What It Costs to Sell a House in Portland, Oregon in 2026

Most sellers know the list price they want. Far fewer know what they'll actually walk away with. Here's every cost that shows up on a typical Portland Metro closing statement, what's customary in Oregon versus Washington, and the few tax rules that surprise people.

1. Agent commission

Commission is usually the biggest line item, and it's negotiable. It isn't set by law or by any board. Since the 2024 national rule changes, you also decide as the seller whether to offer compensation to the buyer's agent, and buyers sign their own written agreement with their agent. What you agree to is in your listing agreement before anything goes live, so you know the number up front.

2. Title insurance and escrow (Oregon)

In Oregon, the seller customarily pays for the buyer's owner's title insurance policy, which is priced on a rate schedule tied to the sale price. Escrow fees are customarily split 50/50 between buyer and seller. Add small recording and document fees. These customs can be negotiated in the contract, but that's the default most Portland deals follow.

3. Transfer tax: only in Washington County

Oregon doesn't have a statewide transfer tax, and Oregon voters banned new local ones in 2012. The exception is Washington County (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Sherwood, Tualatin, and more), whose tax predates the ban: $1 per $1,000 of the sale price, typically split between buyer and seller. On a $600,000 sale that's $600 total. Multnomah and Clackamas counties don't charge one.

4. Prorated property taxes

Oregon's property tax year runs July 1 through June 30, and most owners pay the full year in November. At closing, escrow prorates the year: if you've already paid taxes covering months after your closing date, the buyer credits you back; if you haven't, you're charged for the days you owned the home. It's a wash on paper, but it can move your net by thousands depending on timing.

5. Repairs and credits after inspection

Almost every buyer inspects, and most come back with a repair request. You can make repairs, offer a credit or price reduction, or decline. Budgeting for this ahead of time, or doing a pre-listing inspection so there are fewer surprises, keeps a deal from falling apart in the second week.

6. Everything else

• Your mortgage payoff and any home equity line, including interest through the payoff date.
• HOA costs if you have one: resale documents and transfer fees, plus prorated dues.
• Prep: cleaning, paint, landscaping, minor repairs, and staging if it makes sense for your home.
• Moving, and overlapping housing costs if your timing doesn't line up.

Selling in SW Washington is different

If your home is in Vancouver, Camas, Ridgefield, or elsewhere in Clark County, Washington charges a real estate excise tax (REET) on the sale, and the seller usually pays it. The state portion is graduated: it starts at 1.1% on the lower part of the price and steps up for higher-priced homes, and a local REET is added on top. The state's brackets changed during 2026 and are set to change again on January 1, 2027, so get your exact figure from escrow for your specific closing date. Title and escrow customs also differ slightly across the river.

Tax rules that catch sellers off guard

• The home-sale exclusion. If you owned and lived in the home as your main residence for at least two of the last five years, federal law lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for married couples filing jointly). Oregon generally follows the federal rule. Gain above that, or on a rental, is taxable.
• Oregon withholding if you've already moved away. If you're no longer an Oregon resident when you sell Oregon property, escrow is generally required to withhold part of your proceeds for the Oregon Department of Revenue: the least of 4% of the sale price, 8% of the gain, or your net proceeds. You can often reduce or recover it on your Oregon return, but it affects your cash at closing. This comes up a lot with people relocating out of state.
• Washington's capital gains tax doesn't apply to real estate, so selling a home in Vancouver or Camas doesn't trigger it.

This is general information, not tax advice. Run your specific situation by a CPA before you list.

The bottom line

The only way to know your real number is a net sheet built from your actual payoff, your likely sale price, and your closing date. Start with a free home valuation → and I'll walk you through what you'd net at a few different prices.