What Closing Costs Do Sellers Pay?

Once you’ve paid off your mortgage and any other loans on the property, the biggest chunk of change home sellers pay at closing is the sales commission to the real estate agent. That ranges from 5% to 8% of the purchase price, with the average around 6%.

You’ll have a few other expenses, chiefly title insurance for the new owner and government transfer taxes. If you bought the home within the last three to five years, you may be able to get a break on title insurance by requesting a “reissue rate.” Discounts vary by state. (The buyer pays for the lender’s title policy.)

If you’ve offered buyers a credit toward closing costs, that comes off your total too.