MO · #19 by population

Buying a home in Missouri

Costs and rules that are specific to Missouri. Main city: St. Louis.

In short

Missouri has no real estate transfer tax, does not require an attorney at closing and imposes only limited seller disclosures. It allows both court and out-of-court foreclosure and is not a community property state.

Calculate for Missouri

If you buy

Missouri state transfer tax

Missouri has no real estate transfer tax. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$254,400
State transfer tax$0
Share of the price—

Default price: the Missouri median value of owner-occupied homes, $254,400 (Census ACS 2024). Rule: No tax is calculated on the price. Recording fees depend on page count. Who pays: No transfer tax to assign; the statute says only that the recorder is allowed the fees, and the sales contract decides who pays them. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Missouri transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Missouri state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Missouri in short

Is there a real estate transfer tax in Missouri?

Missouri does not tax the transfer of a home in any statute or fee schedule reviewed, and its Constitution (Article X, Section 25) bars any new tax on the sale or transfer of real estate since December 2, 2010. In St.

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What closing costs does Missouri law set?

Missouri has no official typical closing-cost total. No transfer tax was found (the Constitution bars new ones since December 2, 2010) and in the City of St. Louis a standard deed costs $25 for the first page plus $5 per extra page to record.

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How is property tax calculated in Missouri?

Missouri assesses a home at 19% of market value and local districts apply their rates per $100 of assessed value. The City of St. Louis 2025 residential rate is $8.1867 per $100, about $3,336 a year on a $214,500 home.

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What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in Missouri?

In the City of St.

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Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Missouri?

None of the Missouri statutes read requires a buyer or seller to hire a real estate attorney. A title company usually runs the closing under RSMo 381.022, and only a lawyer may give legal advice or draft custom documents (RSMo 484.010).

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What must a home seller disclose in Missouri?

No Missouri statute reviewed requires a seller to deliver a general property-condition form. Specific duties apply to methamphetamine production (RSMo 442.606) and landfills on the property (RSMo 260.213), and concealing a material fact can still create liability.

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How does foreclosure work in Missouri?

Missouri lenders usually foreclose out of court under a deed of trust's power of sale, with at least 20 days' notice of the sale and a trustee's mailed notice at least 20 days ahead. A one-year redemption right exists only in certain cases.

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What first-time home buyer programs does Missouri offer?

In Missouri, the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) runs First Place and Next Step, which pair a fixed-rate mortgage with a second loan equal to 4% of the mortgage for down payment and closing costs, forgiven after 10 years. In St.

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How much tax when you sell a home in Missouri?

The federal rule is the same in Missouri as in every state: if you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain is excluded, $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly (Section 121, IRS Publication 523). Bought $400,000, sold $750,000: a single owner has $100,000 of taxable gain, $15,000 of federal tax at the 15% long-term rate; a couple filing jointly owes nothing. Missouri income tax on the gain is not computed here.

Capital gains on a home sale

Missouri guides

St. Louis

Buying a home in St. Louis, Missouri

Professionals in Missouri

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