Price it off recent sales of homes like yours on nearby streets, fix the things buyers will notice in the first 30 seconds, and know every cost before you list. In Richmond that list includes a city transfer tax on top of the county’s, and the city rate jumps when a sale hits $1 million.
The money you keep is the sale price minus those costs. Here’s how to work on both sides of that math.
What is the Richmond market doing right now?
Homes that are priced right are still moving fast. The median sale price was $614,593 in August 2026, down 5.4% from a year earlier, and homes sold in a median of 19 days, compared with 31 days a year before (Redfin, Richmond housing market page, checked September 24, 2026).
A few more numbers from the same Redfin page for August 2026:
- 175 homes sold, down from 197 in August 2025.
- Homes sold for 104.2% of list price on average, up 2.6 points from a year earlier.
- 63.8% of homes sold above list price.
- 24.3% of homes on the market had a price drop.
Read those two ways. Buyers are still paying over list for homes that feel priced right. But roughly one listing in four had to cut its price. You want to be in the first group, not the second.
How do I set the right price?
Start from what similar homes actually sold for in the last few months, not from a citywide median and not from an online estimate. Richmond covers about 30 square miles of land (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer, checked September 24, 2026), and a house near Point Richmond, a condo in Marina Bay and a house off San Pablo Avenue do not price the same way.
Ask for three things before you pick a number:
- Sold homes nearby with similar size, age and condition, from the last 90 days if there are enough of them.
- What is active and pending right now. That’s your competition.
- How long the price-cut homes sat before they dropped. That’s the cost of guessing high.
Want a starting point today? Our home value page gives you a number, and then an agent can check it against the actual sales on your street.
What does it cost to sell a house in Richmond?
The big pieces are the agents’ commissions, escrow and title fees, any repairs or credits you agree to, and transfer taxes. Commissions are always negotiable and are not set by law. Get every cost written on a net sheet before you sign a listing agreement.
Richmond has its own real property transfer tax. The county recorder collects it on the full value of the property, in addition to the countywide tax (Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder, City of Richmond transfer tax page, checked September 24, 2026):
| Sale price | Richmond city tax | Countywide tax |
|---|---|---|
| Under $1 million | $7.00 per $1,000 (0.7%) | $0.55 per $500 |
| $1 million up to $3 million | $12.50 per $1,000 (1.25%) | $0.55 per $500 |
| Over $3 million up to $10 million | $25.00 per $1,000 (2.5%) | $0.55 per $500 |
| Over $10 million | $30.00 per $1,000 (3%) | $0.55 per $500 |
The city tax is charged per $1,000 or part of $1,000, so the price rounds up. Richmond voters approved those tiers as Measure H on November 6, 2018. Before that, every sale paid 0.7% (City of Richmond, Measure H ordinance text and impartial analysis, checked September 24, 2026).
A worked example. At the August 2026 median of $614,593, the city tax rounds up to $615,000 and comes to $4,305. The county tax comes to about $677. That’s roughly $4,980 in transfer taxes on a median sale. Who pays which part is set in your purchase agreement, so read it closely, and ask your escrow officer to show both taxes on your estimate.
Why does $1 million matter so much in Richmond?
Because the city rate applies to the whole price, not just the part over the line. A $999,000 sale pays $6,993 in city tax. A $1,000,000 sale pays $12,500. That’s a $5,507 difference for a $1,000 change in price.
If your home could land near $1 million, run the net numbers at a few prices before you set the list price or accept an offer. We explain the math. For what it means for your own taxes, talk to a tax professional, and for the contract terms, an attorney.
Which repairs are worth doing before I sell?
The ones buyers see and the ones inspectors flag. Paint, lighting, a deep clean, cut-back landscaping and fixing obvious leaks or broken fixtures usually come first. Big remodels rarely come back dollar for dollar, and we won’t promise that any project pays for itself.
A pre-listing inspection can help you decide. It shows you what a buyer’s inspector will find, so you can fix it, price for it, or disclose it up front instead of renegotiating in escrow.
Is my rental property covered by Richmond rent control?
It depends on the building. Richmond’s Rent Program says rent control applies to multi-unit properties on one parcel built before February 1, 1995. Single-family homes, condos and newer construction are exempt from rent control, though other city rules can still apply (City of Richmond, Rent Program, checked September 24, 2026).
If you’re selling a tenant-occupied building, buyers will ask about rents, leases and the program’s rules. Talk to the Rent Program and an attorney before you list so you know what you can and can’t change.
Should I sell now or wait?
That depends on your plans more than the calendar. Richmond’s median price in August 2026 was down 5.4% from a year earlier, but days on market were shorter and more homes sold over list (Redfin, checked September 24, 2026). Nobody can promise where prices go next. Our separate answer on the best time to sell in Richmond walks through the month-by-month numbers.
Questions people also ask
How much is the transfer tax when you sell a house in Richmond, CA?
Richmond charges its own city transfer tax on top of the county’s. The city rate is $7.00 per $1,000 of the full price under $1 million and $12.50 per $1,000 from $1 million to $3 million. The countywide tax is $0.55 per $500. That’s per the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder’s Richmond page, checked September 24, 2026. Who pays is set in your purchase agreement.
Are real estate commissions negotiable in Richmond?
Yes. Commissions are always negotiable and are not set by law, in Richmond or anywhere in California. Ask any agent you interview to put their fee and exactly what it covers in writing, and compare at least two. Then look at your full net sheet, since the fee is only one of several costs, along with escrow, title, repairs, credits and transfer taxes.
How fast are homes selling in Richmond right now?
Homes in Richmond sold in a median of 19 days in August 2026, compared with 31 days in August 2025, per Redfin’s Richmond housing market page, checked September 24, 2026. The same page shows 63.8% of homes sold above list price. About 24% of listings had a price drop, so pricing still matters.
Why does a $1 million sale cost more in Richmond transfer tax?
Richmond’s city transfer tax rate goes from $7.00 to $12.50 per $1,000 at $1 million, and the rate applies to the whole price, per the county recorder’s Richmond page, checked September 24, 2026. So a $999,000 sale pays $6,993 in city tax and a $1,000,000 sale pays $12,500. Run the net numbers at several prices if you’re close.
Your next step
Send us your address and we’ll build a net sheet with recent Richmond sales like yours and every cost on this page, including both transfer taxes. Talk to a Richmond agent on our team or call (510) 949-5525.
More on Richmond: Living in Richmond, CA · Best time to sell in Richmond · Richmond market update · What’s my home worth?
By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Richmond, CA. Updated September 24, 2026.
Sources
- Redfin, Richmond, CA housing market, data for August 2026: redfin.com/city/15629/CA/Richmond/housing-market (checked September 24, 2026)
- Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax and City of Richmond pages: contracostavote.gov/recorder/recording-fees/documentary-transfer-tax (checked September 24, 2026)
- City of Richmond, Measure H ordinance text and impartial analysis, November 6, 2018 election: ci.richmond.ca.us/4333/Documentary-Transfer-Tax (checked September 24, 2026)
- City of Richmond, Rent Program: ci.richmond.ca.us/3376 (checked September 24, 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files, places in California (Richmond city land area): census.gov (checked September 24, 2026)