What Is the Average Cost to Sell a House in California?

The median home sold price in California is $829,060, more than double the nation’s median home price of $398,400. The average DOM is 26, indicating a market that is balanced with a slight advantage to sellers. This pace is notably quicker than the national average of 42 days.

It’s usually easier to sell a home when you partner with a reliable agent. A top real estate agent from California, Robert Lopez, who’s an agent with Team Z, explains the value a real estate agent brings to your home sale, “Your agent takes on photography and marketing. That means an agent covers your drone, listing, signage, and boosts your property on social media.”

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Start with a home value estimate

The first step in estimating the cost of selling a house in California is getting a preliminary home value estimate.

Home values across the United States increased by 3.8% from February 2024 to February 2025, marking the 20th consecutive month of year-over-year price growth. With home values and markets changing dramatically, now is an excellent time to check what your house might be worth.

You can request a quick online value estimate using HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator to get an initial idea. This free automated valuation model (AVM) tool will use recent sales transactions, local market trends, and your home’s latest selling price to provide a ballpark value range for your property in under two minutes. Just enter your address to get started.

How much does it cost to sell a house in California?

The cost to sell a house can vary based on several factors, so your actual costs may be higher or lower. In California, sellers typically spend around 11% of the home’s final sale price on transaction-related fees.

If you sell your home for the median price of $829,060, the total cost to sell your house in California is about $91,197.

Below is a guide to the most common factors that influence the cost:

What are common expenses for home sellers in California?

Here are the typical expenses you can expect when selling a home in California:

• Home preparation costs
• Realtor® fees
• Seller concessions
• Closing costs
• Attorney fees

Home preparation costs

Many factors influence the cost of prepping your home for sale, including the home’s size, age, and level of wear and tear. The following prices are a guide to assist you in preparing to sell your home. The estimates are based on the median home price of $829,060.

• Home repairs (1%-3% of the home’s sale price): $12,436 (1.5%)
• Home staging: $4,000
• Professional cleaning services (deep cleaning): $400
• Interior painting: $2,000
• Landscaping work: $3,650
• Pre-listing inspection: $425, if desired or needed

We estimate that the average total cost for you to prepare your home for sale in California is $22,911. That’s about 2%-3% of your home’s sale price.

It’s a good idea to make some repairs so that you can make your home attractive to buyers. “Buyers in this price range — especially with the rates going up you know, from what we’re seeing in the market — they want more of a finished product.

“We have to identify what costs we are willing to take on in order to make that happen and achieve the overall goal of that price that we had discussed,” Lopez says.

The potential cost is why it’s vital that before undertaking any large renovation projects or repairs, consult with your Realtor®. An experienced real estate agent will know how to advise you on what to fix and what repairs you can skip to sell your house faster and for more money.

Realtor® fees in California

Agent commissions are among the higher costs in a real estate transaction. Traditionally, the seller paid these fees, which were split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent.

However, the landmark settlement by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has changed that commission structure. Fees are now decoupled, and buyers are expected to negotiate compensation directly with their agents.

Still, some sellers choose to cover the buyer’s agent fee to make their listing more appealing or speed up the sale. If you take on that cost when selling in California, you could be giving up around 7% of your sale price based on HomeLight’s calculations. Considering the state’s median home value of $829,060, you can expect to pay $58,034 in real estate agent commissions.

If you agree to cover the buyer’s agent, on top of the cost of your listing agent, the commission will typically be split like this:

• Listing agent fee (3.5% of the home’s sale price): $29,017
• Buyer’s agent fee (3.5% of the home’s sale price): $29,017

While that’s a sizable cut, working with a reliable real estate agent often leads to a higher sale price overall. Our transaction data shows that the top 5% of agents can sell homes for up to 10% more than the average agent, helping you walk away with more money in your pocket.

For illustration, let’s again use the California median home price of $829,060. If you use a top agent, you may sell your home for as much as $82,906 above the asking price. In that case, a 10% higher selling price can make the Realtor® fee a profitable investment, and the journey is so much easier with a professional guiding your every step.

Seller concessions

Seller concessions might be a cost to sell a house in California, which refer to incentives or contributions that a home seller offers to help the buyer cover certain costs associated with the home purchase. It’s often used to make a property more appealing to buyers.

While you may not have to make concessions to make the sale, knowledge is power, and an awareness of standard seller concessions will make you a more savvy seller.

The following list is how the most common seller concessions can contribute to the cost to sell a house in California:

• Home inspection fees: $300
• Buyer’s home warranty: $600
• Buyer’s closing costs (2%-5% of the home’s sale price): $16,581-$41,453 for the California median sale price of $829,060
• Repair credit: Varies (which reduces your net proceeds)
• Earthquake insurance: $1,300

Closing costs and additional fees

So what closing costs do sellers pay in California? It depends, but the total seller costs can be somewhat expensive.

Closing costs are fees associated with a home purchase that buyers and sellers pay at the close of a real estate transaction.

Using the median home sold price of $829,060, here are examples of some of the most common closing cost averages for California home sellers:

• Property tax (0.71% of the home’s sale price): $5,886
• Reconveyance recording fees: $150
• California documentary transfer tax: $0.55 per every $500 of home value or $912
• City transfer tax: $0.55 for every $1,000 of home value or $456
• Escrow fee: $2 per 1,000 or $1,658
• Title insurance (0.5%-1% of the home’s sale price): 4,145-8,291
• Title search fee: $75-$200
• Homeowner’s association dues: $300
• Mortgage loan payoff: $445,250
• Mortgage loan early payoff (0.5%-2% of the outstanding loan balance): Varies

At-a-glance home selling cost example for California

This at-glance analysis comes from California’s median home price of $829,060. These estimated average figures can be a helpful planning tool for you as you prepare to sell your home.

In the example scenario above, if you successfully sold your home for $829,060, you could potentially profit $287,214. That’s a nice infusion of cash that you can invest, save, or spend.

Relocation expenses

Aside from the costs above, don’t forget relocation costs. Are you leaving Cali for a new state, or are you getting closer to the beach?

The cost of moving depends on where you are going and whether you want movers to pack up your belongings for you. Here is the general cost to move after you sell your home:

• Local moving cost: $883-$2,568
• Out-of-state moving cost: $1,400-$8,000

How can I reduce my seller costs in California?

There are several ways to reduce the cost to sell a house in California. Some strategies are more effective than others. One possible strategy is instead of focusing on how to reduce your costs, it might be better to focus on attracting quality buyers and increasing your sale price.

“So number one is always pay your current tax bill. Another thing you can do to attract the best possible buyers is a power wash and fresh paint. The outside property needs to be nice and bright and fresh with green grass. There shouldn’t be any weeds. That first impression really matters most,” Lopez says.

Take note though that there are risks associated with doing FSBO or hiring a discount broker. “You know you always get what you pay for. In this market especially the way that we’re headed, you’re going to need someone that’s going to be boots on the ground and knows how to actively search for buyers because the time you know putting in for sale signs and having twenty offers is going to be gone here pretty soon,” Lopez says.

The level of service you receive can vary depending on the agent’s experience and what’s happening in your market.

Connect With a Top Agent to Sell Your California Home

It takes just two minutes to match clients with the best real estate agents, who will contact you and guide you through the process. To connect with an agent, simply tell us a little bit about your property and how soon you’re looking to sell.

Our data shows the top 5% of agents across the U.S. help clients sell their home for as much as 10% more than the average real estate agent.

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How much will I make selling my California home?

As illustrated in our example chart above, preparation and closing costs vary. In our scenario, using estimated average California selling costs, if you successfully sold your home for $829,060, you could potentially profit $287,214.

The mortgage payoff is typically the most significant determining factor for calculating your net proceeds. The average California homeowner has a remaining mortgage balance of $445,250, so that total will figure mightily in your overall profit.

If you paid off your mortgage before selling your home, you can calculate your profits by taking the sale price minus selling costs. Ask your agent for a net sheet to be sure of your calculations.

The time you sell your home can also determine how much you will make. You want to strike when the iron is hot, and for most people, that means listing your house in spring and selling by early summer. Typically, families want to be in their new home before the next school year.

Use HomeLight’s Best Time to Sell Calculator to decide when to sell for the most money or the fastest closing. You can also try our free Net Proceeds Calculator to get how much you might make selling your California home.

As you look ahead to your next home purchase, try these other free HomeLight tools for buyers:

• Home Affordability Calculator
• Down Payment Calculator
• Closing Costs Calculator

Know what to expect, plan, and partner with a top agent

Typically, the cost to sell a house in California is 10% or more of your home’s final sale price, not counting your mortgage payoff.

That 10% comes from home preparation costs, Realtor® fees, seller concessions, closing costs, and taxes. Your mortgage payoff is also a tremendous expense when you decide to sell your home. Typically, it can amount to about 40-50% of the total cost to sell a house in California.

To properly calculate the cost to sell a house in California, get a home value estimate first. Then, make a plan to maximize your home sale price to increase net proceeds.

Our data shows that the top 5% of agents across the U.S. sell homes for as much as 10% more than the average real estate agent. HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform can connect you with the highest-performing agents in your market who can help you make the best of your home sale. See our data-backed list of the top real estate agents in California.

Header Image Source: (Mattia Bericchia / Unsplash)