Most sellers arrive with one number in mind, which is what the house is worth. The number that decides whether selling was a good idea is a different one, and it is what you keep after everything has come off the top.
COSTS PAID AT CLOSING
Deducted from the proceeds, not paid up front.
- Brokerage compensation, per your written agreement with the brokerage.
- Title and escrow fees.
- County transfer taxes and recording fees.
- Any HOA transfer or document fees, if there is an association.
- Your loan payoff, including any prepayment or reconveyance fees.
COSTS YOU PAY ALONG THE WAY
These come out of your pocket before closing.
- Repairs and updates, if you choose to do them.
- Cleaning out, hauling and storage.
- Deep cleaning, paint and touch-up.
- Staging, if you use it.
- Professional photography and any marketing beyond the standard package.
- Holding costs for every month the house is on the market: mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance.
THE NUMBER THAT MATTERS
Compare net proceeds, never asking prices.
A house listed at a higher number with the same costs and a longer timeline can leave you with less than a house listed lower that closes faster. The comparison only becomes honest when both routes are written down side by side with the same costs included. I will run that comparison with you before you decide anything.
Brokerage compensation is negotiated between you and the brokerage and is set out in a written agreement before anything is signed. No rate is quoted on this page.
QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK AT THIS POINT
Straight answers, including the ones that cost me money.
What do I pay, and when?
The costs of selling are paid out of the proceeds at closing rather than up front, with one exception: preparation. Repairs, paint, cleaning, staging and photography are paid by you as you go, before the house closes.
Do I need to pay for repairs before listing?
Not always, and the answer depends on what the house actually needs. Some work earns more than it costs because it removes a buyer objection. Other work is money spent to solve a problem you have invented. I will tell you which is which rather than handing you a list.
How do I compare a listing against a direct cash offer properly?
Compare the net, never the headline number. Take the listing price, subtract repairs and preparation, brokerage compensation, closing costs and holding costs for every month the house sits, then compare that to a cash number with almost nothing taken off it. I will run both with you if you ask.
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Brokerage compensation is negotiated between you and the brokerage and is set out in a written agreement before anything is signed. No rate is quoted on this page.
WHEN YOU ARE READY
Find out what your house is actually worth.
Send the address and a couple of details. You get the number, the comparable sales behind it, and the honest answer about which route suits you. Nothing is committed by asking.