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What does it really cost to sell a house in San Diego?

Sellers are often surprised at closing. This tool lists every common cost of a traditional San Diego sale — including the county transfer tax and the reports California sellers customarily provide — so you can see the total and your net before you decide how to sell.

Results

Enter your numbers and press Calculate. Nothing here is an offer or an appraisal.

How it's calculated

The math, in plain language

Formula

Total cost = commission + title/escrow + county transfer tax + concessions + reports + repairs and prep + (months × monthly holding cost).
County documentary transfer tax = price ÷ 1,000 × rate. San Diego County charges $1.10 per $1,000; unlike Los Angeles or San Francisco, the cities in our service area do not add their own.
Net proceeds = sale price − total cost − mortgage payoff. Property-tax prorations and HOA transfer fees also appear on the closing statement; add them if significant.

Assumptions and limits

All defaults are editable examples. Commission is negotiable and varies; title premiums depend on price and insurer.
Who pays escrow and title is custom, not law, and can be negotiated in the purchase agreement.
Concessions are what a buyer negotiates after inspection or as help with their closing costs; some sales have none.
This tool is for general planning only. It is not an offer, an appraisal, or legal, tax, or financial advice. Results depend entirely on the numbers you enter.

FAQ

Questions about this tool

Which of these costs go away with a direct cash sale?

Typically commission, repairs, staging, and most of the holding time; we also cover standard seller closing costs. Concessions become part of the offer instead of a surprise later.

Who pays the transfer tax in San Diego County?

By custom the seller pays the county documentary transfer tax, but it's negotiable in the contract. There is no additional city transfer tax in the South Bay cities.

What's not on this list?

Property-tax proration for the part of the year you owned the house, supplemental tax bills, HOA transfer fees, a home warranty if offered, and any liens. Add them to closing costs if they apply.

Want to discuss an actual offer?

The calculator uses your guesses. We use real comparable sales and a walkthrough. Enter the address — it's free and there's no obligation.

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