| Line item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home inspection | $500 – $1,000 | Full structural, systems, pest check. Sets the disclosure baseline. |
| Deep cleaning | $300 – $800 | Professional crew; part of every pre-list checklist. |
| Landscaping / curb appeal | $500 – $3,000 | Front and back yard. First impression on arrival and in drone footage. |
| Staging — basic | $3,000 – $8,000 | Furniture, accessories, editing for a tight SKU count. |
| Staging — full luxury build-out | $8,000 – $20,000 | Custom furniture plan, art, full accessory kit. Typical at $5M+. |
| Professional photography + video | $1,000 – $3,000 | 4K stills, drone, Matterport, twilight hero shot. |
| Line item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Listing-side commission | Negotiable | Calculated on sale price. Discuss your specific structure on the founder pricing call. |
| Escrow + title | $2,000 – $4,000 | Title insurance and escrow service fee. Scales with price; customarily seller-paid in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. |
| County transfer tax | ~$1.10 / $1,000 | Base rate across San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. |
| City transfer tax | $0 – $3.30 / $1,000 | Additive to county rate. Varies significantly by city — see city table below. |
| Line item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal capital gains (long-term) | Up to 20% of net gain | Long-term rate applies if held 12+ months. Consult your CPA — not tax advice. |
| California capital gains | Up to 13.3% of net gain | California taxes capital gains as ordinary income at state marginal rate. |
| Primary-residence exclusion | Up to $250K (single) / $500K (married) | Requires 2 of last 5 years as primary residence. Confirm with your CPA. |
A Peninsula single-family home — primary residence, owner-occupied for more than two years, basic prep and staging package. The stepped breakdown below shows how sale price converts to net proceeds.
Estimated pre-tax net proceeds before mortgage payoff. Figures are illustrative; capital gains treatment depends on your CPA.
Assumptions
County transfer tax is uniform at $1.10 per $1,000 across San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. City surcharges layer on top — and the spread is significant. San Francisco operates a tiered mansion tax that applies above $5M. Always confirm with your title company at time of sale.
| City | County rate | City rate | Combined rate | On $3M sale | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto | $1.10 / $1,000 | $0.00 / $1,000 | $1.10 / $1,000 | $3,300 | No city surcharge. |
| Atherton | $1.10 / $1,000 | $0.00 / $1,000 | $1.10 / $1,000 | $3,300 | County rate only. |
| Mountain View | $1.10 / $1,000 | $2.20 / $1,000 | $3.30 / $1,000 | $9,900 | City surcharge applies. |
| San Jose | $1.10 / $1,000 | $3.30 / $1,000 | $4.40 / $1,000 | $13,200 | Some transactions may trigger additional program fees. |
| San Francisco | N/A (city-county) | Tiered — up to $25 / $1,000 | Tiered — up to $25 / $1,000 | $75,000 at top tier | Mansion tax tiers apply above $5M and $10M. Confirm with title company. |
Rates current as of public records. Verify with your title company — surcharge ordinances can change.
Inspections, repairs, deep clean, landscaping, staging, photography, and video. Budget varies by property type and buyer profile — we triage by ROI, not checkbox.
Commission, escrow/title, county and city transfer tax. Many sellers miss city-level surcharges. The gap is material at $3M+.
Capital gains, depreciation recapture, 1031 eligibility, and bridge housing cost — all should feed into the decision before you sign a listing agreement. Bring your CPA in early.
For some properties, heavier staging spend lifts perceived value significantly. For others, cost control wins. The right call depends on market, buyer profile, and price band — not on a blanket formula.
What seller-side cost is most commonly underestimated?
Pre-listing preparation, bridge-housing cost during transition, and transfer tax at the city level. Most sellers focus on commission and miss the rest.
Is staging always worth it?
Not always — it depends on the property type, price band, and buyer profile. For Bay Area family homes competing on quality-of-life signals, staging typically delivers high ROI. Basic packages run $3,000–$8,000; full luxury build-outs run $8,000–$20,000.
When should I run a net-proceeds model?
Before you set an asking price — not after you accept an offer. We build your specific model on the founder pricing call, line by line, including your actual prep scope and any buyer concessions.
Why does the same sale price yield a different net in different cities?
City transfer tax surcharges vary widely — from $0 per $1,000 in Atherton and Palo Alto to $3.30+ per $1,000 in San Jose, and significantly higher tiered rates in San Francisco. On a $5M sale, the gap between cities can exceed $100,000.
When should I involve a CPA or tax advisor?
Before listing — especially for investment properties, long-held assets with large embedded gains, or move-up situations where 1031 exchange may apply. The later tax planning starts, the fewer structural options remain.
Marie Wang (DRE# 02110980) and Kevin Mo (DRE# 02127623) · Keller Williams · 30-minute call, no pitch. We walk through your property line by line.
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