What Will I Net Selling My Hill Country Home?

Drake Carter
Aug 5
9 min read

What will I actually net selling my home in New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, or Bulverde?

Your net proceeds depend on several moving parts: your loan payoff, title-related charges, prorated Comal or Bexar County property taxes, any HOA or POA transfer fees, buyer concessions negotiated after inspection, and brokerage compensation. Every one of those line items varies by contract, property type, and closing date — which is why a generic percentage estimate will almost always be wrong for your specific situation.

The Hill Country market context heading into the second half of 2026

Before you can build a realistic net sheet, you need to understand the environment your home will sell in. And right now, that environment rewards honest pricing over optimism.

According to the Texas Real Estate Research Center's July 2026 Texas Housing Insight, the statewide market is showing early signs of stabilization after a prolonged soft stretch — but affordability pressures and elevated mortgage rates are still restraining demand. Statewide home prices were 0.6% below year-ago levels through May 2026, marking 12 consecutive months of year-over-year decline.

On the rate side, the Texas Economic Outlook – July 2026 reports the average 30-year mortgage rate edged down from 6.53% to 6.49% in June 2026 — still well above pre-pandemic levels, and still creating real headwinds for buyers qualifying at today's prices.

The Texas REALTORS® 2026 Q2 Texas Quarterly Housing Report puts the statewide median home sales price at $340,000 in Q2 2026 — flat year-over-year — with closed sales up 4.5% to 99,688 transactions and average days on market at 65 days statewide, three days longer than Q2 2025.

What does that mean for you as a Hill Country seller? It means your net sheet at listing is a starting point, not a guarantee. Longer market times increase the odds of price adjustments and buyer concessions that reduce what you walk away with. I tell every seller I work with: build two versions of your net sheet — one at your target price, one at a realistic negotiated price — so you're not surprised when a buyer comes in under asking.

According to Zillow's Texas housing market data through May 2026, 63.5% of Texas home sales closed under list price, with only 15.6% closing above. Realtor.com characterizes Texas as a "cool" market in 2026, with inventory rising and buyers holding more negotiating leverage than they did in peak years. Both of those are portal-based estimates, not official MLS data — but the directional signal is consistent with what I'm seeing on the ground in Comal County.

Why New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and Bulverde each have their own net sheet nuances

New Braunfels sits primarily in Comal County, with some portions in Guadalupe County. Most residential closings use Comal County appraisal and tax data, and MLS coverage typically flows through the San Antonio Board of REALTORS® (SABOR). Properties in communities like Settlement at Gruene, Havenwood at Hunter's Crossing, and Copper Ridge often carry HOA transfer fees that show up as line items on the net sheet.

Canyon Lake is an unincorporated Comal County community with dozens of POA-governed subdivisions — River Chase, Mystic Shores, River Crossing, and others. POA resale certificates, transfer fees, and sometimes capital contribution charges are standard net sheet line items here. Lakefront properties and acreage also tend to generate more survey, easement, and inspection negotiation than a typical tract home.

Bulverde sits in Comal County but borders northern Bexar County to the south. Sellers here sometimes see cross-county tax entity complexity — multiple taxing jurisdictions, potential MUD or PID assessments — that the title company sorts out through actual tax certificates rather than a simple county-line rule. Vintage Oaks is one example of a larger master-planned community in this corridor where HOA-related line items are routine.

What actually goes on a Hill Country seller net sheet

Here's how I walk every seller through the categories before we ever set a list price. Think of this as the anatomy of your net sheet — not a cost estimate, but a map of every line item that will reduce your gross contract price down to the wire you receive at closing.

Loan payoff(s)

This is usually the largest single deduction. The title company orders a written payoff statement from your lender(s) — first mortgage, HELOC, home equity loan — and those balances are paid in full at closing before you see a dollar. If you're carrying multiple liens, each one appears as a separate line item.

Title-related charges

In Texas, residential sales close through a licensed title company regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance. TDI sets title insurance rate structures statewide, so the premium calculation follows a formula — it's not freely negotiated the way some other costs are. What is negotiable is which party pays: the owner's title policy, lender's title policy, escrow/settlement fee, document prep, recording fees, and wire/courier fees are all allocable by contract. Local custom in Comal County may lean a certain direction, but there's no state law mandating who must pay any specific fee. Your contract terms govern.

Prorated property taxes

Texas has no state property tax. As the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts explains, property taxes are levied by counties, cities, school districts, and special districts based on the January 1 appraised value, with bills typically issued in October and due by January 31 of the following year. At closing, the title company prorates taxes through your closing date using the latest available tax certificate from the Comal or Bexar Appraisal District — or the prior year's rate if the current bill hasn't been issued yet. You pay for the days you owned the home in that tax year; the buyer covers the rest. The exact method is governed by your TREC sales contract, not a separate statute.

In Bulverde especially, watch for MUD, PID, or special district assessments layered on top of county and school district taxes. The title company pulls tax certificates for each applicable entity — that's how your proration gets calculated correctly.

HOA and POA transfer fees

Under Texas Property Code Chapter 209, HOAs for single-family subdivisions are regulated in certain ways, but the statute doesn't assign transfer fees to one party or the other. In practice, the title company orders a resale certificate and account statement from the HOA or POA. That package may include a resale certificate fee, a transfer fee, a capital contribution or initiation charge, and any outstanding dues, fines, or violation balances that must be resolved before closing. Who pays each item is a contract negotiation — address it explicitly in your offer or addendum, because it will show up on your closing statement either way.

Canyon Lake and Bulverde sellers: this line item is almost always present. Don't let it be a surprise on closing day.

Brokerage compensation

Broker fees and commissions are fully negotiable and not set by law — there is no standard, typical, or customary rate. Your listing fee is agreed in your listing agreement with your brokerage. Any compensation a seller chooses to offer a buyer's agent is optional and separately negotiable. These are real line items that materially affect your net, and the right place to discuss the specifics is directly with me — not on a blog.

Seller-paid buyer concessions

This is the category that surprises sellers most often. After inspection, buyers in the current Hill Country market frequently negotiate repair credits, closing cost contributions, or outright price reductions. With nearly two-thirds of Texas sales closing under list price and inventory giving buyers more leverage in 2026, the net sheet you build at listing will almost certainly be revised at least once during the option period. Hill Country properties with acreage, septic systems, wells, or lakefront access tend to generate more inspection findings — and more negotiation — than urban tract homes.

The TXR Seller's Disclosure Notice, required under Texas Property Code §5.008 for most one-dwelling-unit residential sales, is where this process starts. Anything material you disclose — foundation repair history, roof age, septic condition, prior water intrusion, unpermitted work — becomes fair game for buyer negotiation during the option period. I always tell sellers: complete the disclosure early and honestly, because the issues that come out in inspection aren't surprises to your house, only to the buyer. Getting ahead of them with accurate disclosure usually produces better outcomes than having a buyer walk during the option period.

Miscellaneous closing items

Depending on your contract, you may also see: a new survey (if the buyer requires one and you agree to pay), a home warranty or residential service contract, attorney fees if you retain independent counsel, and in Canyon Lake or Bulverde, potentially costs related to easement documentation or shared road agreements that surface in the title search.

The net sheet timeline: it gets revised

Stage	Net Sheet Version	What Changes It
Pre-listing	Preliminary estimate	Estimated price, known payoffs, current tax data, typical local cost allocation
Contract accepted	Revised to contract terms	Actual price, who pays title/survey/HOA fees, any seller concessions in the offer
After option period	Revised again	Repair credits, price adjustments, or additional concessions from inspection negotiations
Closing day	Final settlement statement	Exact tax proration, confirmed payoffs, final title charges — this is what you actually net

With statewide median days on market running in the 50–65-day range depending on source, and another 30–45 days from contract to close in most financed deals, you should expect the net sheet to evolve across a two-to-three month window. The number that matters is the one on closing day — not the one we build at listing.

Frequently asked questions about seller net sheets in the Hill Country

When I sell my house in New Braunfels, who usually pays the title company fees — and can that be negotiated?

In Texas, there's no law that assigns title fees to one party. Local custom in Comal County may lean a certain direction, but every fee — owner's title policy, escrow fee, recording fees, document prep — is allocable by contract. Your purchase agreement governs who pays what, which means it's a negotiation point in every transaction. Don't assume the "usual" arrangement applies to your deal until it's in writing.

How are property taxes prorated at closing in Comal County if we sell our Canyon Lake home mid-year?

The title company pulls a tax certificate from the Comal Appraisal District and prorates taxes through your closing date. You pay for the days you owned the home in the current tax year; the buyer covers the remainder. If the current year's bill hasn't been issued yet — common for mid-year closings — the contract typically specifies using the prior year's rate as the basis. The exact proration method is set by your TREC contract, not a separate county rule.

Does the TXR Seller's Disclosure affect my net if the buyer asks for repairs or credits?

Yes, directly. Texas Property Code §5.008 requires most sellers to provide a written disclosure of property condition, and anything material you disclose — or that comes up in inspection — can become the basis for buyer repair requests, price reductions, or closing cost credits during the option period. Hill Country properties with septic systems, wells, or acreage tend to generate more inspection findings than urban homes, which means more potential concessions. Completing the disclosure accurately and early gives you the best chance of managing those negotiations without losing the contract entirely.

How do HOA or POA transfer fees around Canyon Lake show up on my seller net sheet?

The title company orders a resale certificate and account statement from the POA, which may include a resale certificate fee, a transfer fee, a capital contribution charge, and any outstanding dues or violation balances. These appear as line items on your closing statement. Who pays each fee is governed by your contract and any addenda — it's negotiable, not automatic. In Canyon Lake's POA-heavy communities, these charges are standard; plan for them and address them explicitly in your contract terms.

With the 2026 Texas market being softer, how much below asking price are buyers negotiating?

Statewide, Zillow's data through May 2026 shows 63.5% of Texas home sales closing under list price. Realtor.com characterizes Texas as a "cool" market in 2026 with inventory giving buyers more leverage. The exact gap between list and sale price varies significantly by property, neighborhood, condition, and pricing strategy — there's no single number that applies to your home. The most useful thing I can do is run a current market analysis for your specific property and build a net sheet at multiple price scenarios so you understand the range before you commit to a list price.

Is there a difference between Comal County and Bexar County rules that would change what I net selling a Hill Country home?

The closing process follows the same Texas framework in both counties, but the taxing jurisdictions differ — and Bulverde sellers who straddle the county line may see multiple tax entities (county, school district, MUD, PID) that each require their own tax certificate and proration calculation. Recording fees are set by each county clerk's schedule. The title company handles all of this through the tax certificate process, but it's one reason Bulverde net sheets can be slightly more complex than a straightforward Comal County transaction.

Your specific number depends on your home's condition, location, outstanding liens, HOA situation, and the negotiation dynamics of your actual contract. That's exactly the kind of question I walk my clients through before we ever set a list price — and the only way to get a number you can actually rely on is to run it together.

Ready to see what you'd actually net? I'll build you a personalized net sheet based on your property, your payoff, and current Comal County market conditions — no obligation, no pressure. Schedule a no-obligation consultation with The Carter Team and let's run the real numbers together.