How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-04 · Published and reviewed for compliance by Camilo Palacio, a Florida Licensed Realtor
Most sellers spend 6.25 to 9 percent of the sale price getting a house sold. Real estate commission runs roughly 5 to 5.5 percent combined after the 2024 NAR settlement made buyer-agent pay negotiable off the MLS. Closing costs add about 1.8 percent more. On a $400,000 sale, that is $24,000 to $40,000 total before repairs or moving costs. Cash Flow Deals locks the seller's net price before any of that gets scoped.
| Factor | Traditional Route | Cash Flow Deals |
|---|---|---|
| Agent commission | Roughly 5 to 5.5% combined, now negotiated directly with each agent since the 2024 NAR settlement | Paid as one separate line item on the closing statement, not layered on top of a commission split |
| When you know your net | Net proceeds are an estimate until inspection, appraisal, and repair negotiations are final | Net price is locked before repairs are even scoped |
| Repairs before selling | Seller often pays for repairs or staging up front to attract offers | Repairs get sorted out after the net price is already set, so nothing has to be fixed on spec |
The Full Breakdown: Where the 6.25 to 9 Percent Goes
Most sellers spend 6.25 to 9 percent of the sale price getting a house sold. The biggest piece is agent commission, running roughly 5 to 5.5 percent combined between listing and buyer-side agents. Closing costs add about another 1.8 percent on average, covering title insurance, transfer taxes, prorated property taxes, and often HOA dues if the property has them. On a $400,000 home, that alone is $24,000 to $40,000 before repairs, staging, or moving are even in the picture.
How the 2024 NAR Settlement Changed the Math
The Sitzer/Burnett settlement took effect August 17, 2024. Two changes matter most for what a seller pays. Buyer-agent compensation can no longer be published on the MLS, and buyers now have to sign a written agreement with their own agent before touring homes. Commission has always technically been negotiable, but it is now explicitly disclosed as such, and sellers negotiate it directly instead of it being an assumed line item. Buyer-agent commissions have trended down from roughly 2.6 percent in 2023 toward 2 to 2.5 percent since, which on a $500,000 home is a real difference of $2,500 to $5,000.
Repairs, Staging, and the Costs Nobody Puts on the Flyer
Commission and closing costs are the headline numbers, but they are not the whole bill. Pre-listing repairs to pass inspection, staging fees, professional photography, and sometimes a home warranty offered to the buyer all come out of pocket before the sale even closes. None of these are fixed percentages. A house that needs a new roof or an HVAC system before it will show well can add tens of thousands of dollars that never show up in the standard 6.25 to 9 percent estimate.
Why Percentage-Based Costs Punish a Higher Sale Price
Because most seller costs are a percentage of the sale price, selling for more does not just mean more proceeds, it means a bigger dollar cost at the same percentage. A 5.5 percent commission on a $300,000 home is $16,500. The same 5.5 percent on a $600,000 home is $33,000. This is one reason a locked, flat line-item fee structure, like the one Cash Flow Deals uses instead of a commission that scales with price, gives some sellers a number that does not move once it is set.
Ways to Lower What You Pay to Sell
Since the 2024 settlement, negotiating commission directly with your agent is normal, not awkward. Ask what services are included at that rate before you assume a lower number means less work. Consider bundling repairs into a price credit instead of paying a contractor out of pocket on a deadline. Compare closing cost line items against a seller net sheet before you sign anything. And if the uncertainty of a moving number bothers you more than saving a percentage point, a locked net price set before repairs are scoped removes that guessing game entirely.
Common questions
What is the average total cost to sell a house?
Most sellers spend 6.25 to 9 percent of the sale price total, combining agent commission and closing costs. Repairs, staging, and moving are separate and vary a lot depending on the house's condition.
Did the 2024 NAR settlement actually lower commissions?
It made commissions explicitly negotiable and moved buyer-agent pay off the MLS. Average buyer-agent commissions have trended down roughly half a point to a full point since, but nothing is fixed or guaranteed at any specific rate.
Are closing costs and commission the same thing?
No. Commission, roughly 5 to 5.5 percent combined, pays the agents. Closing costs, roughly 1.8 percent on average, cover title insurance, transfer taxes, and prorated items like property taxes. They are billed separately on the closing statement.
Can I know my exact net proceeds before I list?
You can get a close estimate from a seller net sheet, but in a traditional sale that number keeps moving until inspection, appraisal, and any repair negotiations are final. A locked net-price sale, like the structure Cash Flow Deals uses, is the one path where that number is set before repairs are even scoped.
Am I required to pay the buyer's agent?
Not automatically anymore. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is negotiated directly rather than assumed through the MLS listing, so it is now a specific conversation instead of a default line item.
Keep reading
What this means for your options
Every path to selling a house has real tradeoffs. Cash Flow Deals is built for the middle: faster than a traditional listing, more money than a cash investor.
Wait and see
Keep the property as-is and hope conditions improve. The mortgage, insurance, and upkeep keep costing money while you wait, with no set date for things to turn around.
List with a traditional agent
Standard MLS listing, typically 5-6% in commission, and a financed buyer whose deal depends on appraisal, inspection, and lender approval — any of which can fall through after weeks on market.
Sell to Cash Flow Deals
No repairs, no showings, no financing contingency on your side — our novation structure connects you with a bank-financed buyer at a price locked at signing. Usually within one business day.
See your selling options before you decide anything.