How Much Does It Cost to Sell a Home in Utah? (2026 Breakdown)

Sellers always ask me: "After everything, what do I actually keep?" After 18-plus years closing transactions across the Wasatch Front, I can tell you the answer is 90-94% of your sale price for most homeowners. That remaining 6-10% is not a mystery — it is a set of predictable, line-item costs that you can plan for and, in some cases, reduce.

Here is the full breakdown for 2026, with real numbers.

Agent commissions: the largest single cost

Commission is still the biggest line item for most sellers, but the structure has changed since the 2024 NAR settlement. Here is what that means in practice.

How commissions work now

Before the settlement, sellers typically offered a bundled commission — say 5-6% — that was split between the listing agent and the buyer's agent. That is no longer how it works. As of 2024, buyer-side compensation is no longer advertised on the MLS. Buyers now sign representation agreements with their agents, and the buyer's agent commission is negotiated separately.

What does this mean for you as a seller?

Listing agent commission: Typically 2.5-3% in Utah. This covers marketing, photography, MLS exposure, negotiation, and transaction management through closing.
Buyer's agent commission: You may still choose to offer buyer-agent compensation (and most sellers in Utah do, because it widens the buyer pool). That typically runs 2-2.5%. Or the buyer may pay their own agent directly — in which case, it does not come from your proceeds.

On a $650,000 sale, total commissions might range from $16,250 (if you pay only your listing agent at 2.5%) to $35,750 (if you cover both sides at a combined 5.5%). Most of my sellers land somewhere in the $29,000-$33,000 range when they choose to offer buyer-agent compensation, which I generally recommend in this market.

Title insurance and escrow fees

Utah is a title-company state, meaning a title company handles the closing rather than an attorney. Expect to pay:

Title insurance (owner's policy for the buyer): In Utah, the seller customarily pays for the buyer's title insurance policy. On a $650,000 home, this runs roughly $1,800-$2,500.
Escrow and closing fees: The title company charges for managing the transaction, document preparation, and recording. Budget $800-$1,500.

Combined, title and escrow costs typically land between $2,600 and $4,000 depending on sale price and the title company used.

Property taxes (prorated)

You pay property taxes through the day of closing, and the buyer picks up the rest. Utah property taxes are collected in arrears, so depending on your closing date, you may owe a prorated amount or receive a credit.

For a $650,000 home in Salt Lake County with a tax rate around 0.55%, your annual taxes are roughly $3,575. If you close on July 1, your prorated share is approximately $1,788. This is not an extra cost — you owe it regardless — but it comes out of your proceeds at closing rather than in a separate payment.

Home warranty for the buyer

Offering a home warranty to the buyer is optional but common in Utah. It covers major systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, appliances) for the first year of ownership and gives the buyer confidence — especially on homes that are 10-plus years old.

Cost: $400-$600 for a standard plan. I recommend it on most resale listings because it reduces the chance of a post-closing complaint and can make your offer negotiations smoother.

Repair credits and concessions

This is the cost that surprises sellers most, because it does not show up until the buyer's inspection is complete.

In the current Utah market, inspection-related repair credits typically range from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the age and condition of the home. Common items that drive concession requests:

HVAC systems nearing end of life ($4,000-$8,000 to replace)
Roof repairs or remaining life concerns ($2,000-$10,000+)
Plumbing issues — particularly polybutylene pipe or older water heaters
Radon mitigation ($800-$1,200 in affected areas of Utah County)
Foundation or grading concerns — especially on hillside lots

You do not have to agree to every request. Negotiation is part of the process, and I push back on cosmetic or frivolous items aggressively. But budgeting $5,000-$10,000 for concessions on a typical resale home is realistic. This is one reason I advocate for a pre-listing inspection — it lets you fix issues on your terms and timeline, usually for less money than a buyer's concession request.

Staging and photography

Professional presentation is not optional if you want top dollar. Here is what it costs:

Professional photography: $300-$600 (included in my listing services)
Video walkthrough or drone footage: $200-$500 (also included)
Full staging: $2,000-$5,000 for a vacant home, depending on size and duration
Partial staging or consultation: $500-$1,500

If you are living in the home, staging costs drop significantly — often to just a consultation fee plus some rented accent pieces. For vacant luxury properties, full staging is a non-negotiable investment. Staged homes sell faster and for more money. The data on this is not ambiguous. If you are curious about what today's buyers respond to, take a look at features that drive value in Utah luxury homes.

Pre-listing repairs and touch-ups

Beyond concession-level issues, most homes benefit from cosmetic work before listing:

Interior paint touch-ups: $500-$2,000
Carpet cleaning or replacement: $500-$3,000
Landscaping refresh: $300-$1,000
Minor fixture updates (lighting, cabinet hardware): $200-$800
Power washing (driveway, patio, siding): $200-$400

Total for a well-maintained home: $1,000-$4,000. For a home that has been deferred on maintenance, this number can climb to $8,000-$12,000 — but every dollar spent here tends to return $2-3 at the closing table.

Moving costs

People forget this one. Whether you hire a full-service mover or rent a truck, it is a real cost:

Local move (within the Wasatch Front): $1,500-$4,000
Long-distance move (out of state): $5,000-$15,000+
Storage (if there is a gap between closing and your next home): $150-$300/month

Capital gains tax: when it applies

Here is the good news: most Utah homeowners owe zero capital gains tax on their home sale. The primary residence exclusion allows you to exclude up to $250,000 in gain (single) or $500,000 (married filing jointly) if you have lived in the home for at least two of the last five years.

Where it gets more complex:

Gain exceeding the exclusion: If your home appreciated more than $500,000 since purchase, you owe federal capital gains tax (typically 15-20%) plus Utah state income tax (4.55%) on the excess.
Investment or rental property: No primary residence exclusion. You owe capital gains on the full profit unless you execute a 1031 exchange.
Less than two years of occupancy: Partial exclusion may apply for qualifying life events (job relocation, health issues). Otherwise, the full gain is taxable.

I am not a CPA, and you should talk to yours before closing if your situation is anything other than straightforward. But for the majority of my sellers — families who have lived in their home for several years — capital gains tax is a non-issue.

Worked example: selling a $650,000 home

Let me put it all together. Here is a realistic breakdown for a typical resale home in the Salt Lake or Utah County market:

| Cost | Estimate | |---|---| | Listing agent commission (2.75%) | $17,875 | | Buyer's agent commission (2.5%) | $16,250 | | Title insurance and escrow | $3,200 | | Prorated property taxes | $1,788 | | Home warranty for buyer | $500 | | Repair credits / concessions | $7,500 | | Staging and photography | $1,500 | | Pre-listing repairs | $2,500 | | Moving costs | $3,000 | | Total selling costs | $54,113 | | Net proceeds (before mortgage payoff) | $595,887 |

That is roughly 91.7% of the sale price in your pocket (before paying off your remaining mortgage balance). On a percentage basis: about 8.3% in total selling costs.

Your actual number will vary. If your home is newer and in great condition, concessions and repairs drop. If you are selling a luxury property above $1M, commission rates may be slightly lower as a percentage, but staging costs go up. The framework stays the same.

FSBO: does selling yourself actually save money?

The math looks tempting: skip the listing agent commission and save $17,875 on the example above. In reality, here is what the data consistently shows:

FSBO homes sell for 5-10% less than agent-listed homes on average, according to NAR research. On a $650,000 home, that is $32,500-$65,000 in lost sale price — far more than the commission you saved.
You still need to offer buyer-agent compensation (or dramatically shrink your buyer pool).
You take on pricing risk, legal liability, and negotiation exposure without professional representation.
Marketing reach is limited — no MLS syndication, no agent network, no professional photography pipeline.

Some sellers do successfully sell FSBO, particularly in hot neighborhoods where demand outstrips supply. But for most people, the commission is not a cost — it is an investment with a measurable return. The 2026 Utah market rewards preparation and pricing discipline, and both are harder to execute without professional guidance.

Tips to minimize your selling costs

After hundreds of transactions, here is what actually moves the needle:

Get a pre-listing inspection. Spending $400 now prevents $8,000 in concession demands later. Fix what matters, disclose the rest.
Price correctly from day one. Overpriced homes sit, then sell for less than they would have if priced right initially. Days on market is the most expensive metric in real estate.
Invest in presentation. Clean, staged, and professionally photographed homes attract more buyers, more offers, and higher prices. This is the highest-ROI money you will spend.
Negotiate concessions strategically. Not every inspection item requires a credit. I push back on cosmetic requests and focus negotiations on legitimate safety and structural concerns.
Time your closing. Closing earlier in the month saves a few days of prorated interest on your mortgage. Closing in spring or early summer in Utah typically yields stronger sale prices.
Choose your agent on value, not just rate. The cheapest commission does not produce the best net proceeds. An agent who prices correctly, markets aggressively, and negotiates well will put more money in your pocket than one who discounts their fee.

Ready to see your numbers?

Every home and situation is different. I build a seller net sheet for every client before we list — a line-by-line projection of your proceeds based on your specific home, your mortgage balance, and current market conditions. No surprises at the closing table.

Contact me for a no-obligation consultation. We will walk through your numbers, your timeline, and a strategy to maximize what you keep. You can also start with my complete seller preparation checklist to see what the process looks like from start to finish.