What It Costs to Sell a House in Baltimore County (with a Towson Seller Net Sheet)
Selling a Towson home usually costs a seller somewhere around 7% to 10% of the price once you add commission, half of the transfer and recordation taxes, settlement fees and any repairs or credits you agree to. In the $300,000 example below, the charges come to about 7.4% of the price before any repairs. The exact number depends on your price, your contract and your mortgage payoff, so the useful question isn’t the percentage. It’s what you keep.
Updated November 2026
The line items
| Cost | How it’s figured in Baltimore County | Seller’s share on a $300,000 sale |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer taxes | County 1.5% plus state 0.5%; split 50/50 here, so the seller pays 1% | $3,000 |
| Recordation tax | $2.50 per $500 of price (0.5%); split 50/50 here | $750 |
| Listing agent’s fee | Negotiable, set in your listing agreement. Example: 3% | $9,000 |
| Buyer’s agent pay | Your choice whether to offer it, and the buyer may ask for it as a credit instead. Example: 3%; $0 if you don’t offer it and the buyer doesn’t ask | $9,000 |
| Brokerage fee | Flat fee charged by the listing brokerage | $495 |
| Certifications | Ordered for settlement | $50 |
| Title and settlement fees | Seller’s settlement fee, deed prep, release of your mortgage | Varies by title company; not in this example |
| Property tax proration | Maryland tax bills are paid ahead; the buyer credits you for the days after settlement | Credit of about $1,627 (Nov 30 settlement) |
| Repairs or credits | Whatever you agree to after the inspection | Depends on the house |
| What you keep (no mortgage) | Price minus $22,295 in charges, plus the tax credit | About $279,332 |
These numbers come from the seller net sheet I run for clients, for a $300,000 Baltimore County sale with no mortgage and a November 30 settlement. The tax rates match my Towson, MD homes for sale guide for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The net sheet doesn’t apply the county’s $22,000 transfer tax exclusion, and a first-time Maryland buyer changes the state line (it drops to 0.25% and the seller pays it), so treat these as close estimates. More on the taxes: Baltimore County transfer and recordation taxes. All figures are estimates and actual costs will vary. Real estate commissions are fully negotiable and aren’t set by law. To try your own price or percentages, use the calculator below.
Run your own numbers
Change the price, your mortgage payoff or either commission percentage. Commissions are fully negotiable and aren’t set by law; the 3% figures are only a starting example.
| Line | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Listing agent’s fee | $9,000 |
| Buyer’s agent pay | $9,000 |
| Transfer taxes (your half, 1%) | $3,000 |
| Recordation tax (your half, 0.25%) | $750 |
| Brokerage fee | $495 |
| Certifications | $50 |
| Mortgage payoff | $0 |
| Estimated proceeds before the tax credit and title fees | $277,705 |
All figures are estimates, and actual costs will vary with your contract, your title company and your settlement date. Real estate commissions are fully negotiable and aren’t set by law. This leaves out the property tax credit you usually get back at settlement and your title and settlement fees. Assumes Baltimore County rates with transfer and recordation taxes split 50/50 with the buyer.
Want a net sheet built on your real numbers? Start with a home value estimate and I’ll build yours.
Where sellers lose money they didn’t need to
I’ve managed rentals since 2014, so I’ve paid for a lot of repairs and watched which ones buyers actually pay back.
- Fixing the wrong things before listing. Paint, lighting and a deep clean usually pay back. A full kitchen rarely does.
- Agreeing to every inspection item. A price credit is often cheaper than letting the buyer’s list turn into a contractor job you manage.
- Comparing offers by price alone. A higher offer with a big closing cost credit or a shaky appraisal gap can net less than a lower, cleaner one.
Weighing a quick sale instead? See cash offer or list it: what Towson sellers actually keep. And here’s how I sell homes.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to sell a house in Towson?
Usually about 7% to 10% of the price, counting commission, your share of transfer and recordation taxes, settlement fees and any credits. On a $300,000 sale with a 3% listing fee and 3% buyer’s agent pay (both negotiable), the charges come to about $22,295 before repairs. Run a net sheet for your number.
Who pays transfer tax in Baltimore County?
It’s negotiable. Splitting the county and state transfer taxes and the recordation tax between buyer and seller is common. If the buyer is a first-time Maryland buyer, the state rate drops to 0.25% and the seller pays it.
What is the Baltimore County transfer tax rate?
1.5% of the price, with the first $22,000 excluded on a home, plus recordation tax of $2.50 per $500 (0.5%). The state adds 0.5%.
Do I get money back for property taxes I already paid?
Usually yes. Maryland property taxes are billed ahead, so at settlement the buyer credits you for the part of the year after you sell.
About Mike Fielder
Mike Fielder is a Baltimore Realtor and Sales Director of The Key Home Team at Cummings & Co. Realtors. Licensed since June 2016, he focuses on North Baltimore (Lake Evesham, Lake Walker, Cedarcroft, Hampden and Remington) and the Towson area. He works with buyers and sellers throughout Maryland and in parts of Pennsylvania, where he’s also licensed. He also serves as Vice President of the Lake Evesham Community Association.
Over his career, Mike has sold 190 homes worth more than $56 million. He’s backed by The Key Home Team, which has sold more than $375 million in real estate and closes about $30 million a year.
Mike founded Property Management of Baltimore in 2014, two years before getting his license, and still runs it. Managing rentals taught him what repairs really cost, which updates buyers pay for, and how to keep a deal moving when something breaks. Sellers get that judgment when deciding what to fix before listing. Buyers get it when they’re reading an inspection report.
A Towson University graduate, Mike keeps his approach simple: price from real recent sales, spend money only where it pays back, and compare offers by what the client actually keeps.
More from Mike: Towson on mikesellsbaltimore.com · Selling with Mike · Full bio
Want the real number for your house?
Get your home value, and I’ll turn it into a net sheet that shows what you’d keep. Or call me at 410-905-6678.
The Key Home Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors
Cell: 410-905-6678
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-823-0033
222 W Cold Spring Ln, Suite C, Baltimore, MD 21210
Website: mikesellsbaltimore.com