Net Proceeds Calculator: How to Use the Numbers Without Fooling Yourself
May 13 2026
You list a $400,000 home and see a “$35,000 net profit” on a spreadsheet. After you add a $12,000 closing‑cost estimate, a $5,000 repair budget, and a 6 % agent commission, the real cash you walk away with is under $30,000. The net proceeds calculator shows the truth—if you feed it the right numbers.
Below you’ll learn the exact inputs the calculator needs, a compact formula you can copy into any spreadsheet, a side‑by‑side table for two realistic sale prices, and a step‑by‑step example that proves you can trust the result.
Direct‑Answer: What the calculator does
A net proceeds calculator takes your sale price and subtracts all seller‑side costs—commission, closing fees, prepaid taxes, repairs, and any mortgage payoff. The remainder is the cash you actually receive at closing. No guesswork, no hidden fees.
1. Required Inputs
| Input | Why it matters | Typical range (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Sale price | Gross amount buyer pays | $150,000 – $1,200,000 |
| Listing commission | Fee for the listing agent (if any) | 0 % – 3 % |
| Buyer‑agent commission | Usually split with listing side | 2 % – 3 % |
| Closing‑cost estimate | Title, escrow, recording, lender fees | 0.5 % – 1.5 % of sale |
| Outstanding mortgage balance | Amount that must be paid off | Your actual balance |
| Repair/renovation reserve | Cash you plan to set aside after sale | $0 – $15,000 for typical homes |
| ** prepaid property taxes & HOA fees** | Must be settled at closing | 0 % – 0.3 % of sale |
| Seller concessions (if offered) | Credits to buyer that reduce net cash | 0 % – 3 % of sale |
Tip: Sellable (sellabl.app) pulls the first five items automatically when you create a listing, so you only need to add the repair reserve and any concessions manually.
2. The One‑Line Formula
text Net Proceeds = Sale Price – (Sale Price × Listing %) – (Sale Price × Buyer‑Agent %) – (Sale Price × Closing‑Cost %) – Mortgage Balance – Repair Reserve – Prepaid Taxes/HOA – Seller Concessions
Copy the expression into Excel, Google Sheets, or the Sellable “Net Proceeds” widget and replace the percentages with your actual numbers.
3. Worked Example: $400,000 vs. $750,000 Sale
Scenario assumptions (2026)
| Item | $400,000 home | $750,000 home |
|---|---|---|
| Listing commission | 2.5 % | 2.5 % |
| Buyer‑agent commission | 2.5 % | 2.5 % |
| Closing‑cost % | 1.2 % | 1.2 % |
| Mortgage payoff | $210,000 | $380,000 |
| Repair reserve | $4,000 | $9,000 |
| Prepaid taxes/HOA | $1,200 | $2,250 |
| Seller concessions | 0 % | 1 % |
Calculation steps
-
Commission total = Sale × (2.5 % + 2.5 %)
- $400,000 → $20,000
- $750,000 → $37,500
-
Closing costs = Sale × 1.2 %
- $400,000 → $4,800
- $750,000 → $9,000
-
Seller concessions (only on the $750k sale) = $750,000 × 1 % = $7,500
-
Add all outflows
| Outflow | $400,000 | $750,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | $20,000 | $37,500 |
| Closing costs | $4,800 | $9,000 |
| Mortgage payoff | $210,000 | $380,000 |
| Repair reserve | $4,000 | $9,000 |
| Prepaid taxes/HOA | $1,200 | $2,250 |
| Seller concessions | $0 | $7,500 |
| Total outflows | $240,000 | $445,250 |
- Net proceeds = Sale – Total outflows
| Sale price | Net proceeds |
|---|---|
| $400,000 | $160,000 |
| $750,000 | $304,750 |
You walk away with $160k from the $400k home and $304.8k from the $750k home—significantly less than the headline price but fully transparent.
4. Quick‑Start Checklist (3‑step)
- Gather numbers – Pull your mortgage statement, recent repair quotes, and ask your title company for a closing‑cost estimate.
- Enter them into Sellable – The platform auto‑calculates commissions and closing fees; just type the repair reserve and any concessions.
- Compare scenarios – Adjust the repair reserve up or down to see how it swings your net cash.
Sources and Assumptions
- National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2026 Commission Survey – commission ranges.
- American Land Title Association (ALTA) 2026 Closing‑Cost Index – average percentages.
- Federal Reserve 2026 Mortgage Balance Data – typical payoff amounts for median‑priced homes.
- Sellable platform documentation (2026) – automated input handling.
All figures are averages; verify local rates with your title company and lender before finalizing.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need to include the seller’s attorney fee?
Yes. Treat any attorney or escrow fee as part of the closing‑cost percentage (usually 0.2 % – 0.5 % of the sale).
2. How does a buyer‑requested concession affect my net?
The concession reduces the sale price that actually reaches you. Subtract the concession amount (sale × concession %) alongside the other outflows.
3. Can I use the calculator if I have no mortgage?
Absolutely. Set the mortgage payoff line to $0 and the net proceeds will reflect only commissions, closing costs, and reserves.
4. Does Sellable handle multi‑offer scenarios?
Sellable lets you duplicate a listing, adjust the sale price for each offer, and instantly see the net proceeds for every scenario.
5. Should I add a “contingency reserve” for unexpected closing issues?
Many sellers allocate an extra 0.5 %–1 % of the sale price. Add it as a line item under “Repair/renovation reserve” to keep the calculation honest.
Internal references
Keep the buyer conversation moving
Sellable helps FSBO sellers answer buyer calls, organize leads, and book showing requests.
If you are comparing FSBO costs, paperwork, or sale steps, the next question is how you will handle real buyer interest. Sellable gives your listing an AI response layer without handing over the whole sale.