District of Columbia seller closing costs
| State transfer tax | Transfer tax 1.1% (under $400K) or 1.45% ($400K and up), seller; recordation tax at the same rates, buyer |
| Local and county taxes | None beyond the District taxes |
| Who customarily pays | split: seller pays transfer, buyer pays recordation |
| Owner's title policy customarily paid by | buyer |
| Attorney at closing | Not customary (title or escrow) |
| Typical recording fee | Verify with a local title company. |
How this works
Net proceeds are the sale price minus everything that comes out of it at closing: loan payoffs, commissions, the seller’s share of transfer taxes, concessions, title and settlement fees, recording and HOA fees, repairs, a home warranty and anything else you add. The effective cost percentage leaves out the loan payoffs, since those are the seller’s own debt rather than a cost of selling.
Property taxes are prorated on a calendar year: the seller owns the home through the day before closing and is charged that share of the year’s taxes. Some places bill in arrears or on a fiscal year, so adjust if yours does. Transfer tax defaults come from our state research, and where a state uses tiers, the calculator applies them to your price.
The second column recomputes everything at a higher price, 2% by default, to show what competing offers can mean: the extra money to the seller after costs, and the extra gross commission. On deadline day, an offer round is how you find that number.
Questions
Who pays the transfer tax when selling a home in District of Columbia?
Split: seller pays transfer, buyer pays recordation. Who pays can be negotiated in the contract.
How much is the real estate transfer tax in District of Columbia?
Transfer tax 1.1% (under $400K) or 1.45% ($400K and up), seller; recordation tax at the same rates, buyer. None beyond the District taxes. On a $400,000 sale that works out to about $5,800 for the seller.
Do you need an attorney to close on a home sale in District of Columbia?
Closings in District of Columbia are customarily handled by title or escrow companies, though either party can hire an attorney. This reflects local custom, not a legal ruling; confirm with your title company or a local attorney.