How Do I Calculate How Much Money I Will Make When I Sell My House?

"How do I calculate how much money I will make when I sell my house?" is really a question about net proceeds: the cash left after your mortgage payoff and every seller cost come out of the sale price. The calculation is a net sheet, and it is simple subtraction once you have the right numbers. This post gives you the formula, shows where every input comes from, and runs a worked example at the SABOR August 2026 San Antonio median so you can do your own math before you ever sign a listing agreement. If you are buying your next home in the same move, my sell-and-buy guide covers sequencing the two closings.

The net sheet formula every seller should write down

A net sheet is one equation, and it never changes:

If the result is positive, that is the cash you take from closing. If it is negative, you bring money to the table, which is what it means to sell "upside down." Equity and net proceeds are not the same number: equity is value minus what you owe, and net proceeds is equity minus the cost of selling. My equity calculation answer walks through the first number, and the net proceeds answer shows the full statement.

The numbers you need, and where each one comes from

• Sale price. From a comparative market analysis built on closed sales of comparable homes, not an online estimate, which can be off by five figures in either direction.
• Mortgage payoff. From a payoff quote your lender writes for your expected closing week. The balance on your monthly statement is not the payoff: interest accrues daily, and a second lien, HELOC, or escrow shortage changes the total.
• Commission. From your listing agreement. Texas has no set rate; the typical total in San Antonio runs about 5% to 6% of the sale price, split between the listing and buyer's agents. A 2026 survey of local agents put the average at 5.61%.
• Owner's title policy. State-regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance, with the premium set by TDI's rate schedule.
• Title, escrow and recording fees. From the title company's estimate; typically a few hundred dollars.
• Prorated property taxes. From the appraisal district's taxable value for your parcel, prorated to the closing date.
• Concessions and credits. From the contract: seller-paid closing costs, rate buydowns, repair credits, or a home warranty you agreed to fund.

The two numbers the state sets

Most lines on a net sheet are negotiated or vary by deal. Two are set by the state. The owner's title policy premium comes from TDI's basic premium rate schedule, effective March 1, 2026. For a policy amount from $100,001 to $1,000,000, the formula is (price minus 100,000) times 0.00494, plus 780. Property taxes are the second: the tax lien attaches January 1 and taxes are paid in arrears, so closing prorates them by the day. The seller pays for January 1 through the day before closing, the buyer pays from closing through December 31, and the seller typically credits the buyer at closing for the seller's share. The TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract addresses prorations in Paragraph 13.

Worked example at the SABOR median

SABOR's August 2026 report put the San Antonio median at $299,275, essentially unchanged from a year earlier, with 3,104 homes sold, up 4% year over year. Run that price through the formula:

Change the payoff to $250,000 and the same home nets about $28,000. That is the whole method: the payoff and the closing date move the number more than anything else you control. The Comal County net sheet example runs a full statement line by line, and the cost to sell in Texas post breaks down every line item.

The three mistakes that wreck the math

• Using your statement balance instead of a payoff quote. Daily interest, a second lien, or an escrow shortage can add thousands you did not plan for.
• Forgetting the tax proration. On a typical San Antonio parcel that is a couple thousand dollars out of your side of the closing.
• Forgetting concessions and repair credits. If you agreed to pay the buyer's closing costs or credit a roof repair, that is a line on your net sheet, not overhead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sincerely, Patrick, The Mortgage Patriot

Sources: San Antonio Board of REALTORS (SABOR) August 2026 market statistics via Texas Public Radio (September 16, 2026) and 210 Realty Group (median price $299,275, average price $372,989, 3,104 homes sold, up 4% year over year); Texas Department of Insurance basic title insurance premium rates effective March 1, 2026 (formula for $100,001 to $1,000,000: (price minus 100,000) times 0.00494, plus 780); Texas Land Title Association title insurance FAQ (customary for the seller to pay the owner's policy); Texas property tax proration guidance per Daughtrey Law and Independence Title, with prorations addressed in Paragraph 13 of the TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract; ListWithClever 2026 survey of San Antonio real estate agents (average total commission 5.61%). Payoff, tax proration, and concession amounts in the worked example are inputs that vary by deal, not predictions. Market statistics are a snapshot, not a forecast. This article is general education, not legal or tax advice; consult a licensed Texas agent or attorney for your specific situation.