In short
Seattle charges a local tax on a home sale: Local real estate excise tax. On the median owner-occupied home ($950,800), local taxes come to $4,754; with the Washington state tax of $11,225, the total is $15,979, or 1.68% of the price.
Median value: $950,800 median value of owner-occupied homes, Seattle city, Washington (Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B25077). It is an owner estimate, not a sale price.
What you pay at different prices
| Price | Local real estate excise tax (local REET) | Washington state tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $1,500 | $3,300 | $4,800 |
| $500,000 | $2,500 | $5,500 | $8,000 |
| $950,800 median home | $4,754 | $11,225 | $15,979 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,000 | $11,855 | $16,855 |
| $2,000,000 | $10,000 | $31,638 | $41,638 |
Before exemptions and credits (first-time buyers, transfers between relatives…), which are listed below when the source gives them. The tax due on your deed is the one the recorder computes.
The rates, tax by tax
Local real estate excise tax (local REET)
Local REET of 0.50% of the selling price (city of Seattle, King County), added on top of the graduated state REET.
Who pays: Usually, the seller pays this tax, but if they don't, the buyer is responsible. (DOR REET page, https://dor.wa.gov/taxes-rates/other-taxes/real-estate-excise-tax)
In force: Rates effective May 1, 2026 (latest table listed by DOR as 'May 1, 2026 and after', checked 2026-10-19). Source: Washington DOR, Local Real Estate Excise Tax Rates, Rates Effective May 1, 2026 (form 84 0013).
Questions
How much local transfer tax do you pay on a median home in Seattle?
$4,754 on $950,800, the median value of owner-occupied homes (Census ACS). Payotte computes it from the rates published by the official sources cited on the page.
Who pays the Local real estate excise tax in Seattle?
Usually, the seller pays this tax, but if they don't, the buyer is responsible. (DOR REET page, https://dor.wa.gov/taxes-rates/other-taxes/real-estate-excise-tax)
Is the local tax on top of the Washington tax?
Yes. The local taxes listed here are added to the Washington state transfer tax.
General information drawn from the official sources cited and dated on this page. It is not legal, tax or financial advice: for your own situation, ask a licensed professional.