Fees: what closing costs do sellers pay in Washington state?
How much are seller closing costs in Washington state? The excise tax comes first (1.1% state on the first $525,000, plus a local rate), then by custom the buyer's owner's title policy, half of escrow and payoff fees, plus the commission if you list. A cash sale to Ideal Home Sale has no listing commission; other closing costs apply.
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What closing costs do sellers pay in Washington?
You pay the excise tax, the buyer's standard owner's title policy, part of the escrow fee, recording and payoff fees, and the commission if you list. The law sets the excise tax. Title and escrow follow local custom, and the commission is whatever you agree to in writing. Each cost has its own row in the table below.
In Washington the seller pays the real estate excise tax at closing. The state part is graduated: 1.1% on the first $525,000 of the price, 1.28% on the part up to $1,525,000, then 2.75% and 3% above that. Cities and counties add a local rate on top, 0.5% in Seattle and Tacoma. By local custom the seller also pays for the buyer's standard owner's title policy and splits the escrow fee with the buyer. Your loan is paid off from the sale, with the lender's payoff and reconveyance fees. If you list, the commission in your listing agreement comes out of the price too, and commission is negotiable. Property tax, and any association dues, are prorated to the closing date. The purchase agreement can move any of these costs from one side to the other, so read who pays what before you sign.
| Who usually pays | How much | |
|---|---|---|
| State excise tax | The seller | Graduated, from 1.1% to 3% of the price (2023-2026 brackets) |
| Local excise tax | The seller | 0.5% in Seattle and Tacoma; the rate depends on the location code |
| Buyer's owner's title policy | The seller, by custom | Priced by the title company on the sale price |
| Escrow fee | Split between buyer and seller, by custom | Quoted by the escrow company |
| Loan payoff and reconveyance | The seller | On your lender's payoff statement |
| Property tax and dues | Prorated to the closing date | Depends on the bill and the date |
| Listing commission | The seller, when listed | Whatever your listing agreement says; negotiable |
How much are seller closing costs in Washington state on a $300,000 house?
The excise tax alone on a $300,000 sale is $4,800: $3,300 state and $1,500 local at the 2023-2026 rates. Title, your half of escrow and the payoff fees come on top, and the commission too if you list. Those depend on your title and escrow quotes and your agreement, so they are not guessed here.
| State | Local | Total excise tax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $300,000 sale | $3,300 | $1,500 | $4,800 |
| $500,000 sale | $5,500 | $2,500 | $8,000 |
| $901,000 (Seattle's median sale price, May 2026, Redfin) | $10,588 | $4,505 | $15,093 |
The state brackets change on January 1, 2027, when the first one rises to $551,000. A sale that closes on or after that date is taxed on the new brackets, which the Department of Revenue has already published.
To see every line with your own price, payoff and costs filled in, the net estimator does the arithmetic for a listing and for a written cash offer side by side, in your browser. If the house needs work first, the as-is guide shows what repairs do to a listing.
Who pays most of the closing cost in Washington?
In most sales the seller pays most of it. The excise tax is the seller's by law under RCW 82.45.080, and by custom the seller pays for the buyer's owner's title policy. The buyer pays for the lender's policy and loan costs. Escrow is usually split. A purchase agreement can change any of that.
In a cash sale there is no buyer's loan, so there is no lender's title policy and no loan fees on the buyer's side. The seller's own lines, the excise tax and the payoff, stay the same whoever the buyer is. How a cash sale runs from the first call to the title company is on the how it works page.
Do you have to pay taxes when you sell a house in Washington?
You pay the real estate excise tax at closing. Washington's capital gains tax exempts real estate, so the state does not tax the gain itself. For federal income tax, if you owned and lived in the house two of the last five years, you can usually exclude much or all of the gain.
If you owned and lived in it two of the last five years, the IRS lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly, as long as you haven't used the exclusion on another home in the two years before. A rental, an inherited house or a recent purchase works differently, and a CPA can tell you how it applies to your own sale. The guides to selling an inherited house and selling with tenants cover those cases.
What does it cost to sell to Ideal Home Sale?
On a cash sale there is no listing commission. The excise tax and your payoff come out of the price as in any sale, and who pays title and escrow is written into the offer. Jason does not usually pay a seller's closing costs, though it can come up when you negotiate.
The written offer names the price, the title or escrow company and the closing date, and lists every cost that comes out of your sale: the loan payoff, any liens, the excise tax and the title and escrow fees as the offer splits them. If a line surprises you, ask before you sign, because nothing is binding until both sides have signed. Liens and back taxes are paid from the price at closing too.
When a listing would leave you more, Jason can list the house as a licensed Washington broker. The terms, commission included, are in the written listing agreement before anything is signed. Jason Bryant is a licensed broker with Windermere Real Estate (license 101377).
How the cash price itself is worked out, from the finished value, the repairs and the costs of a second sale, is on the page about how we make an offer.
Questions sellers ask
What do closing costs add up to on a $500,000 sale?
The excise tax is set by law: $8,000 on a $500,000 sale at the 2023-2026 state brackets and a 0.5% local rate. Title, your half of escrow and payoff fees come on top, and the commission if you list. Your escrow company quotes the exact figures.
Is the excise tax lower if the buyer pays cash?
The tax is worked out on the price alone, so a cash buyer and a buyer with a loan produce the same bill at the same price. It comes out of your proceeds at closing either way.
Does the buyer or the seller pay the escrow fee?
By local custom it is split between buyer and seller. The purchase agreement can say otherwise, so check who pays what before you sign.
Does Ideal Home Sale pay my closing costs?
Jason doesn't usually pay a seller's closing costs. Who pays which ones is set in the written offer, and it can come up when you negotiate.
Is there a commission when I sell to you for cash?
There is no listing commission on a cash sale. The excise tax, your payoff and the title and escrow fees the offer gives you still come out of the price, and the written offer lists each one.
What is a typical real estate commission in Washington?
There is no set rate. Commissions are negotiable and not set by law, so ask any agent what their fee covers and get it in writing in the listing agreement.
Can I see my net before I decide?
Yes. The net estimator works out a listing net from your own numbers and adds a cash net once you type the price from a written offer, all inside your browser, so nothing you type is sent.
See every cost on your own sale
Send the address. After Jason walks through the house you get a written offer with each cost on its own line, and he tells you if a listing would leave you more.
It takes about a minute, there's no obligation, and your details are never sold.
or call Jason (425) 650-0935