What it costs to sell a house in Colorado

People ask us for one number for what it costs to sell a house in Colorado. There is not one figure that fits every sale. The costs are a short list, and most of them show up on the closing statement. Where a charge changes from sale to sale, check the current amount.

Brokerage compensation is the line sellers ask about first. In Colorado it is not set by law, and it is negotiable. We put our charge in writing before you sign a listing agreement.

A title company handles the closing. Its fees, the title insurance policy, and the recording charges are on the settlement statement. Those amounts are not the same at every company, and they can change. Ask for an estimate when you choose the company, and read the final statement before you sign it.

Property taxes are usually prorated. You cover the days you owned the house, and the buyer covers the days after. The county bill is the source. Your county treasurer's bill is the source for the exact amount.

If the home is in an association, ask about transfer fees, a status letter, and any special assessment that is already approved. Those charges are set by the association, not by us. Get them in writing before you assume the sale is “just the commission.”

You may also agree to repairs, or to a credit, after the inspection. That is a negotiation, not a standard fee. The same is true of a concession you offer so the buyer can pay one of their costs. If you agree to it, it belongs on the net sheet next to the other costs.

Colorado charges a state documentary fee when the deed is recorded: one cent per $100 of the price (C.R.S. 39-13-102), so about $55 on a $550,000 sale. The contract says who pays it. Sellers in Colorado also commonly pay for the buyer's owner's title insurance policy; your contract says who pays. A few Colorado towns add a local transfer tax. Your title company will show the exact amounts for your sale.

Compensation, title and closing charges, taxes, association items, agreed repairs or credits, and the loan payoff. If a cost is not on that list, ask the title company whether it applies to your sale before you assume it does not.

A net sheet puts the sale price on top and the costs under it, so you can see what you expect to take away. Ask us for one. It is an estimate until the final statement. It is not an appraisal, and it is not tax advice.

If you are thinking about selling a Denver metro home, start on our Sell page or send us a message. We will talk through the price and the costs in the same conversation. The cities are on the areas we serve page. A rough figure from the calculators page is an estimate, not the closing statement.