WA · #13 by population

Buying a home in Washington

In Washington, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $605,600 (Census ACS 2025); the state tax on the sale comes to $6,807, and owners pay a median $4,556 a year in property tax (0.81% effective rate).

In short

Washington taxes property sales through its real estate excise 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 a community property state.

Key figures for Washington

  • Median home value: $605,600, owner-occupied homes, Census ACS 2025; $955,500 in the city of Seattle. Compare
  • Price trend: The FHFA House Price Index shows Washington prices down 0.9% and Seattle–Bellevue–Kent prices down 2.4% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.
  • State transfer tax: Sales through Dec 31, 2026: 1.10% up to $525,000, 1.28% from $525,000 to $1,525,000, 2.75% from $1,525,000 to $3,025,000, 3.00% above; $6,806.68 on $605,600. Compare
  • Median property tax paid: $4,556 a year, 0.81% of the median value (U.S.: 0.94%), Census ACS 2020-2024. By county
  • Cities covered by Payotte: 15 in Washington.

Calculate for Washington

If you buy

Washington state transfer tax

Real estate excise tax (REET): Sales through Dec 31, 2026: 1.10% up to $525,000, 1.28% from $525,000 to $1,525,000, 2.75% from $1,525,000 to $3,025,000, 3.00% above; farm, agricultural and timber land pay a flat 1.28%. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$605,600
State transfer tax$6,806.68
Share of the price1.12% of the price
Who paysThe seller

Default price: the Washington median value of owner-occupied homes, $605,600 (Census ACS 2025). Rule: Graduated like an income tax: each rate applies only to the slice of the price inside its bracket. These thresholds apply to sales dated through December 31, 2026; from January 1, 2027 they become $551,000, $1,551,000 and $3,051,000. Farm, agricultural and timber land pay a flat 1.28%. The sale date decides which column applies. Plus a local real estate excise tax of 0.50% of the whole price in Seattle (Washington Department of Revenue, rates effective May 1, 2026). Who pays: The law makes the tax the obligation of the seller (RCW 82.45.080). If the seller does not pay, the buyer is responsible and unpaid tax can become a lien on the property. Not included: other county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Washington 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: Washington 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.

Cities in Washington

  • Seattle main city of Washington on Payotte, 15th largest U.S. metro area
  • Spokane 97th largest U.S. metro area
  • Tacoma 228,202 residents, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (15th largest)
  • Vancouver 198,992 residents, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area (26th largest)
  • Bellevue 154,377 residents, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (15th largest)
  • Kent 136,588 residents, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (15th largest)
  • Everett 113,011 residents, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (15th largest)
  • Spokane Valley 108,267 residents, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area (97th largest)
  • Renton 105,543 residents, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (15th largest)
  • Federal Way 100,252 residents, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (15th largest)
  • Yakima 97,390 residents, Yakima, WA metro area (194th largest)
  • Bellingham 95,860 residents, Bellingham, WA metro area (203rd largest)
  • Kirkland 95,499 residents, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (15th largest)
  • Kennewick 86,728 residents, Kennewick-Richland, WA metro area (165th largest)
  • Auburn 85,513 residents, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (15th largest)

Sectors of Seattle

How Seattle is divided: 10 most populous neighborhoods (of 53 Community Reporting Areas).

Buying in Washington: frequently asked questions

What is the median home value in Washington?

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Washington is $605,600 (Census ACS 2025), and $955,500 in the city of Seattle. These are owner estimates, not sale prices. The FHFA House Price Index shows Washington prices down 0.9% and Seattle–Bellevue–Kent prices down 2.4% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.

Median home value in all 50 states

Is there a real estate transfer tax in Washington?

Washington taxes each sale with a graduated state real estate excise tax of 1.1% on the first $525,000, 1.28% up to $1,525,000, 2.75% up to $3,025,000 and 3% above that for sales through December 31, 2026, plus a local tax such as Seattle's 0.5%.

Full Washington guide · Compare all 50 states

How much is the state transfer tax on a $605,600 home in Washington?

On $605,600, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Washington (Census ACS 2025), the state real estate excise tax comes to $6,806.68 (Sales through Dec 31, 2026: 1.10% up to $525,000, 1.28% from $525,000 to $1,525,000, 2.75% from $1,525,000 to $3,025,000, 3.00% above). County and city taxes are not included.

Full Washington guide · Compare all 50 states

What closing costs does Washington law set?

Washington has no official typical closing-cost total. The seller owes the real estate excise tax by law, $16,855 on a $1 million Seattle sale in 2026, and King County charges $303.50 to record a deed and $304.50 for a deed of trust.

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How is property tax calculated in Washington?

Washington counties value homes at 100% of market value as of January 1 and there is no general homestead exemption. In Seattle the King County Assessor's 2026 rate is $9.90845 per $1,000 of assessed value, or $8,253.74 on the $833,000 median home.

Full Washington guide · Compare all 50 states

How much property tax do homeowners pay in Washington?

Owner-occupants in Washington pay a median $4,556 a year in property tax on a median home value of $564,600, an effective rate of 0.81% (U.S.: $3,119, 0.94%), per Census ACS 2020-2024 estimates.

Property tax by county in Washington

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

In Washington, file a petition on a Department of Revenue form with the county Board of Equalization by July 1 or within 30 days after the assessment notice, whichever is later (a county may allow up to 60 days). King County's 2026 calendar lists July 1.

Full Washington guide · Compare all 50 states

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

The Washington statutes and court rules read do not require a buyer or seller to hire an attorney to close. Escrow agents need a license from the Department of Financial Institutions unless exempt, such as a bank, a title insurer or agent, or a lawyer (RCW 18.44.021).

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What must a home seller disclose in Washington?

A Washington seller of a home with one to four units must give the buyer a signed seller disclosure statement within 5 business days after mutual acceptance (RCW 64.06.020, 64.06.030). The buyer then has 3 business days to approve it or rescind.

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How does foreclosure work in Washington?

A Washington home loan secured by a deed of trust can be foreclosed without a court, by a trustee, and the trustee's sale must be set at least 90 days after the notice of sale is recorded, or 120 days when the pre-notice contact letter was required.

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What first-time home buyer programs does Washington offer?

In Washington, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC) pairs its home loans with down payment assistance of 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan amount at 0% interest, for households earning up to $215,000, and first-time status is not required.

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Is Washington a community property state?

Washington is a community property state: property acquired after marriage is community property, and neither spouse may sell or encumber community real estate without the other signing the deed (RCW 26.16.030).

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Which natural hazards affect home insurance in Washington?

In Washington, Seattle's Office of Emergency Management calls earthquakes the most serious hazard facing Seattle and says the Seattle region ranks first in the country for the number of hazards it faces.

Full Washington guide

How much tax when you sell a home in Washington?

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

Capital gains on a home sale

Washington guides

Professionals in Washington

Sources

Data as of . Figures are computed from these sources.

All states · Federal guides