This article is for educational purposes. It is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Costs, fees, and responsibility for payment are negotiated between the parties in each transaction. Consult your agent, attorney, or tax advisor for guidance specific to your situation.
Selling a house in Austin typically costs 8 to 10 percent of the sale price. On a $600,000 home, expect roughly $53,000 in total selling costs, including commission, title insurance, closing fees, survey, repairs, concessions, taxes, and prep. That leaves approximately $547,000 before your mortgage payoff.
These numbers reflect the Austin metro market in late 2026. Some of these costs are fixed by the state (title insurance). Others shift year to year depending on inventory, interest rates, and how much leverage buyers have. I’ll note where things have moved and where they’re likely headed.
Here’s every line item, with real numbers.
How much is real estate commission in Austin?
What I most commonly see in Austin is a total commission of 6 percent of the sale price. That covers your listing agent and the buyer’s agent.
On a $600,000 home: $36,000.
Post-NAR settlement, the listing agent commission is negotiated upfront and explicitly. The buyer’s agent commission is no longer displayed in MLS the way it used to be. Buyers now sign a buyer representation agreement before touring homes, and compensation is discussed and agreed upon upfront. When you put an offer on a home, you can request the percent commission that the seller will pay to your buyer agent on your behalf.
What you pay as a seller may come down to what services you’re getting. You decide if an agent who prices it right, markets it properly, and negotiates the offer is worth a different rate than someone who puts it in MLS and waits for an offer.
Who pays for title insurance in Texas?
Owner’s title policy is negotiable but in Austin, it’s almost always paid for by the seller. I have seen some investor buyers offer to pay this if they are getting a really good deal on the purchase. The rate is set by the Texas Department of Insurance based on the sale price. It is not negotiable and does not change year to year.
On a $600,000 sale: approximately $3,300.
The OWNER’S title policy and LENDER’S title policy sometimes get mixed up. Lender’s title policy is significantly lower and is paid by the buyer since they are getting the loan. Every now and again a buyer will ask the seller to pay for their lender’s title policy too. That’s a negotiation point, not a given.
How much are closing fees?
The title company charges escrow and closing fees for handling the transaction. In the Austin metro, the buyer and seller will both pay closing fees.
Seller-side closing fees from our actual 2026 settlements:
Title company A, transaction 1:
Settlement/closing fee: $675
Doc prep (warranty deed): $260
Tax service/certification: $40
E-record fee: $5.33
Recording fee (deed): $33–$37
Remote online notary: $99–$135 (when used)
Title company B, transaction 2:
Escrow fee: $550
Tax cert: $47
Warranty deed: $125
T-3 survey amendment: $255.15
Remote notary: $135 (when used)
Total seller-side range across all deals: $650–$1,000 before any extras.
How much does a survey cost in Austin?
If you have an acceptable existing survey from when you bought the home and nothing structural has changed (no new fences, pools, or additions), the survey cost is $0. Your title company will tell you whether your existing survey works.
What determines if an existing survey is acceptable:
Whether improvements have been added since it was done (fences, pools, decks, sheds, additions, patios). Whether the surveyor is still licensed — some title companies won’t accept a survey from a surveyor who’s no longer active. Whether there’s been a replat or easement change on the property. The title company’s own standards — each company has its own threshold for what they’ll accept. I have seen a survey from 40 years ago, barely legible, still be accepted! It’s really case by case. The seller signs a T-47 affidavit confirming nothing has changed since the survey was completed.
If you need a new one, a standard residential survey in Travis, Hays, and Williamson counties runs $500 to $800. Larger lots, unusual boundaries, or easement complications can push it higher.
What repairs and concessions should a seller expect?
This is the line item that moves the most from year to year, because it depends entirely on how much leverage buyers have and each seller’s bottom line.
Where we are right now (late 2026): In our 2026 closings, seller concessions from our sold listings have ranged from $0 to $3,700. Nearly 40 percent of our sellers paid nothing in concessions. This beats the broader Austin market which is seeing concessions settle into the $2,000–$5,000 range on a typical resale, with overpriced or distressed properties still seeing $10,000+.
How we got here: In 2021 and 2022, concessions were essentially zero. Buyers waived inspections, appraisals, everything. Then rates climbed, the market shifted, and 2023 through early 2025 saw concessions swing back hard. Buyers asked for 2 to 3 percent toward closing costs, full repair lists, rate buydowns. Some sellers were giving back $15,000 to $20,000 to get deals closed.
By late 2025 and into 2026, the market found its footing. Concessions settled back down. Right now, if your home is priced right and shows well, there’s a real chance you give nothing back. A home that needs work, or one that’s overpriced for its condition, will still see concession requests in the $2,000 to $4,000 range or more.
What to expect in 2027: If rates drop meaningfully, buyer activity increases and concessions shrink further. If rates stay elevated or inventory rises, buyers hold more cards and concessions creep back up. This is the number most sensitive to macroeconomic conditions. Price your home correctly and present it well, and you control this line item more than any other.
Separately from concessions, the buyer’s general inspection (or your pre-listing inspection) will turn up items. A typical Austin home inspection flags $5,000 to $15,000 in recommended repairs depending on the age of the house. The negotiation is about which items are real safety or structural concerns versus cosmetic preferences.
How are property taxes handled when selling in Austin?
As a seller, you owe property taxes prorated through your closing date. If you close June 15th, you’ll pay a credit to the buyer for taxes for January 1st through June 15th. The buyer will pay the entire year when it’s due and use your credit as an offset. Things can get a little tricky if you close in the spring because what you pay will depend on if your new assessed value has come out or not (generally April). Or if you close in the winter, whether taxes have been paid yet for the year (Oct bill, Jan 31 deadline).
Tax rates vary across the Austin metro. Travis County’s total rate runs about 2.0 percent. Williamson County is similar, roughly 2.0 to 2.2 percent depending on the city and school district. Hays County tends to run slightly higher, about 2.1 to 2.3 percent, partly because of MUD and PID assessments in newer communities like Buda and Kyle.
On a $600,000 home with a homestead exemption, expect roughly $8,000 to $11,000 a year in total property taxes depending on your exact location. For a mid-year close, that’s $4,000 to $5,500 credited to the buyer.
Property tax rates in the Austin metro have been relatively stable, but assessed values shift annually. If your home’s appraised value jumped in the last county appraisal cycle, your proration will be higher than what you paid last year. Check your most recent TCAD, WCAD, or HCAD notice before you estimate this number.
HOA and transfer fees
If your property is in an HOA, expect a resale certificate fee ($200 to $400) and a transfer fee ($100 to $500). Some HOAs charge capital contribution fees to the buyer, but the seller often covers the resale certificate and document prep. These are in the purchase contract and up for negotiation.
Check your HOA docs before listing. Some have specific requirements about what condition the exterior needs to be in before a sale closes.
Mortgage payoff
Whatever you still owe gets paid at closing from the sale proceeds. Your lender provides a payoff statement that includes the remaining principal plus accrued interest through the closing date. There may also be a recording fee to release the lien, typically $50 to $150.
How much does staging cost in Austin?
Professional staging in Austin runs $1,500 on the low end to $3,500–$5,000 for a more high-end look. This will get you 30 to 60 days of staging. For a home over $1M you could be looking at double. Prices depend on the size of the home, the look and quality of the furnishings and how long you need the furniture. Staging is one of the fees paid for at the time of service, not at closing.
Is it worth it? The National Association of Realtors has consistently found that staged homes sell faster and for more money. Their research shows staged homes spend significantly less time on market, and that buyers are willing to pay 1 to 5 percent more for a home that’s staged versus one that isn’t. On a $600,000 home, even a 1 percent bump is $6,000 — a strong return on a $1,500 to $5,000 investment. Beyond the price, a staged home photographs better, which matters when 95 percent of buyers start their search online.
Pre-listing prep (deep cleaning, cosmetic repairs, landscaping touch-up) could add another $1,000 to $3,000.
What does a seller actually net on a $600,000 home in Austin?
Here’s the full cost breakdown on a $600,000 sale in the Austin metro (late 2026 market):
Commission (6%): $36,000
Title insurance: $3,300
Closing fees: $650 to $1,000
Survey: $0 to $800
Concessions: $0 to $3,700
Property tax proration (mid-year): $4,000 to $5,500
HOA fees: $300 to $900
Staging and prep: $2,500 to $8,000
Total selling costs: approximately $46,750 to $59,200
Net to seller before mortgage payoff: approximately $540,800 to $553,250
That’s roughly 90 to 92 percent of the sale price. If you still owe $300,000 on your mortgage, you walk with approximately $240,800 to $253,250.
These numbers assume a well-priced home in good condition. A property that needs significant repairs, sits in a softer micro-market, or is overpriced for its condition could have higher concessions and longer carry costs. A home in a competitive neighborhood with multiple offers might close with zero concessions and no repair credits.
When is the best time to sell a house in Austin?
The best months to sell a house in Austin are generally March through June. More buyers, more competition for homes, stronger offers. You’ll typically get closer to asking price and give fewer concessions. But you’re also competing with more listings, so pricing has to be right.
September and October is a solid secondary window. Families that didn’t find something in spring come back. Inventory is lower, so well-priced homes get attention.
November through February is the slowest stretch. Fewer buyers, longer days on market, more concessions. But the buyers who are looking in December are serious. If your home shows well and the price is right, you can close without the spring competition.
The worst time to list: the week before a major holiday with no strategy behind it. The best time to list: whenever your home is prepared, priced correctly, and your agent has a plan for the market conditions that exist right now.
Know your number before you list
If you’re thinking about selling in Austin, you should know what you will net, what you will actually walk away with. Unfortunately this number won’t determine your listing price, but it’s still important for you to know. The listing price will be determined by a comparative market analysis (CMA) for your specific home, its condition and the current market.
Want to run the numbers yourself? Independence Title has a seller’s net sheet calculator that lets you plug in your sale price and see the estimate.
If you want to see what your specific numbers look like, reach out.
Thinking about your next move in Austin?
