Are There Any Hidden Costs To Selling a House? What Fees You Should Expect Pay Aside From the Commission To Your Realtor

If you’re about to sell your house, know that you are either going to be very pleased with the end result, or very disappointed. If you bought your house a long time ago for way below market value, you’re going to pocket a lot more change from the sale. On the other hand, if your home has since decreased in value, or the market temperature isn’t doing too hot, you’re going to be pretty upset when you start seeing your offers. Now is the time to decide whether or not you should wait to sell your home. 

Each house is different. Because of this, there’s no way to tell for sure what your house will sell for. It depends on all too many factors. Even homes priced correctly sometimes sell for less than their value. You’re also going to have to pay your realtor a commission; usually this is between 2-6%. It depends on every realtor. Note that they have a set amount that their company charges. If they work for themselves, they’ll be able to negotiate their commission percentage fee. You’re also going to have to pay commission to the selling and the listing agent. These commission prices are not going to be cheap when you add them all up. Read: Common real Estate Myths That Plague Buyers.

You’ll also have to pay for title insurance. The buyer does not pay it. You have to purchase title insurance to show the buyer that the house has a clear title, stating that all judgments, liens, or loans are paid off. The closing company will charge you a fee for closing, so you’ll incur that expense as well. This can range from a few hundred to almost a grand. You’ll also have to pay fees to record any mortgage information that needs to be released. These also run a few hundred dollars. 

 

When you are selling your house, you are responsible for the taxes and the utility bills up until the very day that you close on the house. Your taxes have to be paid at closing before the house is sold. If the escrow account is holding extra money, note that it will be returned to you after closing.

Neighborhoods that have an Homeowner’s Association have to pay a monthly fee. These fees will probably be around two-hundred dollars. The contract will decide who pays these fees, so this is something you’ll figure out in negotiation.

Understand that the mortgage pay-off on the house will be higher than you expect it to be. The mortgage pay-off is calculated all the way up until the day the house sells (same with your taxes). Every day after that principal amount is calculated by the bank, the interest will increase. This can come as quite a surprise to sellers who expect their payoff to be the same as their last mortgage statement principal balance.

The best way to get the most money when selling your house is to have your home in top condition when it is listed on the market. Most buyers don’t want to purchase a home that needs a lot of work; because of this, try to make sure that any and all touch-ups that you are able to afford. See: What Does It Cost to Sell Your House?

Michelle Sanchez

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One thought on “Are There Any Hidden Costs To Selling a House? What Fees You Should Expect Pay Aside From the Commission To Your Realtor
  1. Jamie

    I believe paying a real estate agent to sell your house is a necessary cost. The agent knows the market and is an expert in selling a house. If you don’t use an agent you could under price or over price your home, which could easily cost you the amount of money or more that an agent charges. An agent also knows the contract process and selling process in your state. Trying to figure out pricing, contracts, marketing, showings, negotiations, inspections and more on your own could be a nightmare. An agent can help with all of this and make the process easier while getting you the most money for your house at the same time.

     
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