By Paarth Shah, REALTOR® · July 13, 2026 · San Francisco
If you are thinking about selling in San Francisco, the two costs that matter most are the agent commission and the city's real property transfer tax. The transfer tax is the part that surprises people, because San Francisco's rates are among the highest in the state and they rise with the sale price.
The San Francisco transfer tax. The city charges a transfer tax based on the sale price, and the whole price is taxed at the rate for the tier it lands in (it is a flat rate per tier, not a marginal bracket like income tax). Per the Office of the Assessor-Recorder, the current tiers work out to roughly: 0.50% for sales up to $250,000; about 0.68% from $250,001 to $999,999; 0.75% from $1,000,000 to $4,999,999; 2.25% from $5,000,000 to $9,999,999; 5.50% from $10,000,000 to $24,999,999; and 6.00% at $25,000,000 and above. By long-standing local custom the seller pays this tax, though it is legally negotiable between the parties.
To put that in context, San Francisco's median home sale price was around $1.7M in mid-2026 (Redfin). A sale at that price falls in the 0.75% tier, so the city transfer tax alone would be roughly $12,750. Cross the $5,000,000 line and the rate triples to 2.25%, which is why higher-end sellers pay close attention to where their price lands.
Agent commissions. The largest single cost is usually the commission, which commonly runs in the neighborhood of 5% of the sale price (often split between the two sides, and negotiable, especially after the 2024 changes to how commissions are handled). On a $1.7M sale, 5% is about $85,000.
The smaller line items. Add escrow and title fees, recording costs, any county transfer tax, a natural hazard disclosure report, and often some pre-sale prep like staging, cleaning, or minor repairs. Individually these are modest, but together they add up.
Putting it together, a typical San Francisco seller in the $1M to $5M range should plan for total selling costs somewhere around 5.5% to 6.5% of the sale price, dominated by the commission, with the transfer tax as the next largest piece. Your actual number depends on your price, your negotiated commission, and what you spend preparing the home.
If it would help, I can put together a net-proceeds estimate for your specific address, showing the transfer tax tier you fall in and a realistic range after all costs, so you know what you would actually walk away with. Reach me at paarth@brokerbela.com or through the contact page.
Plan for roughly 5.5% to 6.5% of the sale price in total. The largest cost is the agent commission (commonly around 5%, and negotiable). San Francisco's city transfer tax is the next biggest piece and rises with price: about 0.75% for a sale in the $1M to $5M range, jumping to 2.25% above $5M. The seller customarily pays the transfer tax. Escrow, title, recording, and prep costs make up the rest.
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This is general market commentary, not financial, investment, or legal advice; figures are as of publication and can change. Verify specifics, including any school assignments, ratings, or boundaries, independently. Bela Realty & Investments is committed to Equal Housing Opportunity and does not steer clients toward or away from any neighborhood on the basis of a protected characteristic.