STL Home Journey
George Kindler
Seller education for St. Louis homeowners
Last updated May 27, 2026
Key Takeaways
Sellers tend to think net = sale price minus mortgage payoff, but commission, title, prorated taxes, concessions, and prep come out first. Worked examples in this article land at 10.2% on a $200K home and 9.9% on a $300K home.
On a $250,000 sale that's $12,500–$17,500; on a $400,000 sale, $20,000–$28,000. Sellers can still offer buyer-agent compensation — it's just negotiated separately now instead of published in the MLS.
In Missouri the seller typically pays for the owner's title insurance policy protecting the buyer. That range is separate from prorated property taxes.
Many St. Louis buyers request closing-cost help. On a $220,000 home, a 3% concession is $6,600 off your net — worth deciding whether to offer upfront or negotiate from an incoming offer.
How much does it cost to sell a house in St. Louis? Plan on roughly 8–11% of the sale price before your mortgage payoff when you count commission, title and closing costs, property-tax proration, buyer concessions, and normal sale preparation. On a $200,000 sale, the worked example below totals $20,400, or 10.2%. Estimates of 7–9% may exclude costs such as buyer concessions or preparing the house for market.
The exact number depends on the commission negotiated, whether the buyer receives concessions, the home’s condition and the closing date. The useful number is not just “fees” — it is what you will actually net after every line item.
None of these costs are negotiable in the sense that you can simply opt out of them. But knowing what they are -- and how to minimize them where possible -- makes the difference between a seller who is surprised at the closing table and one who planned for the actual number.
It helps to think of these not as random “fees” but as a stack of items that each come out of your proceeds before you net a dollar. For a St. Louis sale, that stack usually includes:
Missouri does not impose a statewide real-property transfer tax, which removes one seller cost found in some states. Local municipal inspection or occupancy requirements can still create property-specific costs.
Because every one of these comes out before your payoff, the number that actually matters is your net. Walk through your own figures with the net-proceeds calculator, compare a traditional sale against a cash offer, and see how repair costs affect your price before deciding what to fix.
Commission remains the largest cost of selling a home in St. Louis. After the NAR settlement that took effect in August 2024, the structure has changed somewhat -- but the reality for most sellers has not changed as dramatically as headlines suggested.
In practice, most St. Louis sellers are still paying 5% to 7% total commission, depending on price point, location, and the marketing strategy involved. On a $250,000 sale, that is $12,500 to $17,500. On a $400,000 sale, that is $20,000 to $28,000.
The 5% to 6% range is common on well-priced homes in active markets where the marketing and transaction management are relatively straightforward. The 6% to 7% range applies to properties requiring more marketing investment -- unique properties, higher price points, extended marketing periods, or situations with complex negotiations.
Pricing correctly reduces this cost. A home that sells in 10 days does not require the same marketing investment as one that sits for 90 days and requires repeated showings, price reductions, and broker outreach.
In Missouri, sellers typically pay for the owner's title insurance policy that protects the buyer. Seller-paid title and closing costs in St. Louis generally run $1,200 to $1,500 for a standard residential transaction, not including prorated property taxes.
This covers: owner's title insurance premium, settlement fee, document preparation, deed recording, and other standard closing charges. Attorney fees are not standard in Missouri residential transactions -- if an attorney is involved, that is an additional cost.
Missouri property taxes are paid in arrears -- you pay in December for the current year. At closing, sellers credit the buyer for the portion of the year the seller owned the property. On a $250,000 St. Louis County home, annual property taxes typically run $3,000 to $4,500 depending on municipality and school district. If you close in July, you owe roughly half that amount as a proration credit to the buyer.
These vary widely based on the property's condition and the seller's strategy:
| Item | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Professional cleaning | $200 -- $500 | Almost always worth doing |
| Professional photography | $150 -- $350 | Included in most agent marketing packages |
| Light staging | $500 -- $2,000 | Furniture rearrangement, accessory updates |
| Full vacant staging | $2,000 -- $5,000 | For vacant homes; can significantly reduce DOM |
| Paint (interior) | $2,000 -- $5,000 | Full repaint; selective touch-up much less |
| Carpet replacement | $2,000 -- $5,000 | Depends on size and grade |
| Landscaping / curb appeal | $300 -- $1,500 | Mulch, cleanup, basic plantings |
Many St. Louis buyers request closing cost assistance from sellers, particularly first-time buyers using FHA or USDA financing. Concessions of 2% to 3% of the sale price are common. On a $220,000 home, a 3% concession is $6,600 coming off your net. Whether to offer them upfront or negotiate them as part of a received offer depends on market conditions and buyer pool.
| Cost | $200,000 Home | $300,000 Home |
|---|---|---|
| Commission (6%) | $12,000 | $18,000 |
| Title and closing | $1,400 | $1,400 |
| Prorated taxes (est.) | $1,500 | $2,200 |
| Pre-listing prep (est.) | $1,500 | $2,000 |
| Seller concession (2%) | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| Total costs | $20,400 (10.2%) | $29,600 (9.9%) |
| Net (no mortgage) | $179,600 | $270,400 |
Some of these costs are fixed and some are negotiable:
How much does it cost to sell a house in St. Louis?
The total cost of selling a home in St. Louis typically runs 8 to 11 percent of the sale price. The largest components are agent commission (5 to 7%), title and closing costs ($1,200 to $1,500), prorated property taxes, and any seller concessions offered to the buyer.
Who pays closing costs in Missouri, the buyer or seller?
Both parties pay closing costs in Missouri. Sellers typically pay the agent commission, owner's title insurance, and prorated taxes. Buyers pay lender fees, their portion of title costs, prepaid items like homeowner's insurance and property tax escrow, and any other loan-related costs.
Can I sell my house without paying commission in St. Louis?
Yes, you can sell as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO). However, you may still offer buyer agent compensation to attract represented buyers, which is the majority of active buyers. FSBO homes statistically sell for less and take longer to sell. The commission savings are often partially or fully offset by a lower sale price.
What is a seller concession and do I have to offer one?
A seller concession is a credit at closing toward the buyer's closing costs or prepaid items. You are not required to offer one, but in price ranges where buyers are stretching financially -- particularly FHA and first-time buyers -- a concession can be the difference between attracting strong offers and not. They typically run 2 to 3 percent of the sale price.
This is one piece of the St. Louis seller decision process. Keep comparing your options before you sign anything.
Back to Seller Guides →Considering selling without an agent? Before you decide, read the Missouri FSBO guide — what the process actually involves, and when it makes sense vs. when it costs you more than the commission you saved.
Considering FSBO or a flat fee listing? The flat fee MLS St. Louis guide breaks down exactly what you get, what you remain responsible for, and where sellers most commonly lose money on the transaction.
Grew up in South St. Louis, lived in Dogtown for 6 years, now in South County. You'll find us at Wellspring on Lindbergh on Sundays. I'm not selling you a house — I'm showing you how to think about buying or selling a house.