A seller net sheet is a draft of what you may walk away with after you sell a home in Northwest Indiana. It starts with an expected sale price, then subtracts the mortgage payoff, seller closing costs, agreed brokerage compensation, prorated taxes, and any credits that clear at closing. Get one before you list so the walk-away number is on paper, not in your head.
Thinking about selling? Call Sash at (219) 808-1520.
It’s a late Thursday afternoon in Merrillville. Soft indoor light. A dining room lamp is on.
A seller sits at the table with a printed estimate of closing costs and proceeds. An agent points to the bottom line with a pen.
The list price looks fine. The mortgage balance looks familiar. Then the seller taps the page and asks the only question that matters.
What do I actually walk away with?
That bottom line is what a seller net sheet is for. Here’s how we build one, what changes it, and when to ask for a fresh draft.
What a seller net sheet is (and is not)
A seller net sheet is an early estimate of your proceeds. It is not the final settlement statement. It is not the buyer’s Closing Disclosure, which the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes as a five-page form the lender gives the buyer at least three business days before closing.
On cash deals, or on older loan types that still use older forms, you may see a HUD-1 Settlement Statement instead. Either way, the net sheet comes first. The settlement paperwork comes last.
We keep a short version on Ask Realest: seller net sheet. This guide walks the same math with more room.
What a seller net sheet counts
| Line | What it means | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Expected sale price | The number you think the house will bring, based on comps and how you price it | Comparative market analysis, list price |
| Mortgage and other loan payoffs | First mortgage, second mortgage, home equity line | Payoff statements from each servicer |
| Agreed brokerage compensation | Listing compensation in your listing agreement, plus any written seller help toward a buyer broker | Listing agreement and purchase agreement |
| Seller closing costs | Owner title when customary, recording, transfer taxes where they apply, settlement fees | Title company estimate |
| Prorations and credits | Property taxes, HOA dues, agreed repair or concession credits | County tax calendar, HOA, purchase agreement |
| Estimated net | Sale price minus the lines above | Draft seller net sheet |
Checked November 5, 2026. Your title company confirms the final figures on the settlement statement. This table is a draft map, not a quote.
Start with a real sale-price band
The top line is only as good as the comps. A comparative market analysis shows what similar homes nearby have sold for, not what you hope for.
Price the house high and the net sheet looks rich until the house sits. Price it to the market and the sheet tells you what that choice actually leaves you. Our guide to how to price a home for sale covers the street-level work that feeds the top line.
Buyers still need financing. As of November 5, 2026, Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey puts the 30-year fixed rate at 7.18% and the 15-year at 6.57%. That is market context for who can write an offer, not a line on your net sheet.
Subtract the loan payoff, not just the balance
Your monthly statement balance is not the payoff. Interest runs through the day the loan is paid, and unpaid fees can sit on top. Our mortgage payoff when you sell guide walks the federal timing and the escrow refund that comes after.
Tell your agent about every loan tied to the house, including a home equity line. Each one needs its own payoff quote on the sheet.
Brokerage pay is written, not assumed
Listing compensation is whatever you and your agent put in the listing agreement. There is no fixed percent on this page.
Since the practice changes tied to the NAR settlement, offers of compensation to a buyer broker are not advertised inside the MLS feed. A seller may still agree in writing to contribute toward a buyer broker fee. If you do, that amount belongs on the net sheet as its own line.
Clear paper beats guesswork at the closing table.
Closing costs, taxes, and credits
Seller closing costs vary by county and by the deal. Owner title insurance can be customary on some Northwest Indiana deals. Transfer taxes apply in some places and not others. Recording and settlement fees show up either way. Ask the title company for an estimate on your address rather than a generic percent.
Indiana property taxes are paid a year behind, so the seller credits the buyer for taxes owed at closing. Our property tax guide explains why that credit lands on your side of the sheet. Crossing into Illinois towns changes the mix again. See Indiana and Illinois closing costs and title.
Agreed repair credits and seller concessions come out of your proceeds too. A lower list price with fewer credits can land in a similar place. Run both on paper before you choose.
When the net sheet gets updated
| When | What changes | Who drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Before you list | Comps, a draft net sheet, payoff quotes, HOA and lien amounts | You and your agent |
| When you price | Model list price with and without buyer closing help | Draft net sheet scenarios |
| After you accept an offer | Update the sheet for the contract price, concessions, and repair credits | Purchase agreement |
| Before closing | Title company settles final payoffs, prorations, and fees | Settlement statement |
| After closing | Escrow refund from the paid-off loan, if any, follows separate federal timing | Servicer |
A net sheet is a living draft. Update it when the price or the credits change.
Back in Merrillville
The seller circles the bottom line twice. The agent crosses out one credit and rewrites the total.
They are not listing this weekend. Saturday, November 7, Highland’s Pumpkin Smash runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Main Square, per the Town of Highland November calendar. They will walk that square after they drop two jack-o’-lanterns, then finish the net sheet Sunday with a fresh payoff quote.
Want the short version first? Ask Realest what you’d net. Getting the house ready? Read what to do before you list and selling a house in winter. Looking around nearby? See our Merrillville homes, Hobart homes, and Highland homes guides, plus the Merrillville, Hobart, and Highland pages on Realest.
Work with Realest
See homes for sale on Realest.
Ready to see what you’d net on your address? Send us a note and we’ll pull comps and a draft sheet.
Wondering what your place would bring? Ask for your home value and we’ll pull the recent sales near you.
Call Sash at (219) 808-1520.
Sash Joveski and Pamela “Pam” Joveski are founding members of Realest. Realest is licensed in Indiana and Illinois and is at 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point.
Photo of a dining table under a lamp, public domain (CC0), via Pixnio. Cropped, text added. Shown for illustration only. It is not a Realest listing and is not a specific Northwest Indiana address.
Loan terms, title customs, taxes, and fees vary by address and can change. This is general information, not legal, tax, or brokerage-fee advice. Check with your agent, title company, or an attorney. The Merrillville sellers are an example, not real clients.
Sources
- Ask Realest: How much will I net when I sell my home in Northwest Indiana?
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, as of November 5, 2026
- CFPB: What is a Closing Disclosure?
- CFPB: What is a HUD-1 Settlement Statement?
- CFPB: Owning a Home, Close
- NAR Settlement FAQs (practice changes on offers of compensation)
- November 2026 calendar, Town of Highland (Pumpkin Smash, Sat. Nov. 7)
- Mortgage payoff when you sell, Real Estate USA
- Seller concessions, Real Estate USA
- Property taxes when you buy a home, Real Estate USA
Ask Realest
Got a short question about what you’d net on a sale?
Ask Realest answers short buyer and seller questions in plain English, including how much you’ll net when you sell.
When you’re ready to talk it through, contact us or call Sash at (219) 808-1520.
FAQ
What is a seller net sheet?
A seller net sheet is a draft of what you may walk away with after the sale closes. It starts with an expected sale price, then subtracts the mortgage payoff, seller closing costs, agreed brokerage compensation, prorated taxes, and any credits or liens that clear at closing.
When should I get a seller net sheet in Northwest Indiana?
Before you list. A draft net sheet, paired with recent comps, shows how price, concessions, and payoff change the walk-away line so you are not guessing when the sign goes up.
Is a seller net sheet the same as the Closing Disclosure?
No. The net sheet is an early estimate for the seller. The Closing Disclosure is a five-page form the lender gives the buyer at least three business days before closing. Your final seller numbers land on the settlement statement at closing.
Does buyer-broker compensation still show on the MLS?
No. Under the practice changes tied to the NAR settlement, offers of compensation to a buyer broker are not advertised inside the MLS feed. A seller may still agree in writing to contribute toward a buyer broker fee, and that amount belongs on your net sheet if you offer it.
How do I talk to Realest about what I’d net on a sale?
Call Sash at (219) 808-1520 or send us a note through our contact page. Bring the address and we can run comps and a draft net sheet before you list.