In California, it typically costs 9.75% of a home’s sale price to sell a home.
For context, if you sell a home that costs $500,000, you'd likely pay around $48,731 to sell. A $1,000,000 home will cost you $97,463; a $1,250,000 home will cost $121,829 to sell.
Keep in mind that these costs are just estimates. Your specific costs will depend upon your home's condition, your location, and which money-saving strategies you choose to use.
Cost to sell calculator
While every home sale is different, this calculator can help you get a rough estimate of your selling costs in California.
Cost of selling a house in California
Here are the main expenses you face when selling your home:
| Type | Your estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Realtor fees | 4.99% of your home's sale price |
| Closing costs | 2.71% of your home's sale price |
| Home staging and preparation | $2,802 |
| Moving costs | Up to $6,199 |
| Mortgage payoff | Varies |
Realtor commissions are the most expensive costs for most sellers. Thankfully, you can save thousands on your home sale by working with an agent who charges reduced realtor fees. Find top-rated agents near you who charge a 1.5% listing fee (instead of the average 2.54% California listing fee)!
Realtor fees in California
| Average fee | Average cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Total realtor fees | 4.99% | $39,000 |
| Listing agent commission | 2.54% | $20,000 |
| Seller concession (optional, but recommended) | 2.45% | $19,000 |
In California, the average real estate commission is 4.99%. Half of that fee will go to the listing agent, and the other half can be used to offer a seller concession to pay the buyer's agent.
While you don't have to offer any concessions, it will make your home more attractive to potential buyers. Without it, a buyer will have to pay their agent out-of-pocket, bringing thousands more in cash to the closing table.
Your actual cost depends on your home's value, as it costs much less to sell a $300,000 home compared to a $1 million home, for example. Get a free CMA from an agent to learn what your home might sell for in today's market.
How to save on California agent commissions
- Use a discount broker. A discount real estate broker offers sellers a reduced commission fee, such as a 1% listing fee instead of the typical 2.5–3% rate.
- List your home without a real estate agent. You can avoid paying a listing fee entirely by selling your California home for sale by owner. But selling FSBO is hard, time-consuming, and risky. We highly recommend consulting with a local attorney, realtor, or broker for more guidance before making a decision.
- Negotiate a lower rate. Negotiating realtor fees is more likely to work on a high-value property, since the agent will still earn a substantial commission on the home sale, despite the lower rate.
Home buyers may see the biggest immediate impact from 2024's NAR settlement. Buyers must now sign an agency agreement promising to pay their agent an agreed-upon commission when the sale is complete. Before the settlement, buyers typically expected the seller to pay for their agent's commission.
Most listing agents still recommend that the seller pay for the buyer's agent commission because it makes the home easier to sell. But if you're buying a home in a seller's market, you may find sellers who are not willing to pay the commission.
Closing costs in California
| Average rate | Average cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Total closing costs | 2.71% | $21,000 |
Closing costs are all of the other expenses you'll pay at closing besides realtor fees. In California, the typical seller will spend about 2.71% of their home's final sale price on closing costs.
| Closing cost | Average rate | Average cost |
|---|---|---|
| Seller concessions | 2.00% | $15,697 |
| Title insurance | 0.25% | $1,958 |
| Recording fees | 0.03% | $244 |
| Transfer tax | 0.11% | $863 |
| Title search or service fee | 0.31% | $2,471 |
| Prorated property taxes | 0.70% | Varies depending upon the date of sale. |
| Attorney fees (optional) | $301 per hour | Varies depending upon legal work required. |
Here's a breakdown of the closing costs you're likely to pay.
Seller concessions
Seller concessions (also called buyer's incentives) can help you make a sale in close negotiations in a tight market. If you offer to pay for some of the buyer's closing costs or offer credits for repairs after the sale, it might be the deciding factor for a buyer to close the deal.
Title insurance
Protects you against any legal claims made against your home or possible mistakes on your deed. It also usually covers the cost of legal fees when defending a claim.
Recording fees
Your county charges recording fees to register the property's transfer of ownership. The fee amount varies by county.
Transfer tax
California charges you about 0.11% of your home's sale price to transfer the title to the new owner. If you sell for California's median home value — $784,840 — you'd pay $863.Title service fee
The attorneys handling your closing may charge you this fee to examine the public records and transfer title ownership to the buyer.
Prorated property taxes
Home sellers are required to pay property taxes on the days they’ve owned their home in the calendar year. Taxes are prorated and split between the seller and buyer. Actual costs depend on your annual taxes, and how many days you've lived in your home that year.
Attorney fees
In California, a real estate attorney is optional. However, if you think the transaction will be complicated, it could be helpful to have an attorney review the details.
How to save on California closing costs
Unlike real estate commissions, most closing costs aren't negotiable. For example, the state transfer tax is written into California law. But here are some ways you can save:
- Shop around for good rates. Your lender, agent, or attorney may have suggestions for title insurance companies. But you can always shop for the most affordable title insurance rates.
- Negotiate with the buyer. In most cases, the seller is expected to cover everything listed here. But if you're in a seller's market, it's possible to negotiate for the buyer to cover some or all of the closing costs. An experienced real estate agent can help you see your negotiation options more clearly.
Home staging and preparation: $2,802
The cost to prepare your home for sale could add thousands more to your total upfront costs.
Home staging costs $2,802 on average nationwide, according to HomeAdvisor. However, actual costs depend mainly on your market, the size of your home, the number of rooms furnished, and how much furniture is needed.
If your home needs to be deep cleaned by a professional, expect to spend at least $300 for a complete cleaning.
Home repairs: varies
Pre-listing home repairs and improvements could add hundreds, if not thousands more to your budget, depending on how much work your home needs.
Here are some common pre-listing repairs along with their average cost:
- Interior painting: $2,299
- Exterior painting: $3,935
- Handyman services (per hour): $78
Moving expenses: up to $6,199
Your relocation costs depend on the size of your home and how far you have to move. Hiring professional movers could cost thousands of dollars. Even if you do the move entirely on your own, you'll still need to budget for renting a truck and buying moving supplies like boxes and bubble wrap.
A short, local move for a smaller home in California might cost as little as $805. But a long-distance move of 1,000 miles or more could cost as much as $6,199.
Remaining mortgage balance: varies
Before you can sell your home to another owner, you'll need to pay off the remaining balance on your existing mortgage. If the proceeds from the sale of the home are less than what you owe, you'll have to pay out of pocket.
Obviously, this cost will vary from one seller to another. If you have mortgage debt, you're not alone: the typical homeowner in California has a mortgage balance of $371,981.
Don't forget that prepayment penalties and accrued interest could mean your mortgage payoff amount is slightly higher than the actual balance. Contact your lender for an accurate payoff quote.
Capital gains tax
Capital gains are profits made when selling an asset, such as a home. If you make money when selling your property, the profit is taxed as income at the federal level and at the state level in most states. However, most home sellers in California will not make enough profit to owe federal or state capital gains taxes.
Federal capital gains
If you have lived in your house for at least two out of the last five years, you can exclude up to $250,000 in profits, or up to $500,000 if filing federal income taxes jointly with your spouse.[1]
State capital gains
In most states, capital gains are taxed as income at the state level, as well.
California generally follows the same exclusion rules as the IRS, allowing $250,000 of gain on home sales ($500,000 for married joint filers), if they owned and used the home as their principal residence for two out of the five years before the sale.
In California, any capital gains not subject to exclusions are taxed as ordinary income up to 13.3%.
» LEARN: How to avoid capital gains on a home sale
Why trust us
Real Estate Witch researchers gathered data for property taxes, transfer taxes, and recording fees using publicly available information from government websites. We found average costs for attorney fees, title insurance, and other services by requesting quotes from local providers.
We gathered our commission rate data from a survey of 734 of our partner agents. Additionally, we utilized the following data:
- Home values, list prices, and sale prices: Based on Zillow data as of February 2025.
- Transfer taxes and mortgage taxes: Based on public data as of February 2024.
FAQ about cost to sell a California home
California closing costs average 2.71% of a home's final sale price. That figure includes common closing costs, such as title insurance and transfer taxes, but it does not include realtor fees, which add another 4.99%, on average, in expenses.
Buyers and sellers have separate closing costs in California. Sellers are usually responsible for paying for their share of pro-rated property taxes, as well as recording fees, state transfer taxes, and owner's title insurance. Buyer's closing costs include mortgage-related fees. View our breakdown of closing costs in California.
California sellers may have to pay federal capital gains tax. Thankfully, the IRS offers a tax break on home sale gains on the sale of your primary residence. Learn more about capital gains taxes in California.
