Seller Closing Costs in Northern Virginia: What You'll Net
Seller Closing Costs in Northern Virginia: What You Pay at Settlement & What You Net
Northern Virginia sellers typically budget about 6% to 8% of the sale price in closing costs. The state-mandated piece is $0.30 per $100 of the sale price: a $0.10 grantor's tax, a $0.10 WMATA capital fee, and a $0.10 Regional Congestion Relief Fee. On an $850,000 sale, that's $2,550. Commission, property tax proration, association resale packets, Title/Settlement Company fees, and any buyer credits make up the rest, and most of those are negotiable. Your net equals the sale price minus your loan payoff and these costs.
- Statutory transfer taxes run $0.30 per $100 of the sale price - $2,550 on an $850,000 home.
- Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, and Alexandria sellers pay all three taxes unless the contract shifts them.
- Commission, payoff, prorations, and buyer credits move your net far more than the taxes do.
- Order your HOA or condo resale packet early - Virginia gives buyers a 3-day right of rescission.
- Get a written net sheet before you list, not after you're under contract.
Virginia Transfer Taxes: Grantor's Tax, WMATA & Regional Fees & What They Cost
The first layer of your costs is set by statute, not negotiation. In the Northern Virginia localities that belong to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the grantor (that's you, the seller) pays three charges when the deed is recorded:
- Grantor's tax: $0.50 per $500, which works out to $0.10 per $100 of the sale price (Va. Code 58.1-802)
- WMATA capital fee: $0.10 per $100 (Va. Code 58.1-802.3)
- Regional Congestion Relief Fee: $0.10 per $100 (Va. Code 58.1-802.4)
Add them up and you get $0.30 per $100, or $3 per $1,000. The statutes apply the rate to each $100 "or fraction thereof," so your Title/Settlement Company rounds up.
That covers sellers in Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Arlington County, Prince William County, and the City of Alexandria, plus the independent cities in the region. Selling in Fauquier County? The WMATA and regional fees are tied to Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and Planning District 8 localities, so your settlement statement can look different. Confirm the exact lines with your settlement company before you sign.
One more point most sellers miss: all three statutes say the buyer and seller may agree to shift some or all of these charges to the buyer. It's a negotiating chip, not a default, so don't assume it's on the table. In a multiple-offer situation, a seller who keeps the standard split isn't giving anything up. In a slower market, offering to cover part of the buyer's costs can be worth more than a price cut.
Buyers pay their own government charges separately: state recordation tax of $0.25 per $100 on the deed, the same rate on the loan's deed of trust, and a local recordation tax where the county has adopted one. Those lines never come out of your proceeds unless you agree to a credit. Your specific number depends on your price and your jurisdiction - that's where a local net sheet comes in.
Your Other Settlement Costs: Commission, Payoff, Prorations & Packets & What's Negotiable
Transfer taxes are the small part. These lines are where your net actually moves.
Commission. Real estate commissions are negotiable in Virginia, and they're set in your listing agreement, not by law. Buyer-agent compensation is negotiated too, and it's disclosed up front. I break down who pays what in Who Pays the Buyer's Agent Commission in Northern Virginia in 2026?. For the examples below, I use 5% total as an illustration only, not a quote.
Loan payoff. Your lender's payoff figure includes interest through the settlement date, so it runs slightly higher than the balance on your last statement. The Title/Settlement Company orders the payoff letter and pays it from your proceeds.
Property tax proration. You owe the county for the days you owned the home in the tax period. The property tax proration is credited or debited on the settlement statement depending on whether taxes were already paid.
HOA and condo packets. If your home sits in an association - common in Reston, Vienna, and across Loudoun - you order the HOA Resale Disclosure Packet (or the Condo Resale Certificate) and pay for it. Buyers then get a 3-day right of rescission after receiving it, which is why ordering early protects your timeline. See HOA Resale Certificate in Northern Virginia: Your 3-Day Cancellation Window.
Title/Settlement Company fees. In Virginia, the buyer chooses the settlement company in most contracts. Your side typically carries a release or recording fee, a settlement or closing fee, and a payoff-related charge. Ask for these in writing at the time you accept an offer.
Credits and repairs. Virginia is a caveat emptor state, so you aren't required to warrant the condition of the home, but you'll still complete the Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Statement (or the disclaimer). Inspection and radon contingencies in Fairfax and Loudoun contracts routinely produce repair requests or closing-cost credits. Budget for them before you list instead of after. If you're weighing a no-repair sale, read Sell Your House As-Is in Northern Virginia: Cash Offer or List?.
Taxes on your gain. Under current federal rules, many owners can exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for married couples filing jointly) on a primary residence if they meet the ownership and use tests. This isn't tax advice, so confirm your situation with a CPA.
Your Net Proceeds: Worked Examples & How to Keep More at Settlement
Here's how the numbers look at three price points. Taxes are exact at $0.30 per $100. Commission is an illustration at 5%. "Other costs" is a planning range of 0.5% to 1% for settlement fees, prorations, and the resale packet. Your actual lines will differ, and none of this includes buyer credits or repairs.
$500,000 Home: Burke, Annandale & Parts of Fairfax
- Transfer taxes ($0.30 per $100): $1,500
- Commission (5% illustration): $25,000
- Other costs (0.5% to 1%): $2,500 to $5,000
- Estimated total before payoff: $29,000 to $31,500
$850,000 Home: Reston, Vienna & Loudoun County Corridors
- Transfer taxes ($0.30 per $100): $2,550
- Commission (5% illustration): $42,500
- Other costs (0.5% to 1%): $4,250 to $8,500
- Estimated total before payoff: $49,300 to $53,550
$1,200,000 Home: McLean, Tysons & Arlington
- Transfer taxes ($0.30 per $100): $3,600
- Commission (5% illustration): $60,000
- Other costs (0.5% to 1%): $6,000 to $12,000
- Estimated total before payoff: $69,600 to $75,600
Subtract that total and your loan payoff from the sale price, and you have your estimated net. Every dollar of credit you grant a buyer comes off the bottom line, which is why I run net sheets at several offer prices before you decide what to counter.
Here are the steps I walk every seller through:
- Pull your payoff. Ask your lender for a good-through payoff estimate.
- Choose your commission terms. Negotiate them in the listing agreement, in writing.
- Check your association. Order the HOA Resale Disclosure Packet or Condo Resale Certificate early.
- Decide on the tax split. Keep the standard $0.30 per $100, or use it as a negotiating chip.
- Run the net sheet. Compare scenarios at different prices and credits before you accept an offer.
A listing price based on a Zestimate won't tell you any of this. If you're unsure how much to trust online values, read Zillow, Redfin & AI Home Values in Northern Virginia: How Accurate Are They?.
Frequently Asked Questions: Selling a Home in Northern Virginia
Q: How much are seller closing costs in Northern Virginia?
A: Plan on about 6% to 8% of the sale price, including commission. The statutory transfer taxes alone are $0.30 per $100, or $2,550 on an $850,000 home. Get a custom estimate with a free home valuation.
Q: Who pays the grantor's tax in Virginia?
A: The seller pays the grantor's tax of $0.10 per $100 under Va. Code 58.1-802, though the buyer and seller may agree to shift some or all of it. In Fairfax County, the WMATA fee and Regional Congestion Relief Fee are each another $0.10 per $100. See more on Fairfax County transactions.
Q: Do Loudoun County sellers pay the same transfer taxes as Fairfax County sellers?
A: The three state-level charges are the same in Loudoun and Fairfax, since both belong to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. Local items such as tax proration and association fees vary by property. Browse my Leesburg and Ashburn pages for local detail.
Q: Can I ask the buyer to pay my closing costs?
A: You can negotiate it in the contract, since the statutes allow the grantee to pay some or all of the transfer charges. Whether a buyer agrees depends on your price, condition, and competing offers. Review Under Contract in Northern Virginia? The Due Diligence Buyers Can't Skip to see what buyers weigh.
Q: When do I find out my exact net proceeds?
A: You'll see final numbers on the settlement statement from the Title/Settlement Company, usually a few days before settlement. I recommend a written net sheet before you list and again when you accept an offer. Start at the blog index for related costs guides.
If you're thinking about selling and want to know exactly what your Northern Virginia home is worth right now, I'd be glad to put together a free home valuation for you, including a personalized net sheet that shows your real proceeds, not an algorithm's guess. Find out what your home is worth today. Prefer to talk it through first? Schedule a consultation.
About Samantha Bard, REALTOR®
Samantha Bard is a licensed REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Realty specializing in the Fairfax County and broader DC Metro real estate markets. As an Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR) and Seller Representative Specialist (SRS), she provides strategic, detail-oriented guidance to buyers, sellers, and investors navigating everything from first-time purchases to probate sales and out-of-state relocations. She is dedicated to helping clients across Northern Virginia make informed, confident real estate decisions.
License #0225198344 VA | Coldwell Banker Realty | (703) 471-7220
Equal Housing Opportunity
This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rates cited are from the Code of Virginia as of the publication date; confirm current figures with your Title/Settlement Company.