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Seller net proceeds calculator for Massachusetts

Net proceeds are the sale price minus your mortgage payoff, the agent commission, the Massachusetts deeds excise tax ($4.56 per $1,000 of price, normally paid by the seller), your attorney and other closing costs. On a $650,000 sale with a $250,000 payoff, the defaults below leave about $356,500 before income tax. Change any line to match your own numbers.

Updated October 7, 2026. Facts checked October 7, 2026 against the sources listed at the bottom. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Deeds excise tax$4.56 per $1,000$2.28 per $500 or fractional part, MGL c.64D s.1
On a $650,000 sale$2,964Paid by the seller by custom
CommissionNegotiableSet in your listing agreement; see the commission guide
Not includedIncome taxSee the capital gains calculator
$

Use an agent's market opinion, not an online estimate.

$

All mortgages, home equity loans and liens, from your payoff letters. Enter 0 if none.

%

Negotiable. Enter 0 if selling without an agent.

$

Example amount. Fees vary: get a quote.

$

Example amount for recording the mortgage discharge, municipal lien certificate, smoke and CO certificate, payoff fees, and similar items.

$
$

Taxes you have not yet paid for the part of the period before closing. Enter 0 if unsure; this is settled at closing.

Estimated cash to you at closing

-

Before income tax. If you owe tax on a gain, use the capital gains calculator. An estimate, not a closing statement, an offer or advice. The deeds excise tax is $2.28 per $500 or fractional part of the price (MGL c.64D s.1), normally paid by the seller. We are not a real estate broker or agent. We connect you with independent local buyers and agents who may pay us a fee. No obligation.

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How the calculator works

Start with the price a buyer pays. Subtract every loan secured by the house, because the closing attorney pays those off from the sale money before you get a dollar. Then subtract the costs of selling. What is left is the check you receive at closing.

  1. Sale price. Use an agent's market opinion of what the house would sell for, not an online estimate.
  2. Payoffs. Add every mortgage, home equity line and recorded lien. Ask each lender for a payoff letter with a per-day interest figure.
  3. Commission. Enter the total for both agents. Enter 0 if you sell without an agent. See how much commission costs in Massachusetts.
  4. Deeds excise tax. Calculated for you. The tax is $2.28 for each $500 or fractional part of the price. See the deeds excise tax guide.
  5. Attorney and other closing costs. The defaults are examples, not quotes. See closing costs for sellers.
  6. Repairs, cleanout and staging. Money you spend before the sale.
  7. Prorations. Property tax and utilities are split with the buyer at closing; see the lien certificate and tax proration guide.

A worked example

Default inputs: $650,000 sale, $250,000 payoff, 5% commission
LineAmount
Sale price$650,000
Mortgage payoff-$250,000
Commission (5%)-$32,500
Deeds excise tax-$2,964
Attorney (example)-$2,000
Other closing costs (example)-$1,000
Repairs and staging (example)-$5,000
Estimated cash to you$356,536

The deeds excise line is $650,000 divided by $500, rounded up to 1,300 units, times $2.28. Everything else depends on your house, your loan and your agreements.

What this does not include

Income tax. If you lived in the house for two of the last five years, most sellers owe no federal tax on a gain up to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly). Gains above that, and sales of rentals or inherited homes, can be taxed. Use the capital gains calculator.

A cash offer. A cash or as-is buyer usually pays less but charges no commission and skips repairs. To compare the two on the same basis, open the cash offer vs listing tool.

This is an estimate, not a closing statement. Your attorney prepares the real one before closing.

Questions

Common questions.

How much does a seller pay in closing costs in Massachusetts?

Sellers typically pay the agent commission, the deeds excise tax ($4.56 per $1,000), their own attorney, and small items such as the mortgage discharge recording, municipal lien certificate and smoke and CO certificate. The commission is by far the largest piece; your attorney can give you a written estimate of the rest.

Who pays the deeds excise tax in Massachusetts?

By long-standing custom the seller pays it, and the tax stamps are part of the deed. The law places the tax on the transfer; the purchase and sale agreement can say otherwise. It is $2.28 for each $500 or fractional part of the price.

Does this include the capital gains tax?

No. Income tax on a gain depends on what you paid, your improvements, how long you lived there and your income. Use the capital gains calculator for that.

Why is my real number different?

Payoffs include interest through the closing date, prorations depend on the date, and attorney and title fees vary. Treat this as a planning number and ask your attorney for a draft closing statement once you have an offer.

Sources

Where this comes from.

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