Every transaction is different, so there isn’t one percentage that accurately tells every seller what selling a home will cost.
However, there are several expenses that sellers commonly need to consider.
1. Your Mortgage Payoff
For many sellers, the largest deduction from the sale proceeds isn’t actually a selling expense.
It’s the remaining mortgage.
Suppose your home sells for $300,000 and you still owe approximately $175,000 on your mortgage.
Before considering any other expenses, you have approximately:
$300,000 sale price
− $175,000 mortgage payoff
= $125,000 in equity before selling expenses
That $125,000 isn’t necessarily what you’ll receive at closing.
There are still other costs associated with completing the transaction.
Also remember that the amount shown on your latest mortgage statement may not be exactly the same as your final payoff amount. The closing attorney or settlement provider typically obtains an official payoff figure from the lender that accounts for interest and other amounts due through the payoff date.
2. Real Estate Agent Compensation
Real estate compensation is one of the expenses sellers naturally want to understand before listing a property.
There is no government-set or legally required commission rate for selling a home.
Broker compensation is negotiable. Current National Association of REALTORS® rules also require clear disclosure that broker fees and commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable. NAR
The amount a seller agrees to pay depends on the listing agreement and the services being provided.
When we meet with a potential seller, we explain how compensation works, what our marketing plan includes and the options available to the seller.
That way you’re looking at the actual numbers associated with your property and your agreement, rather than assuming a percentage you found online applies to every transaction.
3. What About the Buyer’s Agent?
This is an area of real estate that has changed significantly in recent years.
A seller is not automatically required to pay a buyer’s agent simply because the property is listed for sale.
Buyers working with an MLS participant generally enter into a written agreement with their agent that explains the services provided and how that agent will be compensated. Those compensation terms must be clearly defined, and compensation is negotiable. NAR
A seller may still agree to contribute toward buyer-agent compensation as part of a transaction.
Whether doing so makes sense can depend on the property, the offer, market conditions and the overall terms being negotiated.
This is one reason we don’t recommend looking only at the purchase price when evaluating an offer.
The strongest offer isn’t always simply the offer with the highest price.
You have to look at the entire financial picture.
4. Kentucky Real Estate Transfer Tax
Kentucky imposes a real estate transfer tax when real property is transferred.
Under KRS 142.050, the tax is $0.50 for every $500 of value or fraction thereof. The statute places the tax on the grantor named in the deed, subject to statutory exemptions. Kentucky Legislature
That works out to approximately $1 per $1,000 of value in straightforward examples.
For example:
A $200,000 transfer would generally result in approximately $200 in Kentucky transfer tax.
A $300,000 transfer would generally result in approximately $300.
A $400,000 transfer would generally result in approximately $400.
It’s not usually the largest expense in a real estate transaction, but it belongs on the seller net sheet because it still affects the final proceeds.
You can read the Kentucky statute directly here:
Kentucky KRS 142.050 Real Estate Transfer Tax
5. Property Taxes When You Sell a Home in Kentucky
Property taxes can also affect the amount you receive at closing.
Kentucky’s property-tax calendar generally provides for tax bills to be delivered to county sheriffs by September 15, although the actual mailing date can vary. When bills are mailed by October 1, the standard calendar provides a 2% discount period through November 1 and payment at face value through December 31. Department of Revenue
When a property changes ownership during the year, the purchase contract and closing documents determine how taxes are handled between the buyer and seller.
The amount attributed to the seller can therefore depend partly on when the closing occurs and the terms of the contract.
This is another reason an estimated net sheet prepared months before closing may change by the time the transaction is completed.
For additional information, see:
Kentucky Department of Revenue Property Tax Collection Process
6. Closing and Title-Related Expenses
There can also be expenses associated with preparing and completing the closing.
Depending on the transaction and the terms of the contract, these may include items such as deed preparation, attorney or settlement fees, recording-related charges, lien releases or other transaction-specific expenses.
Rather than assuming every seller will pay the same amount, we prefer to estimate these based on the actual transaction.
That’s an important distinction.
A seller net sheet should be a reasonable estimate based on your situation, not a generic online calculator pretending every real estate closing is identical.
7. Seller Concessions
Another number that can significantly affect your proceeds is a seller concession.
A buyer may submit an offer asking the seller to contribute toward certain buyer expenses allowed under the transaction and financing terms.
That doesn’t automatically make the offer bad.
Consider two hypothetical offers.
Offer A: $290,000 with no requested seller concession.
Offer B: $300,000 with a $7,500 seller concession.
At first glance, the $300,000 offer looks substantially better.
But the seller isn’t really comparing $290,000 with $300,000.
The seller needs to compare the estimated net proceeds and the complete terms of each offer.
Financing, inspections, contingencies, closing dates and other contract provisions can matter too.
This is why we like to break offers down for sellers instead of simply saying, “This buyer offered the most money.”
8. Inspection Repairs and Negotiated Credits
An accepted contract doesn’t necessarily mean your estimated proceeds are locked in.
After inspections, the buyer may request repairs, a financial credit or another negotiated solution depending on the terms of the contract.
The seller then has decisions to make.
Would it make more sense to complete the repair?
Would a negotiated credit make more sense?
Is the request reasonable based on the home’s condition and the terms of the agreement?
Those decisions can affect what the seller ultimately receives.
Our broader guide explains more about what sellers can expect throughout the process:
Selling Your Home in Murray, KY: The Complete Seller’s Guide
9. Preparing the Home for Sale
Not every selling expense appears on the closing statement.
Sometimes money is spent before the property ever reaches the market.
Depending on the home, that might include:
- Cleaning
- Landscaping
- Minor repairs
- Painting or touch-ups
- Decluttering
- Moving or storage expenses
- Larger repairs that make sense before listing
That doesn’t mean every seller needs to renovate a house before selling it.
In fact, one of the conversations worth having before spending money is which improvements are likely to matter to buyers and which ones may not produce enough benefit to justify the expense.
Sometimes the smartest decision is making a repair.
Sometimes it’s improving presentation.
And sometimes it’s pricing the property appropriately for its current condition and letting the next owner make the changes.
What Is a Seller Net Sheet?
This brings everything together.
A seller net sheet is an estimate showing how the expected expenses of a transaction could affect the seller’s proceeds.
It typically starts with the anticipated selling price and then accounts for applicable expenses and the mortgage payoff.
For example, suppose we’re considering a hypothetical home that could sell for $300,000.
The seller still owes approximately $175,000.
That gives us approximately $125,000 in equity before selling expenses.
From there, we would estimate the items that apply to that particular transaction, such as:
- Agreed real estate compensation
- Kentucky transfer tax
- Property-tax adjustments
- Applicable closing expenses
- Any negotiated seller concessions
- Repairs or credits
- Other transaction-specific charges
After those estimates are accounted for, we have a much more useful number:
Estimated proceeds to the seller
Notice that we’re intentionally not giving you a made-up final net number in this example.
That’s because without knowing the agreed compensation, actual tax adjustment, closing expenses, concessions and other terms, giving you an exact figure would create a false sense of precision.
That’s exactly what a customized seller net sheet is designed to solve.
Why We Like to Run the Numbers Before You List
Knowing your likely proceeds can influence several decisions.
Maybe you’re selling because you’re buying another house.
Perhaps you’re downsizing.
Maybe you’re relocating out of Kentucky.
You may have inherited a property or own a home without a mortgage.
Or perhaps you’ve built significant equity and want to understand what selling would make available for your next move.
Knowing only that your house might sell for $300,000 isn’t enough.
You need to know:
What does $300,000 actually mean for me?
That’s the question a seller net sheet helps answer.
Your Net Can Change When an Offer Arrives
The first net sheet we prepare is an estimate.
Once an actual offer arrives, we can run the numbers again using the proposed terms.
Suppose two buyers make offers at similar prices, but one asks for more concessions.
Or one has a different proposed closing date.
Or one offer contains terms that could create additional expense or uncertainty.
We can compare the offers based on more than the number at the top of the contract.
That’s when a seller net sheet becomes especially useful.
You aren’t just comparing offer prices.
You’re comparing what the offers could actually mean to you.
Pricing Still Matters
There is another side to the net-proceeds conversation.
It’s tempting to think that simply pricing a home higher automatically means the seller will walk away with more money.
It doesn’t always work that way.
The asking price has to make sense relative to the property and the market.
An overpriced home may spend longer on the market, require price reductions or lose some of the attention that typically comes when a listing first becomes available.
On the other hand, pricing too low without a sound reason may leave money on the table.
The goal isn’t to choose the highest number someone is willing to write on a listing presentation.
The goal is to develop a pricing strategy supported by the property, recent comparable sales, competing inventory and current Murray and Calloway County market conditions.
You can follow those conditions through our:
October 2026 Murray & Calloway County Housing Market Update
Selling a Home in Murray City Limits vs. Calloway County
Where the property is located can also affect the selling process.
A house inside Murray city limits can be different from a rural Calloway County property with acreage, septic systems, outbuildings or other features.
Buyers may ask different questions.
The comparable sales may be different.
The way the property should be marketed may be different.
And the due diligence involved in the transaction may be different.
That’s why we don’t believe every Murray mailing address should be treated as though it’s the same type of property.
Our guide to buying a home in Murray city limits versus Calloway County goes deeper into those differences.
Once that article is live, we will add the internal link here.
What If You Don’t Have a Mortgage?
If your house is paid off, your potential proceeds can obviously look very different.
There may be no mortgage payoff deducted from the proceeds, although any valid liens or other amounts attached to the property would still need to be addressed.
That’s why two neighbors who sell similar houses for exactly the same price could walk away from closing with dramatically different amounts.
The selling price is only one piece of the equation.
What If You Still Owe a Lot on the House?
This is where running the numbers before listing becomes especially important.
If your estimated mortgage payoff is relatively close to your likely sale price, we need to look carefully at the expected transaction expenses.
You don’t want to get deep into the selling process and only then discover that the numbers don’t work for your next move.
An early net estimate gives you a chance to make that decision with better information.
What If You’re Selling and Buying at the Same Time?
This is extremely common.
If the money from your current home is going toward the purchase of the next one, your estimated proceeds become part of your buying strategy.
You may need those funds for:
- A down payment
- Closing costs
- Paying off other debt
- Moving expenses
- Improvements to the next property
- Cash reserves after closing
This is also why we encourage buyers to speak with their lender early when a sale and purchase need to work together.
If you’re preparing for the buying side as well, start here:
Why Getting Pre-Approved Before House Hunting Matters in Murray, KY
How Much Will I Actually Walk Away With From Selling My Murray Home?
There isn’t an honest one-size-fits-all answer.
To estimate it properly, we need to know:
Your likely selling price
minus
Your mortgage payoff and other liens
minus
The selling expenses that actually apply to your transaction
equals
Your estimated net proceeds
That’s the number that matters when you’re deciding whether selling makes financial sense for you.
And it’s why we would rather sit down with you, look at the actual property and run the numbers than throw out a generic percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cost of Selling a Home in Murray, KY
How much does it cost to sell a house in Murray, Kentucky?
There isn’t one fixed percentage that applies to every seller. Costs can include the mortgage payoff, negotiated real estate compensation, Kentucky transfer tax, tax adjustments, applicable closing expenses, seller concessions, repairs and other transaction-specific charges.
Is there a standard real estate commission in Kentucky?
No. Broker commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable. NAR
How much is Kentucky’s real estate transfer tax?
Kentucky law imposes a transfer tax of $0.50 for every $500 of value or fraction thereof on taxable transfers. Kentucky Legislature
Do sellers always pay the buyer’s agent?
No. A seller may agree to contribute toward buyer-agent compensation, but compensation is negotiable and the terms depend on the agreements and transaction. Offers of compensation also cannot be communicated through an MLS under current NAR policy. NAR
Does the seller pay property taxes at closing?
Property-tax treatment depends on the timing of the sale and the purchase contract. Taxes or tax adjustments applicable to the seller are accounted for in the closing figures.
What happens to my mortgage when I sell?
The closing or settlement process generally includes obtaining the payoff amount and satisfying the mortgage from the sale proceeds. What remains after the payoff and applicable selling expenses contributes to your net proceeds.
Can I know exactly what I’ll make before listing?
You can get a useful estimate, but not an exact final number before the transaction exists. Some expenses aren’t known until there is a contract, closing date and negotiated terms. The final figures appear in the closing documents.
Can Williams Property Group prepare a seller net sheet for me?
Yes. If you’re considering selling a home in Murray or Calloway County, we can look at the property, discuss its potential market value and estimate the expenses that may apply so you have a clearer idea of what you could walk away with.
Before You Decide to Sell, Know Your Numbers
Selling your home is a big financial decision.
Knowing what it may be worth is important.
Knowing what you could actually walk away with may be even more important.
At Williams Property Group, we want our sellers to understand the numbers before making decisions. That means looking at the market, discussing pricing, explaining the potential expenses and estimating your net proceeds based on your particular property.
If you’re thinking about selling a home in Murray, Calloway County or Western Kentucky, these resources can help:
Selling Your Home in Murray, KY: The Complete Seller’s Guide
Murray & Calloway County Sellers Resources
Or you can simply talk with us about your property and what you’re considering.
Tracy Williams
270-293-3467
Keith Williams
270-293-3468
Williams Property Group | Benchmark Realty
Murray, Kentucky
This article provides general real estate information and should not be considered legal, tax or financial advice. Costs and contract terms vary by transaction. Sellers should consult the appropriate attorney, tax professional, lender or other professional regarding their individual circumstances.
