That total is more than triple what sellers anticipated.
More than half (55%) said they were surprised by the costs — and nearly one-quarter (22%) went into debt to cover them. Forty percent reported feeling financially strained during the process.
In 2025, the average seller profit was $166,702 — up 14% from 2024. Still, 51% of those surveyed said their profits were lower than expected due to high expenses.
Other findings of the report include:
- 80% of sellers reported regrets, most commonly about agent commissions
- 67% of sellers who went without an agent believed they saved money, although only 68% of this group turned a profit versus 84% of those who used an agent.
- 81% of sellers who worked with agents said costs were clearly explained, versus 29% of those without representation.
Overall, 75% of sellers said they would have made different decisions had they known the true costs and believed they could have earned nearly $36,000 more on average.
