The Real Costs Of Selling A House
Selling a house can be stressful. And if you’re going through the process for the first time, you’ll likely be surprised by some of the hidden costs and surprises that come with selling your home. In this article, we’ll take you through the costs of selling a house so that you can budget accordingly when selling your own house.
Sales Commission
You’ll pay a sales commission, usually a percentage of the sale price. In other words, if you sell your home for $100,000 and your agent gets a 5% commission on that sale ($5,000), then they’ll ask you to give them $5,000 out of your closing proceeds. The good news is that this amount can be negotiated—if you don’t agree with the terms presented to you by one agent or another, then it’s best to move on until you find an agent who will work with the payment structure that works best for both parties.
Title Insurance
If you’ve ever thought about selling your home, you may have heard a term tossed around called “title insurance.” Title insurance is a financial guarantee that the title to your property has no defects. It protects against loss due to title defects and errors. In other words, it’s a smart way to protect yourself against losses if someone else turns up with rights to your house that they didn’t tell you about when they bought it from you—or if there are other reasons why someone might be able to challenge their ownership of the home after he or she has already bought it.
Title insurance isn’t required in all states—but in most jurisdictions where homes are sold regularly (including those with steep property taxes), buyers need this type of protection before they can transfer ownership safely into their own hands.
The cost of this kind of coverage varies depending on where you live and how much risk there is involved in transferring the title from seller to buyer; however, according to data from Zillow Group Inc., an average buyer pays between $1-$3 per $1 million dollars worth of house value for title insurance coverage when purchasing residential real estate in California alone!
Pre-Sale Home Inspection
A pre-sale home inspection is an important part of selling your house. A professional inspector will take a good look at all the major systems in your home and make sure they’re in good working order, which can help you avoid any costly surprises after the sale.
As with anything else, there’s a trade-off between price and quality; you can hire a cheap inspector who might miss some problems, or you can pay more for someone truly qualified. The latter option ensures that everything will be checked out thoroughly and professionally—but it also takes longer (and costs more).
The cost of hiring a professional inspector typically ranges from $200-$400 USD per hour, depending on where you live and how experienced the inspector is; expect to spend between 3-6 hours on-site if all goes well.
Closing Costs
Closing costs are the fees a buyer and seller pay when closing on a home. There are several closing costs, including loan origination, title search, and insurance premiums.
Closing costs can vary widely depending on where you live and the type of property you’re selling. However, they generally cost 2% to 6% of your home’s sale price.
Property Taxes
Property taxes are fixed, meaning they don’t fluctuate as much as other real estate expenses. Property taxes are usually paid monthly and in advance, so sellers can budget for them and will typically be responsible for paying the property tax bill on the home, they’re selling.
Conclusion
Selling a house is a big deal, and knowing all the costs can be challenging. While you won’t have to pay every fee listed above, you may still be surprised by how much they add up. The key is to be prepared and research to find the best deal possible!