What Are Seller Closing Costs in Montgomery County MD?
Quick Answer: Seller closing costs in Montgomery County, Maryland usually run 7% to 9% of the sale price once agent commission is included, or about 1.5% to 2.5% without it. The biggest government charge is the county's progressive tiered recordation tax (ranging from $4.45 to $11.35 per $500), plus a 1% county transfer tax and a 0.5% Maryland state transfer tax. These taxes are customarily split 50/50 between buyer and seller. On a $600,000 home, that works out to roughly $7,400 in seller-side transfer and recordation taxes alone.
Key Takeaways
- Montgomery County has Maryland's most complex closing-cost structure: a 1% county transfer tax, a 0.5% state transfer tax, and a five-tier progressive recordation tax created by Bill 17-23.
- Transfer and recordation taxes are customarily split 50/50 between buyer and seller in Maryland, though the allocation is negotiable in the contract.
- Recordation rates jump sharply at $500K, $600K, $750K, and $1M. Homes above $750,000 pay more than double the per-dollar rate of homes under $500K.
- Montgomery's tiered system can cost $7,000 to $12,000 more than Frederick County on a comparable sale, even though Frederick has a higher flat recordation rate.
- Real estate commission is the single largest seller cost. Switching from a traditional 3% listing agent to a 1.5% full-service program can save $7,500 on a $500K home or $15,000 on a $1M home.
- Always request a personalized net sheet before listing. On-screen estimates miss HOA resale fees, prorated property tax credits, and loan payoff interest, all of which affect your true walk-away number.
In This Guide
- What Are Seller Closing Costs in Montgomery County?
- The Five Major Seller Costs, Line by Line
- How the Tiered Recordation Tax Works
- Full Cost Breakdown by Sale Price
- Montgomery vs. Frederick vs. Surrounding Counties
- Real Estate Commission, the Biggest Variable
- Title, Escrow, and Settlement Fees
- HOA, Condo, and Association Fees
- How to Reduce Your Seller Closing Costs
- Seller Timeline in Montgomery County
- What This Means for Your Home Sale
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Glossary
If you are selling a house in Montgomery County, the closing costs are higher and more confusing than almost anywhere else in Maryland, and not only because the median price sits near $600,000. Montgomery runs the state's most complicated cost structure: a flat 1% county transfer tax layered on top of the 0.5% state transfer tax, plus a progressive five-tier recordation tax that was rewritten under Bill 17-23. Through our Montgomery County real estate services, backed by a team that lists homes across Maryland, we routinely see Montgomery sellers underestimate these charges by thousands of dollars compared with what a seller in Frederick County (0% county transfer tax) or Carroll County (0.5% county transfer tax with a principal-residence exemption) would pay at the same price.
This guide walks through every line item a Montgomery County seller should expect on the settlement statement, with real calculations for $500K, $600K, $750K, and $1M-plus homes, county-by-county comparisons, and the one adjustment most sellers overlook that can change the math by five figures. If you want the broader picture first, our overview of selling a home in the DMV covers pricing, marketing, and timing in one place.
What Are Seller Closing Costs in Montgomery County?
Seller closing costs in Montgomery County MD are the deductions taken from your gross sale price before you receive your net proceeds at settlement. They fall into three broad categories.
- Government transfer and recordation taxes: the Maryland state transfer tax, the Montgomery County transfer tax, and the county's tiered recordation tax.
- Transaction fees: real estate commission, title and escrow charges, document preparation, courier and wire fees, and occasionally attorney fees.
- Property-specific charges: prorated real estate taxes, HOA or condo resale fees, payoff of any existing mortgage plus per-diem interest, and any seller concessions negotiated with the buyer.
The all-in total for most Montgomery sellers, with agent commission factored in at traditional rates, lands between 7% and 9% of the sale price. On a $620,000 home near the county median, that is roughly $43,400 to $55,800. About 60% to 65% of that total is real estate commission, which is why commission structure is the single biggest lever a seller can pull to improve the net proceeds. These totals sit at the higher end of typical Maryland seller closing costs, largely because of Montgomery's layered county tax structure.
What Maryland sellers do not pay
Unlike Virginia's grantor's tax (seller-paid) or DC's transfer tax (also seller-paid), Maryland's transfer and recordation taxes are not automatically assigned to one side. The statewide custom is a 50/50 split, but the purchase contract controls. In competitive negotiations, sellers sometimes agree to pay more to secure a buyer, and in slower markets buyers may offer to cover the full tax to sweeten a deal.
The Five Major Seller Costs, Line by Line
Five line items determine roughly 95% of a Montgomery County seller's closing costs. Everything else, including notary fees, courier charges, and document prep, is rounding.
| Cost Category | Typical Range (Seller Side) | % of Sale Price |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate commission | $7,500 to $30,000-plus per 1% | 3% to 6% (negotiable) |
| Transfer and recordation taxes | $5,975 to $20,000-plus | 1.2% to 2% (50/50 split) |
| Title and settlement fees | $800 to $1,500 | 0.15% to 0.3% |
| Property tax proration | Varies (credit or debit) | Neutral in most cases |
| HOA/condo resale package and fees | $200 to $800 | 0.05% to 0.1% |
Here is the relative weight of these costs on a $620,000 Montgomery County home, assuming a traditional 3% plus 2.5% commission:
Commission accounts for about 78% of a traditional seller's closing costs. Taxes make up roughly 17%. Everything else combined is under 5%. That ratio is why the most impactful decision a Montgomery seller makes is how the listing agreement is structured, not which title company handles settlement or whether you talk $200 off a document fee.
Get a personalized home valuation from The Jamil Brothers, built on street-level Montgomery County comps rather than an automated Zestimate. Response within 24 hours, no pressure, no commitment.
How the Tiered Recordation Tax Works
This is where Montgomery County gets complicated, and where most online closing-cost calculators get the math wrong. Effective October 1, 2023, Bill 17-23 replaced the county's simple two-rate recordation structure with a five-tier progressive system. Each slice of the sale price is taxed at a different rate per $500, and the county calculates the tax by rounding up to the nearest $500 within each tier, then summing the tiers.
Montgomery County Recordation Tax Tiers
| Portion of Sale Price | Rate per $500 | Effective % | Tax on That Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 to $500,000 | $4.45 | 0.89% | Up to $4,450 |
| $500,000 to $600,000 | $6.75 | 1.35% | Up to $1,350 |
| $600,000 to $750,000 | $10.20 | 2.04% | Up to $3,060 |
| $750,000 to $1,000,000 | $10.78 | 2.16% | Up to $5,390 |
| $1,000,000-plus | $11.35 | 2.27% | $11.35 per $500 over $1M |
How it stacks up: the recordation tax is built from three components. There is a base rate of $2.08 per $500, a school-funding increment of $2.37 per $500 (together forming the $4.45 base), and a premium that steps up at $500K, $600K, $750K, and $1M. The premium portion is what makes Montgomery's structure dramatically more expensive for higher-priced homes than most Maryland counties.
Principal Residence Recordation Credit
For owner-occupied principal residences, Montgomery County offers an $890 recordation tax credit, which effectively exempts the first $100,000 of the sale price from the base recordation tax when the buyer will occupy the property as a principal residence. This affects the buyer's side of the split more directly than the seller's, but in a 50/50 contract the total tax the settlement agent collects is reduced, and both sides benefit proportionately.
First-time Maryland homebuyer rule
If your buyer is a first-time Maryland homebuyer purchasing a principal residence, Maryland law reduces the state transfer tax from 0.5% to 0.25%, but the seller must pay that entire 0.25%, not a 50/50 split. This quirk can shift $1,500 or more onto the seller's side on a $600K sale, and it is not always flagged in pre-listing estimates.
Full Cost Breakdown by Sale Price
Here is what transfer and recordation taxes look like at five common Montgomery County price points, assuming a standard 50/50 split between buyer and seller. These figures exclude commission, title, and HOA charges, which we layer in afterward.
| Sale Price | State Transfer (0.5%) | County Transfer (1%) | Recordation Tax | Total | Seller 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $2,500 | $5,000 | $4,450 | $11,950 | $5,975 |
| $600,000 | $3,000 | $6,000 | $5,800 | $14,800 | $7,400 |
| $750,000 | $3,750 | $7,500 | $8,860 | $20,110 | $10,055 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 | $14,250 | $29,250 | $14,625 |
| $1,250,000 | $6,250 | $12,500 | $19,925 | $38,675 | $19,338 |
Why the jump at $750K matters so much
Between a $500K sale and a $750K sale, combined transfer and recordation taxes more than double, climbing from $11,950 to $20,110. That happens because a $750K home pays the $4.45 rate on the first $500K, the $6.75 rate on the next $100K, and the $10.20 rate on the final $150K. The blended effective rate rises from about 2.39% at $500K to 2.68% at $750K, and it keeps climbing from there.
For sellers in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac, and North Bethesda, where median prices routinely clear $1 million, this tiered structure can add $5,000 to $15,000 to your closing costs compared with similarly priced homes in Frederick or Howard County.
Montgomery vs. Frederick vs. Surrounding Counties
Maryland has 24 jurisdictions, and every one sets its own county transfer tax and recordation rates. Assuming that "Maryland closing costs" mean the same thing everywhere is one of the most common and expensive mistakes a cross-county seller can make. Here is how Montgomery compares with its neighbors on a $600,000 sale:
| County | County Transfer Tax | Recordation (per $500) | Est. Total on $600K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery | 1.0% | $4.45 to $11.35 (tiered) | $14,800 |
| Frederick | 0.0% | $7.00 (flat) | $11,400 |
| Howard | 1.0% | $2.50 (flat) | $12,000 |
| Prince George's | 1.4% | $5.50 (flat) | $17,100 |
| Carroll | 0.0% | $5.00 (flat) | $9,000 |
| Anne Arundel | 1.0% | $7.00 (flat) | $17,400 |
At $600K, Montgomery sits in the middle of the pack. Move up to a $1 million sale, though, and the picture flips. Montgomery's progressive tiers push the total tax to $29,250, while Frederick stays around $19,000 (1.9%) and Howard around $20,000 (2%). By $1.25M, Montgomery's taxes exceed Frederick's by more than $15,000. If your property sits across the county line, our breakdown of Frederick County seller closing costs explains that county's flat-rate structure in detail.
If you own in Frederick or Howard, do not assume Montgomery math
Sellers who previously closed in Frederick, Howard, or Carroll sometimes plug those numbers into a Montgomery County net sheet and end up under-reserving for taxes by five figures. Always verify rates against the specific property's county, and request a jurisdiction-specific net sheet before accepting an offer.
Real Estate Commission, the Biggest Variable
Real estate commission is the single largest cost of selling in Montgomery County, and the only one you can materially negotiate. The traditional Montgomery County structure has historically been 3% to the listing agent and 2% to 2.5% to the buyer's agent, paid by the seller at closing. After the NAR settlement took effect in August 2024, buyer-agent compensation is no longer embedded in the MLS listing field. It is now a separate negotiation between the buyer and the buyer's agent, although sellers frequently still offer compensation as part of their marketing strategy.
The Jamil Brothers Realty Group offers a 1.5% full-service listing program in Montgomery County that includes 4K photography, drone video, 3D Matterport tours, MLS syndication, open houses, expert negotiation, and dedicated broker representation, with no reduction in marketing or service compared with a 3% listing. On a $600,000 home, the commission savings alone is $9,000; on a $1M home, it is $15,000.
Seller Savings Calculator
How much more do you keep with our 1.5% listing fee?
Select your home's estimated value to see your real net proceeds, side by side.
Traditional Agent, 3%
Our Fee, Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$6,000
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent, with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Traditional Agent, 3%
Our Fee, Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$7,500
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent, with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Traditional Agent, 3%
Our Fee, Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$9,000
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent, with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Traditional Agent, 3%
Our Fee, Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$11,250
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent, with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Traditional Agent, 3%
Our Fee, Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$15,000
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent, with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Estimates only. Closing costs vary. Buyer's agent commission is negotiable.
4K photography, drone video, 3D tours, expert negotiation, and full MLS marketing, all included at 1.5%. No hidden fees, no service reductions, no surprises.
Title, Escrow, and Settlement Fees
Maryland is a title company state, meaning settlements are typically conducted by licensed title companies rather than attorneys. Title insurance rates in Maryland are regulated by the Maryland Insurance Administration and are consistent across all title companies, though title company service fees vary.
Sellers in Montgomery County typically pay for the following:
Seller-Side Title and Settlement Costs
- ✓ Deed preparation: $150 to $350
- ✓ Settlement/closing fee: $400 to $700 (seller's half)
- ✓ Release tracking and recording: $60 to $150
- ✓ Wire/courier fees: $50 to $150
- ✓ Loan payoff processing (if applicable): $50 to $150
- ✓ Survey (if required): $350 to $600, usually for older properties or unclear boundary lines
Who pays for title insurance in Maryland?
The lender's title insurance policy is paid by the buyer. An owner's title insurance policy, which protects the buyer rather than the seller against title defects, is optional and usually also paid by the buyer in Maryland. Some contracts, however, specify that the seller provides the owner's policy as part of the sale. Read this section of the contract carefully before you sign, because a $1,500 to $2,500 owner's policy cost can shift from buyer to seller based on contract language alone.
HOA, Condo, and Association Fees
Homes inside an HOA, condo association, or cooperative, which are common in Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Clarksburg, and most newer Montgomery County communities, trigger a few additional seller-side costs that are sometimes missed.
| Fee | Typical Amount | Who Pays |
|---|---|---|
| HOA/condo resale package | $150 to $500 | Seller (MD law) |
| Condominium association transfer/capital contribution | $100 to $500 | Buyer (usually) |
| Prorated HOA/condo dues | Varies | Split at closing |
| Estoppel / account statement | $50 to $150 | Seller (usually) |
| Rush fee for resale package | $100 to $300 | Whoever requests |
Order the HOA resale package early
Maryland HOAs and condo associations have 20 calendar days by statute to deliver a resale certificate once requested, and many take the full window. Waiting until after you are under contract to order the package can delay closing by 7 to 14 days. Best practice: order the resale package the same week you list.
How to Reduce Your Seller Closing Costs
Some closing costs are fixed. The state transfer tax will be 0.5%, the county transfer tax will be 1%, and the recordation tiers are set by ordinance. But the costs you can influence represent the largest dollar amounts on your settlement sheet. If a fast, low-hassle sale matters more than maximizing the final price, you can also request a no-obligation cash offer and compare it against a traditional listing.
| Levers You Can Pull | Traps to Avoid |
|---|---|
| Negotiate commission: 1.5% vs. 3% saves $7,500 to $22,500 on a $500K to $1.5M home | Assuming all agents charge the same (they do not) |
| Price strategically on day one, since overpricing leads to price drops and buyer credits | Chasing the market down with repeated price reductions |
| Negotiate buyer concessions carefully and cap them at 2% to 3% | Agreeing to unlimited concessions or paying the buyer's full closing |
| Complete minor pre-listing repairs before inspection | Letting minor issues become $5K to $15K post-inspection credits |
| Shop title companies, since rates are regulated but service fees vary | Accepting the buyer's title company by default without review |
| Check for prepayment penalties on your current mortgage | Missing a 1% to 2% prepayment penalty on recent refinances |
The single biggest savings lever: listing fee structure
At median Montgomery County prices, moving from a 3% listing to a full-service 1.5% listing saves you more than all of your title fees, HOA fees, prorations, and settlement fees combined, without reducing what a buyer sees online or what shows up in your marketing package. Professional photography, drone video, and 3D Matterport tours are standard inclusions, not upgrades. If a flat 1.5% is not the right fit, ask about flexible commission options tailored to your situation and timeline.
Seller Timeline in Montgomery County
From listing decision to cash in your account, here is a realistic timeline for Montgomery County sellers:
Pre-listing consultation and pricing, Week 1
Tour the home, review comps at the street level, discuss pricing strategy, order the HOA resale package, and sign the listing agreement. This is also where you negotiate the listing fee structure.
Preparation and marketing launch, Weeks 2 to 3
Staging consultation, minor cosmetic repairs, 4K photography, drone video, 3D Matterport tour, and floor plan. The listing goes live on BrightMLS and syndicates to Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin. The first open house typically lands on the weekend of week 3.
Active marketing and offers, Weeks 3 to 6
Montgomery County median days on market currently sits around 37 to 49 days. Well-priced, well-presented homes in Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, and North Potomac typically receive offers in the first 10 to 14 days, while homes in Germantown and Gaithersburg tend to run closer to the county average.
Contract to closing, 30 to 45 days
Home inspection (3 to 5 days), appraisal (7 to 14 days), loan underwriting (2 to 3 weeks), title search, and final walkthrough. Conventional financed deals close in 30 to 35 days; cash closings in 14 to 21 days.
Settlement and funds disbursement, Day 1 to 3 after closing
The settlement statement (ALTA) is signed at the title company, the loan payoff is wired, recordation documents are filed with Montgomery County, and seller proceeds are wired to your bank account, usually the same day or the next business day.
Our seller net sheet calculator breaks down every Montgomery County cost, including commission, transfer taxes, recordation tiers, title fees, and HOA prorations, so you know your real bottom line before you list.
What This Means for Your Home Sale
Understanding Montgomery County's closing costs is not just about managing sticker shock. It is about knowing which costs you can shape and which are fixed. State transfer taxes, county transfer taxes, and recordation tiers are set by law. Commission, pricing strategy, and contract negotiation are entirely within your control, and they represent tens of thousands of dollars in potential savings. For the full listing process from pricing to settlement, see our complete guide to selling a house in Montgomery County.
Before you list, run a personalized seller net sheet with your exact numbers: your current loan payoff, your property tax proration, your HOA status, your target sale price, and your commission structure. Generic online calculators do not capture Montgomery County's tiered recordation tax or account for the first-time homebuyer exemption that can shift taxes back onto the seller. A real net sheet tied to your specific property will show your true walk-away number within a few hundred dollars. It also helps to start with a free home valuation so your projected net is built on a realistic sale price.
Know your equity, understand your Montgomery County-specific costs, and see exactly what you will walk away with before you make any decisions. The Jamil Brothers provide a full seller consultation at no cost or obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are seller closing costs in Montgomery County, Maryland?
Seller closing costs in Montgomery County typically total 7% to 9% of the sale price when real estate commission is included, or 1.5% to 2.5% without commission. On a $620,000 home near the county median, that is roughly $43,000 to $55,000 all-in. The largest components are agent commission (around 5% to 6%), transfer and recordation taxes (1.2% to 2%, split 50/50 with the buyer), and title and settlement fees (around $800 to $1,500 on the seller's side).
Who pays transfer taxes in Montgomery County, the buyer or the seller?
Montgomery County transfer taxes and Maryland state transfer taxes are customarily split 50/50 between buyer and seller, but the allocation is negotiable in the purchase contract. In competitive seller's markets, buyers may offer to pay a higher share to make their offer more attractive. In slower markets, sellers may agree to cover more to close faster. One exception: if the buyer qualifies as a first-time Maryland homebuyer, the state transfer tax drops from 0.5% to 0.25%, and that 0.25% must be paid entirely by the seller.
What is the Montgomery County recordation tax?
Montgomery County uses a tiered progressive recordation tax structure, rewritten by Bill 17-23 effective October 1, 2023. Rates per $500 of sale price are $4.45 on the first $500,000; $6.75 on the portion from $500K to $600K; $10.20 on $600K to $750K; $10.78 on $750K to $1M; and $11.35 on any portion over $1M. An $890 recordation tax credit is available for owner-occupied principal residences.
How is Montgomery County's recordation tax different from Frederick or Howard County?
Frederick County has no county transfer tax and a flat $7.00 per $500 recordation rate (roughly 1.4%). Howard County charges a 1% county transfer tax but only $2.50 per $500 in recordation. Montgomery has both a 1% county transfer tax and a progressive recordation tax that climbs to $11.35 per $500 above $1M. On a $600K sale, Montgomery charges about $14,800 in combined transfer and recordation taxes, versus $11,400 in Frederick and $12,000 in Howard. The gap widens dramatically at higher price points.
How long does it take to sell a house in Montgomery County right now?
The county-wide median days on market is currently around 37 to 49 days, depending on which data source you reference. Well-priced, well-presented homes in Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, and North Potomac typically go under contract in 10 to 14 days. Homes in Germantown and Gaithersburg tend to sit closer to the county average. Once under contract, conventional financed deals close in 30 to 35 days; cash deals in 14 to 21 days.
Is real estate commission still 6% in Maryland?
Real estate commission has always been negotiable under Maryland law, but the traditional Montgomery County structure was 3% to the listing side and 2.5% to 3% to the buyer's side, paid by the seller at closing. The August 2024 NAR settlement formally decoupled buyer-agent compensation from the MLS listing field, meaning buyers now negotiate their agent's fee directly with their agent. Sellers still frequently offer buyer-agent compensation as a marketing tactic. Listing fees today commonly range from 1% to 3%; The Jamil Brothers Realty Group offers a 1.5% full-service listing program across Montgomery County.
How do I choose a listing agent in Montgomery County?
Focus on objective criteria: local Montgomery County sales volume in the last 12 months, list-to-sale price ratio, median days on market, marketing package (professional photography, drone, 3D tour, MLS syndication), and commission structure. Ask for a written marketing plan and a sample seller net sheet. Interview at least two agents and compare the full value proposition, not just the fee. The Jamil Brothers Realty Group has closed 840+ homes across the DMV, holds NVAR Lifetime Top Producer status, and maintains 500+ five-star reviews across Google, Zillow, and Realtor.com.
Do I need an attorney to sell a house in Maryland?
No. Maryland is a title company state, meaning licensed title companies conduct settlements and attorneys are optional. Most routine residential transactions in Montgomery County are handled entirely by a title company without attorney involvement. An attorney is advisable in complex situations such as estate sales, divorce settlements, properties with title defects, short sales, or disputed boundary issues.
What HOA or condo fees does the seller pay?
Under Maryland law, the seller is responsible for providing the HOA or condo resale package, which costs $150 to $500 depending on the association. Sellers also typically pay for the account statement or estoppel certificate ($50 to $150). Prorated HOA or condo dues are split at closing based on the settlement date. Condo associations often charge the buyer a capital contribution or working capital fee at settlement, and seller assessments for open special assessments must be cleared at closing.
What mistakes cost Montgomery County sellers the most money?
The three most expensive mistakes are overpricing on day one and chasing the market down with repeated price drops, which shows up as a lower final sale price and longer days on market; skipping professional photography and drone video, which statistically reduces clicks, showings, and offers; and accepting a default 3% listing commission without comparing full-service alternatives. Under-reserving for Montgomery's tiered recordation tax on higher-priced homes, and missing the $890 principal-residence credit, round out the top concerns.
Do I pay capital gains tax on my Montgomery County home sale?
Most primary-residence sellers qualify for the IRS Section 121 exclusion: $250,000 of capital gain excluded for single filers, $500,000 for married couples filing jointly, provided you have owned and lived in the home as your primary residence for at least 2 of the last 5 years. Gains above the exclusion are subject to federal capital gains tax (0%, 15%, or 20% based on income) plus Maryland state income tax. Transfer and recordation taxes paid by the seller can be added to your cost basis, which reduces taxable gain. Consult a CPA for specific guidance, since this is general information, not tax advice. Our full guide to capital gains tax when selling a home in Maryland walks through the exclusion math with worked examples.
Can I sell my Montgomery County home without a real estate agent?
Yes. Maryland allows for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) transactions, but they represent well under 10% of Montgomery County closings. Without an agent, you are responsible for pricing, MLS exposure, marketing, showings, offer analysis, contract negotiation, inspection response, appraisal management, and coordination with the title company. FSBO homes historically sell for 10% to 15% less than agent-listed comparable homes, which tends to wipe out any commission savings. A 1.5% full-service listing is often a more effective middle path than FSBO if saving money is the primary motivation.
Glossary
Transfer Tax
A tax imposed on the transfer of real property, calculated as a percentage of the sale price. Maryland charges 0.5% statewide; Montgomery County adds 1%.
Recordation Tax
A tax charged when documents are recorded in Maryland land records, stated as a dollar amount per $500 of consideration. Montgomery County uses a progressive tiered structure.
Bill 17-23
The 2023 Montgomery County Council bill that restructured recordation tax rates into five progressive tiers effective October 1, 2023.
Seller Net Sheet
An itemized estimate of all costs a seller will pay at closing and the expected net proceeds after all deductions.
Principal Residence Credit
Montgomery County's $890 recordation tax credit for owner-occupied primary residences, effectively exempting the first $100,000 of sale price.
Settlement Agent
The title company (or attorney) facilitating closing, handling document execution, fund disbursement, and recording with Montgomery County.
Resale Package
The HOA or condo association document set required by Maryland law for resale transactions, including bylaws, budget, reserves, and disclosures.
Seller Concessions
Credits the seller agrees to contribute toward the buyer's closing costs as part of the negotiated sale, usually capped at 2% to 3%.
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