How Much Does It Cost to Sell a Home in 2026? A Full Breakdown for Columbus, Ohio Homeowners

By Amy Warren, Ohio REALTOR®

If you are thinking about selling your home in Columbus or Central Ohio, one of the first questions worth answering is what selling will actually cost you. The short answer is that most sellers pay between 10 and 12 percent of their final sale price in total selling costs. On a $350,000 home, that is roughly $35,000 to $42,000 coming off the top before you see your net proceeds. The longer answer is that where that money goes varies quite a bit depending on your home, your market, and the decisions you make before and during the sale. Here is a full breakdown of each cost category and what to expect in Central Ohio in 2026.

Agent Commissions: The Largest Line Item

Agent commissions are typically the single largest expense when selling a home, running between 5 and 6 percent of the final sale price. This commission is split between the listing agent representing you and the buyer's agent representing the buyer. On a $350,000 sale, a 5.5 percent total commission works out to $19,250. On a $450,000 sale, the same rate produces $24,750.

Commission structures have been evolving since the National Association of REALTORS settlement changes in 2024, and today's sellers have more transparency around how buyer agent compensation works than in prior years. The key thing to understand is that commission is negotiable, and the rate you pay should reflect the full scope of services your agent provides. A listing agent who handles professional photography, develops a strategic pricing plan, runs active marketing campaigns, and negotiates effectively on your behalf delivers real value that shows up in your final sale price. An agent who simply inputs your home into the MLS and waits does not. The difference between a well-executed listing strategy and a passive one often exceeds the difference in commission rates between agents.

When you interview agents, ask specifically about what is included in their service: who handles photography, what their marketing plan looks like beyond the MLS, how they determine price, and what their list-to-sale ratio is. For a guide to evaluating listing agents effectively, see How to Find the Best Listing Agent in Ohio: Questions Every Seller Should Ask.

Closing Costs and Transfer Taxes: About 1 Percent

Ohio sellers typically pay around 1 percent of the sale price in closing costs. The largest component is the Ohio conveyance fee, also called a transfer tax, which is charged at the county level. In Franklin County, this runs $4 per $1,000 of sale price, which amounts to $1,400 on a $350,000 home. Other standard seller-side closing costs include title insurance premiums, recording fees, and escrow or settlement charges paid to the title company that handles the closing.

Attorney fees are not standard in most Ohio residential transactions because title companies handle the majority of closings. However, if a transaction involves legal complexity, an estate, or other unusual circumstances, legal fees may apply. Your agent or title company will prepare a seller net sheet before you list that estimates all closing costs based on your expected sale price, so you can plan your net proceeds accurately before you accept an offer.

One cost to plan for separately: if you have an existing mortgage on the home, your payoff amount will be calculated by your lender and deducted at closing. Lenders charge a per diem interest rate through the payoff date, and there may also be a reconveyance or deed of trust release fee depending on your loan terms. Ask your lender for a payoff estimate once you have a target closing date. For a full walkthrough of what happens at the closing table in Ohio, see What Happens at Closing in Ohio: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Pre-Sale Repairs: Highly Variable but Worth Planning

Pre-sale repair costs range from a few hundred dollars for minor fixes to tens of thousands for significant deferred maintenance. Most sellers fall somewhere in the middle. The specific repairs that matter most depend on the age and condition of your home, but the categories that come up most often in Ohio home inspections include roofing, HVAC systems, electrical panels, plumbing, windows, and foundation or drainage issues. Cosmetic items like sticky doors, damaged screens, and dated fixtures also come up routinely.

The strategic question is not whether to make repairs but which repairs to prioritize and when. Fixing issues before listing gives you control over cost and timing. Leaving them for post-inspection negotiation means buyers know you are motivated and often ask for more than the actual repair cost. A pre-listing inspection typically costs $300 to $500 and gives you a full picture of what buyers will see, so you can address issues on your own terms before an offer is ever on the table.

Not every repair delivers equal return. Structural, mechanical, and safety-related issues should generally be addressed because buyers and their lenders require them. Cosmetic updates are more judgment-dependent -- some produce strong returns in buyer perception and offer strength, while others cost more than they add. Talk with your agent before spending on any significant pre-sale project. The updates that actually move the needle on price and offer quality are often not the most obvious ones. For a detailed guide to which updates produce real returns, see Home Updates That Add Value Before Selling in Ohio.

Staging and Curb Appeal: 1 to 2 Percent Well Spent

Home staging costs vary widely depending on whether you use furniture from the staging company, work with what you already own, or focus purely on decluttering and rearranging. A full vacant home staging with rented furniture can run $1,500 to $3,000 per month. Occupied staging consultations where a professional advises on what to edit, rearrange, and add typically cost a few hundred dollars and deliver strong results for occupied homes where the seller is still living in the property. Many listing agents include a staging consultation as part of their service.

Research from the National Association of REALTORS consistently shows that staged homes sell faster and for more than comparable unstaged homes. The return is particularly strong in the first two weeks on market, when a home generates the most buyer attention. A decluttered, depersonalized, well-lit home photographs better, shows better, and allows buyers to envision themselves in the space rather than seeing your specific life. That emotional connection drives offers.

Curb appeal is equally important and often underestimated. A buyer's first impression forms before they step inside, and a home with a clean exterior, tidy landscaping, and a welcoming entryway starts every showing with a positive emotional baseline. Fresh mulch, trimmed hedges, a clean driveway, and a painted or power-washed front door are low-cost, high-impact updates that cost a few hundred dollars and pay back multiples in first impressions. For a full look at how staging connects to faster sales and stronger prices, see How to Stage Your Ohio Home to Sell Faster.

Moving Costs: Budget $1,400 to $5,700

Moving costs are one of the selling expenses sellers most commonly underestimate in their planning. A local move within Central Ohio using a two-person professional moving crew typically runs $800 to $1,500 for a half-day or $1,200 to $2,500 for a full day depending on how much you are moving and how far. A cross-state or long-distance move typically runs from $2,200 to $5,700 or more depending on distance, volume, and services included such as packing and unpacking.

If you have flexibility on your move date, booking during the middle of the month or on a weekday rather than a weekend can reduce costs. Decluttering before the move not only helps your home show better and photograph better before listing, it also reduces the volume of what you move, which directly reduces your moving bill. Renting a truck and doing the move yourself is the most cost-effective option for smaller households with the manpower to do it, though the cost savings should be weighed against the physical effort and logistics involved.

Seller Concessions: A Tool, Not a Penalty

Seller concessions are credits given to the buyer at closing, typically to cover some or all of their closing costs. In Ohio, buyer closing costs often run 2 to 4 percent of the purchase price depending on loan type, lender fees, and prepaid items like property taxes and homeowner's insurance escrow. A seller concession reduces the cash the buyer needs at closing, which can make a deal possible for buyers who are stretched on liquid funds but have sufficient income and credit for the loan itself.

Concessions are most commonly seen in buyer's markets or with buyers using FHA or VA financing, where closing costs are higher as a percentage of the transaction. In a competitive seller's market, concessions are less common because buyers competing for limited inventory cannot typically negotiate them. When market conditions shift and buyer leverage increases, offering concessions can be a more effective tool than cutting your list price because they directly address the buyer's cash flow challenge while keeping the sale price higher for appraisal purposes.

Standard seller concessions run up to 2 to 3 percent of the sale price. Lenders set limits on how much sellers can contribute depending on loan type and down payment size, so your agent should verify those limits before you agree to specific concession amounts. For a deeper look at how sellers evaluate the full picture of an offer including concession requests, see How Ohio Sellers Choose the Strongest Offer: It Is Not Always the Highest Price.

Optional: A Home Warranty for the Buyer

Offering a one-year home warranty to the buyer is an optional seller expense that runs roughly $300 to $500 depending on coverage level. A home warranty covers major systems and appliances for a defined period after closing, which reassures buyers that they will not face large unexpected repair bills in their first year of ownership. For older homes where buyers may have concerns about system age, a warranty can reduce hesitation and accelerate the path to an offer.

Home warranties are not a substitute for disclosing known issues or making necessary repairs. They work best as a goodwill gesture that adds confidence rather than as a way to avoid addressing problems a buyer has already identified. Your agent can advise whether offering a warranty makes sense for your specific home and the current buyer pool you are marketing to.

The Mistake That Costs Sellers More Than Any Single Line Item

The most expensive mistake I see sellers make is spending money on pre-sale updates and repairs without first talking to a real estate professional about what the market actually responds to. Sellers routinely spend thousands on kitchen remodels, bathroom updates, or landscaping projects that feel like obvious improvements but do not produce proportional returns in their specific price range and neighborhood. Meanwhile, a $400 exterior paint touch-up and $200 in fresh mulch would have made a stronger first impression and cost a fraction of the price.

A listing consultation with an experienced agent before you spend a dollar on pre-sale work gives you a market-informed view of what buyers in your price range are actually looking for, which repairs are likely to come up in an inspection versus which ones you can disclose and price around, and which improvements are worth doing versus which ones you should skip. That conversation costs nothing and can save you thousands.

The goal is not to spend the least amount possible before selling. It is to spend strategically on the things that actually improve your net proceeds. Those two approaches often lead to very different decisions. For a full strategy guide to maximizing what you walk away with at closing, see How to Get Top Dollar Selling Your Ohio Home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to sell a home in Columbus, Ohio?

Most Columbus area sellers pay between 10 and 12 percent of their final sale price in total selling costs. The largest component is agent commission at 5 to 6 percent, followed by closing costs around 1 percent, plus pre-sale repairs, staging, and moving costs. On a $350,000 home, total selling costs typically run $35,000 to $42,000. Your agent should provide a seller net sheet before you list that estimates your specific costs and projected net proceeds based on your expected sale price.

What are agent commissions when selling a home in Ohio?

Agent commissions in Ohio typically run 5 to 6 percent of the final sale price, split between the listing agent and the buyer's agent. Commission is negotiable, and the right rate reflects the full scope of services provided. Professional photography, strategic pricing, active marketing, and skilled negotiation deliver real value that often shows up in a higher sale price or stronger contract terms. When comparing agents, evaluate their full service offering alongside their rate, not just the percentage.

What closing costs do sellers pay in Ohio?

Ohio sellers typically pay about 1 percent of the sale price in closing costs, including the Ohio conveyance fee charged at the county level, title insurance, recording fees, and escrow or settlement charges. In Franklin County, the conveyance fee runs $4 per $1,000 of sale price. Your title company will prepare a seller net sheet that estimates all costs based on your specific sale price so you know what to expect before closing day.

Do I need to make repairs before selling my Columbus home?

Not always, but strategic pre-sale repairs often produce returns that exceed their cost. Fixing known issues before listing gives you control over cost and timing, reduces the chance of renegotiation after offer acceptance, and gives buyers confidence in the home's condition. A pre-listing inspection for $300 to $500 tells you exactly what buyers will see. Talk to your agent before spending on any significant project -- the updates that move the needle most are often not the most expensive ones.

What are seller concessions and when should I offer them?

Seller concessions are credits given to the buyer at closing, typically to cover some of their closing costs. They run up to 2 to 3 percent of the sale price and are most common in buyer's markets or with FHA and VA buyers whose closing costs are higher. Concessions can help close deals for buyers who are cash-stretched at closing without requiring a list price reduction, which can be better for the sale price used in the appraisal. Your agent can advise whether offering concessions makes strategic sense in your specific situation.

Ready to See What Your Home Could Net?

Every home is different, and so are the selling costs and net proceeds. My free Seller's Guide walks through the full process of selling in Central Ohio, from pricing strategy to closing day. Reach out at [email protected]and let us build a specific plan for your home, including a seller net sheet that shows exactly what to expect at closing.

Amy Warren is a licensed Ohio REALTOR® serving buyers and sellers across Plain City, Dublin, Powell, and Central Ohio. She started her real estate career in 2016 as a Transaction Coordinator in Denver, where she helped close over 650 transactions before relocating to Central Ohio in 2022 and earning her Ohio license in 2025. Visit amywarrenohiorealtor.com.

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