NE · #37 by population

Buying a home in Nebraska

Costs and rules that are specific to Nebraska. Main city: Omaha.

In short

Nebraska taxes property sales through its documentary stamp tax, does not require an attorney at closing and requires a seller disclosure form. It allows both court and out-of-court foreclosure and is not a community property state. Deadline to appeal a property tax assessment: file a protest with the county clerk by June 30 (one per parcel); appeal to the state commission by August 24 (September 10 if extended).

Calculate for Nebraska

If you buy

Nebraska state transfer tax

Documentary stamp tax (Neb. Rev. Stat. 76-901): $3.32 per $1,000 of value, or fraction of $1,000 (July 18, 2026 to December 31, 2031); $2.32 from January 1, 2032. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$263,100
State transfer tax$876.48
Share of the price0.33% of the price
Who paysThe seller

Default price: the Nebraska median value of owner-occupied homes, $263,100 (Census ACS 2024). Rule: Divide the consideration by $1,000, round up to the next whole unit, multiply by $3.32. Value includes any lien the buyer assumes; for a gift it is current market value. Earlier rates were $2.25 (to September 2, 2025) and $2.32 (September 3, 2025 to July 17, 2026). Who pays: The statute imposes the tax on the grantor executing the deed, the seller in an ordinary sale; a contract can allocate the cost differently. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Nebraska 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: Nebraska 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.

Nebraska in short

Is there a real estate transfer tax in Nebraska?

Nebraska charges a documentary stamp tax of $3.32 for each $1,000 of value, or fraction, on deeds for transfers from July 18, 2026, which is $996 on a $300,000 sale. The statute puts it on the grantor, the seller, and the rate falls to $2.32 on January 1, 2032.

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How much is the state transfer tax on a $263,100 home in Nebraska?

On $263,100, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Nebraska (Census ACS 2024), the state documentary stamp tax comes to $876.48 ($3.32 per $1,000 of value, or fraction of $1,000 (July 18, 2026 to December 31, 2031)). County and city taxes are not included.

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What closing costs does Nebraska law set?

Nebraska has no official typical closing-cost total. The documentary stamp tax is $3.32 per $1,000 of value since July 18, 2026 ($996 on a $300,000 sale), placed on the seller by statute, and recording costs $10 for the first page and $6 for each added page.

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How is property tax calculated in Nebraska?

Nebraska taxes residential property at actual (market) value as of January 1. Douglas County's average rate for tax year 2025 was 2.0381%. There is no homestead exemption for every owner, and you protest your valuation with the county clerk by June 30.

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

In Nebraska, file a protest with the county clerk by June 30, with your requested value and supporting documentation, and if the county board of equalization rules against you, appeal to the Tax Equalization and Review Commission by August 24 (September 10 if extended).

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

The Nebraska texts read do not require a buyer or seller to hire an attorney to close. Under Supreme Court rule 3-1004 licensed brokers and title companies may fill in standardized forms such as purchase agreements and deeds if they give no advice on legal effect.

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What must a home seller disclose in Nebraska?

A Nebraska seller of residential property with one to four dwelling units must give the buyer a written, signed condition statement on or before the effective date of the purchase contract (Neb. Rev. Stat. 76-2,120).

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How does foreclosure work in Nebraska?

Most Nebraska home loans are deeds of trust, which let the trustee sell the home at auction without going to court after a notice of default, at least one month of waiting, and a notice of sale published once a week for five weeks.

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What first-time home buyer programs does Nebraska offer?

In Nebraska, the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA) Homebuyer Assistance program adds a second loan of up to 5% of the purchase price at 1% interest over 10 years. NIFA's Welcome Home household income limit is $182,800 and its one-unit purchase price limit $485,500, both effective July 13, 2026.

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How much tax when you sell a home in Nebraska?

The federal rule is the same in Nebraska 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. Nebraska income tax on the gain is not computed here.

Capital gains on a home sale

Nebraska guides

Omaha

Buying a home in Omaha, Nebraska

Professionals in Nebraska

All states · Federal guides