Complete guide
Reviewed July 2026Sellers routinely underestimate what it costs to sell a home. Between agent commissions, transfer taxes, title and escrow fees, attorney charges, buyer concessions and the mortgage payoff, the check you walk away with is typically 6–10% of the sale price smaller than the number on the contract — before you've moved a single box.
This calculator builds a seller net sheet in seconds: enter the expected sale price, commission rate, transfer tax, fees, concessions and your loan payoff, and it returns total selling costs and your estimated net proceeds — the actual cash you take from closing.
Run it before you list (to set a realistic floor price), before you counter an offer (to see what a $10,000 price cut plus $5,000 in concessions really nets), and before you shop for your next home (to know your true down-payment fund).
What sellers actually pay at closing
Then the mortgage payoff — not a 'cost', but the biggest deduction from proceeds for most sellers. Request an official payoff quote from your servicer; it runs slightly higher than your statement balance because of accrued interest through the closing date.
| Cost item | Typical range | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Agent commissions (both sides) | 4–6% of price | $24,750 (5.5%) |
| Transfer / excise taxes | 0–3% (state & county) | $2,250 (0.5%) |
| Title insurance (owner's policy) | $1,000–$3,000 | $1,800 |
| Escrow / settlement fees | $500–$1,500 | $700 |
| Attorney fees (where required) | $500–$1,500 | $800 |
| Buyer concessions / repair credits | Negotiated, 0–3% | $0–$9,000 |
| Prorated property taxes / HOA | Varies by date | case-specific |
| Total (excl. payoff) | 6–10% of price | ≈ $30,300 (6.7%) |
Commissions after the 2024 NAR settlement
Since the 2024 NAR settlement changed how buyer-agent compensation is negotiated, commissions are explicitly negotiable and structures vary: sellers may pay both sides (traditional), only their listing agent, or a negotiated split, and buyer-agent compensation is now often a term inside the purchase offer itself. Total commissions in the 4.5–6% range remain common, but every side of it is negotiable — this calculator's slider lets you model any structure.
Transfer taxes vary wildly by location
State and local transfer taxes range from zero (e.g., Texas, Missouri, most of Montana) to well over 2% in parts of New York City, Philadelphia and Washington State. Some areas add mansion taxes above price thresholds. Check your county's rate — on a high-value sale, transfer tax can exceed every other non-commission cost combined.
Net proceeds formula and example
Net proceeds = Sale price − Commissions (price × rate) − Transfer taxes (price × rate) − Title, escrow & attorney fees − Buyer concessions & repair credits − Prorated taxes / HOA dues − Mortgage payoff(s)
Worked example
- Sale price $450,000; commission 5.5% = $24,750.
- Transfer tax 0.5% = $2,250; title & escrow $2,500; attorney $800.
- Concessions negotiated: $0. Total selling costs = $30,300 (6.7% of price).
- Mortgage payoff: $200,000.
- Net proceeds = 450,000 − 30,300 − 200,000 = $219,700.
Taxes on your gain (separate from closing costs)
Capital gains tax isn't paid at closing but belongs in your planning: the Section 121 exclusion shelters up to $250,000 of gain (single) or $500,000 (married filing jointly) on a primary residence you've owned and used for 2 of the last 5 years. Gains beyond the exclusion — common after long ownership in appreciating markets — are taxed as long-term capital gains. Selling costs (commissions, transfer taxes) reduce the taxable gain, another reason to document them.
How to use this calculator (and cut the costs)
- Enter your realistic sale price — your agent's CMA, not your hopeful number.
- Set the total commission you've negotiated and your county's transfer tax rate.
- Add title/escrow and attorney figures from your agent or title company quote.
- Include expected concessions: in buyer's markets, 1–2% in credits is common after inspection.
- Enter your official mortgage payoff (plus any HELOC or liens).
- Read your net proceeds — and stress-test it at a 3–5% lower sale price.
Legitimate ways to raise your net
- Negotiate commission — especially on higher-priced homes; a 0.5% reduction on $450K is $2,250.
- Shop title and escrow where local practice allows seller choice; fees vary 30%+ between providers.
- Pre-inspect and fix cheap issues before listing — sellers pay less fixing problems proactively than in post-inspection credits.
- Time around tax prorations and HOA transfer fees where possible.
- Keep every receipt: selling costs and capital improvements both reduce taxable gain.
Frequently asked questions
Glossary
- Net proceeds
- Cash to seller at closing after all costs, concessions and loan payoffs.
- Seller net sheet
- A line-item projection of a seller's closing costs and proceeds.
- Transfer tax / excise tax
- Government tax on conveying real property, usually a percentage of price.
- Concession
- A seller-paid credit to the buyer at closing for repairs, costs or rate buydown.
- Payoff quote
- The servicer's official statement of the exact amount required to retire the loan on a given date.
- Owner's title policy
- Insurance protecting the buyer against title defects; customarily seller-paid in many states.
- Section 121 exclusion
- The $250K/$500K capital-gain exclusion on a qualifying primary residence.
- Settlement statement (ALTA)
- The final, authoritative accounting of every debit and credit at closing.
- Proration
- Splitting period costs (taxes, HOA dues) between buyer and seller as of the closing date.
Key takeaways
Selling a home costs 6–10% of the price — commissions dominate, transfer taxes and title/escrow follow, and concessions eat quietly at the margin. Net proceeds = price − costs − payoff, and that's the only number that matters for your next step. Estimate it before listing, stress-test it at a lower price, negotiate the commission, and keep receipts for the tax side.
Enter your sale price and costs above to see your true walk-away number — then test what a 1% commission reduction would add to it.