real-estate

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Missouri? The Questions Sellers Ask Most

Selling a house in Missouri costs 6 to 8 percent with no transfer tax. Commission in Kansas City vs St. Louis, occupancy inspections, title fees, and net sheets.

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Missouri? The Questions Sellers Ask Most

Missouri is one of about a dozen states with no real estate transfer tax, and that fact alone saves sellers $1,000 to $5,000 compared with neighbors like Illinois and Iowa. What Missouri sellers pay instead is commission, title and closing fees, a municipal occupancy inspection in much of the St. Louis area, prorated taxes, and whatever the buyer negotiates after inspection. The total lands at 6 to 8 percent of the sale price, or $15,000 to $20,000 on a $250,000 home.

Sellers in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, and Columbia tend to ask the same handful of questions once they start planning a sale. This article answers each one with current numbers, and the answers differ more between the two big metros than most people expect.

Is There a Transfer Tax or Deed Tax in Missouri

No. Missouri charges no state transfer tax, no county deed tax, and no city conveyance fee anywhere in the state. The only government cost of recording the sale is the recorder's fee, which runs $25 to $60 for a deed in St. Louis County, Jackson County, and most others.

That is a real advantage. A $300,000 sale across the river in Illinois pays $450 in state and county transfer tax plus a city tax in many municipalities, and a sale in Iowa pays $480. In Missouri the same seller pays a recording fee and nothing more.

Missouri also has no mansion tax or tiered fee on high-value sales. A $1.2 million home in Ladue or Mission Hills-adjacent parts of Kansas City pays the same recording fee as a $150,000 house in Independence.

The savings are worth remembering when comparing net sheets from agents. A Missouri net sheet should not show any transfer tax line, and if it does, ask what it is.

What Do Agents Charge in Kansas City Versus St. Louis

Kansas City listing commissions run 2.5 to 3 percent, and total commission with the buyer side lands at 5 to 5.75 percent. The Kansas City market spans the state line, and Missouri-side sellers in Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, and Liberty see the same rates as Johnson County, KS sellers. Brookside, Waldo, and the Northland have more discount brokerage activity than the outer suburbs.

St. Louis runs slightly higher. Listing sides in St. Louis County and St. Charles County sit at 2.75 to 3 percent, and total commission is commonly 5.5 to 6 percent. Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Clayton, and Chesterfield sellers above $500,000 can negotiate to 2.5 percent on the listing side, but 3 percent remains the default in most of the metro.

Springfield, Columbia, Joplin, and St. Joseph are 3 percent listing sides with 5.5 to 6 percent totals. Median prices in those markets run $200,000 to $280,000, and agents hold their rates there.

Buyer agent compensation is settled in the offer now rather than posted on the MLS. Missouri sellers still cover 2.5 to 3 percent in most transactions because buyers request it, and refusing narrows the buyer pool. Sellers in multiple-offer situations in South Kansas City or the Central West End have started countering requests down to 2 percent.

What Is the Occupancy Inspection and Who Pays for It

Many St. Louis County municipalities require a housing or occupancy inspection before a home can be sold or reoccupied, and this is the cost that surprises sellers who moved to Missouri from elsewhere. The city of St. Louis, University City, Florissant, Maplewood, Ferguson, Hazelwood, and dozens of others each run their own program.

The inspection fee runs $50 to $200 depending on the municipality. The inspector checks for code items like handrails, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, GFCI outlets, and exterior maintenance.

Failed items have to be fixed and reinspected, and that is where the cost grows. A typical list of corrections runs $300 to $1,500, and older brick homes in South City or University City can run higher.

The seller usually pays for the inspection and the corrections, though contracts sometimes shift the cost to the buyer. Sellers should order the inspection before listing so the fixes are done before buyers tour.

Kansas City does not have an equivalent citywide program, and neither does Springfield or Columbia. A few Kansas City suburbs, including Independence and Raytown, have rental inspection programs that do not apply to owner-occupied sales.

What Are the Title and Closing Fees

Missouri closings are handled by title companies, and the seller and buyer each pay a share. Seller closing fees run $300 to $600 for the settlement fee, plus $100 to $250 for deed preparation and $50 to $150 in recording, courier, and wire fees.

Owner's title insurance is customarily paid by the seller in Missouri. On a $250,000 home it runs $750 to $1,100, and on a $500,000 home it runs $1,200 to $1,700.

Rates are set by the title company rather than filed with the state, so it pays to compare. Some St. Louis title companies offer a reissue rate if the seller bought within the last 10 years and can produce the old policy.

A title search and exam runs $150 to $300 and is often folded into the policy premium. Lien releases for old mortgages that were never properly recorded run $50 to $200 each and come up more than you would think on homes owned for 20 years or more.

Sellers with a mortgage pay a payoff processing or release fee of $25 to $100 to their lender, plus interest through the closing date.

What Do Buyers Ask For After Inspection

Missouri buyers use an inspection period of 10 to 15 days, and repair requests follow on most sales. Typical credit requests run $1,000 to $4,000, and they cluster around a few items.

Foundation and basement water are the most common, because much of the St. Louis and Kansas City housing sits on clay soil that moves with wet springs and dry summers. A structural engineer's report runs $400 to $700 and buyers often want one.

Radon is the next one. Missouri has widespread elevated radon, particularly in the northern half of the state and around Kansas City, and buyers routinely test. Mitigation runs $900 to $2,000, and sellers frequently agree to pay it.

Sewer lateral inspections come up in the St. Louis area, where many municipalities run a sewer lateral repair program funded by a small annual fee. A camera inspection runs $150 to $300, and knowing the program exists is a selling point if the lateral has a problem.

Roof and HVAC age round out the list. Missouri hail storms mean many roofs have been replaced through insurance, and buyers ask for documentation. An HVAC system over 15 years old draws a credit request in both metros.

What Does a Missouri Seller Net at Three Price Points

On a $215,000 house in Independence, a seller paying 5.75 percent commission, $850 for owner's title insurance, $500 in closing fees, $1,200 in prorated Jackson County taxes, and $2,000 in inspection credits spends about $16,910, or 7.9 percent.

On a $340,000 house in Kirkwood, a seller paying 5.5 percent commission, $1,050 for title insurance, $550 in closing fees, a $150 occupancy inspection with $600 in corrections, $2,400 in prorated taxes, and $2,500 in credits spends about $25,950, or 7.6 percent. St. Louis County taxes are higher than Jackson County's, which shows in the proration.

On a $625,000 house in Lee's Summit, a seller paying 5 percent commission, $1,500 for title insurance, $650 in closing fees, $3,800 in prorated taxes, and $3,000 in credits spends about $40,200, or 6.4 percent. The lower commission rate at this price pulls the percentage down.

Sellers should ask each agent they interview for a net sheet built on these lines, and compare it with what the real estate agents in their Missouri market are quoting for commission and title. For more on preparing a Missouri home for sale and timing the market in each metro, our other real estate articles go deeper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Missouri have a real estate transfer tax?

No. Missouri charges no state, county, or city transfer tax on home sales. The only recording cost is the county recorder's fee of $25 to $60 for the deed.

Who pays for title insurance when selling a house in Missouri?

The seller pays for the owner's policy by custom, which runs $750 to $1,700 on most homes. The buyer pays for the lender's policy. Rates vary by title company, so sellers can shop.

What is a municipal occupancy inspection in St. Louis?

Many St. Louis County municipalities and the city of St. Louis require a code inspection before a home changes hands. The fee is $50 to $200, and corrections for items like handrails and smoke detectors typically run $300 to $1,500.

How much are seller closing costs in Missouri without commission?

Sellers typically pay $2,000 to $5,000 outside of commission, covering title insurance, settlement fees, deed preparation, prorated taxes, and any occupancy inspection. Inspection credits are on top of that.

Is it cheaper to sell a house in Kansas City or St. Louis?

Kansas City is a little cheaper. Commission rates run a quarter point lower, there is no occupancy inspection in most of the metro, and Jackson County property taxes produce a smaller proration than St. Louis County's.