What It Really Costs to Sell a Home in Los Angeles County

Most sellers have a number in their head — what they think the home will sell for — and a much fuzzier sense of what actually reaches their bank account afterward. The gap between those two figures surprises people.

Here is an honest walkthrough of what comes out of a sale in Los Angeles County. Every transaction is different, and this is general information rather than a quote for your specific property, but it should give you a realistic frame.

Transfer taxes

These are the ones people forget entirely, and in Los Angeles they can be significant.

Los Angeles County documentary transfer tax: 0.11% of the sale price. This applies countywide.

City of Los Angeles transfer tax: an additional 0.45% if the property sits inside City of LA limits. Much of the San Fernando Valley does. Neighboring cities like Burbank, Calabasas, and Santa Clarita have their own rules.

Measure ULA — often called the mansion tax, though the name is misleading. It applies to property in the City of Los Angeles above a threshold that adjusts annually for inflation. For transactions closing after June 30, 2026, the current tiers are:

• 4% on sales above $5,400,000 but under $10,900,000
• 5.5% on sales of $10,900,000 or more

Two things about ULA catch sellers off guard. First, it is calculated on the entire sale price, not just the amount above the threshold — which means crossing a threshold by a single dollar has an enormous consequence. Second, it applies to all property types, not just luxury homes, and it cannot be deferred through a 1031 exchange because it is a transfer tax, not a capital gains tax.

If your home is anywhere near $5.4 million, pricing strategy deserves a real conversation before you list.

Commissions

Real estate commissions are negotiable — there is no standard or fixed rate, and any agent who tells you otherwise is wrong.

It is also worth separating two things that used to get lumped together:

• Listing-side compensation is what you agree to pay your own broker for representing you. That is spelled out in your listing agreement.
• Buyer-broker compensation is a separate matter. Buyers now sign written agreements with their own agents. Whether you as a seller offer to contribute toward the buyer’s agent compensation is a strategic decision, negotiated as part of the transaction, and it is not automatic.

I would rather have this conversation openly and early than have it become a surprise line item at closing.

Escrow, title, and closing costs

These vary by provider and by deal, and they are often split between buyer and seller according to local custom and whatever the contract says. Expect line items for:

• Escrow fees
• Title insurance
• Recording fees
• County and city transfer taxes (above)
• Notary and courier charges
• HOA document and transfer fees, if applicable
• Prorated property taxes through the closing date

Your escrow officer will produce an estimated settlement statement. Ask for it early.

Pre-sale and negotiated costs

This is the category with the widest range, because it depends entirely on your home’s condition:

• Natural Hazard Disclosure report — required in California, ordered by the seller
• Termite and pest inspection and any agreed work
• Repairs negotiated after the buyer’s inspection
• Pre-listing preparation — cleaning, paint, landscaping, staging, photography
• Seller credits toward the buyer’s closing costs or a rate buydown, if negotiated
• Home warranty, if you agree to provide one

Preparation spending is optional but rarely wasted. Presentation drives both price and days on market, and in a market where buyers have choices, condition matters more than it did a few years ago.

What this is not

Two important limits on the above.

This is not tax advice. Whether you owe capital gains tax on your sale, whether you qualify for the primary residence exclusion, and how your cost basis is calculated are questions for a CPA or tax attorney — and the answers can be worth a great deal of money. Talk to one before you list, not after you close.

It is also not a quote. The only way to know your actual net is to run your specific property, price, location, and loan payoff through a real seller net sheet.

Get your real numbers

If you would like a net sheet for your property — what it would likely sell for, and what you would actually walk away with — I am happy to prepare one. Start with a home value estimate, and we can go from there.

For context on where the Valley market sits right now, read the San Fernando Valley Housing Market Update.