When you sell a house, the sale price is only half the story. What really matters is what lands in your bank account after everyone else is paid. Between commissions, closing costs, repairs and the months of bills while the house is on the market, the total can surprise people.
This guide breaks down the costs of selling a house in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and the Tri-Cities, gives you a simple worksheet to estimate your own numbers, and covers a few ways to keep more of your money.
The main costs of a traditional sale
1. Real estate commissions
Commission is usually the biggest single cost. It’s figured as a percentage of the sale price and is always negotiable. Since rule changes in 2024, the buyer’s agent’s pay is worked out separately from the listing agent’s, and many sellers still agree to cover some or all of it to attract buyers. Ask any agent you interview to spell out exactly what you’d owe.
A quick way to think about it: on a $400,000 sale, every 1% of commission is $4,000.
2. Closing costs
Closing costs are the fees to transfer the property and close the deal. For sellers they can include:
- Title insurance (the seller often pays for the buyer’s owner’s policy)
- Escrow or closing fees, often split with the buyer
- Recording fees and state or county charges, which differ between Washington and Idaho
- Prorated property taxes up to your closing date
- HOA dues and any transfer or document fees, if you have an HOA
- Attorney fees, if you use one
Your title or escrow company can give you a written estimate for your exact address and price. It’s worth asking for one early.
3. Repairs and inspection requests
Even if you don’t plan to fix anything, the buyer’s inspection often turns up items they’ll ask you to repair or credit. Older Inland Northwest homes commonly get flagged for roofs, electrical panels and wiring, plumbing and furnaces. Lenders for FHA and VA loans can also require certain repairs before they’ll fund the loan.
4. Getting the house ready
These costs are easy to forget when you sign a listing agreement:
- Photos and video. Professional photos, drone shots and virtual tours may or may not be included in the commission. Ask.
- Staging. If the house is empty, an agent may recommend renting furniture and decor.
- Curb appeal. Paint, bark, plants, pressure washing and yard cleanup add up.
- Cleaning and clean-out. Deep cleaning, carpet cleaning and hauling away belongings.
- Pre-listing inspection or survey. Helpful, but you pay for it.
5. Holding costs
Every month the house is on the market, you keep paying the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. In winter that can include snow removal and keeping the heat on in an empty house so the pipes don’t freeze. A house that sits for a few extra months can cost thousands before it ever sells.
Estimate your own numbers
Use this worksheet with real figures from your agent, title company and contractors. Fill in your own numbers rather than relying on averages.
| Item | How to estimate it |
|---|---|
| Expected sale price | Recent sold homes like yours nearby, or an agent’s market analysis |
| Commissions | Sale price times the total commission you agree to |
| Closing costs | Written estimate from your title or escrow company |
| Repairs before listing | Contractor bids |
| Repair credits after inspection | Set aside a cushion, especially for an older home |
| Photos, staging, cleaning | Quotes from your agent or vendors |
| Holding costs | Monthly mortgage, taxes, insurance and utilities, times the months to sell and close |
| Mortgage payoff and liens | Payoff statement from your lender |
| What you keep | Sale price minus everything above |
Ways to lower the cost of selling
Negotiate the commission
Commissions are negotiable. You may have more room if your house is in a popular neighborhood, priced where lots of buyers are shopping, or listed in spring and summer when homes in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene tend to move faster. Read the listing agreement closely for marketing or administrative fees.
Offer a credit instead of remodeling
Rather than redoing a dated kitchen, consider offering the buyer a credit. Buyers often prefer picking their own finishes, and you avoid the risk of a remodel running over budget and over schedule.
Do some of the work yourself
Yard cleanup, decluttering, touch-up paint and hauling junk are jobs many sellers can handle with a few weekends and some help from family.
Sell for sale by owner
Selling FSBO saves the listing side of the commission, but you take on pricing, marketing, showings, negotiating and paperwork. See our FSBO guide for what’s involved.
Sell faster
Because holding costs add up every month, a faster sale can be worth real money, especially for a vacant house, an inherited property or a home you’ve already moved out of.
What it costs to sell to Backyard Home Buyers
Selling directly to us takes most of those costs off the table:
- No commissions and no fees
- We pay the closing costs
- No repairs, cleaning, staging or photos, because we buy as-is
- Fewer holding costs, since we can close in as little as 7 days or on your date
Your mortgage payoff and any liens are still paid from the sale, just like any sale. Our offer will usually be lower than what a fully fixed-up house might list for, so the fair comparison is your net from each option. We’re happy to walk through both with you. Our post on agent vs. cash buyer lays out the trade-offs side by side.
We’re a local, family-owned company, both owners born and raised in the Inland Northwest, and we’ve done over 500 deals since 2019 across Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and the Tri-Cities. You’ll usually have a fair cash offer within 24 hours.
See how it works, request an offer, or call (509) 461-9079 to talk it through.