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Should I sell? What do I actually net?

Three scenarios side by side: list with an agent, sell yourself (FSBO), or take a cash offer. The headline price isn't the number that matters — what hits your bank account is.

The property
Scenario assumptions
Capital gains
Saved scenarios sync to your dashboard.

What you actually walk away with

For sale by owner

$313,835
  • Sale price: $611,000
  • − Agent commission: $0
  • − Closing costs: $9,165
  • − Repairs / prep: $8,000
  • − Mortgage payoff: $280,000
  • − Capital gains tax: $0

Cash buyer offer

$256,213
  • Sale price: $552,500
  • − Agent commission: $0
  • − Closing costs: $8,288
  • − Repairs / prep: $8,000
  • − Mortgage payoff: $280,000
  • − Capital gains tax: $0

Capital gains

Primary residence exclusion applied: up to $500,000 of gain is tax-free (you've owned and lived here 2 of past 5 years). Taxable gain shown is anything above that.

Gross gain (agent) $219,750
Excluded $500,000
Taxable gain $0
Tax owed $0
Decision: Listing with an agent nets $319,750. Selling FSBO nets $313,835 — a $5,915 penalty for skipping the agent. A cash buyer at the discount you set nets $256,213 — but typically closes in 7–14 days vs. 60–90 for an agented sale. The agent route is the math-optimal answer for most sellers; the cash route is the time-optimal one.

Things this calculator doesn't include

Related answers in the Library

How the math works (plain English)

The order is always the same: start at sale price, subtract every cost, then pay off the mortgage, then pay tax on the gain.

The primary-residence exclusion in the US (IRC §121) shields up to $250,000 of gain if you're single, $500,000 if married filing jointly — but only if you've owned and lived in the home for at least 2 of the past 5 years. Everything above that is taxed as long-term capital gain (15% or 20% federal for most people, plus state).

FSBO saves the commission (~3%) but typically nets 5–10% less on price — most sellers don't have the negotiating leverage agents do. Cash-buyer offers ("we buy houses") are fast but you pay for the speed with a 10–20% discount. The calculator shows all three so you can weigh dollars against time and hassle.