A line-by-line breakdown of what it costs to sell a home in Norfolk: commissions, Virginia taxes, settlement fees, and how to keep more of your equity.
Selling a home in Norfolk can cost a meaningful share of the sale price once you add up commissions, taxes, and settlement fees, and the commission rate you negotiate drives most of it. The single biggest line item, agent commissions, is also the one you have the most control over.
Here is the full breakdown, line by line.
Sellers have traditionally paid a listing commission and often offered compensation to the buyer's agent too. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, commissions are explicitly negotiable, and no seller is required to pay any particular rate.
Whatever commissions you agree to are deducted from your proceeds at the closing table, before you pay off your mortgage or cover any other cost. Commissions are negotiable, so your number depends on what you agree to.
Virginia charges the seller a grantor tax of 50 cents for each $500 of value, roughly 0.1% of the sale price, collected when the deed is recorded (Va. Code § 58.1-802, as of September 2026). Depending on the locality, small regional fees can apply on top. Your settlement agent itemizes these exactly, so there are no surprises on the settlement statement.
Sellers in Virginia typically also pay:
These vary by transaction, which is why a personalized net sheet beats any generic list. You can run your own numbers in the net sheet tool, which includes Virginia-specific transfer taxes.
You cannot negotiate the grantor tax, and settlement services cost what they cost. The commission is different. Options in Norfolk range from negotiating with a traditional agent, to flat-fee MLS listing services, to technology platforms.
VroomBrick charges a 1% technology fee for the platform, paid by you at closing, from the sale proceeds. You don't pay a listing agent commission. On a $400,000 home, a 1% technology fee is $4,000. If a seller's agent charged 3%, that would be $12,000, a difference of $8,000. Commissions are negotiable, so your number depends on what you'd have paid. You still get MLS exposure through a flat-rate broker, a licensed closing attorney who handles your contracts and closing, showing-agent coordination, and a step-by-step dashboard. See the full picture on the Norfolk seller page.
Every sale is different, so start with your own price. The agent commission cost calculator shows the difference between a percentage commission and VroomBrick's 1% technology fee at your home's value, and the net sheet estimates your actual take-home after all costs.
About VroomBrick: VroomBrick is a real estate technology platform, not a licensed real estate brokerage. VroomBrick does not provide brokerage services, represent buyers or sellers, or hold real estate licenses. VroomBrick charges a 1% technology fee for the platform, paid by the seller at closing. You don't pay an agent commission on the side VroomBrick works with. Closing attorneys, showing agents, and lender partners are independent licensed professionals. Commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable. Savings examples are illustrative; actual savings vary by transaction.
Usually agent commissions, split between the listing side and the buyer's side. Commissions are negotiable, so there is no standard rate, and lower-cost models exist.
Virginia charges a grantor tax of roughly 0.1% of the sale price, paid by the seller at recording. Some localities add regional fees. Your closing attorney or settlement agent itemizes the exact amounts for your transaction on the settlement statement.
Yes. Commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable. Options range from negotiating with a traditional agent to flat-fee MLS services to platform models like VroomBrick, which charges a 1% technology fee for the platform, paid by the seller at closing, from the sale proceeds, with no listing agent commission.
It varies with the season, price point, condition, and the buyer's financing. The closing date itself is set in your purchase contract, and your closing attorney manages the steps to get there.
About the Author
MBA · Army Veteran
Head of Partnerships at VroomBrick. Writes about how homeowners can keep more of their equity, what the post-NAR-settlement market actually looks like, and how buying or selling works with a 1% technology fee.
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