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Our data indicate that the average cost to sell your home in Texas is approximately 12.48% of the sale price. Most of that expense goes toward agent commissions, which are usually 5–6% of the sale price (about half goes to your listing agent and the other half to the buyer's agent).
If this is more than you expected, don't worry. Clever Real Estate has negotiated a reduced listing commission of 1.5%.
Average cost to sell a house in Texas
How much it costs to sell your Texas home depends on a lot of factors, including the condition and price of the home, how hot the market is, and how much you're spending on agent fees.
In general, Texas home sellers spend about 12.48% of their home's sale price on selling costs. For an average Texas home, selling for $315,815 would cost about $39,428 to sell.
To know for sure what your specific home might cost to sell, check out our cost of selling calculator below.
Common expenses for home sellers in Texas
The expenses associated with selling your home vary a lot depending on your circumstances. Nevertheless, we've compiled a list of some of the more common expenses to home sellers in Texas below.
Common expenses | Estimated cost* |
|---|---|
$200 to $6,857 | |
🏘️ Realtor fees | $14,622 to $20,654 |
$13,069 | |
$492 to $4,073 | |
Total | $39,428 |
*Based on a $315,815 home — a typical home value in Texas, (Zillow Research data, August 31, 2022) | |
Some of these expenses might be required, but you could save some money on realtor fees by selling for sale by owner (FSBO) or working with a discount real estate broker.
We recommend you work with a company like Clever. Our agents are top performers in their areas and provide full service for a pre-negotiated, discounted rate. That means you can save money and get the support and expertise of a full-service agent!
» LEARN: How Clever can help you save big on listing commission
How much will I make selling my Texas house?
How much you make selling your house depends on lots of things — sale price, cost of selling, realtor fees — but the biggest determiner will be how much you owe on your home. The average Texas homeowner owes $186,696 on their mortgage. To figure out how much you'll make, you need to subtract your cost to sell and mortgage from the final sale price.
For example, let's say you sold an average Texas home for $315,815 and paid 12.48% to sell it. You'd be left with $276,387 profit from the sale. But then you'd still need to pay off a $186,696 mortgage. Everything left is your actual profit.
» 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'll have to spend to sell your home — and how much you'll take home after!
Home selling costs in Texas: An in-depth breakdown
Preparing your home for sale
On average, you should expect to spend about $6,857 to prepare your home for sale, unless you plan to sell "as-is" or to an iBuyer. If you're interested in getting a quick cash offer, fill out the form below and compare offers from multiple cash buyers today!
Prepping your home can be as simple as deep cleaning and mowing the lawn, or it could involve more substantial work like painting or making repairs to get the best sale price.
» MORE: Specific costs of prepping your home
🌟 Ask an expert
Foundation issues are big ticket concerns for buyers. If there are cracks in the walls from settling, have a professional patch and repair the wall. If there are other concerns over the foundation, have a foundation company come out prior to listing for a free evaluation. Heading off these larger concerns will make the selling process easier and more likely to be successful.
Sandy Finkelstein, Fort Worth Property Group
Realtor fees in Texas
For most Texas home sellers, the biggest expense when selling their house is realtor commissions. 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.
Realtor fees in Texas | % of sale price | Cost* |
|---|---|---|
Listing fee | 2.71% | $8,559 |
Buyer's agent fee | 2.88% | $9,095 |
Total | 5.59% | $17,654 |
*Based on a $315,815 home — a typical home value in Texas, (Zillow Research data, August 31, 2022) | ||
» LEARN: How realtor commission is split in a home sale
On average, paying full commission to sell your house in Texas costs about $17,654 — 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!
Closing costs
Closing costs are a blanket term for the various fees and expenses both buyers and sellers pay at the close of a real estate transaction. Closing costs don't include realtor commissions.
Common closing costs in Texas | Typical % of sale price | Estimated total* |
|---|---|---|
Title insurance (owner's policy) | 0.54% | $1,715 |
Title insurance (lender's policy) | N/A | Typically paid by buyer |
Transfer tax | No transfer tax in Texas | N/A |
Title fees | 0.62% | $1,963 |
Recording fee | 0.24% | $750 |
Buyer incentives | 2% | $6,316 |
Total | 3.43% | $10,844 |
*Based on a $315,815 home — a typical home value in Texas, (Zillow Research data, August 31, 2022) | ||
Depending on your market and how much interest there is in your home, you could negotiate for the buyer to cover closing costs, but you shouldn't assume this will be the case.
🌟 Ask an expert
With the increase in mortgage rates, the market is starting to favor the buyers again. Price your home accordingly and be willing to negotiate.
Sandy Finkelstein, Fort Worth Property Group
If you're in a seller's market, you may be able to list your home and sell it "as is." But, if the market cools down or you have a property that's harder than average to sell, you may need to consider offering incentives or making concessions. This could mean chipping in for closing costs, offering repair credits, or paying for a home warranty.
» MORE: How much are seller closing costs in Texas?
Moving expenses
Regardless of whether you're moving locally or long-distance, you'll probably have some moving expenses if you're selling your own home.
Hiring professional movers will greatly reduce the burden of moving, but it's also the most expensive way to move. Even without movers, you might need to rent a truck, moving equipment, or storage.
In Texas, the average moving costs are $492 locally and $4,073 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
How to avoid losing money on your Texas home sale
Regardless of what kind of property you are selling or where, these tips will help you maximize your profit when you sell your Texas home.
1. List with a low commission real estate agent
The largest part of your selling expenses tend to go toward realtor commissions, so the best way to save money is to cut down on those fees. Fortunately, we can help!
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 2.71% listing fee, you'll only pay 1.5%!
With Clever, you can compare multiple Texas 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.
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 Texas home
In Texas, the best month to sell your home is June. Homes sell around 11 days faster and for about $12,000 more than the average home sold in other months in Texas.
» MORE: When is the best time to sell a house in Texas?
However, sellers can have a successful sale even outside the busiest months!
Your best bet is to work with a great Texas real estate agent who knows your local area trends. They can create a pricing and marketing strategy to increase competition among buyers so you maximize your profits.
3. Negotiate like a pro
Depending on the condition of your home, buyers may negotiate for repairs, repair credits, or a home warranty.
The right negotiation techniques can help you minimize the costs you’re responsible for and make your home sale as profitable as possible.
Using a top-rated real estate agent can be an invaluable resource when it comes to negotiating, as they'll do most of the back-and-forth for you.
» MORE: Negotiate so both the seller and buyer get something they want
If you can't get out of paying for repairs, we recommend letting HomeAdvisor connect you with top local professionals so you can compare quotes and get the best possible price.
4. Save on repairs and upgrades
You can lower the cost of new appliances for your property by using companies like Whirlpool that give you 10% off when you buy two or more full-priced items.
You can also cut down on labor costs by using services like TaskRabbit. Whether it be cleaning, landscaping, installing appliances, or moving, TaskRabbit can connect you with people in your area who will help for less than a full-time professional would charge.
FAQs about costs to sell in Texas
Closing costs in Texas are usually about 3.43% of the sale price, or $10,844, on average. That said, this doesn't include realtor commissions, which make up the largest portion of your expenses and run about 5.59% of your sale price.
The average home seller in Texas spends about $39,428, or 12.48% 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.
In 2021, the average Texas home seller made about $276,387 on their home sale before paying off their existing mortgage, if they had one. For a more specific idea of what you can expect to walk away with, check out our home sale proceeds calculator.