What does it cost to sell a house in Fort Worth? Your main costs are brokerage compensation, the owner's title policy if you agree to pay it, half the escrow fee, prorated property taxes, and any repairs or credits you negotiate. Texas has no transfer tax.
Most sellers focus on the sale price, and that makes sense. But the number that actually lands in your bank account is the sale price minus your loan payoff and closing costs, and those costs can add up to more than people expect.
The good news is that most of them are predictable. The Texas resale contract spells out who pays for what, and several of the biggest items are set by the state or negotiable. Here's the breakdown, line by line.
Start with what the contract assigns to you
Paragraph 12 of the TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract lists the seller's expenses: releasing your existing liens (including any prepayment penalties and recording fees), tax statements or certificates, preparing the deed, one-half of the escrow fee, and anything else the contract says the seller pays. Everything below builds on that list.
Your mortgage payoff
This is usually the biggest number on your settlement statement. Your payoff isn't the balance on your last statement. It includes interest through the payoff date and any fees your lender charges. The title company orders an official payoff during the transaction, but you can request one from your servicer early so there are no surprises.
Brokerage compensation
The TREC contract says it directly: brokerage compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. What you pay your listing broker is set in your listing agreement.
Since August 17, 2024, under the NAR settlement practice changes, offers of buyer-broker compensation can't be posted in the MLS, and buyers working with an agent sign a written agreement before touring. Sellers can still agree to contribute toward the buyer's broker fee, or offer concessions, as part of a negotiation. The contract now has a separate line for that contribution. It's a decision you make with your agent based on your price point and the competition, not a fixed cost.
The owner's title policy
In the TREC contract, the seller furnishes the buyer an owner's title policy, and a checkbox decides whether the seller or the buyer pays for it. That's negotiable.
The premium itself isn't. The Texas Department of Insurance sets title insurance premium rates, and all title companies charge the same premium for a policy. Under the rates effective March 1, 2026, the basic premium on a $330,000 policy works out to $1,916. That's a useful benchmark, since $330,000 is close to Fort Worth's median sale price.
Escrow fee, tax certificates, and deed
By default the escrow fee is split, with one-half paid by each side. You'll also pay for tax certificates and deed preparation. These are smaller items, but they're on every Texas settlement statement, and your title company can quote them up front.
Survey
If you have an existing survey, the contract can call for you to provide it along with a T-47 affidavit or T-47.1 declaration, forms promulgated by the Texas Department of Insurance. If the title company or lender won't accept it, someone pays for a new survey, and the contract has a box for who. Find your old survey before you list. It can save a cost and a delay.
Property tax proration
This one surprises people. The Texas Comptroller notes that property taxes are generally due by January 31 of the following year. So when you sell in, say, October, the current year's bill usually hasn't been paid yet. The contract prorates taxes through the closing date, which means you credit the buyer for your share of the year, and the buyer pays the full bill later.
In practice, that shows up as a seller cost on your statement even though you never wrote a check to the tax office. For a sale late in the year, it can be a meaningful amount, so plan for it. If you want to estimate it, How Property Taxes Work in Tarrant County shows how a bill is calculated.
Repairs, credits, and concessions
After the buyer's inspection, you may agree to make repairs or offer a credit. The contract also has a line where you can agree to pay a set amount toward the buyer's closing costs. And if the buyer buys a home warranty, the contract lets you agree to reimburse it up to a set amount. None of these are required, but in a market where Redfin shows Fort Worth homes closing at 98.1% of list price on average, it's smart to leave room in your planning for a request.
HOA fees
If your home is in a mandatory property owners association, the association may charge for the resale certificate and a transfer fee. The TREC contract points to its owners association addendum for how those fees are handled. Ask your HOA management company for its fee schedule early.
What you won't pay: a transfer tax
Many states charge a tax when real estate changes hands. Texas doesn't, and the Texas Constitution bars any new law imposing a transfer tax on the sale of real property.
The costs that aren't on the statement
Some of the real cost of selling never shows up at closing: pre-listing repairs and cleaning, moving, overlapping utilities, and the mortgage, taxes, and insurance you keep paying while the house is on the market. With Fort Worth homes selling in a median of 48 days, two months of carrying costs is a reasonable planning number.
I covered some of these in The Hidden Costs of Selling a Home in Benbrook.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for the title policy in Texas?
It's negotiable. The TREC contract has a checkbox for whether the seller or buyer pays for the owner's policy. The premium itself is set by the Texas Department of Insurance, so it's the same at every title company.
Is there a transfer tax when you sell a house in Texas?
No. Texas doesn't charge one, and the state constitution prohibits any new law that would impose a transfer tax on a sale of real property.
Do I have to pay the buyer's agent?
Not automatically. Brokerage compensation is negotiable, and each party pays their own broker under their own agreement. A seller can agree to contribute toward the buyer's broker fee as part of the deal, and the contract has a line for it.
Want to see what you'd actually walk away with? I'll put together a net sheet along with a free market analysis. If you're buying or selling in Fort Worth or Parker County, call or text Josh White at 432.215.9177 or visit buysellfortworthhomes.com.