Pennsylvania sellers can expect to pay around 3.93% of their home's final sale price in closing costs. For a $257,797 home — the median home value in Pennsylvania — you'd pay about $10,124.
In most cases, your closing costs will come out of your sales proceeds. If you don't earn enough from the sale to cover your closing costs, you might have to pay for some of these fees out of pocket — but this rarely happens.
Most sellers find that realtor commission fees are the most expensive part of selling a home in Pennsylvania. Luckily, it's easy to save thousands by using a low commission agent-matching service like Semya-Moya.
Clever pre-negotiates low listing fees of just 1.5% with top full-service Pennsylvania realtors so you can keep more money in your pocket after selling your home.
Want to find a top local agent without overpaying on realtor fees? Clever negotiates 1.5% listing fees with top-rated realtors from trusted brokerages like Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Berkshire Hathaway.
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Keep reading to learn what you're responsible for as a seller and how much closing costs are in Pennsylvania. Need estimates for your sale? You'll also find our Pennsylvania seller closing costs calculator!
How much are seller closing costs in Pennsylvania?
Seller closing costs include all the fees due when you finalize the sale of your home in Pennsylvania. Most of these expenses are required in order to transfer legal ownership of the property to your buyer.
In Pennsylvania, you'll pay about 3.93% of your home's final sale price in closing costs, not including realtor fees.
Remember that this figure is only an estimate. Depending on your location, selling timeline, and other unique factors, your closing costs can vary significantly. Fortunately, you can always negotiate with your buyer to determine who will cover certain fees.
If you want to make the most of your home sale, you'll want to work with an agent who has plenty of negotiation experience. Clever can help by connecting you with a local realtor who can expertly negotiate on your behalf and keep your best interests in mind.
» MORE: See how Clever can match you with a local expert
Who pays closing costs in Pennsylvania?
Buyers and sellers both have to pay unique closing costs to finalize a home sale. In Pennsylvania, it's common for sellers to pay title and closing service fees, transfer taxes, and recording fees.
» FIND: Learn more about buyer closing costs in Pennsylvania
Title fees: 0.52%
Title fees cover the costs of your title search and title transfer.
Selling your home requires you to transfer legal ownership of the property to your buyer. Before this can happen, your settlement agent will need to do a title search to ensure there aren't liens or claims against your property.
Buyers and sellers in Pennsylvania usually pay for their own closing agent or title company, but this isn't always the case. Make sure to check with your agent if you're not sure which fees you'll be responsible for.
Pennsylvania transfer tax: 0.50%
Pennsylvania will charge you about 0.50% of your property's final sale price to transfer the title to the new owner. For a $257,797 house — the median home value in Pennsylvania — you'd pay around $1,289.
However, transfer taxes can vary a lot depending on your home value and location. The city of Philadelphia, for example, imposes an additional 3.27% realty transfer tax on property sales. In Allegheny County, transfer taxes can cost anywhere from 2% to 5% of a property's value.
To find out how much you'll owe in transfer taxes based on your local ordinances, ask your real estate agent.
» FIND: Learn more about transfer taxes in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania recording fees: $75
Your county will charge a small fee to record your property's mortgage and deed information. Recording fees can vary slightly based on your location, but you can expect to pay about $75 in Pennsylvania. You can also negotiate for your buyer to pay for this expense.
Most counties list their recording fees on their websites. For example, Chester County charges $93.75 for documents up to four pages and $4 for every additional page. Butler County charges $86.75 to record documents up to four pages in length and $4 for each additional page.
If you want to see exactly how much you'll pay in recording fees, visit your county's official website.
Buyer incentives: 2%
Buyer incentives are great tools that sellers can use to appeal to house hunters. Common incentives can include paying for some of the buyer's closing costs, offering repair credits, or including valuable items — like new appliances or furniture — in the final sale.
On average, sellers spend around $5,156 on buyer incentives in Pennsylvania.
Don't forget about property taxes!
When you sell a home in Pennsylvania, you'll still have to pay property taxes for the months you owned the property. Using this prorated system, you won't be on the hook for the full 12 months of taxes. However, this does make it more difficult to estimate how much you'll owe at closing.
The average property tax rate in Pennsylvania is 1.56%, but this can vary quite a bit depending on your county.
For instance, Monroe County has the highest property tax rate in the state at 2.46%. Meanwhile, Sullivan County residents have the lowest property tax rate at just 0.91%.
Be sure to check with your real estate agent so you can find out exactly you'll need to pay in property taxes
Other Pennsylvania closing costs for sellers
Each home sale in Pennsylvania is unique, so sellers should plan to face a few surprise fees., For example, you may need a home appraisal for your historic Philadelphia townhouse, or you might want to hire a real estate attorney to oversee the sale of your Pittsburgh investment property.
» LEARN: The total cost of selling a house
Whatever your situation, you should be prepared for a couple unforeseen costs. Here are some common miscellaneous fees:
- Homeowners Association (HOA) fees
- Mortgage payoff and/or prepayment penalties
- Property appraisal fees
- Settlement or attorney fees
Finding an expert with plenty of local experience is a great way to save when selling your home. Knowledgeable realtors in your area will be able to explain which fees to expect based on the unique features of your Pennsylvania neighborhood.
An experienced agent will also be tuned in to local trends and understand which features buyers want the most in their new home. When you use Clever, you'll be paired with a top local realtor with the insights you need to maximize your profits.
Get matched with the best local agents from top brokerages and get pre-negotiated listing fees of just 1.5%.
Clever's service is 100% free, with zero obligation. Interview as many agents as you like until you find the perfect fit — or walk away at any time.
Pennsylvania closing costs calculator
Your total closing costs will ultimately vary based on your home's value, local fees, and negotiations with your buyer.
Use this Pennsylvania closing costs calculator to better understand how much money you'll actually take home after closing.
How to save on Pennsylvania closing costs
Although closing costs aren't usually the biggest expense for sellers in Pennsylvania, there are a couple things you can do to increase your savings.
Shop around for better prices
It's sometimes possible to save a little money by checking which companies offer the lowest rates for closing services.
However, these costs tend to be fairly low and consistent between different companies. When you're already trying to keep track of inspection, repair, and appraisal fees, researching several companies to get a $50 discount probably isn't worth the hassle.
Negotiate for the buyer to pay
When there are far more buyers than available homes in your area, you can ask the buyer to cover some of your closing costs.
Buyers expect fierce competition in these market conditions, so they might be willing to compromise if you accept their offer on your Pennsylvania home.
» MORE: How to negotiate with buyers before accepting an offer
Save on realtor fees
The easiest and most effective way to reduce your closing costs is to find an agent who charges lower listing fees. In Pennsylvania, real estate commission costs an average of $14,256 — that's usually more expensive than the rest of your closing costs combined!
Thankfully, there's a way to save big by selling with Clever. With listing fees of just 1.5%, you'll save up to 50% on realtor commission, putting more money in your pocket.
Clever matches you with top-rated agents from major brokerages, like Keller Williams and RE/MAX. Sellers get pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fees. Buyers can get cash back after closing!
Clever's service is 100% free with no obligation. Interview as many agents as you like until you find the perfect fit — or walk away at any time.
Frequently asked questions
How much are seller closing costs in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, expect to pay about 3.93% of your home’s sale price in closing costs — not including realtor fees. At the median home value of $257,797, this equates to around $10,124 at closing. Learn more about what makes up seller closing costs in Pennsylvania.
Who pays closing costs in Pennsylvania?
Buyers and sellers each pay for different closing costs to finalize a sale. In Pennsylvania, sellers typically pay for title fees, transfer taxes, owner's title insurance expenses, and recording fees at closing. Learn more about who pays closing costs in Pennsylvania.
