Before selling your home, it's natural to wonder how much money you could potentially earn. Selling a house comes with big costs that can eat into your profits – total costs range from 8-10% of the sale price nationwide.
So it’s not as simple as determining a sales price and outstanding mortgage balance. Understanding the average cost to sell a house can also help you budget effectively and avoid surprises.
Here's a look at the various fees and costs involved with selling a house in the U.S., and some easy ways to minimize your expenses, including choosing a low-commission realtor.
Average cost to sell a house in 2025
The total cost to sell a home typically ranges from 8-10% of the sale price, although actual costs vary widely by market. This includes real estate agent commissions (5-6% of the sale price) closing costs, repairs, and other expenses.
For a home sold for $400,000 (approximately the national mean home price in February 2025), sellers can expect to pay between $32,000 and $40,000 in total costs.[1]
Breakdown of selling costs for a $400,000 home
| Expense | Average Cost | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Realtor fees | 5-6% | $20,000-24,000 |
| Seller closing costs | 1-3% | $4,000-12,000 |
| Repairs and renovations | Varies | $2,000-10,000+ |
| Staging and photography | 0.5% | $2,000 |
| Moving expenses | 1-2% | $4,000-8,000 |
Real estate agent commissions
The largest cost is typically the realtor fees. A standard commission for agents is 5-6% of the home's sale price, which covers both the seller's and buyer's agent.
Ways to save on agent commissions
Sellers have a number of options for saving money on real estate agent commissions.
Sell FSBO: First, you could sell for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) and not use an agent at all. Then you won’t have to pay the seller’s agent commission (2.5-3%), though you may still be asked to pay the buyer’s agent commission.
While this might seem like an easy way to eliminate one of the costs of selling a house, it can be risky because you'll have to manage all aspects of the sale yourself, including legal contracts and paperwork.
Selling FSBO also means you're likely to get less money overall for your house. FSBO homes sell for about $55,000 less than homes sold with an agent, according to an industry survey.[2] Therefore, FSBO sellers may be forfeiting tens of thousands of dollars when they try to save on agent commission.
Negotiate rates: Another option is to negotiate the commission you'll pay to both the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent.
When preparing to hire an agent, ask them what their typical rate is, what that commission will include, and whether they would be willing to accept a lower commission rate. If your house is move-in ready and you’re in an active market, these can be leverage points for negotiating lower commission. Nearly two-thirds of buyers or sellers who asked their agent for a lower rate were successful.
When considering offers from buyers, sellers can negotiate the buyer’s agent commission, especially if the buyer is eager and there is competition from other eager buyers.
Use a low-commission realtor: The easiest way to save money on real estate commission is to work with a low-commission agent, which provides full-service expertise and support for a lower commission rate.
Clever can match you with top agents in your area from some of the most well-known brokerages, and Clever also pre-negotiates a 1.5% commission rate. On a $400,000 home, working with a low-commission agent could save you as much as $6,000, or more if you can negotiate the buyer’s agent commission. Just fill out this short quiz to get matched with a local agent today!
Here’s a breakdown of how these options will affect your bottom line on a $400,000 home sale.
| FSBO sales price + commission | Full commission | Discount brokerage |
|---|---|---|
| $349,425 - 0% commission = $349,425 | $400,000 - 3% commission = $388,000 | $400,000 - 1.5% commission = $394,000 |
Closing costs for sellers
Seller closing costs typically range from 1% to 3% of the home’s price and include:
- Title insurance: $1,000–$4,000
- Escrow and attorney fees: $500–$2,000
- Transfer taxes: Varies by state (0.01% to 2% of sale price)
- HOA fees and outstanding bills
There are two types of title insurance coverage. One type is mandatory and protects the lender if any issues with the title emerge after the sale; the buyer is expected to pay for this version of title insurance as part of their closing costs.
The other type of title insurance protects the buyer of the house and is not required, but in some areas, it’s standard practice for the seller to pay for the buyer’s title insurance.
If you live in a state that requires a real estate attorney to help with closing, then you may have to pay some of their fees at closing. Otherwise, a title or escrow company will manage those steps of the transaction, and you might need to pay some of those fees at closing.
Transfer taxes are a one-time fee that sellers pay; the cost varies from state to state, from 0.01% to2% of the purchase price.
Finally, depending on when you pay your HOA fees or your taxes, you may need to pay for those at closing.
Ways to save on closing costs
One way to save on closing costs is to ask the buyer to cover some of these costs during negotiations, such as paying for their own title insurance.
You can also shop around for title, escrow, and legal services (if required) in order to get the best deal on those rates. Selling close to the beginning or the end of the year (if possible) can limit the amount you have to spend on HOA fees and property taxes.
Home repairs and renovations
Many sellers spend money on repairs and updates to attract buyers. Typical pre-sale repairs include:
- Interior painting: $2,021[3]
- Exterior painting: $3,178[4]
- Roof replacement (asphalt shingles): $30,680[5]
- Minor kitchen remodel: $27,492[5]
A pre-sale home inspection ($300–500) can also help identify any issues in advance and give you the time and opportunity to repair them before you list the house.
Ways to save on home repairs and renovations
Some home repairs and renovations will net you more money at closing than others, and if you know you’re going to sell the house, you’ll want to choose your updates wisely and focus on those that will increase the value of your home more than the upgrade costs.
The Journal of Light Construction’s annual Cost vs. Value Report indicates that the highest-value renovations you can make are:
- Garage door replacement ($4,513 cost adds $8,751 in value)
- Entry door replacement ($2,355 cost adds $4,430 in value)
- Manufactured stone veneers ($11,297 cost adds $17,291 in value)
Other renovations, such as kitchen and bathroom remodels, can also increase the value of your home – but the added value to the home will be less than the renovation costs. It’s smarter to make these kinds of upgrades to a home you’re planning on keeping for at least a few years, so you can get more enjoyment (and value) out of the upgrade before selling.
Painting, deep-cleaning, and focusing on curb appeal are some of the most effective ways to maximize your home’s value.
You could also consider selling as-is if you don’t want to invest in repairs, but you’ll almost certainly have to sell at a lower price point than you would get if your home were move-in ready.
Home staging and photography
First impressions can make a big difference. According to the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), staged homes spend an average of 31 days on the market and sell for an average of $69,669 more than unstaged homes. The costs of staging a home vary by region, from $4,600 in the south to $8,000 in the west.
The right photos can also attract buyers to your home. Real estate photography can cost between $110 and $300 for an hour-long shoot, based on the experience of the photographer, and “extras” like drone shots or videos will cost more than that.
Ways to save on home staging and photography
Cleaning and decluttering are two critical steps for home staging that you can handle by yourself. Hired home stagers will likely remove all personal items as well as some furniture to make rooms feel more accommodating and spacious.
Once the house is cleaned and decluttered, you can consider virtual staging instead of physical staging. This process involves adding or removing furniture and decor items from existing photos instead of physically placing them in your home and taking the photos.
With the advance in DSLR and even cell phone camera technology, it’s also possible to take photos of your home yourself. If you go this route, read up on real estate photography guides to ensure that you are framing the rooms appropriately and showcasing your home at its best.
Moving costs
The cost to move will depend on the distance of the move and the size of your household. The average cost of a local move is $1,250, and the average cost of a long-distance move (1,000 miles) is $4,890.[6]
Ways to save on moving costs
The easiest way to reduce your moving costs is to limit what you’re taking with you. Hold a yard sale or a garage sale, donate items to thrift stores, and offload whatever you can to friends and family before packing up your home for the move.
Another way to reduce the cost of moving is to rent a truck and load it yourself instead of hiring a moving service. If you ask friends and family for help and offer to buy them a pizza dinner, that can significantly reduce your expenses.
Some real estate brokerages and even iBuyers (such as Offerpad) will help pay for your move up to a certain amount. If you’re concerned about moving costs, it might be a good idea to explore similar options that can help reduce those costs for you.
The bottom line
Selling a house costs between 8% and 10% of the sale price, but you can reduce expenses by negotiating commissions, limiting repairs, and comparing service providers. Understanding these costs upfront helps sellers maximize their profits.
One of the best ways to reduce the cost of selling your home is to work with a low-commission real estate agent. This could reduce your selling expenses by as much as 18% if your agent provides the same level of service for half of the standard commission.
Not sure where to find a low-commission agent? Clever Real Estate has you covered. It pre-negotiates listing commissions of 1.5% with top agents all over the country, and you can find those agents who are working in your neighborhood by filling out a short quiz to get started. Try Clever today!
FAQ
On average, selling a $500,000 home costs between $40,000 and $50,000 (8–10%). The largest expenses are realtor commissions ($25,000–30,000) and closing costs ($5,000–15,000).
Yes, you can sell for sale by owner (FSBO) to avoid the listing agent’s fee. However, FSBO houses sell for less on average than agent-represented homes, and you may still need to pay the buyer’s agent commission (2.5%–3%).
You may have to pay capital gains tax if your profit exceeds $250,000 (single) or $500,000 (married) and you haven’t lived in the home for at least two years out of the last five.
The cheapest way to sell a house is to:
- Use a discount broker or sell FSBO.
- Avoid costly repairs and sell as-is.
- Negotiate closing costs with the buyer.
Use a seller net sheet or a home sale proceeds calculator to estimate your profit after deducting commissions, closing costs, and other expenses.