How Much Does It Really Cost to Sell a House in Texas? November 2026 Guide

Illustration only: a model house and keys on a desk. Photo by advokatsmart.no via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped to fit.

Seller Strategy series from OnDemand Realty: practical advice for Dallas-Fort Worth homeowners getting ready to sell.

If you are thinking about listing this winter, the first question is usually not "What is my home worth?" It is "How much will I actually walk away with?" The honest answer is that the cost to sell a house in Texas is not one number. It is a stack of separate line items: brokerage compensation you negotiate, an owner's title policy whose premium the state sets, your share of escrow and closing fees, property tax prorations, repairs, and any concessions you agree to give a buyer.

This November 2026 guide walks through each of those costs the way they actually show up in a Texas sale, using the current TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), the Texas Department of Insurance title rate chart that took effect March 1, 2026, Texas Comptroller property tax rules, IRS home sale rules, and the latest official North Texas MLS data. We finish with an illustrative DFW net sheet and a step-by-step way to estimate your own number before you ever sign a listing agreement.

Key Takeaways

• There is no single "standard" cost. Your total depends mostly on the brokerage compensation you negotiate, whether you contribute to the buyer's costs or the buyer's broker, and how repair negotiations go after the option period.
• Commissions are negotiable by law and by contract. The current TREC resale contract says brokerage compensation "is not set by law and is fully negotiable." Since August 17, 2024, offers of compensation to buyer brokers are no longer made on the MLS, and any seller contribution is a choice you make.
• The owner's title policy premium is set by the state. Under the TDI rates effective March 1, 2026, the basic premium on a $385,000 policy is $2,188. In Texas the seller customarily pays for it, but the contract lets the parties choose.
• Texas has no real estate transfer tax. The Texas Constitution bars any new tax on a transaction that conveys fee simple title to real property.
• Property taxes are paid in arrears. Because Texas tax bills are generally due by January 31 of the following year, a seller usually credits the buyer at closing for the current year's taxes through the closing date.
• In our illustrative $385,000 DFW example, total seller costs land between about 4.6% and 8.1% of the price, before your mortgage payoff and tax proration. Your numbers will differ, so run your own net sheet.

What It Costs to Sell a House in Texas: The Main Line Items

Here is the full list of costs a Texas home seller can expect to see or negotiate, where each one comes from, and how it is usually decided. Every item below is tied to a specific paragraph of the TREC resale contract or to a state rule.

Now let's go through the big ones in detail.

Brokerage Compensation: The Largest Cost, and the Most Negotiable

For most sellers, brokerage compensation is the biggest single line on the settlement statement. It is also the one with the most room to move, and the rules changed in 2024.

What changed after August 17, 2024

Under the National Association of REALTORS settlement practice changes that took effect August 17, 2024, offers of compensation to buyer brokers can no longer be made through the MLS, and buyers working with an agent sign a written buyer agreement before touring homes. NAR's consumer guidance for sellers explains that you can choose to offer, or authorize your agent to offer, compensation to a buyer's agent as a way to attract buyers, but it is a choice, not a requirement. You can read NAR's summary on its Get the Facts page.

What the Texas contract says

The current TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), form 20-19, makes this very plain. Paragraph 12B states that "Brokerage compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable," and that each party pays its own broker under its own written agreement. The contract then has two optional boxes:

1. 12B(1): the seller agrees to pay a dollar amount or percentage of the sales price toward the compensation the buyer owes the buyer's broker.
2. 12B(2): the buyer agrees to pay an amount toward the compensation the seller owes the seller's broker.

You can see the full form on the TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) page.

How to think about it as a seller

There is no "standard" percentage, and you should be skeptical of anyone who tells you there is. What matters is what you get for the money: pricing strategy, photography and marketing, negotiation, and management of the option period, appraisal and closing. When you interview listing agents, ask each one to put their compensation and services in writing, and ask how they would handle a buyer who requests a contribution toward their broker. Then factor that possible request into your net sheet up front, so it does not surprise you when an offer arrives.

Title Insurance: Who Pays, and What It Costs in 2026

In Texas, the seller customarily provides the buyer with an owner's policy of title insurance. The TREC resale contract leaves it as a choice, though. Paragraph 6A says the seller shall furnish an owner's policy "at Seller's or Buyer's expense," with a box for each. Which box gets checked is part of the negotiation.

The good news is that you do not have to shop for the premium. Texas sets title insurance premiums by rule. The Texas Department of Insurance reduced basic premium rates by 6.2% effective March 1, 2026, under Commissioner's Order 2025-9697. For policies from $100,001 to $1,000,000, the basic premium is $780 plus 0.00494 times the amount over $100,000, rounded to the nearest dollar, according to the TDI basic premium rate chart.

Using that formula, here is what the basic owner's policy premium works out to at common DFW price points:

Calculated from the TDI rate chart. The $1,200,000 figure uses the $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 bracket: $5,226 plus 0.00406 times the amount over $1,000,000. Endorsements and other title charges can add to the total, so ask your title company for a written quote.

Note that the lender's title policy is a buyer's expense under Paragraph 12A(2) of the contract, so it is not part of your cost as a seller.

Escrow, Deed, and Lien Release Fees

Paragraph 12A(1)(a) of the TREC contract lists the expenses the seller pays at or before closing:

• releases of existing liens, including prepayment penalties and recording fees
• release of the seller's loan liability
• tax statements or certificates
• preparation of the deed
• one-half of the escrow fee
• other expenses the seller agreed to pay under the contract

These fees are set by the title company and other providers rather than by the state, and they vary by company and county. They are usually small next to brokerage compensation and the title premium, but ask the title company for an estimate early so your net sheet is complete.

Your mortgage payoff

Your loan payoff is not a "cost of selling" in the usual sense, since it is money you already owe. It is still the biggest deduction from most sellers' proceeds. Request a payoff statement from your lender, and remember that interest accrues daily up to the payoff date, so the figure on your current monthly statement will not match the payoff exactly.

The Survey: Sometimes $0, Sometimes a New Bill

Paragraph 6C of the TREC contract gives three options:

1. The seller provides an existing survey plus a T-47 Affidavit or T-47.1 Declaration (a TDI form stating that nothing has changed). If the title company or the buyer's lender will not accept it, a new survey is ordered at whichever party's expense the contract specifies.
2. The buyer obtains a new survey at the buyer's expense.
3. The seller furnishes a new survey at the seller's expense.

Seller tip: find your existing survey before you list. It is often in the closing package from when you bought the home. If you have made no changes like a pool, addition, fence relocation, or new structure, an existing survey with a T-47.1 Declaration may be accepted, which can save you the cost of a new one.

Property Taxes and Prorations: The Line Item That Surprises Texas Sellers

Here is where a lot of sellers get caught off guard. According to the Texas Comptroller's Property Tax System Basics, Texas has no state property tax; local taxing units set rates, many counties collect taxes around October 1, and taxpayers generally have until January 31 of the following year to pay. Penalty and interest begin February 1.

That means a homeowner who closes in, say, December 2026 has usually not yet paid 2026 taxes, or has just received the bill. Paragraph 13 of the TREC contract says taxes for the current year are "prorated through the Closing Date." In practice, if the current year's taxes have not been paid at closing, the seller credits the buyer for the share of the year the seller owned the home, and the buyer then pays the full bill when it is due. If you have already paid the current year's bill, the proration typically runs the other way.

The homestead exemption can change the math

Paragraph 13 also says the tax proration "may be calculated taking into consideration any change in exemptions that will affect the current year's taxes." That matters because your homestead exemption can be a big part of your tax bill. Under Tax Code Section 11.13(b), school districts must provide a $140,000 residence homestead exemption, as the Texas Comptroller's property tax exemptions page explains, and taxing units may adopt an additional local option exemption of up to 20% of appraised value. Ask your title company how they are handling exemptions in your proration.

Illustrative example: if a home's 2026 tax bill is $8,000 and the sale closes December 15, 2026, the seller's share through the closing date is 349 of 365 days, or about $7,649. If the bill has not been paid yet, that amount shows up as a credit to the buyer on the seller's side of the settlement statement. This is example math; your actual taxes and closing date will differ.

The same proration logic applies to HOA dues and regular assessments under Paragraph 13. If your home is in an HOA, also ask your management company early about any fees it charges to produce resale documents, since those vary by association.

Repairs After the Option Period

Most Texas buyers pay an option fee for an unrestricted right to terminate during the option period set in Paragraph 5B of the TREC contract. That is when the inspection happens, and it is when many sellers see their second-biggest negotiated cost: repair requests.

Here is what the contract says about repairs:

• Paragraph 7D (Acceptance of Property Condition): the buyer either accepts the home "as is" or as is with specific repairs and treatments the seller agrees to make. A buyer can still negotiate during the option period.
• Paragraph 7E (Lender Required Repairs): unless otherwise agreed in writing, neither party is obligated to pay for lender-required repairs, including wood-destroying insect treatment. If the parties do not agree, the contract terminates and the buyer gets the earnest money back. If lender-required repairs exceed 5% of the sales price, the buyer may terminate.
• Paragraph 7F (Completion of Repairs): the seller completes agreed repairs before closing, using licensed providers where a license is required, provides documentation, and transfers any transferable warranties to the buyer at the seller's expense.

Seller strategy: a pre-listing inspection can turn surprise repair requests into known numbers. You can fix the items that would scare buyers, disclose the rest, and price accordingly. Sometimes a repair credit or price reduction costs you less than coordinating contractors before closing, so compare both options with your agent.

Seller Concessions and Home Warranties

Two optional costs show up in a lot of DFW offers right now:

1. Seller contribution to buyer's expenses, Paragraph 12A(1)(b). You agree to pay up to a stated dollar amount toward the buyer's closing costs, other than brokerage compensation or the 12B contributions. Buyers often use this for lender fees, prepaid items, or a rate buydown. If you want to understand how a buydown works from the seller's side, see our guide to seller-paid 2/1 buydowns.
2. Residential service contract, Paragraph 7H. If the buyer buys a home warranty, the seller reimburses the cost at closing up to the amount written in the contract.

A concession is just price in a different form. A $5,000 contribution on a $385,000 sale nets you about the same as a $380,000 sale with no contribution, but the buyer may value cash at closing more than a slightly lower price. That is why concessions can help a home sell in a balanced market without lowering the headline price.

The Hidden Costs: Price Gap and Time on Market

Some of the most expensive "costs" never appear as a line item. They show up as a lower sales price or extra months of carrying costs.

According to the NTREIS Monthly MLS Summary Report for September 2026, prepared by the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A and M University, single-family homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro had:

Source: NTREIS Monthly MLS Summary Report, September 2026, prepared by the Texas Real Estate Research Center using NTREIS MLS data. September 2026 is the latest month we have from that report as of this November 2026 post; more recent months may show different numbers.

What those numbers mean for your costs:

• The price gap is real. At a 93.9% sold-to-list ratio, a home listed at $400,000 would close around $375,600 if it performed exactly at the metro figure, about $24,400 below list. Illustrative only. Your home may do better or worse depending on condition, location, and pricing.
• Time costs money. With a 62-day median on the market, plan for your mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities, and lawn care for roughly two months of listing time plus the contract-to-close period. If those carrying costs run $3,000 a month in your situation (an assumption for illustration), each extra month on the market costs about $3,000.
• Overpricing is the most expensive mistake. Homes priced too high tend to sit, collect price cuts, and invite lower offers. Pricing right from day one usually protects more equity than any fee you might save.

For broader trends behind these numbers, see our Frisco housing market update for November 2026 and why it pays to watch the MBA Mortgage Applications Index as a seller.

Costs Texas Sellers Do Not Pay

A few things that sellers in other states pay simply do not exist here:

• No real estate transfer tax. Texas Constitution Article VIII, Section 29, added in 2015, says that after January 1, 2016, "no law may be enacted that imposes a transfer tax on a transaction that conveys fee simple title to real property."
• No state property tax. As the Comptroller notes, property taxes in Texas are entirely local.
• No lender's title policy. That is on the buyer's side under Paragraph 12A(2).

Capital Gains: Will You Owe Federal Tax on the Sale?

For most homeowners selling their main home, the answer is no. Under IRS rules, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain from income, or $500,000 if married filing jointly, if you meet the ownership and use tests: you owned the home and lived in it as your main home for at least 2 of the 5 years before the sale, and you have not used the exclusion on another home sale in the prior 2 years. See IRS Topic 701, Sale of Your Home and IRS Publication 523.

Two seller-friendly details from Publication 523:

1. Selling expenses reduce your gain. Your "amount realized" is the sale price minus selling expenses such as sales commissions, advertising fees, legal fees, and loan charges you paid that would normally be the buyer's responsibility.
2. Improvements increase your basis. Additions and improvements that are still part of the home, like a new roof, HVAC system, or kitchen modernization, add to your basis and reduce your gain. Routine repairs and painting generally do not. Keep receipts.

If you receive a Form 1099-S from the title company, the IRS says you must report the sale even if the gain is excludable. Talk with a CPA if you have rented the home, used part of it for business, or expect a large gain.

Illustrative DFW Net Sheet: Selling a $385,000 Home

To bring it all together, here is an illustrative net sheet using the September 2026 DFW metro median single-family price of $385,000. Percentages and dollar amounts marked "assumption" are examples only, not quotes, standard rates, or recommendations. Only the title premium is a state-set figure.

If the same seller negotiated no contribution toward the buyer's broker and no buyer closing cost contribution, total selling costs in this example would drop to $17,838, or about 4.6% of the price. That spread, roughly $13,500 in this example, is why negotiation strategy matters as much as the listing price.

Step by Step: How to Estimate Your Own Cost to Sell

1. Start with a realistic price, not a hopeful one. Ask for a comparative market analysis based on recent closed sales near you, not active listings. Factor in the local sold-to-list ratio.
2. Get your payoff. Request a payoff statement from every lienholder, including any home equity loan or solar lien.
3. Price the title policy. Use the TDI rate chart for a starting number, then ask a title company for a full seller estimate that includes escrow, recording, and document fees.
4. Decide your brokerage plan. Put your listing agreement terms in writing, and decide in advance how you would respond to a request for a buyer's broker contribution.
5. Estimate your tax proration. Look up your current tax bill on your county appraisal district or tax office site, and ask whether it will be paid before closing.
6. Budget for repairs. A pre-listing inspection helps. If you skip it, set aside a reasonable repair cushion based on your home's age and condition.
7. Decide your concession limit. Know the maximum you would contribute toward buyer costs or a home warranty before offers come in, so you can respond quickly.
8. Add carrying costs. Multiply your monthly housing costs by the months you expect to be listed and under contract.
9. Check your tax picture. Use IRS Publication 523 or a CPA to confirm whether the home sale exclusion covers your gain.
10. Update the net sheet with every offer. Compare offers by net proceeds, not headline price. A higher offer with large concessions and a short option period may net less than a cleaner lower offer.

Smart Ways to Lower Your Cost to Sell in Texas

• Price it right the first time so you avoid extra months of carrying costs and price reductions.
• Use your existing survey with a T-47.1 Declaration if nothing has changed on the property.
• Fix small, visible issues before listing. Leaky faucets, missing GFCI outlets, and worn caulking are cheap to fix and expensive to negotiate later.
• Negotiate total terms, not just price. Closing date, option period length, leaseback, and concessions all have dollar value.
• Compare offers on a net basis. Ask your agent for an updated net sheet on every offer.
• Keep improvement receipts to support your basis if you are close to the capital gains exclusion limit.
• If you are buying and selling at the same time, plan both closings together so you do not carry two mortgages longer than needed. Our Mansfield vs. Midlothian comparison is a good example of how we help movers compare their next city.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average cost to sell a house in Texas?

There is no official statewide average, because the biggest costs, brokerage compensation and concessions, are negotiated deal by deal. In our illustrative $385,000 DFW example, total selling costs ranged from about 4.6% to 8.1% of the sales price, before the mortgage payoff and property tax proration. Your own number depends on your negotiated terms, your price point, and repairs.

Who pays for title insurance when selling a house in Texas?

The seller customarily pays for the buyer's owner's title policy, but the TREC resale contract lets the parties choose "Seller's" or "Buyer's" expense in Paragraph 6A. The premium is set by the Texas Department of Insurance. Under the rates effective March 1, 2026, the basic premium on a $385,000 policy is $2,188.

Do sellers still have to pay the buyer's agent in Texas?

No. Since the NAR settlement practice changes took effect August 17, 2024, compensation to a buyer's broker is not offered through the MLS, and the TREC contract states brokerage compensation is fully negotiable. A seller may choose to contribute toward the buyer's broker through Paragraph 12B(1) of the contract, often to make an offer work, but it is optional.

Does Texas have a transfer tax when you sell a house?

No. Article VIII, Section 29 of the Texas Constitution prohibits any law enacted after January 1, 2016, from imposing a transfer tax on a transaction that conveys fee simple title to real property.

How are property taxes handled when you sell a house in Texas?

Taxes for the current year are prorated through the closing date under Paragraph 13 of the TREC contract. Because Texas property taxes are generally due by January 31 of the following year, sellers who close before paying the current year's bill usually credit the buyer for the portion of the year they owned the home.

Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my house in Texas?

Texas sellers of a main home often owe no federal tax on the gain. If you meet the IRS ownership and use tests, you may exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 if married filing jointly. Selling expenses like commissions reduce your gain. Check IRS Publication 523 or talk with a CPA for your situation.

Related Reading From OnDemand Realty

• Seller-Paid 2/1 Buydown: Worth It? Pros, Cons and Math
• Frisco Housing Market Update November 2026
• Why Buyers and Sellers Should Track the MBA Mortgage Applications Index
• Mansfield vs. Midlothian, Texas: Which City Is Right for You in November 2026

Thinking About Selling in Dallas-Fort Worth?

The fastest way to know your real number is a pricing analysis and a seller net sheet built around your home, your payoff, and today's DFW market. The OnDemand Realty team helps homeowners across Dallas-Fort Worth price correctly, negotiate with confidence, and protect their equity from listing to closing. Visit www.ondemanddfw.com to get started and connect with our team.

Sources

• Texas Real Estate Commission, "One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), TREC No. 20-19" (form dated 05-04-2026; Paragraphs 5, 6A, 6C, 7D to 7H, 12, and 13 reviewed Nov. 11, 2026).
• Texas Department of Insurance, "Texas Title Insurance Basic Premium Rates, Effective March 1, 2026."
• Texas Department of Insurance, "Commissioner's Order No. 2025-9697" (6.2% basic premium rate reduction effective March 1, 2026).
• Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, "Property Tax System Basics."
• Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, "Property Tax Exemptions."
• Texas Legislature, "Texas Constitution, Article VIII, Section 29."
• Internal Revenue Service, "Topic No. 701, Sale of Your Home" and "Publication 523, Selling Your Home."
• National Association of REALTORS, "Get the Facts" (settlement practice changes effective Aug. 17, 2024).
• NTREIS Monthly MLS Summary Report, September 2026, prepared by the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A and M University using NTREIS data.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Costs, rates, and rules were checked on November 11, 2026, and can change. Example figures labeled illustrative or assumption are not quotes or standard rates. Brokerage compensation is negotiable. Consult a Texas real estate attorney, CPA, or title company about your specific situation.