the Florida doc stamp rate on a deed?+
Outside Miami-Dade, deed documentary stamp tax is $0.70 for each $100 or part of $100 of taxable consideration. Miami-Dade uses $0.60 plus a $0.45 surtax per $100 or part thereof; the surtax does not apply to a transfer of only a single-family dwelling. Round the taxable $100 units up before multiplying.
What is the difference between cap rate and GRM?+
Cap rate uses net operating income and value. GRM uses gross annual rent and price. If the question gives NOI, think cap rate or IRV; if it gives gross rent, think GRM unless the stem says otherwise.
How do you calculate proration on the Florida exam?+
Find the daily rate, count the party's days, then decide who gets the credit. Florida property tax questions often use taxes paid in arrears, which means the seller commonly credits the buyer for the seller's days before closing.
Are calculators allowed on the Florida real estate exam?+
Yes. The DBPR candidate booklet permits a silent, handheld, battery-operated calculator that cannot print and does not have a keyboard with the alphabet. Practice with a calculator that meets those limits and check the official booklet before test day.