The Real Cost of Selling With an Agent vs. a Cash Offer

The number you see vs. the number you keep

When most sellers compare selling with an agent to selling to a cash buyer, they compare one number: the offer price. But the offer price is just the headline. What you actually walk away with — your net proceeds — is what matters, and the gap between the two is wider than most people expect.

Let's walk through the real line items on both sides, using a $400,000 home as an example. Your numbers will be different, but the shape of the math is the same for almost every sale.

What a traditional sale really costs

• Agent commission — typically 5–6% of the sale price ($20,000–$24,000).
• Pre-listing repairs and updates to pass inspection and show well ($3,000–$15,000+).
• Carrying costs while it's on the market — mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities (often $2,500–$4,000/month).
• Staging, photos, and concessions buyers ask for after inspection ($1,000–$5,000).
• Your time — evenings and weekends on showings, keeping the house spotless, chasing your agent.

What a cash offer costs

• Commission — $0.
• Repairs — $0, you sell as-is.
• Carrying costs — minimal, you pick the close date.
• Staging and concessions — none.
• Closing costs — we pay the standard ones.

On a $400,000 home, a traditional sale might net you closer to $360,000–$370,000 once you subtract commission, repairs, and a few months of carrying costs. A cash offer at $385,000 — which looks $15,000 lower on paper — can actually put more in your pocket, with no open houses and no wondering whether the buyer's financing will fall through.

The offer price is what's printed. Your net is what's deposited.

Which one is right for you?

If you have time, a move-in-ready home, and the stomach for showings and negotiations, a traditional sale can make sense. If your priority is certainty, speed, or simply moving on without one more project, a cash offer is hard to beat. We're happy to walk through both with you — no pressure either way.

Want to see the numbers for your house? Tell us the address and we'll send a firm, written offer within 24 hours. No obligation.