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Seller Guide · Net Proceeds

What It Costs to Sella House inLos Angeles.

The sale price is not what you take home. Here is every major cost, where each figure comes from, and a calculator to work out your own number.

Quick Answer

What are the costs of selling a home in Los Angeles?

Most sellers pay four kinds of cost. Commission, which is negotiable and not set by law. Escrow and title fees, which your escrow officer quotes. The Los Angeles County documentary transfer tax. And, if the home is inside the City of Los Angeles, the city transfer tax and possibly Measure ULA.

Then your loan payoff, any repair credits to the buyer, and smaller items like prorated property tax come out before you are paid. The calculator below does the math with your own numbers.

Get a Net Sheet for My AddressTry the CalculatorCall 818-916-4058
Net Proceeds Calculator

What You ActuallyWalk Away With.

Enter a price you are thinking about and your own costs. The transfer taxes are filled in from published Los Angeles law. Nothing here is a quote.

$

Your own working number. This tool does not estimate what your home is worth — that is what the review below is for.

$

The payoff figure from your lender, including any second loan or HELOC. It is higher than your remaining principal.

%

Enter the rate you agreed with your agent. Commission is negotiable in California, is not fixed by law, and is agreed in writing before marketing begins. No rate is quoted here, and the net stays blank until you enter one.

%

A placeholder to replace with your escrow officer’s actual quote. Escrow, title, notary, recording and county fees vary by transaction.

$

Anything you expect to give back after inspections. Often zero at launch and rarely zero at close.

Encino, Tarzana, Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills are inside the city. Separately incorporated cities such as Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Calabasas are not, and the city transfer tax and Measure ULA do not apply there.

Estimated Net Proceeds

Incomplete. Enter the commission rate you agreed with your agent to see a net figure. The costs below do not include commission yet.

Sale price
$1,650,000
Commission
Not entered
Escrow, title and other closing costs
-$16,500
Repairs, credits and concessions
$0
County documentary transfer tax
-$1,815
City of Los Angeles transfer tax
-$7,425
Mortgage payoff
-$600,000
Get the Real Number for My AddressHow Aryan Lists a Home

An arithmetic estimate for planning only — not tax advice, legal advice, a net sheet, or a quote for any service. It excludes property-tax and HOA prorations, HOA transfer and document fees, natural hazard reports, home warranty, liens or judgments, moving costs, and any capital-gains consequences. Transfer-tax figures were checked on 21 September 2026 against the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance. Measure ULA thresholds are adjusted annually for inflation and exemptions exist. Confirm current figures with the Office of Finance, your escrow officer and your own CPA or tax attorney before making a pricing decision.

How much is the real estate commission?

There is no set rate. Commission is negotiable and is agreed in writing before your home is marketed.

California law requires a listing agreement for a home of one to four units to include a notice, in bold type, that commissions are not fixed by law, are set by each broker, and may be negotiable. So any number you hear is an offer, not a rule.

When you compare agents, compare what you get for the fee: pricing work, preparation, marketing, and who actually handles your sale. You can see how I market a home and how I list a home.

What do escrow and title cost?

It depends on the company, the price and the services in your deal. Get a written estimate from your escrow officer rather than relying on a rule of thumb.

Escrow holds the money and paperwork until closing. Title insurance protects the buyer against problems with ownership. Who pays which fee can be part of the deal. Recording, notary and courier fees can also appear. I do not publish a figure here because it changes from deal to deal.

What is the Los Angeles County transfer tax?

Per the County Registrar-Recorder, it is $0.55 for each $500 of value, or $1.10 per $1,000. It applies across the county.

The County figures it on the value conveyed, not counting any lien or loan that stays on the property. It is collected when the deed is recorded. County and city transfer taxes are listed separately on the recorded document.

What are the City of Los Angeles transfer tax and Measure ULA?

Inside City of Los Angeles limits, the city charges its own transfer tax on every sale, and Measure ULA adds a further tax once the value passes a published threshold. The figures below come from the City's Office of Finance.

When Measure ULA applies, its rate is applied to the value conveyed, not only the part above the threshold. That means a price just over the line can net less than a price just under it. The calculator flags a price within 5% of a threshold for that reason.

Tax

City of Los Angeles base real property transfer tax

The City of Los Angeles charges a transfer tax on every document that conveys real property inside the city, at any value.

Who it applies to: Generally, conveyances of real property inside the City of Los Angeles limits. It is an excise tax on the privilege of selling a real property interest, not a tax on the property itself. Neighborhood names are not city boundaries. Confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction before assuming either way.

Base tax rate
$2.25 per $500 or fractional part thereof (0.45%)
Measure of value
Net value of the property conveyed, excluding any lien or encumbrance remaining at the time of sale
Rounding
A value not divisible by $500 is rounded up to the nearest $500 for the base tax calculation

Deliberately not published here: This tool does not calculate a transfer tax for a specific property. The taxable value, the available exemptions and who bears the cost are all deal-specific.

Official source: Los Angeles Office of Finance: Real Property Transfer Tax and Measure ULA FAQ

Last verified September 2026

Not legal, tax or insurance advice. Talk to a CPA, attorney, lender or qualified intermediary. I can refer you to ones I work with.

Tax

Measure ULA transfer tax (City of Los Angeles)

Measure ULA adds a further transfer tax on top of the base tax once the value conveyed inside the City of Los Angeles passes a published threshold.

Who it applies to: Generally, conveyances of real property inside the City of Los Angeles limits occurring on or after April 1, 2023, where the consideration or value passes the threshold. Exemptions exist for certain transferees described in Los Angeles Municipal Code sections 21.9.14 and 21.9.15.

Rate, value conveyed over $5,400,000 but under $10,900,000
4%
Rate, value conveyed $10,900,000 or more
5.5%
Thresholds in effect
For transactions closing after June 30, 2026
How the thresholds move
Adjusted annually using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Chained Consumer Price Index
Measure of value
Gross value, including the value of any lien or encumbrance
In force since
Conveyances occurring on or after April 1, 2023

Deliberately not published here: No ULA figure is calculated for a specific property here. Whether the tax applies at all turns on the value conveyed, the transferee and the exemptions in the municipal code.

Official source: Los Angeles Office of Finance: Real Property Transfer Tax and Measure ULA FAQ

Last verified September 2026

Not legal, tax or insurance advice. Talk to a CPA, attorney, lender or qualified intermediary. I can refer you to ones I work with.

Sources differ on the date. When I checked on September 21, 2026, the County Registrar-Recorder’s page still listed the City of Los Angeles thresholds effective July 1, 2025 ($5,300,000 and $10,600,000). The Office of Finance, which runs the tax, lists the thresholds above for transactions closing after June 30, 2026. Thresholds move each year, so confirm the current figures with the Office of Finance and your tax professional.

Is my home inside the City of Los Angeles?

Check the parcel, not the neighborhood name. Many Valley neighborhoods are inside the city, but nearby incorporated cities are not.

A mailing address or neighborhood name does not tell you which city a parcel is in. You can look up a parcel on the city’s ZIMAS map, or ask your escrow officer to confirm it before you set a price.

What other costs come out of my proceeds?

Your loan payoff, any repair credits, prorated property tax and HOA dues, and smaller items like reports and a home warranty if you offer one.

Your payoff is usually higher than your loan balance, because it includes interest to the payoff date. Ask your lender for a payoff statement. Repair credits often come from the buyer’s inspection. In the City of Los Angeles, many sales also need the city’s residential property report and certain safety items, which my 9A report guide covers.

Tax

California real estate withholding (Form 593)

California generally requires a prepayment of income tax to be withheld out of the proceeds of a California real estate sale, reported on Form 593 after every transaction.

Who it applies to: Generally, sellers of California real property, including exchanges and easements, and sales of property held by a trust. Form 593 lists full and partial exemptions, and it is filed with the escrow agent before closing.

Listed exemptions include sale price of
$100,000 or less
Other listed exemptions
Property in foreclosure; seller is a bank acting as a trustee
Form
Form 593, Real Estate Withholding Statement

Deliberately not published here: The withholding percentage is not printed here because the Franchise Tax Board page above does not state it. Read the current rate from the Form 593 instructions or FTB Publication 1016.

Official source: California Franchise Tax Board: Real estate withholding

Last verified September 2026

Not legal, tax or insurance advice. Talk to a CPA, attorney, lender or qualified intermediary. I can refer you to ones I work with.

How can I get a real number for my home?

Ask me for a net sheet. I will use a realistic price range for your home, your real payoff and an escrow estimate, and show you the math.

The price is the biggest input, and it is the one a calculator cannot give you. A home value review starts there. If your home did not sell last time, see what to change before you relist.

Aryan’s Verified Results

Closed, andCheckable.

Every figure below is taken from the transaction record. Nothing here is estimated or rounded.

Tarzana South Residence

Listing agent — listed and sold

  • Sold for $1,060,000.
  • Closed 9 September 2026.
  • Aryan Rabizadeh was the listing agent, CA DRE #02077236.
  • Tarzana, California. CRMLS listing SR26181762.

Verified 16 September 2026

Before You Call

What to have ready for a net sheet

None of this is required. It just makes the numbers more accurate.

  • The property addressEnough on its own to start.
  • Your loan payoff statementOr your latest mortgage statement.
  • Any second loan or HELOCThese come out at closing too.
  • Your latest property tax billUsed for prorations.
  • HOA name and dues, if anyHOAs may charge their own fees.
  • The price you have in mindWe will test it against the market.

You do not need answers to all of these. Bring what you have — the rest is what the conversation is for.

Common Questions

Selling Costsin Los Angeles.

What does it cost to sell a house in Los Angeles?

The main costs are commission, escrow and title fees, the County documentary transfer tax and, inside the City of Los Angeles, the city transfer tax and possibly Measure ULA. Then come your loan payoff and any repair credits. The total depends on your price, your location and what you agree to, so I will not quote a single percentage.

Is there a standard commission rate?

No. California law requires listing agreements for homes of one to four units to include a notice that commissions are not fixed by law, are set by each broker, and may be negotiable. What you pay is what you agree to in writing.

How much is the County transfer tax?

Per the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, the County documentary transfer tax is $0.55 for each $500 of value, which works out to $1.10 per $1,000. It is figured on the value conveyed, not counting any lien or loan that stays on the property.

Does Measure ULA apply to my sale?

Only if the property is inside the City of Los Angeles and the value is above the threshold set by the Office of Finance. When it applies, the rate is applied to the value conveyed, not only the amount over the line. Check the current figures above and confirm with the Office of Finance and a tax professional.

How do I know if my home is in the City of Los Angeles?

Do not go by the neighborhood name or the mailing city. Look up the parcel on the city’s ZIMAS map, or ask your escrow officer. Separately incorporated cities, such as Beverly Hills or Calabasas, are not in the City of Los Angeles.

What do escrow and title cost?

It varies by company, price and the services in your deal, so I do not publish a number. Ask your escrow officer for a written estimate. The calculator lets you enter it as a placeholder until you have one.

Will I owe tax on my profit?

Maybe. Federal rules may let you exclude some gain on a main home, and California may require withholding at closing. Both depend on your own facts, so talk to a CPA before you list.

Is the calculator a net sheet?

No. It is arithmetic for planning, not a quote. A real net sheet uses your actual payoff, your escrow quote, prorations and the terms of your sale. I can prepare that with you for your address.

No Obligation

Get a Net Sheetfor My Address.

Three fields to start: the property address, your name, and a phone number or email. I will come back with a price range and the costs that go with it.

There is no obligation to list with me.

Call 818-916-4058Text AryanGet a Net Sheet

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Sources & Scope

Aryan Rabizadeh is a licensed California real estate salesperson, not a CPA, attorney or escrow officer. Nothing on this page is tax or legal advice, and the calculator is not a quote or a net sheet. Transfer tax rates and thresholds change, and exemptions exist. Confirm current figures with the Office of Finance, the County Registrar-Recorder, your escrow officer and your own tax professional.

Written and reviewed by Aryan Rabizadeh, Real Estate Agent · CA DRE #02077236 · Rise Real Estate Group | Real Brokerage Technologies, Inc.
Last reviewed September 21, 2026

Related: Request a home value review · Selling as-is · All guides