Know your net proceeds before you sign

The number on the contract isn't the number you walk away with. Paying off your mortgage, closing costs, commissions, and any liens all come out before the money lands in your pocket.

Start with your lender's payoff quote, not your original loan amount, because it changes daily with interest. Then subtract the real costs: closing costs, title fees, prorated taxes, any outstanding liens, and the commission for a listing.

That is what net proceeds means: what is left for you. And here is why it matters so much. A higher list price can sometimes net less after months of carrying costs.

I build every comparison as net numbers on both paths, so you are comparing apples to apples instead of just the sticker price.