Quick answer
Total cost to sell a house in Washington State: approximately 7 to 9 percent of the sale price.
| Cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Buyer's agent commission | 2.0 – 3.0% |
| Listing agent commission | Negotiated |
| Real estate excise tax (REET) | 1.6 – 1.9% |
| Owner's title insurance | $1,200 – $3,500 |
| Escrow / closing fee | $1,000 – $2,200 |
| Recording and misc. fees | $200 – $500 |
| Pre-listing prep | $500 – $10,000+ |
| Negotiated repairs | $0 – $15,000+ |
On a $1,000,000 sale, expect total costs of roughly $70,000 to $90,000, producing net proceeds around $910,000 to $930,000 before paying off any existing mortgage.
Commission
Commission is the largest single seller cost, and the structure changed meaningfully following the 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement.
What changed: Buyer's agent compensation is no longer published in the MLS, and buyers now sign written representation agreements with their agents specifying compensation. Sellers are not obligated to pay the buyer's agent, though many still choose to offer compensation because it broadens the buyer pool.
What that means in practice in Washington:
- Listing agent commission is negotiated directly between seller and brokerage
- Buyer's agent compensation, if offered, is negotiated separately and typically runs 2.0 to 3.0 percent
- Some sellers offer no buyer-agent compensation, which can narrow the buyer pool
On a $1,000,000 sale, a 2.5 percent buyer's agent commission is $25,000. Total commission including the listing side commonly falls between $40,000 and $55,000.
Is commission negotiable? Yes, and it always has been. What matters more than the rate is what the marketing program actually delivers — professional photography, video, digital advertising, agent network outreach, and pricing strategy. A lower rate on a poorly marketed listing usually costs more than it saves.
Real estate excise tax (REET)
This is the cost sellers most frequently overlook, and it is substantial.
Washington imposes a graduated excise tax on the sale price of real property, paid by the seller at closing.
State rates:
| Portion of selling price | Rate |
|---|---|
| $525,000 and below | 1.10% |
| $525,000.01 – $1,525,000 | 1.28% |
| $1,525,000.01 – $3,025,000 | 2.75% |
| Above $3,025,000 | 3.00% |
Cities and counties add a local REET, commonly 0.25 to 0.50 percent.
Estimated REET by sale price (including 0.50% local):
| Sale price | Total REET |
|---|---|
| $500,000 | $8,000 |
| $750,000 | $12,175 |
| $1,000,000 | $16,855 |
| $1,500,000 | $25,755 |
| $2,000,000 | $41,638 |
The tiered structure means the higher rates apply only to the portion of the price within each bracket, not to the entire sale price. See our complete REET guide for the full calculation.
Title insurance
The seller customarily pays for the owner's title insurance policy, which protects the buyer against defects in title.
Cost scales with sale price:
| Sale price | Owner's policy |
|---|---|
| $500,000 | $1,200 – $1,700 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,900 – $2,700 |
| $1,500,000 | $2,400 – $3,500 |
The buyer typically pays for the lender's policy separately.
Escrow and closing costs
Escrow fees in Washington are commonly split between buyer and seller, though this is negotiable and varies by transaction.
Seller's share typically runs $1,000 to $2,200 depending on sale price and escrow company.
Additional smaller items:
- Recording fees: $200 – $400
- Reconveyance fee (to release your existing mortgage): $100 – $250
- Courier and wire fees: $50 – $150
- HOA transfer and resale certificate fees, if applicable: $200 – $600
Prorated property taxes
Property taxes are prorated at closing. You pay for the portion of the year you owned the property; the buyer pays from the closing date forward.
If you have already paid the full year, you receive a credit. If you have not, you are debited. On a home with $9,000 in annual property tax closing mid-year, this is roughly a $4,500 line item.
Pre-listing preparation
This is the most variable category and the one where spending decisions matter most.
What consistently returns more than it costs:
| Item | Typical cost | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Professional photography | $300 – $800 | The first showing is online |
| Deep cleaning | $300 – $700 | Affects every showing |
| Decluttering / storage | $200 – $600/mo | Buyers need to picture themselves |
| Minor repairs | $500 – $3,000 | Removes objections before they form |
| Landscaping cleanup | $500 – $2,000 | Curb appeal drives showing requests |
| Interior paint (neutral) | $2,000 – $6,000 | High-impact, low-cost refresh |
| Staging | $1,500 – $5,000 | Meaningful on vacant or dated homes |
What rarely returns its cost immediately before listing:
- Full kitchen remodels
- Bathroom additions
- Swimming pools
- Major landscaping installations
- Room additions
The pattern is consistent: improvements that make a home feel clean, maintained, and move-in ready return well. Improvements that impose your taste on a buyer generally do not.
Negotiated repairs after inspection
Washington buyers typically include an inspection contingency. After inspection, buyers commonly request repairs or a credit.
Budget $0 to $15,000 depending on the home's age and condition. Newer, well-maintained homes often see minimal requests. Homes over 30 years old with deferred maintenance can see substantially more.
A pre-listing inspection costs $500 to $900 and lets you address issues on your own timeline and at your own cost, rather than under time pressure during a contingency period. On older homes, this frequently pays for itself.
A complete example
Sale of a $1,200,000 Eastside home
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Buyer's agent commission (2.5%) | $30,000 |
| Listing side commission (2.5%) | $30,000 |
| REET (state + 0.50% local) | $21,055 |
| Owner's title insurance | $2,400 |
| Escrow fee (seller share) | $1,600 |
| Recording, reconveyance, misc. | $600 |
| Pre-listing prep and staging | $4,500 |
| Negotiated repairs | $3,000 |
| Total costs | $93,155 |
| Net before mortgage payoff | $1,106,845 |
That is roughly 7.8 percent of the sale price.
Capital gains: what you may owe after
Selling costs are separate from taxes on your gain.
Federal primary residence exclusion: you may exclude up to $250,000 of gain if filing single, or $500,000 if married filing jointly, provided you owned and lived in the home as your primary residence for at least two of the previous five years.
For long-tenured Puget Sound owners, appreciation frequently exceeds the exclusion. A home bought in 2012 for $450,000 and sold in 2026 for $1,200,000 produces $750,000 in gain before adjustments — well above the joint exclusion.
Selling costs and capital improvements reduce your taxable gain. Commissions, excise tax, title, and escrow are subtracted from the amount realized. Documented improvements are added to your basis. Keep records.
Washington's 7 percent capital gains excise tax specifically exempts real estate, so it does not apply to a home sale.
Consult a tax professional before closing if your gain may exceed the exclusion. The planning options narrow considerably after the sale.
How to reduce your costs
Negotiate commission thoughtfully, not just aggressively. Ask what the marketing program includes. A listing that sells for $40,000 more at a slightly higher commission nets you more.
Price correctly from day one. Homes requiring price reductions consistently sell for less than homes priced accurately at launch. Overpricing is the most expensive mistake sellers make, and it does not appear on any closing statement.
Get a pre-listing inspection on older homes. Repairing on your terms costs less than repairing under contingency pressure.
Spend on presentation, not renovation. Cleaning, paint, landscaping, and photography return more per dollar than any structural improvement made immediately before listing.
Time the market window. February through July is the strongest listing period in the Puget Sound region by buyer activity and days on market.
Common questions
How much does it cost to sell a house in Washington State? Approximately 7 to 9 percent of the sale price, including commissions, excise tax, title, escrow, and preparation.
Who pays closing costs in Washington? Both parties pay costs. Sellers pay commissions, excise tax, and owner's title insurance. Buyers pay lender fees, appraisal, lender's title policy, and prepaid items. Escrow fees are typically split.
Does the seller pay excise tax in Washington? Yes. REET is a seller cost and is a lien on the property until paid.
Can I sell without an agent to save commission? You can. In practice, unrepresented sellers in Washington typically still offer buyer-agent compensation, handle disclosure and contract obligations personally, and forgo MLS exposure unless they purchase a flat-fee listing. Studies consistently show represented sales achieve higher prices, though results vary by situation.
What is the average commission in Washington State? Commission is negotiated and varies. Buyer's agent compensation, when offered, commonly runs 2.0 to 3.0 percent. Total commission frequently falls between 4 and 5.5 percent.
Do I have to pay for repairs the buyer requests? No. Repair requests are negotiable. You can agree, offer a credit, offer a partial fix, or decline. Declining carries the risk that the buyer terminates under the inspection contingency.
Know your net before you list
The most useful thing a seller can have before deciding to sell is an accurate net-proceeds estimate. At Tribeca NW, we prepare one as part of every listing consultation — every line item, no estimates left out, no surprises at signing.
Request a net-proceeds estimate →
Related reading: Washington State real estate excise tax guide → | Selling a home in Washington State →
This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. Costs vary by transaction, jurisdiction, and brokerage. Consult licensed professionals for your specific situation.
Tribeca NW Real Estate is a top-producing listing team serving Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and the greater Puget Sound region. 1,675 homes closed. $1B+ in volume. 875+ five-star reviews.
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