Frequently Asked Questions

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The best way to save money when selling a home is to negotiate your realtor’s fees.

Sellers usually pay 6% in fees, with 3% going to the seller agent and 3% going to the buyer agent.

You can also save money by trying to sell your home on your own to completely eliminate the seller commission.

Your home's assessed value and market value are each determined by different factors.

Buyers and sellers affect the market value of a home, while professional appraisers calculate the assessed value.

In a seller’s market, your home’s market value may be higher than its assessed value.

That’s because buyers are willing to pay more than the home is technically worth because of low inventory.

In a buyer’s market, you’ll be facing a lot of competition from other sellers, so buyers may put in an offer lower than the home’s assessed value.

You can definitely negotiate your realtor’s fees. They’re typically 6%, with 3% of that going to the buyer’s agent and 3% going to your agent.

You can also try to negotiate fees on your own, though the realtor may reduce the number of services they provide.

Early spring and summer, especially June, is a great time to sell a home.

Research shows that home sales in May, June, July, and August account for 40% of total annual sales volume.

Overall, home sales are still pretty good through early fall, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sell a home during this period, either.

However, home sales drop once winter hits. January is the worst time to sell a home, as market activity is much lower.

Total agent fees are usually 5–6%, with 3% of that going to the seller and 3% going to the buyer.

As the seller, you’ll be responsible for paying your agent through your sale profits. You’ll also pay the commission of the buyer’s agent.

You won’t need to write a bunch of big checks or bring wads of cash to the table. A closing agent will handle the distribution of funds when you close.

They’ll hold money from the buyer in escrow and use it to pay everyone, including your agent.

Escrow is a third-party account where the listing agent keeps money until it’s time to be distributed.

Sellers usually pay about 8–10% of the total sale price in closing costs. Of that, 5–6% is realtor commission.

The rest is a collection of various other costs, including:

Title search:
$150–400

Title insurance:
$1,000–4,000

Escrow fee:
0.5% of the final sale price

Transfer tax:
Varies by state

Prorated property taxes:
Varies based on your local rates and when you sell