How to estimate your net proceeds
Agents call this a seller's net sheet. The formula is short: net proceeds = sale price − loan payoffs − selling costs. The selling costs are what surprise people. Here is the calculator's opening example: a $450,000 sale with $250,000 owed on the mortgage.
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1
Commissions
2.76% to the listing agent and 2.40% to the buyer's agent is 5.16% of $450,000: $23,220.
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2
Seller closing costs
An owner's title policy at 0.50% ($2,250), an $800 escrow or settlement fee and $500 of recording, payoff and other fees: $3,550. The U.S. setting adds no transfer tax; pick your state to add it.
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Getting it ready
$3,000 for repairs, cleaning and staging, and no credits to the buyer. Total cost to sell: $29,770, or 6.62% of the price.
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4
Pay off the loans
The settlement agent sends $250,000 to your mortgage servicer, plus any HELOC or lien balance.
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What's left
$450,000 − $29,770 − $250,000 = $170,230. That is your check before income taxes and before the cost of moving.
Your equity on paper was $200,000. Selling cost almost $30,000 of it, about 15%. If you need the proceeds for a down payment, plan around the net figure, not the equity. Our closing cost calculator covers the buying side, and the moving cost calculator the move itself.
Commissions after the 2024 NAR settlement
In 2024 the National Association of Realtors settled lawsuits over how agent pay was set, and new rules took effect on August 17, 2024. Two things changed in practice:
- No pay offers on the MLS. A listing can no longer advertise, on the multiple listing service, what the seller will pay the buyer's agent.
- Written buyer agreements. A buyer working with an agent signs an agreement before touring a home. It states what the agent will be paid, and the agent can't collect more than that.
What did not change: commissions were never set by law and are negotiable, and a seller can still agree to pay the buyer's agent. Many sellers do, either directly or as a credit the buyer uses for that fee, because it can widen the pool of buyers. Others leave it to the buyer. That is why this calculator lists the two commissions separately. Data so far shows little change in the averages: Redfin found buyer's agents earned an average of 2.40% in the first quarter of 2025, about the same as before the rules took effect.
Talk through both fees with your listing agent before you sign the listing agreement, and decide how you will answer when an offer asks you to cover the buyer's agent.
Transfer taxes by state
Many states tax the deed when a home changes hands. Who pays is set by law in some places and by custom in others, and the contract can change it. The state presets cover only the state-level tax a seller customarily pays; counties and cities can add their own.
| State | Seller usually pays | On $450,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Half of the 4% realty transfer tax (2.5% state, 1.5% local), split by law: 2% | $9,000 |
| District of Columbia | Transfer tax: 1.1% under $400,000, 1.45% at $400,000 or more | $6,525 |
| Florida | Deed documentary stamp tax, 70 cents per $100 (60 cents in Miami-Dade, plus a surtax on some properties) | $3,150 |
| Maryland | Half of the 0.5% state transfer tax by custom; county taxes extra | $1,125 |
| Michigan | State tax of $3.75 per $500 plus county tax of $0.55 per $500: 0.86% | $3,870 |
| Minnesota | Deed tax, 0.33% | $1,485 |
| New York | State transfer tax, 0.4%. New York City and some cities add their own | $1,800 |
| Pennsylvania | Half of the 1% state tax plus half of a typical 1% local tax, by custom: 1% | $4,500 |
| South Carolina | Deed recording fee, $1.85 per $500, owed by the seller by law: 0.37% | $1,665 |
| Virginia | Grantor tax, $0.50 per $500: 0.1% | $450 |
| Washington | State real estate excise tax: 1.1% up to $525,000, 1.28% to $1,525,000, 2.75% to $3,025,000, 3% above; local tax extra | $4,950 |
| New Jersey | Graduated realty transfer fee, plus an extra graduated fee on homes over $1 million. Not preset: ask your attorney or title company | Varies |
For any other state, the field starts at 0%. Several states have no state transfer tax, but many others do, and local taxes can be large. Your title or escrow company can give you the exact figure.
The other costs on a seller's settlement statement
- Owner's title insurance. In many areas the seller buys the buyer's owner's policy; in others the buyer does. Rates are set or filed by state.
- Escrow, settlement or attorney fees. Some states require an attorney at closing. The fee is often split with the buyer.
- Prorated property tax and HOA dues. You pay your share up to the closing day. Depending on whether your county bills in advance or behind, this can be a cost or a credit. It isn't in the calculator; ask for it on your estimate.
- Credits to the buyer. Buyers often ask for help with closing costs or for repairs found in the inspection. A credit comes straight off your proceeds.
- Prepayment penalties and liens. Rare on today's home loans, but check. Unpaid contractor or tax liens are paid off at closing too.
Capital gains: usually not owed on a main home
The gain is not the same as your proceeds. It is the sale price minus selling expenses (commissions, title, escrow and other fees, transfer tax and credits) minus your basis, which is what you paid plus improvements. In the example: $450,000 − $26,770 − $300,000 = $123,230. The repairs and staging are left out because routine repairs usually aren't selling expenses; check with a tax professional.
If you owned the home and lived in it as your main home for at least 2 of the 5 years before the sale, IRS Publication 523 lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly. You generally can't have used the exclusion on another home in the two years before. Rentals, home offices, partial-year moves and gain above the limit follow extra rules. The calculator only flags whether the estimated gain is above or below the limit; it does not figure any tax.
Ways to keep more of the price
- Interview two or three listing agents. Ask what each fee covers and whether it changes if the agent also finds the buyer.
- Fix the cheap things, skip the remodel. Paint, small repairs and a deep clean usually pay off; a new kitchen right before selling rarely does.
- Get a pre-listing inspection if your home is older. Known problems priced in up front lead to fewer surprise credits later.
- Compare offers on net, not price. A higher price with a big credit and a buyer's-agent fee can net less than a lower clean offer. Run each one through the calculator.
- Time the closing. Interest on your loan runs until the payoff, so a delay of a few weeks costs real money on a large balance.
Sources and assumptions
- NAR practice changes effective August 17, 2024: National Association of Realtors, NAR settlement FAQs.
- Buyer's agent commission of 2.40% (first quarter of 2025): Redfin, Real estate agent commissions haven't changed much since the NAR settlement (May 16, 2025). Listing agent commission of 2.76%: Clever Real Estate, Average Real Estate Agent Commission Rates, survey of 434 agents in August 2026 (updated October 1, 2026). Clever is a broker referral company, and commissions are negotiable and vary by market and agent.
- Transfer taxes: 30 Del. C. ch. 54; D.C. Code § 47-903; Florida Dept. of Revenue; Md. Tax-Prop. § 13-203; Michigan State Real Estate Transfer Tax Act (county tax under Act 134 of 1966); Minn. Stat. § 287.21; N.Y. Tax Law § 1402; Pennsylvania Dept. of Revenue; S.C. Code Title 12, ch. 24; Va. Code § 58.1-802; Washington Dept. of Revenue (2026 thresholds); NJ Division of Taxation. Checked October 2026. Local taxes are not included.
- Home sale exclusion and gain: IRS Publication 523, Selling Your Home.
- Our estimates, not survey data: owner's title policy 0.50% of the price, escrow or settlement fee $800, other fees $500, repairs and staging $3,000. Title rates and who pays them vary by state. Replace each default with your agent's or title company's estimate.
- Not included: prorated property tax and HOA dues, utility final bills, moving costs, income tax on any gain, and the cost of carrying the home while it is for sale. This is an educational estimate, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Common questions
How much will I walk away with when I sell my house?
Take the sale price, subtract your mortgage payoff, then subtract the costs of selling: commissions, title and escrow fees, transfer taxes, credits to the buyer and repairs. Selling a $450,000 home with $250,000 owed and $29,770 in costs leaves about $170,230 before any taxes.
How much does it cost to sell a house?
Agent commissions are usually the biggest cost. In this calculator's example, commissions of 5.16%, title, escrow, fees and $3,000 of repairs add up to 6.62% of the price. State and local transfer taxes can add from nothing to 2% or more, depending on where you live.
Does the seller still pay the buyer's agent after the NAR settlement?
Sometimes. Since August 17, 2024, offers to pay buyer's agents can't be posted on the MLS, and buyers must sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes. A seller can still agree to pay the buyer's agent, or give the buyer a credit, as part of the deal. Commissions are not set by law and are negotiable.
Who pays the transfer tax when you sell a house?
It depends on the state and local custom, and the contract can change it. Sellers usually pay it in states such as Florida, Michigan, New York and Washington. Delaware and Pennsylvania split it between buyer and seller, and some states have no transfer tax at all.
Do I have to pay capital gains tax when I sell my house?
If you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the 5 years before the sale, you can usually exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly, according to IRS Publication 523. Gain above that, or on a home that doesn't qualify, can be taxed.
When do I get the money from selling my house?
The title or escrow company pays off your mortgage and other liens from the buyer's funds, then sends you the rest by wire or check. That is usually on closing day or within a few business days. Confirm wire instructions by phone, because closing wire fraud is common.