Agent commission, the biggest line
When you sell a house in Houston, the price you agree on and the money you actually keep are two different numbers. The space between them is the net sheet, the itemized list of everything that gets subtracted at closing. Below is that list, line by line, with realistic Houston ranges. Every rate here varies by your deal, your county, and what you negotiate, so use these as ballpark figures, not quotes. If you want the why-it-works framing instead of the dollars, start with our true cost of selling guide.
On a traditional MLS sale, agent commission is usually the biggest line. Total commission customarily runs about 5 to 6 percent of the sale price, split between the listing side and the buyer's side. It is negotiable and not set by law, and since the 2024 NAR settlement the buyer-agent portion is more openly negotiated than it used to be, so don't assume a fixed split. On a $300,000 home, 5 to 6 percent is roughly $15,000 to $18,000.
A cash or investor sale generally has no agent commission at all, which is the single biggest reason a lower offer can still net well.
Title, closing, and tax proration
These are the costs of transferring the property. In a typical Houston sale the seller-side items usually include:
- Owner's title insurance policy, commonly the largest closing line after commission, customarily paid by the seller in Texas and set on a state-promulgated rate that scales with price.
- Escrow / settlement fee from the title company, often a few hundred dollars, sometimes split with the buyer.
- Recording and document fees to file the new deed, typically modest.
- HOA transfer or resale certificate fees, if your property is in an HOA, usually a few hundred dollars.
- Survey, if a current one is required and you don't have one.
Added up, seller closing costs in Texas commonly land around 1 to 2 percent of the sale price, varying by county and title company.
One more line lives here: property tax proration. Texas property taxes are paid in arrears, so at closing you owe your share of the year's taxes for the days you owned the home. This matters more in the Houston area than in many places, because effective property tax rates here are on the higher end statewide. Close mid-year and your prorated share can be a real number, the exact figure depends on your home's assessed value and your taxing jurisdictions.
Repairs and buyer concessions
This is the unpredictable one. A financed retail buyer almost always inspects, and the negotiation that follows can cost you, either as repairs you agree to make or as a seller credit toward the buyer's closing costs. There's no fixed range because it depends entirely on the house and the inspection. Selling as-is removes this line completely, which is part of why some sellers choose selling as-is even at a lower price.
Mortgage payoff, and a worked example
The last thing off the top is your mortgage payoff. Whatever you still owe gets paid from the proceeds at closing, along with any second liens, HOA liens, or tax liens against the property. This isn't a fee exactly, it's your own debt, but it comes out before you see a dime, so it belongs on the sheet. Order a payoff statement from your lender early, the figure includes interest through the closing date, so it runs a little higher than your last statement balance.
Put it all together. Say you sell a Houston home for $300,000 the traditional way, with $180,000 left on the mortgage. A rough net sheet might look like this, and again, every number varies:
- Sale price: $300,000
- Agent commission (about 5.5%): around $16,500
- Title and closing costs (about 1.5%): around $4,500
- Property tax proration: varies by close date, call it a few thousand
- Repairs or concessions: varies, often a few thousand more
- Mortgage payoff: $180,000
Subtract those and the seller in this example walks away with somewhere in the low $90,000s rather than the $120,000 of equity the price alone suggested. The exact figure swings with your tax proration, your repair negotiation, and your real payoff, which is exactly why you ask for a net sheet before you commit to a path.
Now run the same house as a cash sale. The price would be lower, but you'd typically wipe out the commission line, skip repairs, often have the buyer cover most closing costs, and pay almost no holding costs. The headline drops, but several of the biggest subtractions disappear, so the two net numbers can land closer than you'd think. The honest way to choose is to compare the net of each, which is what comparing multiple offers shows you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the typical fees to sell a house in Houston?
On a traditional sale, expect agent commission of roughly 5 to 6 percent, seller closing and title costs of about 1 to 2 percent, a property tax proration that depends on your close date, and any repairs or concessions from the inspection. Your mortgage payoff comes out on top of that. Every figure varies by deal.
Who pays the title policy in Texas, the buyer or the seller?
By custom in most of Texas, the seller pays for the owner's title insurance policy, though like everything in a contract it can be negotiated. It's usually one of the larger closing-cost lines, and the rate is set by the state based on the sale price.
Are there any fees if I sell to a cash buyer?
A cash or investor sale typically has no agent commission and no repair costs, and the buyer often covers most or all of the standard closing costs. You'd still pay off your mortgage and any liens from the proceeds. That low-fee structure is why a lower cash offer can still leave a competitive net.
Can I negotiate the agent commission when I sell?
Yes. Commission is negotiable and isn't fixed by law, the customary 5 to 6 percent is a starting point, not a rule. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, how the buyer's-agent side is handled is more openly negotiated too, so it's fair to ask your listing agent how their fee is structured and whether any of it is flexible before you sign a listing agreement.
Get an itemized net sheet, not a guess
Fees in the Houston area swing with your county, your HOA, your tax rate, and what you negotiate, so a generic estimate only gets you so far. We're a local, family-owned company led by licensed Texas REALTOR® Maxwell Buffamante, and we'll itemize a real net sheet for whichever paths you're weighing so the walkaway number you see is the one you'll actually get.