How much does it cost to sell my house?

Key insights:

• Property transactions may seem complex, but seller costs are generally distributed between house prep, REALTOR® fees and closing costs.
• While selling a home likely requires upfront payments, some of the money spent will be put toward promoting the listing and attracting a buyer.
• By consulting an expert, sellers can determine where their money is best allocated during a home sale.

Seller costs vary with each home sale, but they are generally broken into three overarching categories:

• Prepping your house for sale
• Hiring a Realtor
• Paying closing costs

Here’s everything you need to know as you move forward and approach home sale costs.

Prepping your house for sale

Some spending is typically required before a home hits the market. And in today’s digital-first-world, web appearance is just as impactful as traditional curb appeal. To get your home to stand out online, you may need to make some adjustments to your space.

Minor pre-sale renovations could include:

• Home staging
• Painting your front door
• Replacing broken cabinet hardware
• Purchasing updated light fixtures

Major repairs might look like:

• Installing new carpet
• Repairing water damage from a leaky pipe
• Replacing your entry door or garage door

Exterior updates may involve:

• Landscaping
• Window washing
• Resurfacing the driveway

Remember to consult an expert as you take on pre-sale home projects. Your real estate agent can help recommend the renovations that appeal to buyers and provide the highest return on investment.

Hiring a Realtor

The average cost of selling a home usually includes Realtor fees. When hiring a Realtor as a seller, you’ll agree to pay their commission rate, in exchange for their representation throughout the process of listing and selling the property.

Whether you’re a first-time home seller or you’ve done this before, it’s important to recognize where the payments you send your Realtor are allocated. The distribution of Realtor-associated costs typically includes:

• Listing agent’s commission
• Buyer agent’s commission
   

The listing agent’s commission rate

To start, you’ll agree upon the commission rate paid to your listing agent. The listing agent’s commission is generally calculated using the total price of the home paid at closing along with an additional flat fee.

Edina Realty is a full-service real estate company that provides a higher value to our buyer and seller clients compared to discount brokerages. As a result, Edina Realty and our agents have been the local market leader for 22 years, offering:

• The largest local network of real estate professionals and their contacts
• High-quality marketing and promotional materials
• Industry-leading technology tools
   

The buyer agent’s commission

Although the buyer may pay a small fee, they usually don’t pay their own agent’s commission. More commonly, the home seller pays their listing agent’s commission, then the listing agent pays out the buyer’s agent.
 

Marketing and promotions

In addition to paying the buyer’s agent for the sale, the listing agent’s commission often covers your home’s marketing and promotion costs. This means your agent may pay for things like:

• Yard signs
• Professional photography
• Online advertising and flyers
• Printed flyers and mailings
• Custom video tour

As a seller, remember that part of the cost you pay in commissions may go toward landing you a top-dollar offer on your home.
 

Paying closing costs

As you march toward closing, your listing agent and the buyer’s agent will work alongside several other vendors to finalize the buyer’s:

• Loan application and approval
• Title commitment
• Home inspection
• Appraisal
• And more

These activities are all part of the closing process, and they each generate seller expenses called closing costs. The buyer’s closing costs usually range between 2 to 7 percent of the home’s purchase price. While the buyer is expected to pay their own closing costs unless it’s otherwise negotiated, buyers don’t always have the cash on hand.

As a seller, you can decide if you want to accept an offer from a buyer who is requesting that you pay their closing costs, or if you’d rather wait for a buyer who has the funds to pay for their own closing costs.
 

Moving forward with your home sale

To determine the cost of selling your home or to find a Realtor to help you through the listing and sale process, we're available. Reach out to get the assistance you need.