What it really costs to sell a house in Michigan (2026)

Selling a home in Michigan costs the seller around 7 to 9 percent of the sale price in most cases. Here's where that goes.

Agent commission

Commission is the largest cost and it's negotiable. Michigan commissions average around 6 percent, higher than the national average, and typically split between the listing and buyer sides. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, the buyer's agent share is negotiated separately rather than automatically paid by the seller, so what you pay can be lower. I'll explain exactly how commission works for your sale, with no surprises.

Michigan transfer tax

The state transfer tax is $3.75 per $500 of sale price and Oakland County adds $0.55 per $500, for a combined $4.30 per $500, about 0.86 percent. On a $300,000 sale that's roughly $2,580. It's customarily paid by the seller.

Title and closing fees

Title insurance, settlement fees, and prorated property taxes typically add another 1 to 2 percent, depending on price and title company.

Prep and repairs

Optional but often worth it. A few targeted fixes and staging usually return more than they cost. I'll tell you what's worth doing for your home.

The bottom line

For a typical Royal Oak, Ferndale, or Berkley home, total selling costs land around 7 to 9 percent of the sale price, with commission the biggest and most negotiable piece. These figures were confirmed against current 2026 sources, but commission norms and tax rates change, so re-check against a current Michigan source when you refresh this page.

Updated August 2026

Related: Online estimate vs. a hand-built CMA · Royal Oak selling guide