Chapter 7 of 10 · Selling · 14 of 14
The cost of selling a house in Ireland
Checked 21 Oct 2026the Central Bank's mortgage measures, Revenue's rules and the scheme operators' published terms.
Every cost of selling: agent fee plus VAT, solicitor, BER, marketing, mortgage redemption and breakage, CGT and moving, with examples.
Check before you hire: a estate agent should be on the register kept by the Property Services Regulatory Authority. PSRA: licence register
Written in plain English for the person buying, selling or switching. This guide covers the Republic of Ireland only.
Selling a home costs money before the price reaches you. Most of it comes out of the sale price on the day the sale closes. This guide lists every cost, with a worked example at €400,000, so there are no surprises on closing day.
The short answer
On a €400,000 sale with a typical agent, the costs come to about €10,775. Then the mortgage is paid off from what is left. Here is how a €400,000 sale with a €180,000 mortgage works out.
| Item | Typical figure | In the example |
|---|---|---|
| Estate agent at 1.5% plus VAT at 23% | 1% to 2.5% plus VAT | €7,380 |
| Marketing (photos, floor plans, listing) | €0 to €800 | €300 |
| Solicitor at €1,500 plus VAT at 23% | €1,200 to €2,500 plus VAT | €1,845 |
| BER certificate | €225 to €400 | €250 |
| Removals | €500 to €1,500 | €1,000 |
| Total costs | €10,775 | |
| Mortgage paid off | Your balance | €180,000 |
| What you walk away with | €209,225 |
The figures are typical ranges from the sources at the end of this guide, not quotes. Get written quotes for your own sale.
The estate agent's fee
An estate agent sells your home for a fee. The agent must hold a licence from the PSRA (the Property Services Regulatory Authority) and must give you a written letter of engagement before doing any work. The letter sets out the fee and what it covers. You can check an agent on the PSRA register.
Most agents charge a percentage of the sale price. The usual range is 1% to 2.5%. VAT at 23% is added on top, and people often forget it. On €400,000 at 1.5%, the fee is €6,000, the VAT is €1,380, and the total is €7,380.
Some agents charge a fixed fee instead. The usual range is €999 to €2,995 plus VAT. A €1,995 fixed fee with VAT comes to €2,453.85. Add €300 of marketing and the total is €2,753.85. The estate agent fees calculator compares a percentage fee and a fixed fee side by side. The guide on choosing an estate agent covers what to ask before you sign.
Marketing
Photos, a floor plan, a brochure and the listing on the property websites are marketing costs. Some agents include them in the fee. Others charge €300 to €800 on top. Ask which it is before you sign the letter of engagement.
The solicitor
A solicitor does the legal work of the sale. This is called conveyancing. Choose a solicitor on the Law Society's register (see conveyancing solicitor). A seller's solicitor typically charges €1,200 to €2,500 plus VAT at 23%. That is often a little less than the buyer's solicitor pays, because the seller's side has less to register.
The solicitor gets your title deeds from the lender, draws up the contract and answers the buyer's questions. They confirm your Local Property Tax is paid up to the date of sale, and pay off your mortgage from the proceeds. Ask for a written quote and a costs letter before you engage them.
The BER certificate
A BER (Building Energy Rating) is a certificate that grades how much energy your home uses, from A1 to G. You must have one before you advertise the home for sale. The rating must appear in every advertisement. Only a BER assessor on SEAI's register can issue one (see BER assessor). A BER costs €225 to €400 and lasts ten years. If you have one from the last ten years, you can reuse it. The guide on the BER when selling explains the exemptions.
Paying off the mortgage
If you have a mortgage, it is paid off from the sale price on closing day. Your solicitor asks your lender for a redemption figure. That is the exact amount needed to clear the loan on a given date. In the example above, a €180,000 balance comes off the €400,000 price.
If you are on a fixed rate, the lender may charge a breakage fee for clearing it early. The fee comes from the lender's cost of funds and must be given to you in writing. It can be zero, or it can be thousands of euro, so ask for the figure before you decide to sell. The guide on selling a house with a mortgage covers redemption, breakage and negative equity.
Capital gains tax
Capital gains tax (CGT) is a tax on the profit you make when you sell something. There is none on a home that was your main home for the whole time you owned it. This is called principal private residence relief. If you let the home out, or lived somewhere else for part of the time, some of the gain may be taxed.
The rate is 33%. A rate of 31% is announced for sales with a contract dated 7 October 2026 or later. That change is not law until the Finance Act 2026 passes, so every figure at 31% is marked announced. The capital gains tax guide has a worked example, and the rule change tracker shows the status of the announcement.
Local Property Tax
Local Property Tax (LPT) is a yearly tax on the value of a home. Whoever owns the home on 1 November pays it for the following year. Your solicitor confirms LPT is paid up to the date of sale before the sale closes. Any unpaid LPT is taken from the proceeds.
Removals
A local move with a van and a crew typically costs €500 to €1,500. A long-distance move, storage or packing costs more. See the removals page for what to ask.
What you pay, and when
You pay a few things before the sale closes, and the rest comes out of the price on the day.
- Before advertising: the BER, if you do not have a current one.
- At the start: marketing, if the agent charges it separately. Some agents ask for it up front.
- On closing day: the agent's fee, the solicitor's fee, the mortgage balance, any breakage fee and any unpaid LPT, all taken from the sale price by your solicitor.
- Within weeks of closing: the removals bill.
- By 15 December, or by 31 January for a December contract: any capital gains tax.
The money that is left goes to your bank account from your solicitor. For a €400,000 sale with a €180,000 mortgage and typical costs, that is €209,225.
What changes the total
Three things move the figure most. The first is the agent's rate: 1% and 2.5% are €7,380 apart on a €400,000 sale once VAT is added. The second is a breakage fee on a fixed rate. The third is CGT on a home that was not always your main home. Everything else sits in a range of a few hundred euro.
If the sale price would not clear the mortgage, that is called negative equity. The lender must agree to the sale. Talk to MABS (the free Money Advice and Budgeting Service) first, and read the money help page.
Where this leaves you
Put your own price, mortgage balance and agent's quote into the cost of selling calculator to see what you walk away with. The selling journey lists every step in order, and you can get quotes from an agent, a solicitor and a BER assessor in your county.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to sell a house in Ireland?
On a €400,000 sale, a typical bill is about €10,775. That covers an agent at 1.5% plus VAT, a solicitor, the BER, marketing and a removals van. The mortgage is paid off on top of that, out of the price.
What are estate agent fees in Ireland?
Most agents charge 1% to 2.5% of the sale price, plus VAT at 23%. Some charge a fixed fee instead, usually €999 to €2,995 plus VAT. The fee must be in a written letter of engagement before the agent starts.
Do I pay stamp duty when I sell a house?
No. The buyer pays stamp duty, not the seller. Your costs are the agent, the solicitor, the BER, marketing, paying off the mortgage and any capital gains tax.
Do I pay tax when I sell my house in Ireland?
Not if the home was your main home for the whole time you owned it. That is called principal private residence relief. If you let it out or lived elsewhere for part of the time, some capital gains tax may be due.
Who pays the solicitor when selling a house?
Each side pays its own solicitor. A seller's solicitor typically charges €1,200 to €2,500 plus VAT at 23%. Ask for the quote in writing before you engage them.