Jump to a sectionCosts, payoff and a worked example
An offer can look great until you work out what is left after the sale. The price on the agreement is not the amount that will necessarily reach your bank account.
If you’re selling a Pennsylvania home and planning your next step, ask for an estimated seller net sheet early. It’s a way to see the moving parts before you commit to another purchase or a spending plan.
What a seller net estimate does
Start with an assumed sale price. Subtract the mortgage payoff and other obligations or expenses expected to be paid from the sale. Account for applicable credits and adjustments. The result is an estimate of proceeds, not a guaranteed check.
Your agent can help organize an estimate and compare offers. The mortgage servicer supplies the payoff amount; title or settlement professionals identify their charges and closing adjustments. Your final settlement figures need those inputs, not just an agent’s best guess.
A mortgage balance is not a payoff quote
The balance you see online may differ from the amount needed to pay the loan off on a specific date. A payoff can include interest through that date and other applicable amounts. Ask your servicer for the right figure and confirm how long the quote remains valid. The CFPB explains payoff amounts.
Also identify any home-equity loan, line of credit or other lien that may need attention. Don’t count the same equity twice because a second account doesn’t appear on the first mortgage statement.
Ask what each cost is based on
Compensation is negotiable. Use the services and amounts you actually agree to, not an assumed standard commission. Be clear about any buyer-side compensation or concession you agree to provide. The National Association of REALTORS® settlement FAQs explain the negotiability of compensation.
Other possible lines include title or settlement charges, deed-related work, mortgage release costs, transfer taxes, agreed repairs, buyer credits and prorated property expenses. Which items apply and who pays them depend on the transaction.
Pennsylvania has a state realty transfer tax, and local transfer taxes can also apply. Don’t use one blanket percentage for every Pennsylvania property or assume the allocation is identical in every agreement. Ask the settlement professional to confirm the current tax, any applicable exemption and how the agreement allocates it. See the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue and Philadelphia’s transfer-tax guidance for the respective rules.
What the calculation looks like
The figures below are invented for arithmetic only. They are not a fee schedule, tax calculation, customary commission or quote for your property. Replace the allowances with your actual agreements, payoff and settlement estimate.
- Assumed sale price
- $400,000
- Mortgage payoff
- − $240,000
- Agreed brokerage services allowance
- − $16,000
- Transfer-tax allowance, not a calculated rate
- − $8,000
- Other closing charges allowance
- − $2,000
- Agreed buyer credit
- − $6,000
- Proration and adjustment allowance
- − $1,000
- Illustrative estimated proceeds
- $127,000
A proration divides an expense between parties for the relevant period. An adjustment may add to or reduce your proceeds. The example shows a deduction, but not every adjustment will be a deduction.
Keep work paid before closing and moving expenses in a separate planning list. If you already paid a contractor directly, don’t subtract that bill again as though settlement will pay it a second time. Still account for it when reviewing the overall cost of selling.
Compare the offer, not just its headline
A higher price paired with a larger credit can produce less money than a lower price with different terms. Timing, financing and contingencies also affect whether an offer fits your needs. None of those terms eliminates the possibility of a delay or a failed closing.
Ask for side-by-side estimates using the same assumptions, then update them when the agreement changes. A revision to the price, credit, repair arrangement or closing date can change the answer.
Cash received at closing is not the same thing as taxable profit. Ask a tax professional about your situation before treating the estimated proceeds as an after-tax amount.
If you’re planning to buy next, read What Does a House Really Cost Each Month? Look Beyond the Mortgage. before deciding how much of the proceeds to put into the next home. For a clearer division of responsibilities, see What Does a Real Estate Agent Do Beyond Opening Doors?.
General planning information, not a guaranteed net sheet, appraisal or legal, tax or financial advice. Figures are invented and may omit costs applicable to a particular transaction. Sources checked October 19, 2026. Confirm current payoff, taxes, agreements and settlement figures with the responsible professionals.