How much does it cost to sell a house in Washington state?
Looking to sell your home in Washington state? Real estate prices have been on the rise in the state over the past few years, so you may stand to make a nice profit. In fact, Redfin data shows that the median sale price here rose from $426,600 to $649,600 in the five years from October 2019 to October 2024 — an increase of more than $200,000.
However, no matter how much you make on your Evergreen State sale, you won’t pocket all the cash. You’ll have to cover closing costs, as well as any expenses associated with preparing the home for listing and, of course, the cost of a real estate agent’s commission. Here’s a breakdown of the typical costs to sell a house in Washington.
Sellers’ closing costs
Closing costs are any fees or costs associated with completing the transaction — a home’s buyer and seller will each have closing costs to pay. In Washington, closing costs for home sellers may include:
- Transfer taxes: This common fee, referred to in Washington as the real estate excise tax, is the tax you pay to the state when you sell property. The rate is graduated, ranging from 1.1 percent of the home’s sale price for homes $525,000 or less to 3 percent for homes more expensive than $3.025 million.
- Title insurance: It’s customary for Washington sellers to pay for a title insurance policy for the new owner, to protect against any issues with the property title and ownership.
- Escrow fees: Frequently, funds are held in an escrow account during the closing process. There can be a fee associated with maintaining this account, with the cost often split between the buyer and the seller.
- Property taxes and HOA fees: As the seller, it’s your responsibility to care for the property until the day the sale closes. This includes continuing to pay property taxes and HOA fees (if applicable) until this date.
- Seller concessions: Sometimes a seller will offer certain incentives to the buyer, such as offering to contribute toward closing costs or cover the cost of a needed repair. These agreed-upon expenses are due at closing.
- Legal fees: The state of Washington does not require you to hire a real estate attorney to sell your house. However, you may want to retain one anyway, to make sure your interests are protected in such a big financial transaction.
Real estate agent commissions
Another major cost for sellers is real estate agent commissions. While not required — a “for sale by owner” listing saves you the cost of an agent’s commission, as long as you’re prepared to do all the work yourself — most home sellers opt to hire a professional agent. Each agent involved in the deal typically earns around 2.5 to 3 percent of the home’s sale price.
In a high-priced state like Washington, that can be a big chunk of money: For a median-priced $649,600 home sale, 3 percent comes to more than $16,000. And if, as the seller, you are paying for the buyer’s agent as well, you can expect to double that. (Whether or not the buyer pays for their own agent’s commission should be ironed out in advance and spelled out clearly in your purchase and sale agreement.)
Of course, sale prices can differ widely from one place to another. Seattle’s October median sale price was higher than the statewide price at $877,694 — 2.5 percent of that would come to nearly $22,000. But in Spokane, where the median was just $369,900, 2.5 percent is a much lower $9,248.
Home prep and moving costs
There are often costs associated with simply getting your property ready to sell. For example, you may decide to do some updates and staging to make your home more attractive to buyers. You don’t need to perfect every little thing, of course, but the basics should be in good working order: For example, that leaky faucet should be fixed, and that hole in the wall patched up. Your real estate agent can help you decide what needs doing and what doesn’t.
And don’t forget, once your home is sold, there will be additional costs associated with moving to your new place. Relocation costs can add up, especially if you’re moving long-distance, so it’s smart to budget for them ahead of time.
How much do I get from selling my house?
The money you get to keep after covering the costs associated with selling a home — including Realtor fees, closing costs and more — is called your net proceeds. To calculate net proceeds, subtract all of these costs from the final sale price. Don’t forget to factor in the amount required to pay off your mortgage, if applicable. If your proceeds are very significant, you may owe the IRS capital gains taxes on your earnings (this will depend on the amount you make on the sale, your marital status, how long you’ve lived in the home and other criteria).
Reducing costs
The cost of selling can add up quickly, but there are ways to save. Try these strategies to reduce your costs:
- Negotiate agent commissions: Commission rates aren’t set in stone, and even a small discount here can mean significant savings. You might also consider working with a discount real estate agent, who may offer rates as low as 1 or 1.5 percent, as opposed to the usual 2.5 or 3 percent.
- Sell as-is: Selling your home in as-is condition means you don’t plan to make any repairs or upgrades, even if the home has problems. This route saves you the cost of fixing things up — but keep in mind that your home may sell for less if buyers know there is a lot of work to be done.
- Use your DIY skills: If you have the skills to do it yourself, you can save by making minor repairs and staging rooms on your own. Recruiting friends and family to help you pack and lug boxes can also save on moving costs.
- Shop for deals: Many of the costs associated with selling your property are variable. Shop around for service providers that offer the best prices for whatever you need, from handymen to attorneys.
Alternatives
If a traditional sale doesn’t seem like the best option for you, consider these alternatives:
- Work with a homebuying company: A cash-homebuying company can purchase your home extremely quickly, in any condition, so you don’t need to fix it up or make repairs. You also don’t need to hire a Realtor or host showings, and they pay in cash. However, they will not pay as much for your home as you could make with a traditional agent-assisted sale.
- Sell it on your own: Listing your home for sale by owner puts you in the driver’s seat and saves you the cost of a listing agent. It also takes a lot of time and energy, so be sure to plan ahead (and strongly consider hiring a real estate attorney to help).
- Leverage your home equity: If you are selling mainly because you need the cash, look into accessing your home equity instead with a home equity loan or line of credit.
- Rent out the property: And if you have another place to live, you could rent the house out instead of selling it. This allows you to continue to grow your home equity while earning a steady rental income each month.
Next steps
If you are ready to sell your Washington property, start by finding a local agent who knows your particular Washington location well. Ask friends and family for recommendations, and talk to several candidates, asking questions about their experience and methods, before you commit to one.
