Home-buying rules differ sharply by state: 14 states have no real estate transfer tax, 6 require an attorney to close, 6 have no seller disclosure form and 9 are community property states. Each table below compares one rule across all 50 states, with the statute or official page behind every row.
Real estate transfer tax by state
2 states have no state tax but allow county or city transfer taxes: California and Louisiana. (50 states)
Property tax by state
How each of the 50 states sets assessed value, its homestead exemption and any cap on assessment increases, from official sources. (50 states)
Property tax appeal deadlines by state
The deadline to appeal a property tax assessment and where to file, in each of the 50 states, from state statutes and assessor pages. (50 states)
Attorney at closing: state by state
6 states require an attorney to close: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia. (50 states)
Foreclosure by state
4 states foreclose mainly by trustee sale without a court (non-judicial): Colorado, Georgia, Virginia and West Virginia. (50 states)
Seller disclosure laws by state
6 states have no general disclosure form (buyer beware): Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, West Virginia and Wyoming. (50 states)
Closing costs by state
The closing costs that state law fixes in each of the 50 states (transfer and mortgage taxes, recording fees) and who pays them. No invented averages. (50 states)
First-time home buyer programs by state
The state housing finance agency and its first-time buyer loans, down payment assistance and tax credits, for all 50 states. (50 states)
Median home price by state
The median home price in each of the 50 states and its main city, with the period and the source of each figure. (50 states)
Community property states
5 states let couples opt in to community property: Alaska, Florida, Kentucky, South Dakota and Tennessee. (14 states)