A seller net sheet turns a sale price into the number most sellers care about: the money you receive at closing. It lists every cost that comes out of the price, so you can compare offers and plan your next move
What goes on a seller net sheet?
Most net sheets start with the sale price and subtract costs in a few groups. Commissions: the listing agent’s fee and any compensation you offer the buyer’s agent. Loans: the mortgage payoff for every loan on the home, including a home equity line. Title and closing: owner’s title insurance where sellers customarily pay it, the settlement or escrow fee, recording fees and, in some states,
Taxes come next: any transfer tax your state or city charges, and your share of the year’s property taxes, split by property tax proration. Last are credits and extras, such as seller concessions toward the buyer’s costs, agreed repairs, a home warranty and HOA fees. What’s left is your net proceeds.
How accurate is a seller net sheet?
It’s an estimate, and it’s only as good as its inputs. Some lines are exact once you know the price: a state’s transfer tax rate, or the owner’s title premium in states that set title rates, such as Florida and Texas. Others are placeholders until the deal firms up, like the settlement fee, repairs or credits the
The biggest swing is usually the loan payoff. Your monthly statement shows the principal balance, not the payoff, which adds interest through the payoff date and any fees. The title or escrow company orders a payoff statement from your lender before closing, and the final numbers appear on
How are commissions handled?
Commissions are negotiable, and there is no standard rate. Since August 17, 2024, offers of compensation to a buyer’s agent no longer appear on the MLS, and buyers sign written agreements with their own agents. A seller can still offer to pay some or all of the buyer’s agent’s fee, or offer a concession the buyer can put
A useful net sheet shows the listing commission and any buyer’s agent compensation as separate lines, as a percentage or a flat fee. Calculators start with default percentages so the math works; replace them with what you’ve
When should you run one?
Run a net sheet before you list, to set expectations and the lowest price you’d accept. Run it again for every offer: a higher price with a large credit or a long repair list can net less than a clean, lower offer. Then run it once more when the payoff statement and title figures arrive, a few
Example: a $400,000 sale in Florida
| Sale price | $400,000 |
|---|---|
| Listing agent commission (2.5% in this example) | −$10,000 |
| Buyer’s agent compensation offered (2% in this example) | −$8,000 |
| Mortgage payoff | −$220,000 |
| Owner’s title insurance (Florida’s state-set rate) | −$2,075 |
| Documentary stamp tax on the deed (0.70%) | −$2,800 |
| Settlement and recording fees (estimates) | −$700 |
| Property taxes prorated to a June 30, 2026 closing ($6,000 a year) | −$2,959 |
| Estimated net proceeds | $153,466 |
Florida sellers pay the doc stamps on the deed by custom, and the owner’s title policy in most counties; buyers usually pay it in Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier and Sarasota. Florida property taxes are paid in arrears, so the seller credits the buyer for January 1 through June 29. The commission percentages are only for the example; yours are
Common mistakes
- Using the balance on your monthly mortgage statement instead of a payoff figure, which adds interest to
the payoff date. - Treating a calculator’s default commission as a standard rate. Commissions are negotiable; enter what
you agreed to. - Comparing offers by price alone. Credits, repairs and who pays which closing costs can change your
net by thousands. - Forgetting the property tax proration, which can be a cost or a credit depending on whether your state pays taxes in arrears
or in advance.
Questions
Who prepares a seller net sheet?
Listing agents usually prepare one at the listing appointment and again for each offer, and title and escrow companies often provide them too. You can also run your own with
Is a seller net sheet the same as the closing statement?
No. The net sheet is an estimate made before or during the deal. The settlement statement or Closing Disclosure prepared for closing shows
Does a net sheet include capital gains tax?
Usually not. Any federal tax on your gain depends on your basis and whether you qualify for the home sale tax exclusion, so it’s worked out on your tax return. Ask a tax professional if you expect
Sources
- CFPB: Closing Disclosure explainer
- NAR: Consumer guide to offers of compensation
- NAR: The facts about the settlement practice changes
- IRS Publication 523: Selling your home
Written and checked by the Broker & Agent team on October 2, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Something out of date? Tell us.