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Seller Closing Costs Can Be Substantial

By
Mortgage and Lending with George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages NMLS #65149

It is amazing how many Borrowers I meet who are selling their home, and are surprised to find out they will not receive the full difference of the funds between the Selling Price, and what they still owe on the house at the Closing to put towards the purchase of their new home.  It would be nice if this were the case, but unfortunately Seller's will incur Closing Costs on the sale of their property.  So it is very important to make Sellers aware of these Closing Costs because Seller Closing Costs Can Be Substantial, and need to be discussed early in the selling process.  However, many times I am the one who is informing them of these costs for the first time.

One of the first things I would expect a Listing Realtor/Agent to do when they meet with a Seller would be to do a "Net Sheet".  This is what the Realtors I partner with do, so when s Borrower comes to me they already have a fairly clear idea of what they will profit from the sale of their house.  Generally when this is not done it is because the Listing Realtor/Agent is a part-timer or  someone who is not as knowledgeable as the Realtors I partner with. 

The calculation I use as well as the Underwriters, is not the same as what a Realtor/Agent uses on their "Net Sheet" to figure the Net Profit from the property.  The calculation I use is much simpler, but comes very close to what the Homeowners Net Profit will be.

The calculation I use as well as the Underwriters is as follows:

  • Deduct 8% from the Selling Price.  Included in the 8% are Realtor Commission, Attorney Fees, Conveyance Fees, Meter Reading, and any other customary Seller Closing Cost.
  • Subtract the balance of the existing Mortgage from the remaining amount.
  • Subtract Second Mortgages, Home Equities, Lines of Credit, and Liens.
  • The remainder is the amount that will be available towards the purchase of the new home.

As I stated before the Listing Realtor/Agent's breakdown of what the Seller Closing Costs are expected to be, will be more accurate than the simple calculation I use.  But at this point in the process we are not concerned with a detailed breakdown of the Closing Costs.  At this point we are just concerned with making a CONSERVATIVE estimate of what the Seller's Closing Costs will be, so we can make sure there will be sufficient funds for the Borrower to close on their new property.

The conversation of what the expected available funds will be, needs to take place in my opinion, in the very first conversation the Realtor and Loan Originator has with the Seller/Borrower.  As you can see from the above calculation Seller Closing Costs Can be Substantial, so it is very important to discuss these costs early in the selling process in order to eliminate any surprises later on. 

 

 

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  Info about the author:

 George Souto NMLS# 65149 is a Loan Originator who can assist you with all your #FHA, #CHFA, and #Conventional #mortgage needs in Connecticut. George resides in Middlesex County which includes #Middletown, #Middlefield, #Durham, #Cromwell, #Portland, #Higganum, #Haddam, #East Haddam, #Moodus, #Chester, #Deep River, and #Essex. George can be contacted at (860) 573-1308 or gsouto@mccuemortgage.com

Posted by

George Souto
NMLS# 65149

C (860) 573-1308
CALL 7 Days/Wk
Fax (860) 760-6891

Email Me
About Me
My Blog

I am a Mortgage Loan Officer who can assist you with all your mortgage & refinancing needs in
CT, and RI

I can assist you with your Conventional,
FHA, CHFA, VA, USDA, & 203K loan programs.

I reside in Middlesex County which includes Middletown, Middlefield, Durham, Cromwell, Portland, Haddam. E. Haddam, Higganum, Chester, Essex, Deep River.

 

Comments(31)

Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

I remember this from my first purchase. My response? Whats this & why?

Dec 29, 2017 07:25 AM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-617-6375
Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside - Atlanta, GA
Concierge Service for Our Atlanta Sellers & Buyers

George Souto 
You are such a great teacher!
Sellers need to know this information for sure.
All the best for the New Year!
Lynn

Dec 29, 2017 08:57 AM
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

Hi, George,

You have made good points in your post. Sales commission often looms large but there are other closing costs that can be substantial. In our frenetic market, it is the buyers who shoulder most of the closing costs. Yet, there are some costs that the sellers cannot escape. Sellers need to be made aware of these costs early on.

Dec 29, 2017 09:20 AM
Greg Large
ERA Real Solutions - Grove City, OH
A Tradition of Trust

Part of every listing presentation needs to include the best estimate of costs associated with the sale.  I prefer the client is pleasantly surprised their net is higher than projected at closing.

Dec 29, 2017 11:01 AM
Ellen Dinapolous
Alex - Haines, AK

George, this is great information on a simple calculation for estimated Seller Closing Costs. Would you consider an article on the Buyer Cloisng Costs, as they too can be substantial and I find that the "pre-paids" are the most confusing for the Buyer. Thanks. Instagram marketplace

Dec 29, 2017 12:22 PM
George Souto

Ellen yes I put a blog together on that.

Dec 29, 2017 01:49 PM
Delphine Nguyen
Baird & Warner - Northbrook, IL
Hey George, another good post. Your idea is sound and we'll start projecting a ballpark figure for sellers to consider. It sure is better to get this obstacle out of the way before it becomes a nasty surprise that rocks the boat. Thanks for sharing.
Dec 29, 2017 12:23 PM
Corey Martin
Martin Presence Group - Ruston, LA
Real Estate and Management Solutions

Another great post for sellers and their agents. Sellers need to be well informed and the agents need to keep them well informed. Thanks for sharing!

Dec 29, 2017 02:09 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Sooooo true....and this is something often overlooked !

Dec 29, 2017 02:12 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Many of our sellers pay part of the buyers closing costs so the figure is big up to 4 or 5% of the total sales price. A net sheet should be provided to all sellers at the listing and when an offer is presented.

Dec 29, 2017 02:49 PM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

George, sellers always want to know what the proceeds will be from the sale of the home. I always include a net sheet based on list price and then again when offers are received. Especially when there are multiple offers, a net sheet can be a great tool to show the differences in the offers and sellers are surprised to see that what looked great at first does not turn out to be that good after all in comparison. 

Dec 29, 2017 03:50 PM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Such wonderful comments here George Souto and you have chosen a wonderful subject . It is also best to over estimate the costs as you said so there are not any surprises at closing .  Debbie Reynolds  made an excellent point when saying there are situations when the seller does pay some of the buyers closing costs. If this is common in your area it may be a good idea to factor that in when first sitting down with the seller .   Wonderful post

Dec 29, 2017 03:58 PM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

Good information here. Seller costs can be substantial and buyers don't realize it.

Dec 29, 2017 04:11 PM
Karen Feltman
Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, IA KW Legacy Group - Cedar Rapids, IA
Relocation Specialist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

I provide an initial net proceeds estimate at the point of listing.  This provides the seller a reasonable expectation.  When an offer is received, we can use that initial estimate to compare so that the seller can make a good decision.  I find that it helps to set up the seller for the most likely scenario, closing costs concessions, home warranty, etc.  That way if the potential offer does not request these items, it just makes the seller that much happier!  Thank you for sharing.

Dec 29, 2017 06:06 PM
Terry McCarley
Coastal Real Estate - Cape Coral FL - Cape Coral, FL
REALTOR, SRES, CDPE - Cape Coral, FL

It is critical that sellers be informed of the expenses in involved when selling which I always review with them.  Then when we receive an offer I have the title company run a preliminary settlement statement based on the offer so the sellers can make an informed decision.

Dec 30, 2017 05:08 AM
Pete Baranowsky Jr
The Castle Team at Maximum One Realty Greater Atlanata - Dallas, GA
Selling Good Homes, Priced Right, Quickly

George Souto Thank you again George, great info.  So important to provide sellers with a net seller sheet.  It keeps them in the loop right from the listing presentation to closing and prevents supprises down the road to closing.

Dec 30, 2017 06:08 AM
John Wiley
Fort Myers, FL
Lee County, FL, ECO Broker, GRI, SRES,GREEN,PSA

It is part of our job to educate the consumer.

Your post is a great educational tool for helping the seller understand that closing costs are substantial and then showing them what they expect to receive at closing.

Thanks

Dec 30, 2017 07:34 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Thanks to our local title companies, I have an app on my phone and on my laptop and desktop to provide sellers a very close estimate for closing costs.  Emailing it to them I always use a disclaimer that these are estimates and can vary based on closing date and many other factors.  This works well for me!  Great post!

Dec 30, 2017 11:16 AM
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

The cost of the real estate buying, selling, trading. There are layers of players and they need to be fed for services provided. The names for the closing costs on the settlement statement may differ, but pretty much the same procedure exists across the land. Good post George Souto !

Dec 30, 2017 11:56 AM
Anne Corbin
Long and Foster - Lake Anna - Spotsylvania, VA
Serving Lake Anna & Central Virginia

The bottom line is the most important end result for the sellers. They aren't interested in where the concessions are given (closing costs, lower price, paying for inspections), but they do care about the BOTTOM LINE. A good agent will make sure they understand various scenarios so they can see what lowering the price or paying closing costs will do to the bottom line!

Jan 02, 2018 07:02 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning George Souto,

I'm so glad that Gabe Sanders re-blogged your post from the end of December. I missed many good posts then and this is an excellent feature worth post. It spells out an overview of the Seller closing costs involved when selling a home and they can be substantial.

Jan 09, 2018 04:52 AM