Selling Costs in Sint Maarten: What the Owner Actually Pays (2026)
Most owners ask what a sale will cost. The better question is what lands in your account after closing. On the Dutch side of Sint Maarten, the answer is simpler than most sellers expect. Here is who pays what, where the money goes on closing day, and how to work out your own number before you list. This guide is written by Andreu Realty, licensed on both the Dutch and the French side.
1. The short answer
On the Dutch side, the owner pays three things: the brokerage fee, the release of any mortgage, and condo fees settled pro rata up to the closing date. There is no capital gains tax on the sale. The 4% transfer tax is paid by the buyer, and so are the other closing costs.
That is the whole structure. The rest of this guide puts each line under a magnifying glass. For the full selling process, read our owner's guide to selling in Sint Maarten.
2. What the seller pays
The brokerage fee. It is agreed in your listing agreement, in writing, before any marketing starts. Read what it covers: the valuation, photography, portals, advertising, showings, negotiation and the file through to closing. Ask us anything about it on the sell with Andreu Realty page, or by phone.
The release of any mortgage. If the property carries a mortgage, the balance is repaid from the proceeds at the notary, and the mortgage is cancelled so the buyer receives clear title. This is your own debt, not a cost of selling, but it comes out of the same settlement. Ask your bank early for a payoff statement, and ask whether any early-repayment charge applies.
Condo fees, pro rata. If you own a condo, you pay your share of the condo fees and charges up to the transfer date. The buyer takes over from that day. Clear any arrears before closing: the notary checks them, and a buyer will not take them on.
3. What the buyer pays
Sellers in other markets are often surprised by this part. On the Dutch side, these costs sit on the buyer's side of the table:
the 4% transfer tax;
notary and registration fees.
Buyers budget about 5.5% of the purchase price for these in total. See the Sint Maarten real estate FAQ for how buyers plan them.
Why does this matter to you? Because your buyer is doing this sum too. A buyer with a budget of $700,000 all in is looking at homes around $660,000 on the Dutch side. Your price competes with every other listing after those costs, on both sides of the island.
4. Capital gains tax
There is no capital gains tax on the sale of property on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten. If you bought years ago and the home has risen in value, that gain is not taxed by a capital gains tax here.
One honest caution. That is the Sint Maarten side of the picture. If you are tax resident in another country, your home country may have its own rules on the sale. We are real estate advisors, not tax advisors, so check with your own accountant before you sign.
5. A worked example at $650,000
On 2 November 2026, 44 condos and penthouses were for sale with us, from $285,000 to $2,950,000, with a median asking price of $650,000. Take that figure as an example. It is an illustration, not a valuation.
Suppose a condo sells for $650,000, with a $600 monthly fee, closing on the 15th of a 30-day month.
The buyer's side:
purchase price: $650,000;
4% transfer tax: $26,000;
total closing costs at about 5.5%: about $35,750;
buyer's total: about $685,750.
The owner's side:
sale price: $650,000;
minus the brokerage fee in your listing agreement;
minus any mortgage balance;
minus the condo fee for the first half of the month: about $300;
what remains is your net proceeds.
The buyer's deposit, typically 10% and here $65,000, is held by the notary, not by either party. It counts toward the price at closing. No capital gains tax line appears on the owner's side, because on the Dutch side there is none.
6. Costs you choose
Some spending is not required, but it often pays for itself in a shorter, smoother sale. It is your decision:
small repairs before the photo shoot, not after the offer;
a deep clean, and a touch-up of paint;
gathering the file: your title deed, the latest grondbelasting statement and the association documents.
Keep it modest. Buyers look at the condition of a home, but they also compare it with what else is on the market. Our guide What is my condo worth in Simpson Bay? explains how condition weighs against comparables, and our sold properties page shows what has actually closed.
7. What keeps running until closing
Until the transfer, the home is still yours, and so are its running costs: condo fees, insurance and utilities. Fees vary widely by building. On 2 November 2026, examples from our listings are $334 a month at the Puerto Del Sol studio, $400 at the White Sand 2-bedroom in Beacon Hill, $1,168 at the Aqualina 2-bedroom and $1,800 at The Cliff in Cupecoy. Our condo fees guide covers more buildings and what the fees include.
Time therefore has a cost. Closing takes 30 to 60 days from the signed agreement, depending on financing and the parties involved. Before that comes the marketing period, which depends mostly on price, presentation and the file. A home priced with care carries fewer months of these costs.
If the home is rented, it can keep earning while it is on the market. Our property management team charges 20% of rental income and coordinates tenants with viewings.
8. Selling from abroad
Many of our sellers live overseas. You do not need to fly in: you can sign by power of attorney through the notary. Ask the notary how the proceeds will reach you, and allow for your bank's own charges and any currency conversion.
9. The French side
Saint-Martin works differently. Sales go through a French notaire, and the tax position depends on your situation. The notaire works it out before you sign, so ask for that estimate early. If your property is in Terres Basses, Orient Bay or Grand Case, treat the Dutch-side figures in this guide as not applying to you. Andreu Realty is licensed on both sides, so one advisor runs your sale wherever the property is.
10. How to get your own number
You need four things for a real estimate: a defensible sale price, your listing agreement terms, your mortgage payoff and your fee position at the closing date. We put them on one page. Every valuation we prepare includes a market analysis on both sides, a recommended list price and timing, and an estimate of your net proceeds. Owners in Simpson Bay, Maho and every other area get the same work.
Start on our seller page. It takes two minutes.
Questions owners ask
What does it cost to sell a property in Sint Maarten?
On the Dutch side, the owner pays the brokerage fee agreed in the listing agreement, the release of any mortgage, and condo fees settled pro rata to the closing date. We estimate your net proceeds with your valuation.
Who pays the transfer tax in Sint Maarten?
The buyer. The 4% transfer tax on the Dutch side is part of the buyer's closing costs, which buyers budget at about 5.5% in total.
Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell on the Dutch side?
No. There is no capital gains tax on the sale of property on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten. If you are tax resident elsewhere, check your home country's rules with your accountant.
Who holds the deposit?
The notary. The buyer's deposit, typically 10%, is held by the notary, not by either party, until closing.
How do I work out my net proceeds?
Start from the sale price, then subtract the brokerage fee, any mortgage balance and your pro-rata condo fees. Andreu Realty includes this estimate with every free valuation.
Next step
Tell us the property and what you owe on it, if anything. We come back with the comparables, a range and a net-proceeds estimate: a price you can defend. Request your free, confidential valuation.
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