Commission is most of the bill, and you can negotiate it. The transfer tax is set by city law, and the rate for your price tier applies to the whole price. That makes the tax jump at $1 million and again at $5 million.

A direct sale to a buyer like us removes the commission and the prep work, and it usually comes at a lower price than a listing.

How much does it cost to sell a home in San Francisco?

For a $1.4 million sale where you pay both agents, the standard costs come to about $83,500, close to 6% of the price. Your own lines will change with the price and the commission you agree to.

Agent commission at the California average of 5.08%: $71,120
San Francisco transfer tax at $3.75 per $500: $10,500
3R report from the Department of Building Inspection: $379
Staging service at the national median: $1,500
Total: $83,499

That total leaves out repairs, carrying costs, your loan payoff, smaller escrow fees and tax on any gain.

What does agent commission cost after the NAR settlement?

Expect about 5% for both agents, or about 2.6% if you pay only your own. Clever Real Estate's August 2026 survey of 50 California agents put the average at 2.57% for the listing agent and 2.51% for the buyer's agent, or 5.08% in all. The same survey found listing rates usually between 1% and 3.5%.

On a $1.4 million sale, the listing side alone at 2.57% is $35,980. Paying the buyer's agent at 2.51% adds $35,140.

How buyer agents get paid changed on August 17, 2024, under the National Association of Realtors settlement. NAR's settlement FAQ lists what that means for sellers:

You can still choose to offer the buyer's agent compensation, but the offer can't appear on the MLS.
Your agent has to disclose any such payment to you in writing ahead of time, with the amount or rate, and get your approval.
Buyers working with an agent sign a written agreement on how that agent is paid before touring a home.
Your agent's pay "remains fully negotiable and is not set by law."

California law agrees. Under Business and Professions Code 10147.5, a form listing agreement for a home of up to four units must say "the amount or rate of real estate commissions is not fixed by law," and the rate can't be preprinted.

What is the San Francisco transfer tax, and who pays it?

San Francisco charges $2.50 to $30.00 for each $500 of the price, and the rate for your tier applies to the entire price. The Assessor-Recorder collects it when the deed is recorded, along with a transfer tax affidavit.

The tiers, from the Assessor-Recorder:

Over $100 up to $250,000: $2.50 per $500 (0.5%)
Over $250,000 and under $1 million: $3.40 per $500 (0.68%)
$1 million to under $5 million: $3.75 per $500 (0.75%)
$5 million to under $10 million: $11.25 per $500 (2.25%)
$10 million to under $25 million: $27.50 per $500 (5.5%)
$25 million or more: $30.00 per $500 (6%)

At those rates, an $800,000 sale owes $5,440, a $1.4 million sale owes $10,500 and a $2 million sale owes $15,000.

Because each rate covers the whole price, the tax steps up at each line. A sale at $999,999 owes $6,800, and one at $1,000,000 owes $7,500. A sale just under $5 million owes $37,500, and one at $5 million owes $112,500. If your price lands near a line, check the tax on both sides.

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Who pays is set by your contract. Old Republic Title's January 2024 Bay Area guide shows San Francisco sellers paying the city tax by custom, and notes that custom can be negotiated.

Is there a separate county transfer tax in San Francisco?

No. San Francisco is a city and county, and the county tax is included in the city rate. Revenue and Taxation Code 11911 lets a county or a city and county charge $0.55 per $500, and Old Republic's guide lists San Francisco's as "Included in the City Transfer Tax." Elsewhere in the Bay Area, such as Oakland or Berkeley, the guide shows the county's $1.10 per $1,000 plus a separate city tax.

Seller closing costs in San Francisco: escrow and title

By San Francisco custom, the buyer pays the escrow fee and the owner's title policy, according to Old Republic Title's guide. Your contract can divide them another way, so read that section before you sign.

Some charges stay with you either way:

Your mortgage payoff comes out of the sale. The CFPB notes that it includes interest through the day the loan is paid, plus any unpaid fees.
Your lender can charge a fee to clear its deed of trust from the record. Under Civil Code 2941, a fee of $45 or less is presumed reasonable.
If you sell a condo, Civil Code 4530 lets the association charge you a reasonable fee, based on its actual cost, for the documents a buyer receives. It has to give you an estimate first.

Ask the escrow officer early for an estimated settlement statement, which lists each charge on your side.

What does the 3R report cost?

The Department of Building Inspection charges $379 for each residential building on a lot, or $388.48 paid online by card. San Francisco's housing code requires owners or their agents to give the buyer this Report of Residential Building Record.

Order it early. The department says it issues a 3R report in seven to ten business days, and it gives no refunds once you pay. The request asks whether the building is a condominium or co-op, and which building if the lot has more than one.

The report shows the authorized use and building permit history. It leaves out plumbing and electrical permits. If a room or unit has no permit on record, expect the buyer to ask about it. We buy houses with unpermitted work and open code issues as they are, and we account for them in the offer.

What do repairs cost before you sell?

There is no standard repair cost. It depends on the house and on what the buyer asks for after inspection, so get bids before you list.

In NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Staging, the improvements sellers' agents recommended most were decluttering (91%), cleaning the whole home (88%) and improving curb appeal (77%).

If you'd rather not fix anything, see our page on selling a house as-is in California.

What do staging and carrying costs add?

NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Staging put the median cost of a staging service at $1,500, against $500 when the seller's agent did the staging. In the same survey, 17% of sellers' agents said the seller pays for staging, and 23% said they offer to stage the home themselves. These are national figures, so get a local quote.

Carrying costs run every month the house is still yours: loan interest, property tax, insurance, utilities and any HOA dues. The combined San Francisco property tax rate for fiscal year 2025-26 was $1.18268325 for each $100 of assessed value, under Board of Supervisors Resolution 447-25. On an assessed value of $900,000, that is about $10,644 a year, or about $887 a month. Use the assessed value on your tax bill, which can be very different from the price.

What taxes can come out of the sale?

Tax on a gain comes later, on your tax return, and it changes what you keep. The IRS lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain on your main home, or $500,000 on a joint return, if you owned and lived in it for at least two of the five years before the sale. In California, the Franchise Tax Board says, all capital gains are taxed as ordinary income.

Under FTB Publication 1016, the buyer, often through escrow, withholds 3 1/3% of the price unless an exemption applies, such as a home you last used as your principal residence. On a $1.4 million rental, that is about $46,620, credited against your California tax when you file. Talk to a tax adviser before you sign.

How does a direct sale compare, line by line?

A direct sale removes the commission and the prep, and the price is usually lower.

Commission: A listing averages 5.08% for both agents in Clever's survey. There is no agent commission on our side.
City transfer tax: It applies to either sale, and the contract says who pays. Ask any buyer, us included, and get the answer in writing.
Escrow and title: We cover the standard closing costs.
3R report: The housing code requires it either way. With no agent involved, plan to order it yourself.
Repairs, staging and showings: A listing usually needs all three. We buy as-is, with no repairs, staging or showings.
Time and carrying costs: A listing runs as long as the market takes. On our side: "We can make an offer within 24 hours. We can close in as little as 7 days when the title is clear; 30 to 60 days is typical."
Price: A listing can bring full market value. Our FAQ says it plainly: "We pay fair prices, but not always full market value. For houses needing repairs, we calculate fair prices by subtracting repair costs."

As an example only, the $1.4 million listing above leaves $1,316,501 after those four lines, before your loan payoff. If you still paid the city transfer tax and the 3R fee yourself, a direct offer of about $1,327,000 would leave the same. The listing figure is also before repairs, any price cut and months of carrying costs.

If your house shows well and you have a few months, a listing may leave you more. We are a better fit when the house needs work, the timing is tight, or you don't want showings. That includes rentals with tenants in place, rent-controlled ones too. You can see how selling your Bay Area house to us works, or start with selling your San Francisco house to us.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to sell a $1 million house in San Francisco?

At the California average of 5.08% for both agents, commission is $50,800. The city transfer tax at $1,000,000 is $7,500, and the 3R report is $379, for about $58,700. Staging, repairs, carrying costs and tax on any gain are extra. If you pay only your own agent at the 2.57% average, commission drops to $25,700.

Who pays the transfer tax in San Francisco, the buyer or the seller?

The purchase contract decides. Old Republic Title's January 2024 Bay Area guide shows San Francisco sellers paying the city transfer tax by custom, and it notes that custom can be negotiated. There is no separate county tax to add, because the county rate is included in the city tax. Ask every buyer how they plan to handle it and get the answer in the contract.

Do sellers still pay the buyer's agent after the NAR settlement?

Sometimes. Since August 17, 2024, offers to pay the buyer's agent can't appear on the MLS, and buyers sign a written pay agreement with their own agent before touring. You can still choose to offer that agent compensation, approved by you in writing first. Buyers can still accept other seller concessions, such as help with closing costs. Clever's August 2026 survey put the average buyer's agent fee in California at 2.51%.

Does a cash buyer pay my closing costs?

It depends on the buyer and the contract, so ask for it in writing. We cover the standard closing costs, and there is no agent commission on our side. The city transfer tax is a separate line, and the contract sets who pays it. Your loan payoff comes out of the sale at closing. Compare each offer by what you would take home after every line.

Compare your numbers at your own pace

If you'd like to set a cash offer next to a listing estimate, start with selling your San Francisco house to us and take your time with it. When you're ready, contact us or call (510) 283-9871. No pressure, and no rush.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. If your case turns on the details, talk to a California real estate attorney or a tax adviser.

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a Home in San Francisco, California?