real-estate

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Utah? Commission, Title, Reinvestment Fees, and What Wasatch Front Sellers Net

Selling a house in Utah costs 5.5 to 7.5 percent with no transfer tax. Commission by county, owner's title policy, HOA reinvestment fees, credits, and net sheets.

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Utah? Commission, Title, Reinvestment Fees, and What Wasatch Front Sellers Net

Utah is one of the cheaper states to sell a house in, and the reason is what is missing. There is no transfer tax at the state, county, or city level, closings run through title companies instead of attorneys, and property taxes are low relative to home values, so the proration line is small.

What is left is commission, an owner's title policy, settlement fees, a reinvestment fee in many HOA communities, and whatever the buyer negotiates after inspection. Add it up and a Utah seller pays 5.5 to 7.5 percent of the sale price, or $30,000 to $41,000 on a $550,000 home in Lehi.

That total still lands in the five figures on most Wasatch Front sales, and the pieces vary between Salt Lake County, Utah County, Davis and Weber, St. George, and Logan. This guide covers each cost with current numbers and shows what sellers in three Utah markets net on typical homes.

Why Utah Costs Less Than Its Neighbors

A $550,000 sale in Utah pays nothing in transfer tax. The same sale across the border in Nevada pays $2,145 in Washoe County, and in Colorado it pays a small documentary fee. Idaho and Wyoming also have no transfer tax, so Utah's advantage is over the states to the south and west rather than the north.

Title company closings keep settlement fees down. Utah sellers pay $300 to $600 for their side of the settlement fee, compared with $600 to $1,500 in attorney closing states like Georgia or South Carolina. Deed preparation and recording add $100 to $200.

Property taxes matter at closing because they are prorated. Utah's effective rate is around 0.5 percent of market value on a primary residence, so a $550,000 home carries a tax bill near $2,800, and a seller closing in September credits the buyer for roughly $1,900. In Texas the same home would generate a credit three times that size.

The state also has no mansion tax or tiered fee on high-value sales. A $2 million home in Park City or Holladay pays the same recording fee as a $350,000 townhome in West Jordan.

Commission Along the Wasatch Front and Beyond

Total commission in Salt Lake County averages 4.75 to 5.5 percent right now. Listing agents charge 2.5 to 3 percent, and sellers in Sugar House, Holladay, Cottonwood Heights, and Draper regularly negotiate 2 to 2.5 percent on homes over $600,000. Buyer agent compensation is written into each offer since the 2024 settlement, and 2 to 2.5 percent is the common request.

Utah County runs about the same. Lehi, American Fork, Saratoga Springs, and Eagle Mountain have a lot of newer tract homes that sell fast, and discount brokerages and flat-fee listings are more common there than anywhere else in the state.

Davis and Weber counties sit at 2.5 to 3 percent on the listing side with slightly less negotiation. St. George and Washington County run 2.75 to 3 percent, with many out-of-state buyers and a lot of agent work per sale. Logan, Cedar City, and rural counties are 3 percent markets.

Park City and the Wasatch Back are different. Luxury sales in Deer Valley and Promontory close at 4 to 5 percent total, and listing sides of 2 percent or a flat fee are normal above $2 million.

Flat-fee MLS listings run $300 to $1,000 in Utah and fit a well-priced home in a busy Utah County or Salt Lake suburb. Sellers who go that route should budget $500 to $1,000 for a real estate attorney to review the contract.

Title Insurance and Settlement Fees

Utah custom puts the owner's title insurance policy on the seller. On a $550,000 home the policy runs roughly $1,500 to $2,000, and rates are filed by each title company with the state, so they vary a little. Sellers can shop title companies, and the difference between two on the same policy can be $200 to $300.

The settlement or escrow fee is split, with the seller's half at $300 to $600. Deed preparation runs $100 to $200, and recording the deed and the mortgage release is $40 to $80 each. Wire, courier, and document fees add another $50 to $150.

Sellers with a mortgage pay a reconveyance fee of $50 to $150 to their lender plus interest through the closing date. A HELOC has to be paid off and closed, with a similar fee.

A reissue rate on the owner's policy is available from some Utah title companies if the seller bought within the past five to ten years and can produce the prior policy. That can shave 20 to 30 percent off the premium.

HOA Reinvestment Fees

Utah has something few other states do: a reinvestment fee that many associations charge when a home changes hands. State law allows it, caps it at 0.5 percent of the sale price for most associations, and requires the fee to be disclosed in a recorded notice. Master-planned communities in Daybreak, Herriman, Saratoga Springs, and St. George commonly charge 0.25 to 0.5 percent.

On a $550,000 home, a 0.5 percent reinvestment fee is $2,750. It is paid at closing and is negotiable between buyer and seller in the contract, but sellers pay it more often than not.

Associations also charge for resale disclosure documents at $100 to $400 and sometimes a transfer fee of $100 to $300. Sellers should request the documents and a payoff statement early, because escrow will not close without them.

Condos in downtown Salt Lake City, the Avenues, and Park City follow the same rules and often have higher document fees because of larger management companies.

What Buyers Negotiate After Inspection

Utah buyers use a due diligence period of 7 to 14 days and request repairs or credits on most sales. Typical requests run $1,500 to $4,000, and the common items are the furnace and water heater, the roof, sprinkler systems, and radon.

Radon is a Utah issue that surprises sellers from elsewhere. Much of the Wasatch Front and the Cache Valley has elevated radon, and buyers test on most sales. Mitigation runs $900 to $1,800 and sellers frequently agree to pay it.

Older homes in Salt Lake's east bench, Ogden, and Provo draw requests about sewer laterals, galvanized plumbing, and electrical panels. A sewer scope runs $150 to $300 and buyers increasingly order one.

Newer homes in Utah County subdivisions have fewer inspection issues but more questions about grading, window seals, and builder warranty transfers. Credits there tend to be smaller.

What Sellers Net in Three Utah Markets

On a $550,000 house in Lehi with a 0.25 percent reinvestment fee, a seller paying 5 percent commission, $1,700 in owner's title insurance, $700 in settlement and recording fees, $1,375 in reinvestment fee, $300 in HOA documents, $1,900 in prorated taxes, and $2,500 in credits spends about $35,975, or 6.5 percent.

On a $425,000 house in St. George, a seller paying 5.5 percent commission, $1,400 in title insurance, $600 in settlement fees, a 0.5 percent reinvestment fee of $2,125, $250 in HOA documents, $1,500 in prorated taxes, and $2,000 in credits spends about $31,250, or 7.4 percent.

On a $390,000 house in Logan with no HOA, a seller paying 5.5 percent commission, $1,300 in title insurance, $550 in settlement fees, $1,300 in prorated taxes, and $1,500 in credits spends about $26,100, or 6.7 percent.

Sellers should ask each agent they interview for a written net sheet built on these lines, and check it against what the real estate agents in their Utah market are quoting for commission. For more on pricing and preparing a home for sale along the Wasatch Front, our other real estate articles cover the details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a transfer tax when selling a house in Utah?

No. Utah has no state, county, or city transfer tax on real estate sales. The only recording cost is the county recorder's fee of $40 to $80 for the deed.

Who pays for title insurance in Utah?

The seller pays for the owner's policy by custom, which runs $1,500 to $2,000 on a $550,000 home. The buyer pays for the lender's policy, and the settlement fee is split.

What is a reinvestment fee in Utah?

It is a fee some HOAs charge when a home is sold, allowed by state law and capped at 0.5 percent of the price for most associations. Communities like Daybreak and many St. George subdivisions charge it, and the seller usually pays.

How much are seller closing costs in Utah without commission?

Plan on $3,000 to $7,000 on a typical home, covering owner's title insurance, settlement fees, HOA documents, any reinvestment fee, and prorated taxes. Inspection credits are on top of that.

Do I need an attorney to sell a house in Utah?

No. Utah closings are handled by title companies, and most sales do not involve an attorney. Sellers using a flat-fee listing or handling an estate sale often hire one for contract review at $500 to $1,000.