Seller costs
What it costs to sell a home in Los Angeles
Sellers are rarely surprised by the largest line item. They are surprised by the smaller ones that arrive together at closing. The categories below cover what typically appears on a Los Angeles seller's settlement statement.
Rates, thresholds, and fee schedules change, and several depend on the exact address. Rather than quote an average, Yelena confirms current numbers for your property and puts them into a written net sheet.
Categories
Where the money goes
Brokerage compensation
Compensation for the brokerages involved is negotiable and is not set by law. It is agreed in writing before marketing begins, and how buyer-side compensation is handled is part of that conversation.
Negotiated in writing for your sale
Escrow fees
The escrow holder charges a fee for handling funds, documents, and instructions. The amount generally scales with the sale price, and the split between buyer and seller is negotiable.
Scales with price — split is negotiable
Title insurance
A title policy protects against defects in the chain of ownership. Which policy the seller customarily pays for varies, and the premium depends on price and policy type.
Premium set in escrow for your price
County documentary transfer tax
Los Angeles County charges a documentary transfer tax on the recorded transfer of real property. It is calculated on the sale price.
Calculated on your sale price
City transfer tax, where it applies
Cities may levy their own transfer tax on top of the county's. The City of Los Angeles does, including an additional tax on higher-priced transfers under Measure ULA. West Hollywood and Beverly Hills are separate cities with their own schedules, so the city-level cost depends on which city your property is in — not simply on having a Los Angeles mailing address.
Depends on the city your property sits in
HOA-related fees for condominiums
Condominium sales involve document packages, resale certificates, and sometimes transfer or move-out fees charged by the association or its management company. Ordering these early keeps escrow on schedule.
Quoted by the association's manager
Preparation and staging
Repairs, paint, landscaping, staging, photography, and cleaning are discretionary but usually decisive. The right budget depends on how your property compares to the listings it launches against.
Set against the listings you compete with
Prorated property taxes
Property taxes are settled through escrow for the portion of the tax year you owned the property. Depending on timing, this appears as a debit or a credit on your settlement statement.
A debit or a credit at closing
Location matters
Four cities, four sets of rules
West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Burbank are independent cities. A property in West Hollywood or Beverly Hills may sit in West Hollywood or in the City of Los Angeles depending on the block, and Century City sits inside the City of Los Angeles.
Because city transfer taxes follow jurisdiction rather than mailing address, the first step in any cost estimate is confirming which city the parcel is in.
This page is general information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm rates with your escrow officer and your tax professional.
Questions
Cost questions
Is brokerage compensation a fixed percentage?
No. Brokerage compensation is negotiable and is not set by law. It is agreed in writing between you and your broker before the property is marketed.
Who pays escrow and title costs?
Allocation between buyer and seller is negotiable and varies by transaction and by local custom. Your escrow officer confirms the split in the estimated settlement statement.
Does the City of Los Angeles transfer tax apply to my sale?
Only if the property sits inside City of Los Angeles boundaries. West Hollywood and Beverly Hills are separate cities with their own rules, so the city-level tax on a sale differs by location even between adjacent streets.
What is a net sheet?
A net sheet lists your estimated sale price, then subtracts each expected cost so you can see approximate proceeds at closing. It is an estimate that is refined as escrow confirms actual figures.
Are prep and staging costs recoverable?
Often, though not guaranteed. Preparation is a judgment call based on the property's condition relative to the listings it competes against.
Get a personalized net sheet
Yelena prepares an estimate of your costs and proceeds using current figures for your address, alongside a pricing range.