Free tool
Cash offer vs. listing with an agent: which nets you more?
The headline price isn't what you keep. This calculator subtracts the costs of each path — commission, repairs, months of holding, buyer concessions — so you can compare the two nets side by side.
Results
Enter your numbers and press Calculate. Nothing here is an offer or an appraisal.
How it's calculated
The math, in plain language
Formula
- Listing net = expected sale price − commission − seller closing costs − buyer concessions − repairs/prep − (months to sell × monthly holding cost) − mortgage payoff.
- Cash net = cash offer − (months to cash closing × monthly holding cost) − mortgage payoff. We assume the buyer covers standard seller closing costs, which is how we buy; change the offer amount if yours doesn't.
- The break-even line shows the cash offer that would produce exactly the same net as listing — a quick way to judge any offer you receive.
Assumptions and limits
- Defaults are editable examples, not market data. Commission, closing-cost, and concession percentages vary by agent, price, and negotiation.
- “Expected sale price if listed” should be the price you actually expect to close at, not the asking price.
- Holding cost should include everything you pay monthly to keep the house: mortgage, taxes, insurance, HOA, utilities, lawn, and upkeep.
- This tool is for general planning only. It is not an offer, an appraisal, or legal, tax, or financial advice. Results depend entirely on the numbers you enter.
FAQ
Common questions
Why does the calculator subtract holding costs from the listing path?
Because you keep paying for the house while it's prepped, listed, under contract, and waiting on the buyer's lender. Those months are a real cost of the higher price.
What if I'd pay no commission?
Set commission to zero. If you're selling by owner, consider whether you'll still pay a buyer's agent, and add your own marketing and time.
Does a cash offer really skip closing costs?
It depends on the buyer. We cover standard seller closing costs on our purchases; if a buyer you're comparing doesn't, subtract those from the offer before entering it.
Is the cash offer default a real offer?
No — it's a placeholder. Enter an offer you've received, or request one from us to compare.
Keep going
Related tools and guides
More free tools
- Cost to sell a house
Every common selling cost itemized — commission, closing, prep, concessions, holding — and your resulting net.
- Repair first or sell as-is?
Renovate-then-list net versus sell-as-is net, including overruns, time, and selling costs.
- As-is offer estimator
Work backward from after-repair value to see what an as-is offer range looks like and why.
Houston guides
- Cash home buyers
How direct buyers calculate offers, what to ask any cash buyer, and red flags to watch for.
- Sell my house fast
What actually makes a sale slow, and how a direct cash purchase removes those steps.
- Sell house as-is
What “as-is” means in Texas, what you still have to disclose, and what condition really does to the price.
Want to discuss an actual offer?
The calculator uses your guesses. We use real comparable sales and a walkthrough. Enter the address — it's free and there's no obligation.