Average Cost to Sell a House in Pennsylvania

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By Alex Long Updated March 1, 2024

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Find out the average cost of selling a house in Pennsylvania

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Have you been watching home prices rise lately and wondering if you should cash in too? Just remember that selling a house isn't free — in fact, it can be downright expensive!

The average home seller in Pennsylvania gives up about 13.96% of the sale price to selling costs.

Fortunately, it's not required to spend that much. If you work with Clever Real Estate, we'll connect you to a full-service agent from a top broker, and you'll only pay 1.5% to list your home.

💰 Get a lower rate with a top local agent!

Want to find a top local agent without overpaying on realtor fees? Clever negotiates 1.5% listing fees with top-rated realtors from trusted brokerages like Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Berkshire Hathaway.

Get guaranteed full service for a fraction of the 3% rate agents typically charge. Schedule a free, no obligation consultation with a top local agent today!

Average cost to sell a house in Pennsylvania

The total amount you spend selling your house varies depending on a number of factors — sale price, location, the amount of work you do, etc. Selling an upscale condo in Philadelphia, for example, probably has different expenses and costs more to sell than a small ranch house in Harrisburg.

That said, the average home seller in Pennsylvania spends about 13.96% of the sale price on the total selling costs. If you sold a house for $253,762 — the median value — that would come to about $35,436.

If you want to know how much it would cost to sell your house, check out our home sale calculator below.

Common expenses for home sellers in Pennsylvania

The table below will give you a complete list of all your estimated expenses and how much you will walk away with.

To know exactly which expenses you should expect to pay and how much, ask your realtor for a seller's net sheet.

Many of these expenses are fixed, but there is some flexibility in certain areas. For example, you could cut down on moving costs by moving yourself, but then you'd have to deal with all the extra hassle.

The biggest cost you can save money on is realtor commissions. You can do this by selling for sale by owner (FSBO) or by hiring a discount real estate broker. That said, selling the house yourself only eliminates the listing fee, not the buyer's agent fee. It's also possible that after all that extra work, you still end up walking away with less than a top agent would have gotten you.

A better approach is to work with a company like Clever that negotiates lower commissions with full service, local agents on your behalf. That way, you can save money while getting the same level of service as someone who pays full price.

How much will I make selling my Pennsylvania house?

How much you make selling your house depends on the value of your home, mortgage balance, and the cost to sell it.

In Pennsylvania, the average home seller spends 13.96% of the sale price on selling costs, which means you could make $218,326 selling a $253,762 house — the median home value — if you don't have a mortgage.

Unfortunately, most of us still have a mortgage on our homes. The average Pennsylvania homeowner owes $147,148, which will come out of your sale proceeds.

» MORE: See what other factors affect your home sale profit

Cost of selling a house calculator

Use this home sale calculator to get a better idea of how much you have to spend to sell your home — and how much you'll take home after!

👉 Real estate agent commission is the single biggest expense for most sellers. Clever can help you save thousands by matching you with an agent who will list your home for 1.5%. On the average Pennsylvania home worth $253,762, that's a savings of $4,131!

Start comparing hand-picked agents today. It's 100% free with no obligation.

Home selling costs in Pennsylvania: An in-depth breakdown

🚨 Disclaimer: We’ve compiled an overview of some of the most common home selling costs in Pennsylvania. This guide is not 100% comprehensive, and actual costs will vary from one house to another. Talk to your real estate agent and lender for the most accurate sense of how much it will cost to sell your home.

Preparing your home for sale

Most homes benefit from being prepped for sale, unless you're selling "as is" or to an iBuyer.

iBuyers purchase homes in their current condition with no required improvements, saving you time and money. The downside is they tend to offer below market value in exchange for convenience.

If you're interested in how much an iBuyer would offer for your house, fill out the form below to compare offers from top cash buyers.

Get cash offers today!

Compare cash offers from Opendoor, Offerpad, and others to the sale price you'd get with an agent.

If you're willing to put in more time and effort, a traditional listing will probably get you more money in the end.

In that case, you should talk to your realtor to decide how to get the best return on investment when prepping your home for sale.

» MORE: Specific costs of prepping your home for sale

🌟Ask an expert

In a hot market, like the one we just experienced, it may not be necessary to make many improvements to your home before selling. Historically, however, upgrades that increase the price of your home are generally worth doing. This could include improving the kitchen, updating a bathroom, or adding a fresh coat of paint. Enhancing curb appeal is also usually a good idea, since that's the first thing buyers see. The best upgrades for your home really depends on the area, so you should discuss this with your realtor.

  • Brett Rosenthal, Revolve Philly Group

Realtor fees in Pennsylvania

One of the more common questions for sellers is who pays realtor commissions — and how much are they?

In a standard real estate transaction — one involving two traditional, full-price agents — you'll likely be on the hook for covering the full commission fee for both agents as the seller. That said, the commission comes out of the sale proceeds, so there shouldn't be an out of pocket cost.

» LEARN: How realtor commission is split in a home sale

In Pennsylvania, the average home seller spends about $13,906 on realtor fees — that could be more than half of your total home selling expenses!

But you don't have to pay that much. Clever negotiates discounts with top listing agents that can save you thousands of dollars when you sell your home.

💰 Compare hand-picked agents, list for 1.5%

Get matched with the best local agents from top brokerages and get pre-negotiated listing fees of just 1.5%.

Clever's service is 100% free, with zero obligation. Interview as many agents as you like until you find the perfect fit — or walk away at any time.

Closing costs

One of the biggest factors in how much you spend to sell a house is who pays closing costs. Closing costs are the various fees and expenses both buyers and sellers pay at the close of a real estate transaction.

Check out the table below to estimate closing costs you may have to pay — but note that closing costs don't include realtor commissions.

If there is a lot of demand for your house, you may be able to negotiate for the buyer to pay some or most of the closing costs. However, it's not uncommon for buyers to ask sellers to cover some of the closing costs, since it lowers the amount of cash they need to come up with.

In a buyer's market, you may even need to offer additional incentives or concessions, in addition to covering closing costs, to close the deal.

» MORE: How much are seller closing costs in Pennsylvania?

Moving expenses

Generally, selling a house involves moving all your stuff. How much you spend on this depends on how much stuff you have, how far you're moving it, and if you're hiring movers or not.

The average cost to move in Pennsylvania is about $406 for local moves and $3,610 for 1,000 miles or more — which accounts for packing supplies, movers, and carrying costs.

» MORE: See how much the average seller spends on moving expenses

Don't forget that if your new place isn't ready yet, you'll need to pay for storage and move all your things twice — that will probably raise your cost to move.

How to avoid losing money on your Pennsylvania home sale

Whether you're selling a condo in Pittsburgh, a duplex in Lancaster, or a single family house in Bethlehem, you want to make sure you're doing everything you can to minimize expenses and maximize your proceeds.

1. List with a low commission real estate agent

Since agent fees take up the largest part of your costs to sell a house, that's a good place to start if you want to minimize expenses. But you also don't want to sacrifice a high sale price by using a cut-rate agent to save money on fees.

Clever matches you with local full-service agents from well-known brokerages like RE/MAX, Keller Williams, and Century 21. But, instead of paying the typical 2.81% listing fee, you'll only pay 1.5%!

With Clever, you can compare multiple Pennsylvania agents to find the one that best fits your needs. Even better, finding an agent through Clever won't cost you a dime, and there's no obligation to move forward until you find the perfect agent.

Work with a full service agent for only 1.5%!

Clever negotiates discounted listing fees with top agents to help you save money when selling your home!

2. Time your sale to get top dollar for your Pennsylvania home

Those who want to get top dollar for their home in Pennsylvania should sell in June. Previous data shows that average listing prices are up by over 10% compared to other months. It’s also when homes sell the fastest, with listings closing two weeks faster than normal. Meanwhile, avoid selling in January, as this is when homes typically take almost twice as long to sell and listing prices are at their lowest.

One major contributor to this trend is the weather. Most people aren’t keen on braving the winter cold to house hunt, which is why many wait for spring to attend more open houses. Also, summer is the perfect time to find a new home to settle into before the next school year, which is the goal of many buyers.

To take advantage of these trends, highlight your area’s nearby school districts in your listing — this is sure to get attention from buyers. Price your home competitively to increase your chances of getting your listing in front of more buyers.

Take note, however, that local markets may vary wildly. Consult with a local real estate agent before deciding on anything to make sure you put your best foot forward.

» MORE: When is the best time to sell a house in Pennslyvania? 

3. Negotiate like a pro

Negotiating what might be the largest financial transaction of your life is a huge deal. Unfortunately, most people aren't very good at it, and for good reason — they don't do it very often.

Realtors do this for a living, and a good one can handle the back-and-forth of negotiating without letting emotions get in the way. They will help you meet the buyer's needs without sacrificing the things that are most important to you.

🌟Ask an expert

My biggest piece of advice is for sellers to list their property at fair market value. They may want to ask for more, but oftentimes overpricing can hurt the overall outcome and final sale price.

They should also have realistic expectations, be willing to negotiate, and ensure the house is in great shape to attract high-quality offers.

  • Brett Rosenthal, Revolve Philly Group

» MORE: Negotiate so both the seller and buyer get something they want

That might mean you need to make some repairs to make it ready for the buyer to move in. If you don't want to make repairs yourself, we recommend letting HomeAdvisor connect you with top local professionals. You can compare quotes and shop around to get the best possible price.

4. Save on repairs and upgrades

Another way to save money is shopping around and looking for discounts if you need to buy or replace appliances. For example, companies like Whirlpool may give you 10% off when you buy two or more full-priced appliances.

FAQs about costs to sell in Pennsylvania

How much are closing costs for sellers in Pennsylvania?

Closing costs in Pennsylvania are usually about 4.45% of the sale price, or $11,292, on average. That said, this doesn't include realtor commissions, which make up the largest portion of your expenses and run about 5.48% of your sale price.

How much does it cost to sell a house in Pennsylvania?

The average home seller in Pennsylvania spends about $35,436, or 13.96% of the sale price. This can vary widely depending on the state of the market and condition of your home, but working with an agent who offers a discounted rate will be a great help in keeping this cost down.

How much money will I make when I sell my house?

The average Pennsylvania home seller makes about $218,326 on their home sale before paying off their existing mortgage, if they have one. For a more specific idea of what you can expect to walk away with, check out our home sale proceeds calculator.

Additional resources for Pennsylvania home sellers

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