Who pays closing costs when selling a house in Portland, Oregon?

In most Portland home sales, both the seller and buyer pay certain closing costs. Sellers often cover listing agent commission, title insurance, and some transfer fees, while buyers pay for loan-related and inspection costs. Buyer agent commission is negotiable between buyer and seller.Yoga Bug Real Estate helps you understand—and sometimes reduce—your share. 

Why This Matters in 2025 

With Portland’s median sale price at $544,000 (July 2025) and nearly half of listings showing price reductions before selling (realestateagentpdx.com), knowing exactly what you’ll owe at closing is key for smart pricing and net proceeds. 

Seller Closing Costs in Portland: The Basics 

When you sell home in Portland, here’s what’s typically on your side of the ledger: 

1. Real Estate Agent Commissions 

• Standard in Portland: ~5–6% of sale price, split between the listing and buyer’s agents. 

• On a $544,000 home: $27,200–$32,640. 

• Under recent NAR settlement changes, commission rates are negotiable, and buyers may arrange to pay their own agent. 

2. Title Insurance (Owner’s Policy) 

• Protects the buyer from title defects. 

• Typical Cost: 0.25–0.5% of sale price. 

• For $544,000: $1,360–$2,720. 

3. Escrow/Settlement Fees 

• Covers the escrow company’s administrative work. 

• Usually split between buyer and seller, but often negotiated. 

• Average in Portland: $800–$1,200 for seller share. 

4. Recording & Transfer Fees 

• Multnomah County charges a recording fee; Oregon also has a transfer tax in some cities (Portland does not). 

• Expect $100–$300. 

5. Seller Concessions (If Negotiated) 

• In 2025, 44.4% of U.S. home sales included concessions like covering buyer’s closing costs (businessinsider.com). 

• These can add thousands to your total. 

6. HOA Fees (If Applicable) 

• You’ll typically pay prorated dues through the closing date. 

• May also include a transfer or document fee. 

 

Buyer Closing Costs (For Context) 

While you won’t pay these as a seller, knowing them helps you negotiate: 

• Loan origination fees 

• Appraisal fee 

• Home inspection 

• Buyer’s title insurance (lender’s policy) 

• Prepaid taxes & insurance 

• Buyer Agent Commission 

Sometimes, buyers ask sellers to cover some of these costs to make the deal work—especially in a balanced-to-buyer-leaning market like mid-2025 Portland. 

What’s Negotiable in Portland? 

• Escrow fees: Can be split in different ratios. 

• Title insurance: In some deals, buyers cover both policies; in others, sellers do. 

• Concessions: You can offer to pay part of the buyer’s costs to speed up the sale. 

Yoga Bug Real Estate helps you decide what’s worth offering—and what’s not—based on current competition and your pricing strategy.  

Example: Estimated Seller Closing Costs in Portland, 2025  

Item	% / Flat Fee	On $544,000 Home
Agent commissions	2-5%	$10,880–$27,200
Title insurance (owner)	0.25–0.5%	$1,360–$2,720
Escrow fees	Flat fee	$800–$1,200
Recording fees	Flat fee	$100–$300
HOA fees/transfer (if any)	Varies	$150–$500
Estimated Total	—	~$29,610–$37,360

 

How YogaBug Real Estate Saves You Money 

• Negotiating Escrow Splits: We can often reduce your share of escrow fees. 

• Minimizing Concessions: Our marketing strategies aim to attract strong offers without costly givebacks. 

• Accurate Pricing: Prevents overpricing that leads to long days on market and bigger concessions later. 

• Trusted Vendors: We connect you with title/escrow companies offering competitive rates. 

 

Final Thoughts 

Yes—sellers in Portland do pay a significant share of closing costs, but with smart negotiation and planning, you can keep more in your pocket. In a 2025 market where price cuts are common, your approach to closing costs can be the difference between a decent sale and a great one. 

Ready to find out your net proceeds? Let’s run the numbers together and set a winning strategy.