The first question almost every seller asks me is what their home is worth. The second question, usually about a beat later, is how much of that they actually keep.

That second question is the more useful one, and the online estimate tools skip it entirely. A number on a website tells you what your house might sell for. It tells you nothing about what lands in your account.

Here is the honest answer: selling a home in Seattle usually runs somewhere between 8 and 10 percent of the sale price once everything is counted. On a median-priced Seattle home, which has been sitting around $869,500 this summer, that is roughly $70,000 to $87,000. It is a big number. It is also a knowable number, and knowing it before you list changes how you plan the whole move. Let me walk through where it goes.

Agent Commissions Are Genuinely Negotiable Now

Since the 2024 commission rule changes, this line item works differently than it used to, and a lot of sellers still have the old model in their heads. Your listing agent's fee is negotiated directly between the two of you, and in Seattle it commonly lands in the 2.5 to 3 percent range. Compensation for the buyer's agent is a separate decision, it is no longer published in the MLS, and it is not automatic.

In practice, most Seattle sellers still offer something to the buyer's side, often in the 2 to 2.5 percent range, because buyers here are already stretched on cash and a home that offers nothing can quietly get skipped. That is a strategy call, not a rule.

The better question is not "what is your rate." It is "what does that rate buy me." Pricing strategy, marketing spend, negotiation, and someone who keeps the deal from falling apart at week four are not all created equal.

Washington's Excise Tax Is the Cost Sellers Forget

This is the one that surprises people, because nobody sends you an invoice for it. It comes straight out of your proceeds at closing. Washington charges a real estate excise tax on the seller, and the state portion is graduated. It starts at 1.1 percent on the lowest tier and steps up as the sale price climbs. King County adds a local piece of 0.50 percent on top.

On a median-priced Seattle sale, that combined bill typically lands in the $14,000 to $15,000 range. On a $1.4 million home it climbs meaningfully higher, because more of the price falls into the upper brackets. The tiers get adjusted periodically, so have your escrow officer run your exact number.

Escrow, Title, and the Line Items That Add Up Quietly

None of these are large on their own. Together they are usually a few thousand dollars. Expect an escrow fee that is customarily split with the buyer, an owner's title insurance policy that the seller traditionally pays for here, plus recording, wire, and courier charges. On a typical mid-market Seattle sale, plan on roughly $2,500 to $4,000 for the seller's share of title and escrow combined.

Selling a condo adds an HOA resale certificate, usually a few hundred dollars, plus prorated dues. Property taxes are prorated to the closing date, so depending on timing you either owe a bit or get a small credit back.

What You Spend Before the Sign Goes in the Yard

This is the money you control, and it is usually the best-spent money in the whole process. Well-prepared homes in Seattle are still selling in about two weeks at close to full asking price. Homes that go on the market tired sit, and sitting costs far more than prep ever does.

A realistic prep budget for a mid-market Seattle home:

1. Deep clean and window wash, $400 to $800
2. Landscaping refresh and curb appeal, $500 to $1,500
3. Paint where it is scuffed, dark, or dated, $1,000 to $3,000
4. Handyman punch list for the small stuff, $500 to $1,500
5. Staging the main living spaces, roughly $2,500 to $5,000 for a typical run

A pre-listing inspection runs $500 to $800 and is often worth it. Finding the failing water heater yourself beats having a buyer's inspector find it and turn it into a negotiation. Photography, video, floor plans, and marketing should be covered by your agent. If they are not, ask why.

The Costs That Show Up Mid Transaction

Inventory in King County has climbed 20 to 35 percent year over year, which puts us in a healthier, more balanced range than we have seen in a while. Well-priced homes still move quickly. Everything else negotiates. So budget for buyer credits, whether for repairs found at inspection or toward closing costs. Somewhere around 0.5 to 1.5 percent of the sale price is a reasonable placeholder until you have an actual offer in hand. Add carrying costs for every month you are still paying the mortgage, taxes, insurance, and utilities, plus roughly $1,500 to $5,000 for a local move.

One more: capital gains. Most sellers are covered by the $250,000 exclusion for individuals or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly, but if you bought in Seattle fifteen years ago you may be closer to that ceiling than you think. That is a conversation with a CPA, not a guess.

Putting It Together on a Median Seattle Sale

Here is what a sale at $869,500 might look like:

• Listing agent commission at 2.5 percent: about $21,700
• Buyer agent compensation at 2.5 percent, if you offer it: about $21,700
• State and local excise tax: about $14,500
• Title and escrow: about $3,000
• Prep and staging: about $4,000
• Buyer credits at 1 percent: about $8,700
• Moving: about $2,500

That comes to roughly $76,000, or about 8.7 percent of the sale price. Subtract your remaining mortgage balance from what is left and you have your actual walkaway number.

Run the Numbers Before You Pick a List Date

None of this is meant to talk you out of selling. It is meant to make sure the number in your head matches the number on the closing statement, because the gap between those two is where people get blindsided.

I run a full net sheet with every seller before we ever talk about a list date. Sometimes it tells us to list now. Sometimes it tells us to wait a season, or spend three thousand dollars on prep that returns fifteen. You cannot make that call without the math in front of you. If you are thinking about selling in Seattle this fall, reach out. My team at Emerald Group will put together a real net sheet for your home and your mortgage, and I would love to help you think it through before you commit to anything.

Ready to sell in Seattle? Brennen Clouse at Emerald Group is here to help. Call or text 206-899-9101 or visit emeraldgroupre.com.