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Cost to Sell a House Calculator
Sellers anchor on the sale price and are then surprised by the wire amount. This works the whole way down — costs, payoff, and capital gains — to what actually lands in your account.
Educational calculators — always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
Your expected contract price.
The payoff figure, not your last statement balance.
Both sides combined. Historically 5–6%, more negotiable since 2024.
Title, escrow, transfer tax, attorney, recording. Typically 1–3%.
Credits toward the buyer's costs or post-inspection repairs.
Repairs, paint, cleaning, staging.
Not a closing cost, but it comes out of the same money.
What you paid, plus capital improvements you've made.
Married filing jointly gets double the capital gains exclusion.
$500,000 exclusion.
The ownership and use test that unlocks the exclusion.
Exclusion applies.
Federal rates are 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on income.
Your net proceeds
$179,500
You keep 35.9% of the $500,000 sale price
Where the money goes
| Agent commission5% of the sale price. Since the 2024 NAR settlement changed how buyer-agent compensation is negotiated, this is more openly negotiable than it used to be — it is worth asking. | −$25,000 |
| Seller closing costs1.5% covering title, escrow, transfer taxes, recording and attorney fees where required. Transfer tax alone varies enormously by state and city. | −$7,500 |
| Pre-sale prepRepairs, paint, cleaning and staging. Usually the highest-return money you spend, but it comes out of pocket before closing. | −$5,000 |
| MovingNot a closing cost, but it comes out of the same proceeds and is routinely left out of net-sheet estimates. | −$3,000 |
| Total selling costs8.1% of sale price | −$40,500 |
Capital gains
| Gain on sale | $147,500 |
| §121 exclusionPrimary residence, 2-of-5-year test met | −$500,000 |
| Taxable gain | $0 |
| Estimated federal tax | $0 |
Federal only — several states tax capital gains on top. The exclusion is $250,000 single / $500,000 married filing jointly, unchanged since 1997 and not inflation-indexed. IRS — Topic no. 701, Sale of your home
Selling costs total $40,500 — about 8% of your sale price. The rule of thumb that selling "costs about 10%" is roughly right, and it is why short holding periods rarely work out.
This does not include prorated property taxes, HOA dues, or the payoff of any second lien or HELOC, all of which settle at closing. Your title company's net sheet is the authoritative version — use this to sanity-check it, not to replace it.
Educational estimate only — not tax, legal, or financial advice. Excludes prorated property taxes and HOA dues, any second lien or HELOC payoff, and state capital gains tax. Your title company's net sheet is the authoritative figure; use this to sanity-check it. Confirm anything tax-related with a licensed tax professional.
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Selling costs about 8–10% of the price
That 8% is the reason short holding periods rarely work. If you have owned for two years and gained 6% in value, selling costs consume the entire gain and then some — a useful thing to know before you list.
Commission is more negotiable than it was
The 2024 NAR settlement changed how buyer-agent compensation is negotiated and disclosed. You may end up paying only your own agent, or still offering buyer-side compensation to attract offers in a slower market. Either way the total is no longer assumed — ask directly. On a $500,000 sale, one percentage point is $5,000.
Get your cost basis right
The §121 exclusion shields $250,000 of gain for a single filer and $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly, provided you owned and lived in the home for two of the last five years. Those amounts have not changed since 1997 and are not inflation-indexed — which is exactly why they now bite on long-held homes.
If your gain is near the limit, the highest-value thing you can do is reconstruct your basis properly. It is the purchase price plus buying closing costs plus every capital improvement — roof, addition, kitchen, windows, landscaping. Routine repairs do not count; improvements do. Sellers routinely overpay tax simply because they never kept the receipts. IRS — Topic no. 701, Sale of your home
What this doesn't include
- Prorated property taxes and HOA dues, which settle at closing either way.
- Any second lien or HELOC payoff — add it to your mortgage payoff figure.
- State capital gains tax, which several states charge on top of federal.
- The 3.8% net investment income tax, which can apply to higher earners.
Your title company's net sheet is the authoritative version. Use this to sanity-check it, or to plan before you list. Educational only — not tax or legal advice.
Related calculators
- True Cost of Homeownership — what it cost you to hold it
- Home Equity Calculator
- Closing Costs Calculator — the buying side
- SALT Deduction Calculator
- Rent vs. Buy Calculator
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to sell a house?+
Around 8% to 10% of the sale price for most sellers. Agent commission is the largest piece at roughly 5% to 6% combined, though this has become more negotiable since the 2024 NAR settlement changed how buyer-agent compensation is handled. Seller closing costs add another 1% to 3% covering title, escrow, transfer taxes and attorney fees where required, and then there are concessions, pre-sale prep and moving on top.
Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my home?+
Usually not, because of the IRC §121 exclusion: $250,000 of gain for a single filer and $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly, provided you owned and lived in the home as your principal residence for at least two of the five years before selling. Those amounts have not changed since 1997 and are not inflation-indexed, which is why they increasingly bite on homes held a long time in appreciated markets. Only gain above the exclusion is taxed.
How do I reduce capital gains tax when selling my home?+
The most effective and most overlooked step is getting your cost basis right. Basis is the purchase price plus buying closing costs plus every capital improvement you have made — a new roof, an addition, a kitchen remodel, new windows. Routine repairs do not count, but capital improvements do, and each dollar of basis is a dollar less gain. Selling costs such as commission also reduce the amount realized. Many sellers overpay simply because they never kept the receipts.
Is real estate commission negotiable?+
More so than it used to be. The 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement changed how buyer-agent compensation is negotiated and disclosed, so the total is no longer assumed to be a fixed 5% to 6% split automatically. You may end up paying only your own agent, or still offering buyer-side compensation to attract offers in a slower market. Either way it is worth asking directly — on a $500,000 sale, a single percentage point is $5,000.
What is a seller's net sheet?+
An itemized estimate from your agent or title company of what you will actually receive at closing, after every cost and payoff. It is the authoritative version of this calculation because it includes items specific to your transaction — prorated property taxes and HOA dues, any second lien or HELOC payoff, and local transfer taxes. Use this calculator to sanity-check a net sheet or to plan before listing, not to replace one.
Cost ranges and rates here are checked against contractor quotes and published industry data. If a number still looks off, email Support@RealCostIQ.com and we'll review and fix it.