When you sell a home in Southern Maine, your costs usually come down to commission, your share of the Maine transfer tax, your mortgage payoff, a few closing fees, prorations and any credits you agree to give the buyer. What you actually walk away with is your net, and the easiest way to see it is a net sheet, before you list and again on every offer.
I've broken this into the four questions sellers ask me most about money. Each one has a short video and a link to the quick answer on my FAQ page.
What are seller closing costs in Maine?
Seller closing costs in Maine are the commission you agreed to, your share of the transfer tax, paying off your mortgage, a deed prep fee, prorations and any credits to the buyer.
Most of these are predictable. The commission is whatever you agreed to in writing with your listing agent. The Maine transfer tax is $2.20 per $500 of the price, split between buyer and seller. Since November 1, 2025, there's an extra $3.80 per $500 on the portion of a price above $1 million (Maine Revenue Services). If you still have a mortgage, it gets paid off at closing, along with a small discharge fee to release it, and there's a deed prep fee for the new deed.
Prorations are the one people forget. Here in Maine, property taxes and the fuel in your tank get split up to the closing day, and that's a cost to plan for. Then there are any credits you agree to in the negotiation, like money toward repairs or the buyer's closing costs.
Maine closings usually happen at a title company, so you'll see all of this laid out on your settlement statement. I'd rather you see it on a net sheet long before that.
The short version:
- Commission
- Your share of the transfer tax
- Mortgage payoff and discharge fee
- Deed prep fee
- Prorations: a cost to plan for
- Credits to the buyer
- Ask for a net sheet
Short answer: Seller closing costs in Maine
How much is real estate commission in Maine?
There's no set commission rate in Maine. It's always negotiable, and it's agreed on in writing with your listing agent before your home goes on the market.
That means you know the terms up front, before a single photo is taken. The buyer's agent is paid by the buyer. A buyer may ask you to help with that in their offer, and if they do, it's part of the negotiation like anything else.
The more useful question is what the commission pays for. Pricing, photos, marketing, showings, negotiating, and managing everything through closing are all part of it. Any agent you interview should be able to show you their plan for each of those, in plain terms. If they can't, that tells you something.
Whether you're selling a cape in Scarborough or a condo in Portland, this is a conversation worth having early, while you're still deciding who to work with. I'm glad to walk you through how I handle it before you decide anything.
The short version:
- No set rate
- Always negotiable
- Agreed in writing before you list
- Buyer's agent: the buyer's responsibility
- Ask what it pays for
Short answer: Commission in Maine
Do I have to pay the buyer's agent when I sell?
No. In Maine, the buyer is responsible for paying their own agent. A buyer may ask you to help with it in their offer, and when that happens, what matters is your net.
I think of it the same way as a request for help with closing costs. It's one piece of the offer, not the whole offer. So I'd compare offers by what you walk away with, not just the price at the top.
Here's why that matters. A higher price with a big request attached can leave you with less than a lower, cleaner offer. On paper the first one looks better. On a net sheet, sometimes it isn't.
That's why I run a net sheet on every offer you get. You see each offer side by side, with the commission, transfer tax, payoff, prorations and any requested help already worked in. Then you can decide with real numbers in front of you, whether you're selling in Kennebunk, Westbrook or Auburn.
The short version:
- The buyer pays their agent
- Buyers may ask for help in their offer
- What matters: your net
- Compare offers on a net sheet
Short answer: Do sellers pay the buyer's agent?
Will I pay taxes when I sell my house in Maine?
It depends on your situation. I'm not a tax advisor, so treat this as a starting point and bring your numbers to a CPA.
Capital gains: if the house has been your primary residence for two of the last five years, you can usually exclude up to $250,000 of profit if you're single, or $500,000 if you're married filing jointly. Profit above that is taxable (IRS Publication 523).
If you live out of state, Maine withholds 2.5% of the sale price at closing. It's a prepayment toward your Maine income tax, not an extra tax. This comes up a lot with second homes and camps.
If you're a foreign seller, there's a federal rule called FIRPTA. It generally withholds 15% at closing (IRS: FIRPTA withholding). Talk with a CPA about that one early, because it affects your cash at closing.
The transfer tax is separate, and it's covered above. Keep records of what you paid for the house and what you spent on improvements. They can matter. If you need a CPA, I'm happy to recommend a few.
The short version:
- Capital gains: up to $250k single / $500k married excluded
- Primary residence 2 of the last 5 years
- Out of state: 2.5% Maine withholding
- Foreign sellers: federal FIRPTA, generally 15%
- Transfer tax is separate
- Ask a CPA (I can recommend one)
Short answer: Taxes when you sell in Maine
Read next: Selling your home: my seller page and What's My South Portland House Worth?
If you're thinking about selling in Cumberland, York or Androscoggin County, even a year out, ask me for a net sheet. I'll put together a rough estimate of what you'd walk away with, so you can plan with real numbers. Call or text 207.615.3515, or send me a message through the site.