What does it really cost to sell a house in California?
Free, honest net sheet that estimates your true cost to sell a home in California — commission, county transfer tax ($1.10/$1,000), title, escrow, and net proceeds. See why the agent commission is the biggest (and most negotiable) line, and how AgentAudit negotiates it down. Free for sellers.
Where your money goes at closing
- Agent commission — the largest cost by far. Listing side plus any buyer-side concession commonly totals 4–6% of the sale price. This is the one line AgentAudit negotiates down, in writing.
- County documentary transfer tax — $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price, in every California county.
- City transfer tax — only in some charter cities (e.g. Oakland, Berkeley, San José); general-law cities like Dublin and Pleasanton charge none.
- Title & escrow — a labeled estimate on our net sheet; your escrow officer gives the exact figure.
- Prorations, recording, and misc fees — comparatively small.
The commission is the cost of selling
On a typical sale the commission can be the overwhelming majority of total closing costs — which is why AgentAudit focuses there. AgentAudit targets a roughly 2.0% listing-side commission, shown as a projected range rather than a promise; the real rate is whatever a local agent commits to in your blind-bid competition. AgentAudit never attaches a projected rate to a named agent.
Frequently asked questions
What does it actually cost to sell a house in California?
On a typical California sale the agent commission is by far the largest cost of selling — commonly 4–6% of the price when you add the listing side and a buyer-side concession together. Everything else (county documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000, title and escrow, recording, and prorations) usually adds up to a small fraction of the commission. That's why AgentAudit focuses on the commission: it's the one line big enough to be worth negotiating, and it's the line we negotiate down in writing.
How much is the California transfer tax when selling a home?
The California county documentary transfer tax is $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price (i.e. $0.55 per $500), charged in every county. Some charter cities — for example Oakland, Berkeley, and San José — add their own city transfer tax on top; general-law cities such as Dublin and Pleasanton do not. Your escrow officer can confirm the exact city rate for your address.
Is the agent commission really the biggest cost of selling?
Yes. On most sales the listing-side commission plus any buyer-side concession dwarfs every other closing cost combined. Title, escrow, transfer tax, and recording fees are real but comparatively small. Because the commission is both the largest and the most negotiable line, lowering it is where a seller keeps the most money — which is exactly what AgentAudit does.
How does AgentAudit lower the commission?
AgentAudit runs a blind-bid competition where qualified local agents compete on their listing-side commission and concessions, in writing, before any listing appointment. AgentAudit targets a roughly 2.0% listing-side commission, but the figure on the net sheet is a projection shown as a range — the actual rate is whatever an agent commits to in your competition. AgentAudit never attaches a projected rate to a named agent, and it is 100% free for sellers.
Is the AgentAudit net sheet a closing statement?
No. It's a planning estimate to help you understand where your money goes. Title, escrow, prorations, and city transfer tax are estimates — your escrow officer provides the exact figures. AgentAudit negotiates the listing-side commission; it does not set title or escrow fees.
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