Utah FSBO Seller's Net Sheet: How to Calculate What You'll Actually Walk Away With

One of the most important calculations you can make before accepting an offer on your Utah home is the seller's net sheet — a simple breakdown of what you'll actually pocket after all costs are paid. As a Utah FSBO seller, you don't have a listing agent walking you through these numbers, which means you need to build this yourself before you accept any offer.

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Skipping this step is one of the most common and costly mistakes FSBO sellers make. You might accept an offer that looks great on paper, only to discover at closing that your actual proceeds are thousands of dollars lower than expected. Here's how to do the math right.

What Is a Seller's Net Sheet?

A seller's net sheet (sometimes called a "net proceeds worksheet") is a one-page estimate that starts with your sale price and subtracts every cost you'll pay at closing. The result is your estimated net proceeds — the check you walk away with.

It's not a legally binding document. It's a planning tool. But it's an essential one.

Every Utah FSBO seller should build a net sheet before accepting any offer — especially a counter-offer or a low offer where every dollar matters.

In Utah, your title company (like RH Title) will often prepare a formal seller's net sheet as part of the closing process. But you should build your own estimate first so you know what to expect and can evaluate offers intelligently.

Step 1: Start With the Accepted Offer Price

Your net sheet starts with the gross sale price — the number on the purchase offer. For this example, let's use $475,000.

Step 2: Subtract Your Mortgage Payoff

The largest deduction for most sellers is the mortgage payoff. This is the full amount owed to your lender on the day of closing — not just your principal balance.

Your mortgage payoff includes:

• Remaining principal balance
• Accrued interest (pro-rated to the closing date)
• Prepayment penalties, if your loan has them (less common now but still worth checking)

How to get this number: Call your lender and ask for a "payoff quote" good through your expected closing date. Lenders are required to provide this. Give yourself a few extra days of buffer — if closing slips, you'll need an updated quote.

In Utah, mortgage payoffs are handled through your title company, which wires the funds directly to your lender on closing day. You don't cut a separate check. But you need to know the number to do your math.

Example: Principal balance of $298,000 + ~$800 in accrued interest = $298,800 mortgage payoff.

Step 3: Subtract Title and Closing Fees

In Utah, the seller typically pays for the owner's title insurance policy — the policy that protects the buyer's ownership. The buyer usually pays for the lender's title insurance policy (if they're financing).

Typical seller-side title and closing costs in Utah:

| Item | Estimated Cost | |---|---| | Owner's title insurance policy | $800–$1,400 (varies by sale price) | | Escrow/closing fee (seller's share) | $300–$500 | | Deed preparation | $100–$200 | | Recording fees | $50–$150 | | Wire transfer fee | $25–$50 |

Example total: ~$1,700 for a $475,000 transaction.

These costs vary by title company. If you're closing with RH Title, you'll get a Good Faith Estimate of these fees before you commit. See our breakdown of Utah FSBO closing costs for more detail.

Step 4: Subtract Property Tax Proration

Utah property taxes are paid in arrears — meaning you owe taxes for time you already lived in the property. At closing, you'll receive a credit from the buyer for the portion of the year the home was in their name, but you'll owe a debit for the portion you owned it before closing.

How it works: If you close on August 14 and your annual property taxes are $3,600, you'll owe roughly 7.5 months (January through mid-August) = ~$2,250.

Your title company calculates this automatically. The amount shows up as a debit on your closing disclosure.

Check your county: Salt Lake County, Utah County, Davis County, and Washington County all collect taxes on slightly different schedules. Your title company handles the proration, but knowing your annual tax bill helps you estimate this cost.

Step 5: Subtract Any Buyer Concessions You've Agreed To

If you negotiated to pay the buyer's closing costs, offer a credit for repairs, or agreed to any other seller concessions, subtract those from your proceeds.

Examples:

• Buyer closing cost credit: $3,000
• Repair credit after inspection: $2,500
• Home warranty: $500

Concessions are common in Utah's current market, especially in counties like Weber and Cache where buyer activity is more modest. Every concession you offer reduces your net.

Don't agree to concessions without first running your net sheet. What feels like a small concession at the negotiating table can meaningfully change your actual take-home amount.

Step 6: Subtract Real Estate Commission (If Any)

One of the main reasons Utah sellers go FSBO is to avoid the 5–6% listing agent commission. But even without a listing agent, you may still owe a buyer's agent commission if the buyer's agent requests one and you agreed to pay it.

Under Utah's current post-NAR settlement practices, buyer compensation is negotiable and must be disclosed. Some buyers come unrepresented; others bring an agent who negotiates their own compensation.

If you agreed to pay 2–3% buyer's agent commission on a $475,000 sale, that's $9,500–$14,250 coming off your proceeds.

If you're truly selling without any agents, subtract $0 here — and that's exactly what FSBO saves you.

Step 7: Subtract Capital Gains Taxes (If Applicable)

If you've lived in your home as your primary residence for at least 2 of the last 5 years, you may exclude up to $250,000 in gain ($500,000 for married couples filing jointly) under federal IRS Section 121.

Utah follows federal treatment for capital gains exclusions for primary residences, though Utah does impose its own flat 4.65% state income tax on any gain above the exclusion amount.

Most homeowners who've lived in their home for several years won't owe capital gains. But if you're selling an investment property, a second home, or a home you've owned less than two years, talk to a CPA before closing. Don't wait until tax season.

Step 8: Build Your Net Sheet

Here's a sample net sheet using the numbers from each section above:

| | | |---|---| | Sale Price | $475,000 | | − Mortgage Payoff | ($298,800) | | − Title & Closing Fees | ($1,700) | | − Property Tax Proration | ($2,250) | | − Repair Credit (inspection) | ($2,500) | | − Buyer Agent Commission (2%) | ($9,500) | | Estimated Net Proceeds | $160,250 |

This is what you'd walk away with — before any capital gains taxes and before any moving costs or next-home down payment.

A few important notes:

• These are estimates. Your actual closing disclosure will have the exact numbers.
• Request a formal seller's net sheet from your title company as soon as you're under contract. It's standard practice — any Utah title company will provide one.
• Run your net sheet for each offer you receive. A lower offer with fewer concessions may net you more than a higher offer loaded with buyer credits.

How FSBO Changes the Math

If you'd listed with a traditional real estate agent in Utah, you'd typically pay 5–6% in combined commission. On a $475,000 sale, that's $23,750–$28,500 off the top — before any other costs.

As an FSBO seller, you eliminate the listing agent's side (~2.5–3%). If you're also selling to an unrepresented buyer, you eliminate both sides. That's real money — often $10,000–$20,000+ that stays in your pocket.

Running an accurate net sheet shows you exactly what you're saving — and helps you make smarter decisions about pricing, concessions, and offer evaluation.

Get Help With Your Utah FSBO Transaction

If you'd like help reviewing an offer, understanding your closing disclosure, or building a net sheet before you accept, Tyler is available for a consultation. Many Utah FSBO sellers find that a one-hour call before accepting an offer saves them thousands.

Ready to get started? Tyler offers a free 15-minute consultation — schedule yours at utahfsbohelp.com/contact.