What cost are associated with selling a home?

Big Picture: List Price vs. Net Proceeds

The sales price is what goes on the internet.
Your net is what goes in your bank account.

Your net is roughly:

Sales Price
– Payoff of your mortgage(s)
– Commission
– Seller closing costs & fees
– Any repairs / concessions
– Prep costs (if paid up front)

What’s left is your money to roll into the next home, pay off debt, or stash in savings.

In my world, we don’t guess that number—I put it in black and white on a net sheet, so you see realistic ranges before you ever sign paperwork.

 

Pre-Listing Costs: Getting the House “Market Ready”

This is where you have a lot of control. In our market, the biggest pre-listing costs I see are:

• Deferred maintenance
• Fixing small issues you’ve been living with: broken blinds, loose railings, missing trim, leaky faucets, rotted wood.
• HVAC service
• A basic service to show buyers (and inspectors) that the system is maintained.
• Painting
• Neutralizing bold colors, refreshing worn walls, touching up trim and doors.
• Deep cleaning
• Baseboards, vents, windows, appliances, bathrooms—the works.

Case Study: PCS Seller Who Leaned In

I had a military family PCSing out of the Fort Bragg area. Their home was solid but tired: scuffed walls, dusty vents, a little deferred maintenance.

They spent roughly:

• ~$600 on HVAC service + minor repairs
• ~$1,200 on painting main living areas + trim touch-up
• ~$400 on deep cleaning

They listed at $335,000. With the updates and how sharp the house looked in photos and video, we:

• Got multiple offers in 48 hours
• Sold for $345,000
• Avoided major repair credits after inspection

That ~$2,200 in prep easily added $8–10K to their net and made the move smoother.

Skipping prep doesn’t “save money.” It just moves the cost into lower offers and tougher negotiations.

 

Commission: What You Pay for the Professional Side

I use three different commission structures, depending on the level of service a seller wants and what will actually make sense for their situation.

Without quoting specific percentages here, think of it like:

• Essential package – Solid MLS exposure, pro photos, basic marketing, negotiation and contract-to-close oversight.
• Enhanced marketing package – Adds video, social media ads, additional online exposure, maybe mailers to the neighborhood.
• Premium/concierge level – Ideal for higher-end, rural, or “challenging story” properties (probate, long-deferred maintenance, etc.), with more hands-on coordination: cleaners, contractors, pre-market consults, extra promotion, etc.

What the commission typically covers:

• Pro photography
• Video / reels / virtual tours
• Online ads & boosted social posts
• Mailers / local marketing
• Showing coordination
• Offer strategy & negotiation
• Inspection, appraisal, and repair negotiations
• Communication with attorney, lender, and other agent
• Deadline management all the way to closing

You are not just paying for someone to put a sign in the yard. You’re paying for strategy, exposure, and risk management so your net is higher and your stress is lower.

In our current market, many sellers are still offering compensation to the buyer’s agent in some form. That’s a cost we talk through directly, because it impacts:

• How many buyers will see your home
• How attractive your listing is to agents with qualified buyers
• Your final net versus time on market

 

Seller Closing Costs: The “Line Items” at the Closing Table

These are the non-sexy but very real costs that show up on your seller side of the closing disclosure. Typical items include:

• Attorney fees
• In North Carolina, we use real estate attorneys to close.
• Title-related fees
• Title search, recording fees, sometimes a portion of title insurance depending on how we negotiate.
• State and local taxes
• NC excise tax / “revenue stamps” and prorated property taxes.
• HOA fees
• Prorated dues, possible HOA transfer fees or resale packages (especially in townhome/condo communities).
• Survey (if you agree to provide one)
• More common with rural/farm properties or if boundary questions come up.
• Well & septic
• Pumping, inspections, and any required repairs.

These are the fees that often surprise sellers:

“Why am I paying for an HOA document fee?”
“Wait, there’s a tax just to sell my home?”
“Why does the well/septic report matter so much?”

This is why I walk you through all of it early with a net sheet tailored to your exact property type—subdivision, condo, or farm.

 

Concessions & Credits: The “Hidden” Cost Sellers Forget

In our area—especially with VA buyers—it’s still very common to see:

• Seller-paid closing cost assistance
• Seller paying part of the buyer agent’s compensation (depending on how the offer is structured)
• Repair credits after inspections instead of doing the work
• Price reductions if the appraisal comes in low

These are all real dollars that hit your net.

Example: Keeping a VA Deal Alive

A seller listed around $310,000. After inspections and appraisal, we had:

• A few inspection issues that made the buyer nervous
• An appraisal that landed right at contract price

Instead of blowing up the deal, the seller agreed to:

• A small closing cost credit
• Fixing one key repair item that was scaring the lender

The seller “spent” a few thousand in concessions but avoided:

• Relisting
• More days on market
• Back-and-forth with another buyer who would probably ask for the exact same things

Sometimes the “cost” of a concession is cheaper than the cost of going back to square one.

Special Situations: PCS, Seniors, Probate, and Rural/Farm

Because I work a lot with military PCS sellers, seniors downsizing, probate/inherited homes, and rural/farm properties, there are some extra costs that can creep in.

Military PCS Sellers

• Tight timelines can mean:
• Paying for overlaps in mortgage + rent
• Paying for quick repairs at a premium to meet closing dates
• The goal: avoid last-minute surprises that could interfere with your report date.

Seniors Downsizing

• Decluttering & packing help
• Estate sale companies or auctioneers
• Storage units for items not making the move
• Sometimes accessibility updates (grab bars, ramps removed, etc.) before listing

Probate / Inherited Properties

• Attorney / court fees
• Lock changes, securing the property
• Full house clean-outs (old furniture, trash removal, yard cleanup)
• Possibly holding costs while the estate is being settled: utilities, taxes, insurance

Rural / Farm Properties

• Bush-hogging / land cleanup
• Fence and gate repairs
• Well, septic, and sometimes water testing
• Outbuilding repairs (barns, sheds, workshops)

These properties are amazing—but they do not behave like cookie-cutter subdivision listings. The cost structure is different, and the marketing strategy has to be too.

 

My Marketing Investment: What I Put In So You Can Take More Out

Out of my commission, I invest heavily in:

• Professional photography
• Video tours & reels
• Targeted online ads
• Just listed mailers / neighborhood marketing

You don’t see an itemized bill for those—but they absolutely impact your net.

A well-marketed listing:

• Attracts more buyers
• Creates competition (aka multiple offers)
• Gives us more leverage in inspection and concession negotiations

Poor marketing is expensive. You just pay for it in the form of lowball offers and price reductions.

 

Quick Checklist: The Main Costs of Selling Your Home

Here’s the cheat sheet version you can save:

• Pre-list prep
• Repairs & deferred maintenance
• HVAC service
• Painting
• Deep cleaning / yard spruce-up
• Professional services
• Commission (with different service levels)
• Attorney fees
• Title-related fees
• Closing costs
• State excise tax
• Prorated property taxes
• HOA dues & transfer fees
• Well/septic/survey (if applicable)
• Negotiation items
• Buyer closing cost assistance
• Buyer agent compensation contribution
• Repair credits or price adjustments
• Special situation extras
• Clean-outs, estate sale, storage (seniors/probate)
• Land cleanup, fencing, well/septic (rural/farm)
• Overlapping housing costs and tight PCS timelines (military)