Selling Your Home
What is a seller net sheet, and how do I read mine?
By Steve Lockhart
The short answer
A net sheet is a working one-page document that walks from the top line, the sale price, to the bottom line, the proceeds you keep.
Full answer
A net sheet is a working one-page document that walks from the top line, the sale price, to the bottom line, the proceeds you keep. The top of the sheet is gross, then subtraction: commission, escrow and title, transfer and recording, prorated taxes and HOA, any payoff such as your mortgage balance and other liens, and credits you agreed to the buyer. What remains is your money. The best quality of net sheet is that every number is explainable: it comes from your actual loan payoff, your real bills, and the specific offer, not from national averages. You should be able to ask why each line is there and get a straight answer. When an offer arrives, we rerun the sheet on that exact number so you see the real net before you decide. Asking for one early is the single best protection against a closing that lands different from what you expected.
Go a little deeper
Frequently asked
Questions sellers often follow up on
Is a net sheet the same as a closing statement?
No. A net sheet is an estimate built before closing. The settlement statement is the actual accounting prepared by the escrow company at the end and it is final. A good net sheet gets you close to that final number, and we update it as facts become real.
How accurate is a net sheet?
As accurate as the inputs. When we know your loan payoff, the fee schedule, and the typical closing lines, an estimate can be close. The biggest swings come from negotiated items like concessions or repair credits, which become concrete once you accept an offer.
What if I do not like the number?
That is the point of doing it early. If the net does not meet your need, the next question is whether it is a price, cost, or timing problem, and whether selling, renting, waiting, or another option fits better. You decide only after you see the whole picture.
The Lockhart Method
The Lockhart Method
Your Home | My Strategy | Proven Results
My strategy: run the net before we list, not after we sign. You see the realistic sale-to-keep number up front, we rerun the sheet with each real number, and you approve the final version before anyone signs a document.
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