By Stephen Harris | April 29, 2026

Before you list your home, you need to know one number: what you’ll actually walk away with. Not your sale price. Not your Zestimate. Your net — what lands in your bank account after the title company cuts all the checks.

Most sellers don’t run this math until closing day. That’s a mistake. Your net proceeds determine whether you can afford your next move, pay off your mortgage, or cover a gap if the appraisal comes in low. Getting it right before you list puts you in control of the whole transaction.

Here’s how the numbers actually work in Killeen.

The Costs Every Killeen Seller Pays

There are four buckets to account for. No surprises — just math.

1. Agent commission

In Texas, commission is negotiable — there is no set rate. Most Killeen sellers pay somewhere between 5% and 6% of the sale price in total agent compensation, split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. After the 2024 NAR settlement, sellers are no longer required to offer buyer agent compensation through the MLS, but most do, because it keeps your home accessible to the full buyer pool.

On a $250,000 sale at 5.5%: that’s $13,750.

2. Title insurance and closing fees

Texas uses title companies — not attorneys — to close real estate transactions. The seller typically pays for the owner’s title insurance policy, which protects the buyer against title defects. Texas title insurance rates are set by the state and apply equally at every title company. As of March 1, 2026, rates were reduced by 6.2%, so you’re paying slightly less than sellers did in 2025.

On a $250,000 sale, the owner’s title policy runs approximately $1,450–$1,550. Add in closing fees, recording costs, and miscellaneous title company charges, and your total title-related costs typically run $2,000–$2,800.

3. Prorated property taxes

Texas property taxes are paid in arrears — meaning your 2026 taxes aren’t due until January 2027. But when you sell, you owe the buyer a credit for every day of 2026 you owned the home up to closing.

In Killeen, the combined property tax rate (city, county, and school district) typically runs $2.30–$2.50 per $100 of assessed valuation. On a $250,000 home closing in late April, that’s roughly $2,400–$2,600 credited to the buyer at closing. Closing in December? Your credit is nearly the full year’s taxes — closer to $5,750–$6,250.

The title company calculates this exactly based on your closing date, but the later in the year you close, the larger your tax proration.

4. Any seller concessions you offer

In the current Killeen market — 7 months of supply, buyers with leverage — it’s very common for buyers to ask the seller to cover a portion of their closing costs. On VA loan purchases, sellers can contribute up to 4% of the purchase price in concessions (not counting buyer agent commission). On FHA and conventional purchases, the limit is 3–6% depending on the loan-to-value ratio.

A $5,000–$7,500 seller concession on a $250,000 sale is routine in this market. Plan for it if your buyer pool is primarily military.

The Real Net Sheet at Three Price Points

Here’s what a typical Killeen seller nets at three common price points, assuming a 5.5% commission, standard title fees, an April closing, and $5,000 in seller concessions:

$200,000 sale

• Commission (5.5%): −$11,000
• Title and closing fees: −$2,200
• Prorated property taxes (~4 months): −$1,900
• Seller concessions: −$5,000
• Gross proceeds before mortgage payoff: ~$179,900

$250,000 sale

• Commission (5.5%): −$13,750
• Title and closing fees: −$2,500
• Prorated property taxes (~4 months): −$2,400
• Seller concessions: −$5,000
• Gross proceeds before mortgage payoff: ~$226,350

$300,000 sale

• Commission (5.5%): −$16,500
• Title and closing fees: −$2,800
• Prorated property taxes (~4 months): −$2,900
• Seller concessions: −$5,000
• Gross proceeds before mortgage payoff: ~$272,800

Your actual number depends on your specific commission negotiation, your closing date, your assessed value, and what concessions you end up offering. But these ranges give you a realistic floor to work from.

What Comes Off the Top Before You See a Dollar

One more thing most sellers forget: your mortgage payoff comes out of proceeds before you receive anything.

If you owe $180,000 on a $250,000 sale, your net after payoff is closer to $46,000 — not $226,000. If you owe $230,000, you’re looking at roughly −$4,000 — meaning you’d need to bring cash to the table to close. That situation is called being underwater, and it’s worth checking your payoff amount with your lender before you list.

Your lender can provide a mortgage payoff quote good for 30 days. Get it early.

What Texas Doesn’t Charge You

Two costs sellers in other states worry about that don’t apply in Texas:

No transfer tax. Many states charge a tax on the sale of real property — sometimes thousands of dollars. Texas has no transfer tax. Zero.

No state capital gains tax. Texas has no state income tax, which means no state-level capital gains on your home sale. Federal capital gains exclusions ($250,000 for single filers, $500,000 for married couples filing jointly) still apply at the federal level if the home was your primary residence for at least 2 of the last 5 years. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation — I’m not a CPA and this isn’t tax advice.

Your Specific Number

These are the right ranges for a Killeen seller in April 2026. But your specific number depends on your home’s condition, your neighborhood, what price the market will actually support, your closing date, and what a buyer asks for in negotiation.

The only way to know your real net is to run it with someone who knows this market and your specific property. I do this for every seller I work with before we ever talk about a list price — because knowing your net is what makes every other decision make sense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Texas charge transfer tax when you sell a home?

No. Texas has no real estate transfer tax, which is a meaningful advantage over many other states where sellers pay 1–2% of the sale price just in transfer taxes. In Texas, you pay commission, title fees, prorated taxes, and any concessions — but no transfer tax.

How are property taxes handled at closing in Texas?

Texas property taxes are paid in arrears, so you’ll owe the buyer a prorated credit for every day of the tax year you owned the home up to closing. The title company calculates this automatically based on your local tax rate and closing date. The later in the year you close, the larger the credit owed to the buyer.

Do I have to pay the buyer’s agent commission as a seller in Texas?

Not anymore — at least not through the MLS. Following the 2024 NAR settlement, sellers are no longer required to offer buyer agent compensation in the listing. However, many sellers in Killeen still offer it because it keeps the home accessible to buyers who have buyer representation agreements. It’s a negotiation, not a mandate.

What is a seller concession and how much should I expect to offer in Killeen?

A seller concession is a credit the seller gives the buyer at closing to help cover the buyer’s closing costs. In Killeen’s current market — with 7 months of inventory and buyers holding more leverage — $3,000–$7,500 in concessions is common, especially on VA loan purchases where buyers have limited ability to roll costs into the loan. Budget for it in your net sheet from the start.

How do I get an exact net proceeds estimate for my specific home?

Ask your agent to run a net sheet before you list. A good net sheet shows your estimated sale price, commission, title fees, tax proration based on your closing date, mortgage payoff, and any expected concessions — all on one page. That number is your decision-making foundation.