What Does It Actually Cost to Sell a Home?
The Espresso ShotEverything all at once. Short and strong.
- Agent commissions are usually the biggest cost, and they’re negotiable, so ask exactly how an agent’s fee works.
- Keep money aside for fixes or credits after the buyer’s inspection. They catch a lot of sellers off guard.
- Ask for a net sheet: an estimate of what you’d actually keep at different prices.
Selling a home usually costs somewhere in the range of 8 to 10 percent of the sale price once everything is added up. That number can feel big, so let me walk you through where it goes and what you’ll actually keep.
It isn’t one big fee. It’s a handful of separate pieces, and it helps to see them before you list instead of at the closing table.
Agent commissions are usually the biggest piece. This is the fee paid to the agents on both sides of the sale, typically a percentage of the price. How commissions are structured and who pays what has been changing in recent years, and it’s negotiable, so ask any agent you’re considering to explain exactly how theirs works and what you get for it.
Closing costs on the seller’s side. Sellers typically pay for things like title and escrow services, and in Washington, an excise tax on the sale. Your agent or escrow officer can estimate these before you list.
Paying off your mortgage. This isn’t a fee, but it’s the biggest check you’ll write. Your lender takes what you still owe out of the sale proceeds, and your net is what’s left. Your lender can give you a payoff amount so you know where you stand.
Prep and repairs. Cleaning, paint, small fixes, staging, and photos all cost something. I go through which ones are worth it in what to fix before you list. Spending a little here often helps a home sell faster and for more, but it’s worth setting a budget so it doesn’t creep.
Repairs after the inspection. If a buyer’s inspection turns something up, you may be asked to fix it or offer a credit. It’s smart to have a little cushion for this, since it’s one of the most common surprises.
Carrying costs while you wait. Until the home sells, you’re still paying the mortgage, utilities, insurance, and taxes. A home that sits longer costs more, which is one reason pricing it well from the start matters.
Moving costs. Movers, packing, storage, and possibly overlapping housing if you’re buying before you sell. These aren’t part of the sale itself, but they’re part of the real cost of the move, so it’s worth including them in your plan.
Do the math on your net. The number that matters most isn’t the sale price, it’s what you actually keep. An agent can put together a simple “net sheet” that estimates what you’d walk away with at different prices. Ask for one before you decide to sell, and again when an offer comes in.
Laid out one at a time, these numbers are a lot less intimidating, and the one at the bottom, what you keep, is the one worth planning around.