Tools · Run the numbers
Transfer tax estimator
Transfer and recording taxes vary by state — and often by county. This tool won't show invented numbers; it computes only where a verified rate has been confirmed, and otherwise points you to the authoritative source.
Transfer taxes are one-time taxes some state and local governments charge when a property's title changes hands. They're usually a percentage of the sale price (sometimes with a flat recording fee on top), paid at closing.
Estimated transfer / recording tax — Michigan
$3,870
$3.75 per $500 (or fraction) of price + $0.55 per $500 county.
Combined Michigan state ($3.75 per $500, MCL 207.525) and county ($0.55 per $500, MCL 207.504) transfer tax; any city transfer tax is additional. Seller's principal-residence exemption: the state portion may be waived if the home's state-equalized value hasn't risen since you bought it — it depends on assessed values, so it isn't calculated here.
State $3.75 per $500 (MCL 207.525, since January 1, 1995) + county $0.55 per $500 (MCL 207.504); verified October 2026.
Who pays the transfer tax?
Who pays is negotiable everywhere. Custom sets the default — in many markets that's the seller — but the purchase agreement sets the answer: the buyer, the seller, or a split between them.
In Michigan: customarily the seller pays.
Estimates only — not a quote, pre-approval, or offer of credit. Your actual terms come from a lender's Loan Estimate. Rules vary by state, county, and city and change over time; confirm the exact amount with your title company or closing agent.
Terms on this page
- Closing costsOne-time fees to finalize the loan and purchase — lender fees, title, taxes, prepaids — usually a few percent of the price.
- Transfer taxA one-time state or local tax when a property's title changes hands, usually a percentage of the sale price.
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