California Seller Closing Costs & Net Proceeds Calculator
Estimate exactly what you'll walk away with after selling a home in California. Defaults below reflect typical California transfer-tax treatment, title custom, and seller closing costs.
Data last reviewed: August 2026
Estimated net proceeds — California
$0
Enter a sale price below to estimate your net proceeds in California.
Net Proceeds Calculator — California
Defaults reflect typical California practice. Edit any field to match your transaction.
Figures last updated: August 2026
Sale & loan
Commission
Post-NAR settlement: the buyer-agent share is negotiable. Switch to listing-only if you're not offering buyer-agent compensation.
Title & closing costs
Varies by county in California — check locally. Informational only — the premium amount isn't included in the totals below.
Optional adjustments
Breakdown
| Gross sale price | $0 |
| Agent commission | − $0 |
| Mortgage payoff | − $0 |
| Title / escrow services | − $0 |
| Transfer / excise tax | − $0 |
| Recording fees | − $75 |
| Settlement / escrow fee | − $450 |
| Home warranty | − $0 |
| Repairs / concessions | − $0 |
| Property tax proration | − $0 |
| HOA dues owed | − $0 |
| Total deductions | − $525 |
| Estimated net proceeds | $0 |
State-specific seller details
Transfer tax
California counties impose a documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of sale price (about 0.11%). Many cities — including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland — add their own city transfer tax on top of the county rate. Who pays the transfer tax (seller, buyer, or split) varies by county custom and is set in the purchase contract.
Closing structure
California is an escrow/title state: an independent escrow or title company typically coordinates the closing. An attorney is not required.
Disclosure
Sellers of 1–4 unit residential property must provide a Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) under California Civil Code §1102, along with related natural-hazard and lead-based-paint disclosures.
State income tax on the gain
Yes. California taxes capital gains from a home sale as ordinary income at the state's graduated rates, in addition to any federal capital-gains tax owed.
Agent commission
Real-estate commission is fully negotiable and typically falls within a customary range. Following the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is no longer automatically seller-paid and is itself negotiable between the parties.
Last reviewed: August 2026
Source: County recorder offices (e.g., Los Angeles County, Sacramento County) and California Civil Code §1102.
Selling a home in California: what to expect
Transfer / excise tax
0.11% state/county base ($1.10 per $1,000) — Many cities add 0.45%-6% (LA, SF, Oakland, Berkeley, Culver City). Check the city.
Title & closing custom
Custom varies by region: NORTHERN CA the buyer typically pays for owner's title; SOUTHERN CA the seller typically pays.
Recording fees ~$15 first page + per-page; plus SB-2 $75 fee in some cases.
Typical commission
Around 5% of the sale price in California, combining the listing-side commission and anything the seller agrees to offer the buyer's brokerage. Always negotiable — there is no set rate.
Typical total seller closing costs
About 1.0%-2.5% of sale price (higher in LA/SF with city transfer taxes) (excluding agent commission).
Notes specific to California
- California's base documentary transfer tax is $1.10 per $1,000 of sale price, but many cities layer on additional transfer taxes — Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley are notable examples.
- In Northern California, the BUYER typically pays for the owner's title insurance; in Southern California it is customarily paid by the SELLER.
- California's Measure ULA in the City of Los Angeles adds a 4% transfer tax above $5M and 5.5% above $10M, dramatically affecting seller net proceeds on luxury sales.
A real example: selling a median-priced home in California
California's median sale price was $782,221 in May 2026 (Redfin), up 2.3% year-over-year — by far the highest price point in this batch. The state's own transfer tax is almost a non-issue: just 0.11% ($1.10 per $1,000), or $860 on the median sale. Running the rest of the numbers through this calculator's California defaults: a 5% commission (lower than most states in this project) comes to $39,111, closing costs of 1.0%–2.5% add roughly $13,689 at the midpoint, and total deductions land near $53,660 — about 6.86% of the sale price, even with the priciest market in this batch.
That low state rate is misleading, though — many California cities layer their own transfer tax on top, adding anywhere from 0.45% to 6% depending on the city (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley all charge extra). And who pays for the owner's title policy flips by region: sellers customarily cover it in Southern California, buyers customarily cover it in the north. Check both your city and your half of the state before trusting a statewide number.
Frequently asked questions — California
Who pays the transfer tax in California?
0.11% state/county base ($1.10 per $1,000) — Many cities add 0.45%-6% (LA, SF, Oakland, Berkeley, Culver City). Check the city.
What are typical seller closing costs in California?
Excluding the real estate agent commission, sellers in California typically pay about 1.0%-2.5% (higher in LA/SF with city transfer taxes) of the sale price in closing costs. Custom varies by region: NORTHERN CA the buyer typically pays for owner's title; SOUTHERN CA the seller typically pays.
What is the typical real estate commission in California?
Commission in California is negotiated between the seller and the listing brokerage — combined rates commonly land in the mid-single digits, but there is no set rate. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, what the seller offers the buyer's brokerage (if anything) is negotiated in the purchase contract, not advertised on the MLS.
Do I need an attorney to sell a home in California?
California closings are typically conducted by a title or escrow company; an attorney is not generally required, though sellers may choose to retain one.